From our roots to our delicate, pendulous flowers, we fuchsias are heavy feeders with specific dietary needs. We thrive on a balanced diet that supports our rapid growth and prolific blooming. The ideal fertilizer for us provides a good balance of primary nutrients: Nitrogen (N) for our lush green foliage, Phosphorus (P) for strong root development and abundant flowering, and Potassium (K) for overall plant vigor and disease resistance. We also have a particular fondness for slightly acidic soil, which helps us best absorb these nutrients. Organic fertilizers are excellent for us because they feed the soil ecosystem, releasing nutrients slowly and gently, preventing the root burn we often suffer from harsh synthetic chemicals.
This recipe is like a wholesome, easily digestible meal for us. Well-aged compost is teeming with the beneficial microbes and balanced nutrition we crave. To prepare it, simply place a shovel-full of finished compost into a burlap sack or old pillowcase. Tie it closed and steep it in a large bucket of water (preferably rainwater, as it is softer), letting it sit for 3-4 days. The water will turn a rich, brown color, like a weak tea. Remove the compost bag—you can add the solids back to your garden—and dilute the liquid until it is the color of pale tea. Apply this to our soil every 2-3 weeks during our active growing season. It provides a gentle, all-around nutrient boost that makes our entire system stronger.
When we are putting all our energy into creating our beautiful blossoms, we need an extra dose of potassium. This recipe directly addresses that need. Dry out your banana peels in the sun or a low oven until they are brittle and black. Crush them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or a blender. For an added calcium boost, which strengthens our cell walls, bake clean, dried eggshells and grind them to a powder as well. Mix one tablespoon of the banana powder and one teaspoon of the eggshell powder into the soil at our base, watering it in well. You can do this once a month. The potassium is directly utilized to improve flower size, color, and quantity.
We fuchsias appreciate a soil environment that is slightly acidic, and this simple amendment helps maintain that perfect pH balance for us. Used coffee grounds are a gentle, nitrogen-rich material that also slightly acidifies the soil as they break down. Simply sprinkle a thin layer (no more than half an inch) of cooled, used coffee grounds around our base, being careful not to let them touch our main stem directly to avoid moisture retention against our bark. Gently work them into the top layer of soil and water normally. This can be done every 4-6 weeks. It provides a slow-release nitrogen source for our foliage and helps create the ideal acidic conditions we love for nutrient uptake.
