Gardening expert Tom Strowlger has named the half-hardy fuchsia as the perfect addition to the summer garden, highlighting its ballerina-like flowers in four different colours: pink, purple, red and white. According to Strowlger, planting and growing fuchsia is both simple and rewarding, with the flowers trailing over pots and containers to create an eye-catching display.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Fuchsia
Fuchsias are delicate plants that prefer a sheltered spot, such as a calm corner of the patio. A location with part sun and part shade is ideal, as fuchsias do not want to be scorched by hot summer sun all day. They grow quickly in the summer months, and buds and flowers will keep arriving in mass. Strowlger recommends feeding the plants with a nutritious, slow-releasing pellet like Vitax Q4 pellets and watering to keep the compost moist.
Watering and Care Tips
A lack of water will result in leaves withering and wilting, so water regularly during hot and dry spells. Strowlger advises placing an arrangement of four different colours of half-hardy fuchsia in a large pot for one of the nicest displays of all summer pots. The pot should have several holes at the base to be free draining, planted in peat-free compost and fed monthly with Q4 pellets for great results.
Winter Protection
Once the days shorten and colder temperatures set in, the pot should be placed in a greenhouse, as the fuchsia pot is unlikely to make it over winter. For fully hardy fuchsia planted in the ground, they will come back each year, but it is still important to place a thick layer of mulch over them as they can also be sensitive to very cold winter temperatures.
Pruning and Growth
The rate of growth will increase as the temperatures warm up. Pruning can be done in wintertime when the plant browns off and dies back, in readiness for springtime. Strowlger also offers a 12% discount on fuchsia orders from Thompson & Morgan using promo code TMTAWTOM12 when spending £20 or more. For more seasonal gardening advice, follow him on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @garden_with_tom.
