• Jardin-fleuri

North? South? East ? West?

Fuchsia's preferred exposure to the sun is in the middle of the day, i.e. in the sun in the morning and in the shade in the afternoon.

If the plants are installed by 15-20 April, they have time to gradually acclimatise to the summer sun. However, if you have to install a plant after 15 May, it should be protected for some time by appropriate shading. Darker foliage is better able to withstand the sun, but this is not an absolute rule.

As far as exposure is concerned, although fuchsia is not rightly considered a full sun plant, it can be said that the perennial varieties generally do well in the sun. Some variegated varieties even require a sunny position to allow the golden, green and yellow or copper colours to shine through.

Those of you with a garden in a protected climate can try to acclimatise white-flowered varieties, which should be planted in the shade.

The prevailing winds can also play a role: a fuchsia planted in a cold north wind will of course suffer much more than a fuchsia planted in the west or east, sheltered by a wall for example.

In the first year, the plant can be considered to have established itself and its root system to have developed (some varieties can reach a height of 1.20 metres by the end of the summer). However, the plant is still fragile, and it should be protected before the first frosts with leaves, ferns, straw or even plastic film... You can even incorporate a little manure to form a warm layer. Some people recommend burying the crown of the plant 5 to 10 cm deeper than normal at planting. This may be effective, but it increases the risk of rot.

In the southern part of France, heatwave and dryness in the air are limiting factors. In these regions, the Triphylla hybrids, which are resistant to both heat and drought, seem to be the most suitable for outdoor cultivation.

What to do in case of a heat wave?
My grandmother used to say to us, "there is no more summer", no more heat... In my time, we could not work in the evening.

Now we think it's too hot, but we have to put it into perspective. Very hot days existed before us, but our favourite plants were not grown in the same way.

Most of our grandmothers' fuchsias were planted in the ground on the front of the house, and this front was always facing east, the least exposed to the cold winter wind and western rain.

Put your potted fuchsias in as much shade as possible, for example under a tree. Be careful not to over-water, keep the pot cool but do not soak the roots constantly in water. Also favour watering by misting the foliage.