Finally morning here, also! :D
I can imagine the weather there for you John is much like it was for Zuzu in San Francisco - a misty, cool haven for fuchsia. Only an hour's drive away to the east of S.F., though, it is indeed nearly desert-like in the summer. The air-conditioning people love us, and make yearly courtesy house-calls to check the health and readiness of our household cooling systems, or we'd never make it through the simmering months ourselves.
All of my potted (on patio) fuchsia were transferred to shaded beds last fall. I just couldn't seem to get the right watering rhythm or sun-shade location down. But, I see the wisdom of learning to use the sense of touch to guide the new starts I've made from cuttings, thanks! As Zuzu says, the ones that are in hanging pots are particularly hard to gauge, as the water indeed runs right through. They need double watering (waiting a few minutes after first water, then adding more - it runs out slower and seems to afford a bit more absorbance). Then, the heat, and worse case hot winds, quickly dry the pots out again. So, perhaps this summer I'll try something else you mentioned ... an occasional plunge into a bucket of water each week until the bubbles stop to ensure they get deeper stores of moisture.
Any thoughts about planting medium that helps absorb or is best for fuchsias would be most welcome. Now that I think of it, there are water-absorbing crystals available ... I wonder if I should be including them in the bottom of the hanging baskets? I've wondered if they are ecologically responsible, but maybe now it is time for me to do some real reading about it.
