Fuchsia - Bell Plant

The Fuchsia, also known as the bell plant, is a beautiful and popular garden plant with cheerful dangling flowers in various colours. This plant belongs to the evening primrose family and originally grows in (sub)tropical areas of South America. There are more than a hundred known species and thousands of cultivars, varying from non-hardy to hardy varieties. The Fuchsia blooms from the beginning of summer until the first night frosts and continues to bloom throughout the summer. With its graceful and colourful flowers, the Fuchsia is a real eye-catcher in the garden, both in the open ground and in a pot or hanging basket. The plant requires a spot in partial shade with nutritious soil and is not poisonous to humans and animals.

The Bubble Plants - Fuchsia likes a sip of water

The Fuchsia needs an average amount of water and should be watered regularly, especially during dry periods. It is important that the soil remains slightly moist, but not too wet. In hot summers, daily watering is recommended, but make sure that there is good drainage to prevent the roots from rotting. In winter, the Fuchsia needs less water, especially if the plant is overwintered in a cool room. A Fuchsia that grows in a pot must ensure that the potting soil does not dry out completely. It is advisable to fertilize the plant with nitrogen in the spring for new growth and with calcium in the summer for continuous flowering. Also make sure that Fuchsias are not transplanted during flowering, as the buds may drop off.

Summer

During the summer it is very important that this plant, when it is outside, is kept well moist. Especially during the warm days it should be watered every day, so that the root ball is well moist. On the less warm days this can sometimes be skipped for a few days. This is so important because otherwise the plant 'drinks' moisture from its leaves, causing it to become dry and eventually die. This should of course be prevented.

Winter

When winter is upon us, the rules are reversed! If the Bell Plants - Fuchsia is outside, it must remain dry so that the moisture does not freeze and damage the plant. The Bell Plants - Fuchsia does not suffer from a dry root ball during this period, it is in a kind of hibernation!
When the plant is kept indoors during the winter it should be kept slightly moist, so not soaking wet (as in summer), but just so that the root ball feels slightly damp.

General rules

In addition to the above guidelines, it is best to follow these rules:

First, give the plant a little water. If the soil is dry within 2 days, it means it needs a little more water. Adjust the amount of water until it still feels slightly moist between 2 and 5 days after watering, and almost dry after 5 days. If it feels very wet after 5 days, wait until it is almost dry and water again, but reduce the amount.

Spraying

We recommend that you spray the Bell Plants - Fuchsia with water weekly. However, we do not recommend this during warm summer days, so that you do it either in the evening after sunset, or on days when the sun shines little, because the water droplets bundle the incoming sunlight into small points that become very hot. These cause the leaves to dry out, or even burn through.
Apart from the detrimental effect of bright sunlight on wet leaves, misting has beneficial effects for your Bubble Plants - Fuchsia . Namely, it removes dust from the leaves, allowing them to better absorb sunlight and appear more beautiful, and it prevents certain types of pests.

Where is the best place to place the Bubble Plants - Fuchsia?

The Fuchsia requires a spot in partial shade and a nutritious, humus-rich soil with few tree roots nearby. Although the plant does well in partial shade, full sun can also be tolerated, as long as the soil is not too dry. The Fuchsia likes a sheltered spot, out of the cold wind. The hardy Fuchsia can grow in the open ground and thrives best in fertile, not too dry garden soil. For non-hardy Fuchsias in pots, special tub plant soil or Fuchsia soil can be used. It is important to give the plant extra water during dry periods and to ensure that the soil remains slightly moist, but not too wet. Regular watering is certainly necessary during the warm summer period.

Light

The Bell Plants - Fuchsia is a plant that likes a fair amount of sunlight. It likes to be in full sun or half shade, taking in all the light. Is it inside? Then it wants a spot near a window or where light comes in. The Bell Plants - Fuchsia requires at least 1 to 3 hours of direct sunlight per day

Wind

Make sure that the Bell Plants - Fuchsia experiences as little wind as possible. Wind can damage the leaves, causing them to die off more quickly. A little wind is no problem.

Temperature requirements

Minimum temperature during the day: -15 ℃
At night minimum -15 ℃

Repotting, why and when?

It is advisable to repot a Fuchsia plant when the roots reach the bottom of the pot or when the plant starts to grow out of its pot. This can usually be done every few years. When repotting, check the roots for health and growth. If the roots are well-rooted and the plant looks healthy, the Fuchsia can be repotted without any problems. When repotting, choose a slightly larger pot so that the roots have enough room to grow and the plant can develop further. Repot the Fuchsia preferably in the spring, so that the plant can get used to its new environment during the growing season.

General rules

When the Bell Plants - Fuchsia has taken root (often every 2-3 years) we recommend repotting it in the spring. If it is always inside, it does not matter. If it is outside, it is not a problem to repot it in the summer, but we advise against it in the autumn and winter, because it will not grow and take root optimally. This can make it somewhat weak, and possibly suffer damage from frost.

When you choose to repot your Bubble Plants - Fuchsia, choose a nice pot that is twice the size of the root ball. Place a layer of hydro grains at the bottom of the new pot for better moisture control. It will be grateful for that. Fill this layer with some Mediterranean potting soil. This type of soil ensures that the Bubble Plants - Fuchsia roots optimally and is fed. Then you can place the root ball on the ground. Make sure that the top of the root ball is slightly below the edge of the pot. Aim for a difference of 2 to 6 cm. This difference ensures that the water does not run off the root ball when you water it.
Every year you should replace the top layer of soil, because it hardens and 'wears out' in nutrients, due to regular watering and because of the sunlight on the upper edge of the root ball.

Provide the Bubble Plants - Fuchsia with good nutrition

The Fuchsia needs regular feeding to grow and flower well. During the growing season it is important to fertilize the plant weekly with food specifically for Fuchsias or patio plants. This ensures rich flowering and healthy growth of the plant. In the spring, hardy Fuchsias can be given garden fertilizer once, together with a layer of compost. For non-hardy Fuchsias in pots it is important to give weekly food in the water from May to mid-August.

For a Fuchsia in the open ground, it is best to give the plant fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen for new growth in the spring. Before the summer, you can fertilize the plant with fertilizers that contain a lot of calcium for continuous flowering. It is also important to give the plant enough water and to keep the potting soil slightly moist, so that the roots do not dry out. It is advisable not to give the Fuchsia any nutrition during the winter period, because the plant is then in a dormant state and does not need any extra nutrition.

When the leaves change color

The leaves can get black leaf tips. This can mean that too much water has been released. Brown or yellow leaves can mean that too little water is being released. We then recommend checking this and possibly adjusting the watering. We also recommend making the plant a bit more beautiful by simply cutting off the ugly tips with scissors.

It is also possible that the Bell Plants - Fuchsia has been moved from a place with a lot/little light to a place with a different amount of light. This can also cause the leaves to discolour. The new leaves will be more resistant to direct sunlight.

How and when should you prune the Bell Plants - Fuchsia?

The leaves of the Bell Plants - Fuchsia will eventually wither. If this is the case with a leaf, you can simply cut the stem near the trunk. It is not a problem to cut off an entire leaf with the stem of the plant. This is the way the plant forms its trunk.

How can I propagate the Bell Plants - Fuchsia?

The Fuchsia can be propagated very easily by cuttings. This is best done in spring or early summer. Cut off a healthy shoot and remove the lower leaves. Place the cutting in moist potting soil and put it in a light spot, but not in direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist and after a few weeks the cutting will develop roots. Another way to propagate the Fuchsia is by seed, but this is less common and often takes longer for the plant to mature.