WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Fuchsia hybrids, WUCOLS IV

How often to water fuchsia in California

In July in the Central Valley, established fuchsia in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.9 gallons a week. Garden fuchsias are hybrids of several species from Mexico and South America, grown for dangling flowers that hummingbirds visit. They come in upright, trailing and weeping forms. Fuchsias like cool summers, shade and soil rich in organic matter that stays moist. They do not withstand drought, so this is a plant for regular water, not a dry garden.

PerennialRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water fuchsia, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for fuchsia and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry an inch down around a fuchsia means it is time to water, since this plant does not tolerate drought
  • Limp, drooping shoots and dropped buds on a hot afternoon point to a root zone that has dried out
  • Few new flowers in midsummer heat are normal for fuchsias, which bloom far less in hot weather
  • Wilting with soil that stays soggy, and dark rot at the base, point to root and crown rot from poor drainage
  • Thick, twisted, reddened shoot tips are fuchsia gall mite damage, which more water will not fix

How to water it

  • Water at the soil around the base and out to the edge of the leafy branches
  • Soak the root zone, then water again once the top inch of soil starts to dry
  • In warm inland gardens, add frequent light overhead sprinkling of the foliage on top of the soil soakings
  • Plant in partial or full shade, in soil rich in organic matter that holds moisture and still drains
  • Spread compost or fine bark mulch over the root zone and widen the watered area as the plant fills out

Through the seasons

Keep a new fuchsia evenly moist through its first summer while roots spread. Established plants still want regular water from spring through fall, because they bloom over that whole season and do not tolerate drought. Flowering slows in summer heat, and shade matters more than extra water then. Some fuchsias are evergreen and some lose leaves, and many hybrids will not survive a cold winter. WUCOLS rates fuchsia moderate water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. It rates high water on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert. Winter rain covers the cool months on the coast and in the Central Valley.

In pots

Fuchsias are classic container and hanging basket plants. Upright kinds suit pots, and trailing kinds suit baskets. Pots and baskets dry out fast, so check the mix with a finger daily in summer, and more often for baskets in a heat wave. Water until it runs from the drainage holes, then empty any saucer. Hang baskets where they are sheltered from wind. In winter, move tender plants to shelter from frost and let the mix dry slightly between waterings.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
1.02.03.04.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC1.02.03.04.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Fuchsia: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.41.241.24––
Feb0.530.651.291.39––
Mar0.871.091.842.08––
Apr1.181.522.232.58––
May1.462.082.583.12––
Jun1.612.482.783.67––
Jul1.612.673.174.02––
Aug1.492.392.983.72––
Sep1.241.82.382.98––
Oct0.871.181.842.13––
Nov0.470.561.341.44––
Dec0.310.341.041.09––
Year1217.1124.829.46––

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like fuchsia. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

DahliasDahlia spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernsNephrolepis cordifolia (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyDayliliesHemerocallis spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBegoniasBegonia & ssp. & cvs. (shade in the desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCalla LiliesZantedeschia aethiopica SHADE IN DESERTmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBicolor MonkshoodAconitum cammarummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGarden MonkshoodAconitum napellusmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCarpet BugleAjuga reptans (shade)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySnowdrop WindflowerAnemone sylvestrismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain SandwortArenaria montanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySwamp MilkweedAsclepias incarnatamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyOrange MilkweedAsclepias tuberosamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGreater MasterwortAstrantia majormoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHardy BegoniaBegonia grandismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than fuchsia in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPurple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCalifornia Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWoolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPerennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes fuchsia, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water fuchsia in summer?

In July, established fuchsia in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days in the Central Valley, about every 5 days on the south coast and about every 4 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does fuchsia need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established fuchsia needs about 0.3 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for fuchsia change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates fuchsia separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, high water in the South Coastal zone, high water in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Do fuchsias need sun or shade?

Shade. Fuchsias prefer partial to full shade and do best in cool summer conditions. They even tolerate deep shade, which makes them useful for color in a dark corner.

Why has my fuchsia stopped flowering in summer?

Heat is the usual cause. Fuchsias flower from spring to fall, but bloom slows greatly in hot summer weather. Keep the soil moist and the plant shaded through the hottest weeks.

What causes swollen, twisted fuchsia leaves?

Fuchsia gall mite, a microscopic pest that thickens and reddens leaves and shoot tips and cuts flowering. It is mostly a problem in coastal California, where summers are cool. Prune off and bag the damaged parts, do not compost them, and choose resistant fuchsias.

Can fuchsias survive winter outdoors?

Many hybrids will not survive cold winters. Take stem cuttings in fall, or cut plants back and keep them indoors until spring. Plants grown from seed will not match the parent, so cuttings are the way to keep a favorite.

Are fuchsias safe for pets?

Fuchsia hybrids are listed as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The flowers are also listed as edible.

Can I grow a fuchsia as a houseplant?

Yes, with bright light, a cool room and high humidity. Set the pot on a tray of wet pebbles or run a humidifier nearby. Watch for whiteflies, aphids and spider mites indoors.

More plant watering guides

Wavy-Leafed MulleinVeronicaWayfaring TreeLeatherleaf ViburnumLaurustinusPeriwinkleSweet VioletWeigela

Sources