Fuchsias like shade, right?

20 years ago

Just checking... I love the look of the hanging fushcia's and would like to get some for hanging baskets on my porch. It's a northern exposure on a deep porch -- literally no direct sunshine. Will they do okay there?

Also, overwinting -- I'm in northern indiana and read that it's possible to overwinter fushcias. Can anyone give me any tips? I think I read that after it's done blooming you cut the stalks back to a couple of inches and store for dormancy (like you would bulbs)? Is that it?

I'd appreciate any input. I've tried googling but honestly I'm not coming up with much at all... ???

Thanks,

Meagan

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Comments (4)

rain1950
20 years ago
Well . .. .not always. The farther north you are the less intense the sun. Here I keep most in the sun, but we have cooler evenings. If you can place it where it gets a couple hours of morning or evening sun, it will do better.

For overwintering, you pretty much have it right; keep it in a unheated garage or basement, but don't let it dry out. They require that period of dormancy.
pixiesmama
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks for your reply. I just picked up two plants from Lowe's and they're lovely. I'm going to try them on the porch; it should get a couple of hours of morning sun. If not, I can always move them around in the AM to catch some sun.

Along those lines, what signs do these plants exhibit if they're not getting enough sun? Just curious so I can keep my eye on them.

Meagan
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rain1950
20 years ago
Like any plant they will get leggy.
hld6
20 years ago
Hi Meagan
I have a similar problem, though my porch is southfacing it's shaded by large cedars in the front and there is a spot that gets very little sun. Fuchsias in that spot don't do so well. Besides a general failure to thrive they are also much more susceptible to overwatering damage. The east side that receives a few hours of morning sun is the best, and the west side that gets only a few hours of afternoon sun is also doing well (for now, once summer gets hot, afternoon sun in Maryland will be too "crispy" for them).
I don't notice that mine get leggy because when I bought them they were pretty much fully grown.

Definately hang them where they can get the most morning sun. Moving them around every now and then to give them a little extra dose is also a good idea.

Also be careful not to overwater. Don't soak them. Give them enough water to make them moist. And check the soil before watering again. Fuchsias are very susceptible to root damage whose symptom (wilted leaves) makes it look like they need water - compounding the problem. Of course you can't let them go dry either. (yikes!)

The FAQ section has instructions for overwintering. While I failed at that (I'll try again this year) the cuttings I took when I pruned them down grew indoors on a window sill over the winter and now are a big bushy plant on my porch.

Why do I go through all this? (my friends and relatives ask!!)
There really is no other beautiful flowering hanging plant for shade and I'm just not a Boston Fern kind of gal.

-Helen
A *mostly* former fuchsia killer - "crossed fingers"

:)