Fuchsias are plants with beautiful hanging flowers that are available in a variety of colors. They look great when planted in the ground or from a hanging planter. I bought my hanging fuchsias from Home Depot late last summer. Here is a guide on pruning fuchsias.
Fuchsia Plant
The last flowers fell near the end of the year. I noticed the plant was still growing leaves but not flowers. I thought about throwing the plant out and starting new since the flowers are the reason I bought the plant, but figured that was not the answer. After I did some research I discovered that by pruning my plant I could encourage new flowers to grow back in and save money!
Today I am going to talk about pruning fuchsias. One way to budget while gardening is pruning plants to enjoy over and over again. As I stated above, I almost threw mine out, but did not since I can save money by pruning.
The only tools you will need are pruning shears and possibly garden gloves. You can find both online and at various garden stores.
Pruning Fuchsias
There are several ways to prune a fuchsia. Cut the branches back by at least a third . You can prune even further and cut the plant back near the soil. Cut branches that criss-cross to avoid getting them tangled up. This will also keep the fuchsia from looking messy and give it a cleaner appearance.
Cutting back dead and unhealthy parts periodically will also keep your plant looking nice. Pruning can also give the plant a new or updated shape. You also want to do this early in the year, around springtime, so that you can enjoy new fuchsias for as long as possible.
Pinching Blooms
Pinching off buds and flowers can also bring in new growth. This will help the plant produce more branches and flowers. Make sure the plant is growing green wood. This is where the new flowers will appear.
Dead flowers should also be pinched off to help the plant continue to grow new flowers. This should be done during the flowering season of the fuchsia.
Fuchsias Care
Also, make sure your fuchsias are getting enough sun. I keep mine partially shaded due to the warm area of the country I live in. If you live in a cooler area the fuchsias will need more sun. If you are not sure, check the plant climate zone map in your area.
Another way to help your fuchsias thrive is to use soil with good drainage. If you have your plant in a pot like me, make sure the pot has holes in the bottom for the remaining water to drain from. If there is no drainage the plant may rot from sitting in water.
Get more information about fuchsia care by reading How to Grow the Incredible Fuchsia Plant!
Fertilize the fuchsia plant periodically, about once every month or so, to encourage new flowers to grow. I use fertilizer sticks that dissolve in water that I was able to purchase from the local dollar store. Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes for Flowering Plants are a popular choice. These are pretty inexpensive in other garden stores as well.
I waited a little late to prune mine, but as you can see, new fuchsias are growing in nicely. There are even several buds forming all over the plant, so hopefully I will have a bunch of fuchsias growing in soon. I will check every few days to see if I need to cut back some more branches.
Happy pruning fuchsias everyone!
Dean says
Hi,
I have planted fuchsias in my hanging baskets for the last few years, and each year have had to replace them as they had died off. I have been cutting them back quite close to the soil so maybe this was too much.
Are they dying because I am pruning too far down or is it just bad luck?
Thanks,
Dean
admin says
Hi Dean! I’m sorry to hear that your fuchsias keep dying. You might want to try pruning them sparingly next time and see what happens. As you can see by my second picture, I did not prune too far back and my fuchsias are doing fine. I hope this helps!
Laura says
Thanks for this! I am new to gardening but I have learned so much from this site! Fuschias are so beautiful! Is there a percentage of the plant I don’t want to cut back to? For instance “don’t cut back more than 60% of the plant when trimming branches at the soil level”. Thanks!
Ann Remo says
Hello Laura and thank you for stopping by! I’ve heard that fuchsias can be cut pretty far back. I’m still doing research on this for my own fuchsias. The shortest I have read is that that can be cut back 6 inches from the soil. I’ll need to read up more about this since that number varies. Glad you learned something!
Jeff Wood says
I love these flowers! We had a great one last year that didn’t make it over our holidays. Love how the flowers hand over! Great tips
#MyGloriousGardens
Ann says
Hi Jeff! Fuchsias are beautiful and fun to grow! That’s too bad yours didn’t make it :(. My plant isn’t as bushy as it use to be but still grows huge flowers for me. I love how the flowers grow as well. Thank you for visiting!
Jane Stephens says
Thanks so much, Ann, for this lovely post. I have always loved fuchsias since childhood, when we used to squeeze the fruits for ‘lipstick’. I also love their beautiful flower colour combinations and forms, which remind me of dancing ladies! However, this is the first time I have grown a fuchsia, so it’s great to have all this information! Thank you also for hosting the Linky and giving Sophie a well-deserved break!
Ann says
Hi Jane! I love how colorful fuchsias are too! Mine is about 3 years old and smaller than these pictures show now, but it still blooms beautiful pink and magenta flowers. They are really fun to grow! You are welcome and thank you for stopping by!
Craig says
I don’t normally grow Fuschias but I had some small plugs given to me free at a garden show so I now have them up in an old jug on our barn so they can scramble down the stones.
I’ve added my first link to this months #mygloriousgardens and I have another post waiting to land on Wednesday so I’ll pop back again then. Thanks for hosting this month.
Ann says
This plant is the only fuchsias I have, but I love it all the same! I’m sure yours look beautiful in your barn. You are welcome and thank you for stopping by!
Sarah - Mud, Cakes and Wine says
Really interesting post and I have just got a fushia so perfect timing #MyGloriousGardens
Ann says
Awesome! They are fun to grow! I love that they don’t need sun all day and can grow in the shade as well, especially on shady, overcast days. Thanks for stopping by!
BRIGID GALLAGHER says
Thank you for the tips. We have lots of larger fuschia shrubs here in Ireland. I have several varieties in my garden. ?
Ann says
You are welcome. I didn’t know fuchsias could grow in Ireland. Good to know that these can be enjoyed in many parts of the world. Thanks for stopping by!
Karren Haller says
I didnt realize these could use so much care, I love these, I wonder how they would do in the desert?
Thank you for sharing your post Something Old is Something New!
Ann says
I’ve had mine for a few years, and it blooms every year! Its looking scraggly right now, so this may be its last year…they may be ok in the desert, as long as they get their water. They love shade and part shade areas. Thanks for stopping by and starting a new link party! I love it!
Sarah Tevis says
I’ve never tried my hand at flower gardens. Fuschias are beautiful! Thanks for the pruning tips!
Ann says
Having a flower garden is a wonderful hobby! It’s a great way to unwind from a long work week and life in general. Fuchsias are unusual but beautiful plants indeed. Thank you for visiting!
Nancy says
My hanging fuschiacare looking scraggly…can I cut them right back to promote them to become bustier?
Ann says
Yes you can! You should cut them back once or twice a year to promote growth and encourage more blooms.
Donaldeen McCarthy says
I was given a fuchsia and I put it out to soon. It was windy and now it is scraggly. How do I cut it back?
Ann says
Try cutting back your fuchsia to just a few inches from the soil. Use a good pair of pruners so that you get a clean cut. Good luck!