By Cestina
South Bohemia,
Czech Republic 
The buds are dropping off one of my potted fuchsias without opening at all....I have sixteen pots of different varieties and most are doing brilliantly but I noticed when deadheading this morning that one variety hasn't opened any buds at all and they are just falling off when you touch them gently. It started growing very late but seemed to be catching up.
There are no visible signs of any pests nor do I think it is weeviled since the fuchsias went into fresh potting compost which was then treated with anti vine weevil stuff. It doesn't have many buds, unlike all the rest which you can see some of on my photo page Some of the buds look a little deformed but there are no grubs inside.
I have also posted a photo of one that is flowering merrily - I think it may be the same type - but whose leaves are showing what looks like scorching. It has been extraordinarily hot but I am puzzled that this seems to be the only pot affected. Again, no signs of any pests.
Has anyone any ideas what might be going on with these two pots please? I have grown fuchsias for many years and rarely meet any problems other than occasional aphids and the odd vine weevil.
19 Jul, 2010
Answers
I think you may be right about this being one of the fuchsias that doesn't like sun. I noticed this morning that the leaf damage is only on one side of the plant and it's the side facing the noonday sun. I'll shift things around a bit so that it gets less of it and see what happens.
Sod's law of course is that it is one of the biggest pots so carrying round to the other side of the house will not be a joke!
23 Jul, 2010
Hope it sorts out the problem for you Cestina. I can never remember which fuchsias like what conditions so it's trial and error every year. My biggest problem is the wind. Many times I've put a broken stem in water and it's rooted!
30 Jul, 2010
In fact I haven't moved it yet as the weather has changed completely, little sun, relatively chilly for the time of year and on and off rain, some of it very heavy. So I am waiting and seeing if the plant looks happier....
30 Jul, 2010
Good idea, let nature give us the answer. Let me know how it goes.
3 Aug, 2010
I had this problem with one of mine during the hot weather. I brought it indoors and kept it in a porch which gets only early morning sun. I gave it a good water spray and it soon recovered. It's growing beautifully now and I'm reluctant to put it back outside.
Some fuchsias prefer shade and I think this must be one of them.
23 Jul, 2010