Hi Michael

It may depend on the variety - but the 'wild' red fuchsia we get out in
in the far south-west of Ireland seems virtually unstoppable...

If it's not looking good at the moment then you have nothing to lose
by giving it a severe pruning - it will almost certainly come back
to its former glory - and, if it doesn't, then you can always plant a
new one in its place next year...

When we moved in here four years ago we spent a long while 'taming' the
fuchsia hedges, than in some places were the size of small trees, with
'trunks' several inches across. They're very vigorous, and are due for
another pruning this year.... chainsaw time again g

Lovely stuff when it's in flower, but it wants to take over the world!
It also roots very readily - so you could pot up a handful of cuttings
as 'insurance' in case the parent plant doesn't like the treatment.

Hope this helps
Adrian

On 28/06/2010 09:11, Michael Bell wrote:
I have a Fuchsia in my garden 5 ft high and diameter, obviously very
old, untended for many years before I moved some branches are dead. It
must have been magnificent in its prime, but now...

So what to do? Uproot it and replace it? Cut it back hard? How hard?

Michael Bell