Hi Analyst,
It probably dried out too much whilst you were away, and is now showing the stress. Trim it back by half, then remove any dying or dead leaves, also any that are laying on the soil. Place in a shady position outside, keep moist but not soaking wet. After a couple of weeks it should begin to shoot again, when it does give it a balanced feed NPK 20-20-20. A quarter strength at every watering - Kath:)

Thanks Kath. Where is a good place to purchase NPK? I am kind of new at gardening.

Sarah

TheAnalyst, NPK isn't a brand -- it's the way fertilizers list the content of available plant nutrients Nitrogren, Phosphorous and potassium (chemical symbol K).

Almost any more-or-less balanced formulation, usually promoted on the package for flowers or vegetables, will do. Just avoid the high-nitrogen stuff meant for lawns (Scott's Turf Builder has an NPK of 29-3-4), or supplemental acid formulations generally for hollies, rhododendrons, hydrangea and other acid-loving plants.

D&K

Hi D&K. Thanks for the help. I knew NPK is not a brand and that NPK stood for the chemical elements. My problem is that I do not know how to go about finding it. What brands should I look for (such as, not Scott's Turf). I do have all purpose plant food (liquid) by Schultz. I believe it is the 10-15-10 though.

As of this morning, when I left my house, the fuchsia wasn't looking well. More leaves fell off than those that are growing. The flowers fell off too. I plan to look for NPK 20-20-20 later on, after I am finished work.

Also, I am not sure if the weather is affecting the plant. I am in zone 6 (PA). Currently, the weather has been very humid and high 80s (F). I felt the plant was doing much better when the weather was less humid, so I brought the plant inside for the day. Normally, I kept the plant outside (in a pot) in a shady area.

I must say, fuchsias seem to be the most difficult plant to grow so far. I rarely kill plants, but my poor fuchsia isn't doing so well.

Sarah

You can use MiracleGro fertilizer or something similar. It will either have the NPK numbers on the front of the package, or on one of the other sides under "guaranteed analysis". For fuchsias I use it at half-strength weekly or quarter-strength with every watering.

Andy

I use tomato fertilser NPK 6:5:9 at 1/4 strength every watering.

Just an update. I purchased Miracle Grow Tomatoe and Vegetable Food. I looked in 2 stores, and couldn't find a 20-20-20. The tomatoe food is 18-18-21, so I figured that is probably the best I could find, for now at least. I hope this helps.

Sarah

Yes Sarah, that's fine. It probably says something like use once every 10 days, but if you dilute it to a quarter strength you can use it at every watering if you wish - Kath:)

Oh, I can feel your pain, Sarah!! My Southgate upright, and several hanging basket fuchsia starts were doing superbly 'til I went on vacation. Temps reaching the 90's, and a power outtage cancelled out my programmed auto-watering system. I was gone for 11 days and don't know how long they were without water.

ALL the hanging basket starts are D-E-A-D. =( My Southgate has leaves curled up, dead & dropping. The stems are doing the same, along w/buds. A few leaves are alive, even w/blooms. The overall look of the plant has gone for full & robust, to sickly and pathetic. I'm ill w/regret!!

Would you recommend my doing the same as Sarah, Kath? Bring Southgate inside?

So sad over my fuchsia failure!!!

=( Kathleen in TX

Oh dear Kathleen, and they were all doing so well. The ones that are still alive but look 'sickly', cut the stems back until you see green in the middle, take off flowers and leaves that are dead or dying, place in a shady spot, keep moist but not soaking wet.

Normally I never recommend bringing fuchsias indoors, but I know some people who have very hot daytime temps. and have air conditioning indoors have had success in respect of keeping them cool. Make sure they are in good daylight, not full sun, and don't overwater - Kath:)

Kathleen, I am sorry to hear that. :( I know how you feel.

Try what Kath said. I cut my almost dead fuchsia back; it has been a few weeks now and the stems are green and new leaves are growing! :D Everyone told me it was dead, but I had hopes.

I did bring it inside before the problems, once and while, when I feared it would be too hot or too cold (I purchased it in early spring). The plant was okay inside, as long I rotated between sessions inside and outside. It is outside all the time now.

I believe I was underwatering it before. I was afraid of overwatering, but the plant likes water. I just make sure I don't give it too much water, in which it begins to leak out from the bottom of the pot. Whenever it is dry, I water it.

Good luck Kathleen! Thanks Kath for the advice. Btw, nice website Kath!

The photo is my newest fuchsia. If you have trouble viewing it, let me know. It is posted at ofoto.com.

Sarah

Here is a link that might be useful: new fuchsia

Nice one Sarah,
A triphylla type, definitely don't overwater it, it can take the heat better than the ordinary cultivars. At the end of the summer if you're going to cut it back, only by a third to a half, they don't like being cut back as much as others - Kath:)

TA, try using Oxygen Plus when you water and you won't need to worry about over watering. It puts oxygen in the soil around the roots. That doesn't mean to let the plant sit in water.

Oxygen Plus is meant mainly for house plants which usually bite the dust from over watering. Any time I think I have really screwed up with the water I put some in some water and water the plant again. Sounds awful doesn't it.

Jeanette

I seem to be having the same problem there healthy leave but it seems like it keeps getting more and more brown and drying leaves and the buds brown and die out before they open. my apartment does not get alot of light and not room to put them in front of the window so it sits across the room from the window that gets morning sun thru it. I have it inside because my back porch which is very small gets mostly sunlight all day very strong. as of today I tried putting it out there for about an hour and made sure I watered it beforehand I got it half dead from my mother for Mother's Day and it's in the same pot it started in which is a hanging basket it has a few different plants in the same basket I'm just not sure how to bring it back I haven't managed to get plant food yet as we're a little short on money but I have no idea if I'm over watering it or if it should be getting more Sun during the day. This is literally my first plant besides a small thing of grass my children got for Easter so I am literally brand new at growing anything and my mom thought it was a brilliant idea to give me apparently one of the hardest flowers to grow for my first plant and then give it to me half dead lol. it's her favorite plant that's why she got it but I have no idea what to do with it and I don't want it to die it's not very big the longest ones probably 9 inches but it's a pretty small plant.

Help! I can't figure out what's wrong with this poor fuchsia! It was gorgeous in the spring but has barely survived the summer. I live in southwest Oklahoma so I brought it indoors to survive the heat, I have been careful not to over water, it was looking better until I fertilized it with miracle grow. Also I noticed little white things on the blooms. Please help!

Fuchsias are not indoor plants!! They can tolerate heat - they are tropical to subtropical in origin - but not direct sunlight. I'd get it back outside in a shady location and water well. I would be very surprised if it didn't perk up rapidly. Once it is looking better, you can fertilize with a diluted water soluble solution.

Can't see clearly what the "white things" are but possibly white fly. Showering the plant down with water after getting it back outside will help but if they persist, you can try Neem oil. Insects like this tend to focus on stressed plants and your plant is stressed from its improper growing conditions!! Get it back outside, water well and leave it for a day or two, then check for the bugs and treat accordingly.