Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Fuchsia 'Red Spider' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Red Spider fuchsia, trailing red fuchsia (Fuchsia 'Red Spider').

More about fuchsia 'red spider'

About Fuchsia 'Red Spider'

Fuchsia 'Red Spider' · also called Red Spider fuchsia, trailing red fuchsia · flowering

Fuchsia 'Red Spider' is a graceful trailing cultivar with slender, spidery single flowers in shades of crimson-red with reflexed sepals, giving a delicate, airy appearance. It is particularly well suited to hanging baskets and wall baskets where its elegant pendant blooms can be appreciated close-up. Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Flower and bud drop in heat: Slender flowers are among the first to drop in temperatures above 24°C. Move baskets to shade during heatwaves.

The reasons fuchsia 'red spider' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming fuchsia 'red spider' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding fuchsia 'red spider' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get fuchsia 'red spider' to flower

Maximise sun. Give fuchsia 'red spider' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for fuchsia 'red spider' and get the feeding right with the fuchsia 'red spider' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Fuchsia 'Red Spider' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full fuchsia 'red spider' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Fuchsia 'Red Spider' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my fuchsia 'red spider' flower?

Fuchsia 'Red Spider' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make fuchsia 'red spider' bloom?

Give fuchsia 'red spider' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does fuchsia 'red spider' normally bloom?