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Fuchsia paniculata

Please take your time removing your plant from it's packaging.

Soil - Your Fuchsia likes humus-rich soil that's drains easily.  Regular potting soil should be fine, but i like to add some compost (well-decomposed).  If you mix your own soil from scratch, use approximately 2 parts compost to 1 part sand or perlite.  I like to add a slow-release organic fertilizer at this time.  Start your plant in a 1 gallon container (approximately).  

Transplant carefully - Before sliding your plant from its pot, give it a watering if the soil looks dry, so it doesn't break apart, which can damage the roots.  If the plant doesn't slide out easily, stick the eraser end of a pencil into the holes at the bottom, to help push it out.  Don't compress the soil when transplanting.

Watering - Fuchsia paniculata likes moist soil.  Water whenever the soil is about halfway dry down where the roots are.  For the first month, ensure that the original soil ball remains moist.  This Fuchsia has a tendency to dry out quickly if not watered faithfully.  I recommend using a moisture meter probe to monitor the soil moisture. You can buy this at garden and hardware stores for about $4.  You simply stick the probe in the soil at the level where the roots are, and water whenever the needle is about halfway across the dial. Never let the pots dry out, but don't let them sit in a tray of water either.  I strongly recommend using bottled water or rainwater until your plant has grown a foot taller, due to the uncertain chemistry of tap water. 

The right light -- Your plant was grown in filtered light and will need to be acclimated to direct sun slowly.  Start your plant in bright, indirect light (like a fluorescent bulb) for the first week, followed by either filtered sunlight (filtered through trees or a curtain) or an hour or two of morning sun.  Then, every few days, you can increase the sun by a small amount.  Keep in mind that this plant doesn't need a whole lot of direct sun.  Filtered sun works very well and prevents burning or overheating.  

Feeding - Your Fuchsia likes average fertilizing.  After the 2nd week, you can start giving it monthly feedings using an ordinary complete vegetable fertilizer at ½ to ¾ the recommended dose.  It's normal for some of the older leaves to occasionally turn yellow and drop, but if it's excessive, it's usually a sign that it needs more fertilizer (nitrogen).  It could also be from dry soil.  If the newer growth should turn yellow with green veins, the pH of your tap water is probably too high.  Switch to bottled water if this occurs.  Keep in mind it's normal for the growing tips to look a little reddish or yellow-green.  By the way, don't overfeed your plant - it will not speed its growth and may end up poisoning it.  Cut back on the feedings if your plant should go through a dormant period.

Repotting - Repot to a larger container whenever the roots start circling around the bottom of the container or poke out of the holes.  A 4-5 foot plant will need approximately a 15" pot, minimum.  Always water your plant before transplanting, then move it carefully.  

Growing outdoors - Fuchsia paniculata prefers moderate temperatures and cool nights.  The ideal temps would be between 60 and 80 during the day, and 45 to 65 at night.  In warmer areas, give the plant mid-day shade, and don't place it near a wall where heat can collect.  Keep the pot shaded to avoid overheating the roots, and mulch heavily to keep the soil moist.  Black pots are not recommended.  You may plant them in the ground in mild-winter areas, such as along the Pacific coast.  Protect the plant from all frost.  You can grow it indoors, provided that the air isn't too dry.  Over 40-50% humidity is preferred.

Pruning - You can prune your Fuchsia if it gets too big, or to shape it.  Try not to remove more than 10% of the branches in a week. 

Propagation --  To take cuttings, clip a 5" section of stem and remove the leaves on the lower half.  Then snip the remaining leaves in half using scissors.  Promptly stick it in a cup of moist soil and cover with a small plastic bag which has 1 or 2 dime-sized holes cut into it.  Place the plant under fluorescent lights or in a northern window.  It should root within a month.

Pests to watch for - Aphids, scale (brown "lumps" on the stems - hard to see!), mealybugs, whitefly, and possibly spider mites (tiny "dots" under the leaves).

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. 

Have fun growing it!

Jeff

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