Beautiful fuchsia hanging baskets stay ‘blooming all summer long’ with 3 easy steps

Hanging baskets are a summertime staple in gardens across England but too often gardeners might begin to notice their flowers drooping and drying up. Fuchsias are a favourite for hanging baskets but without the right care, they can end up dying off before the end of the summer season.

Jim and Mary Competti, have over 20 years of hands-on growing experience on their farm and have learned a lot along the way when it comes to plants which they share on the website This is My Garden.

The duo explained that there are three key tips they follow to “keep your fuchsia plants in your hanging baskets and containers blooming strong all summer long”.

On the website, the couple explained: “When in full bloom, the plant almost appears as though it is exploding in a bevvy of fireworks cascading down from its foliage above… But if there is one drawback to growing fuchsia, it’s that many gardeners find them hard to manage by mid-summer.

“Without proper care, fuchsia baskets and pots that were once completely covered in blooms in the early spring can often become wiry and weak by July or August.”

Fuchsias typically need three things in order to achieve their maximum potential. The first is ensuring you have chosen the right location for your hanging basket, the second is to make sure you get the soil and water right and the third and final way to give the a much-needed boost is with fertiliser.

The best location for fuchsia hanging baskets

There are several varieties of fuchsia and how much sunlight they require is typically based on the type of fuchsia. However, as a general rule, experts from Gardening Know How explained: "Fuchsias don’t appreciate a lot of bright, hot sunlight and do best with morning sunlight and afternoon shade."

You should try to spare your hanging basket from full sun at mid-day, especially during hot spells in the summer. "It can dry the plants out quickly, and make it hard to absorb the nutrients it needs," added Jim and Mary.

However, it's also important that you do not place your fuchsia in too shady of a spot either. Find a location which gets a decent amount of sun in the morning and a little shade in the afternoon. Alternatively, a spot with shade in the morning but late afternoon sun can also work.

The right soil and water for fuchsia hanging baskets

Fuchsia plants need to be watered regularly to ensure they do not dry out. "When a fuchsia plant dries out, both the leaves and roots begin to shrink and shrivel," said Jim and Mary. "Unfortunately, once this occurs, it makes it even more difficult for the plant to absorb moisture."

You don't want to oversaturate or flood the soil, but luckily hanging basket fuchsias have the ability to drain off any excess water they do not need.

Fuchsias in hanging baskets will need to be watered more frequently than those in the ground or in pots. If you aren't sure when to water, take a look at the soil. If the soil is dry to the touch then it's time to water your hanging basket until it is dripping.

How to fertilise fuchsia hanging baskets

For the biggest and best blooms possible, fertiliser can go a long way. "The real key with fertilising fuchsia successfully is to power the plant low and slow," said Jim and Mary. "Too much fertiliser all at once can create excessive root and foliage growth – all at the expense of more blooms."

The duo recommend using a weakened dose of liquid fertiliser every seven to 10 days, ensuring the plant takes in the right nutrients for proper blooming.