Fuchsia In Container

Hi All.

I have or should I say we have decided to try a hardy fuchsia in our new pot. Most advice on web is not to plant a hardy fuchsia in container unless you can protect from frost, that will be no problem as it can go into greenhouse or garage in winter and be bubble wrapped if need be.

What I cannot seem to find any info on is the planting medium for hardy fuchsias in containers, plenty of info on straight into the border or fuchsias to be lifted every season from container.
I have various things at hand, a bag of garden soil purchased last year, unopened. Bag of farmyard manure, purchased this year, unopened and I presume like the other bag I opened, well rotted. Well rotted compost from the compost bin. Sharp sand, agricultural sand, peat, agricultural gravel.
So I can make a mix of various things for the fuchsias to be planted in and stay in permanently. Another point I have read is that fuchsia need to be planted anything up to 6" below the pot level to protect the crown. I did look on you tube and sure enough they just plonk the fuchsia into the hole then back fill without even taking off any leaves, they say this would be ok.
My hardy fuchsia will be coming in a 3 litre pot so planting up to 6" is a no go. I presume it will be about 7-9" tall from the pot to tip so I am wondering just how much I can bury under the earth to protect the crown, should jack frost strike without warning.

 

If it is hardy and you're going to protect it then the first frosts are not going to be harsh enough to do any lasting damage. My planted out Hawkshead and David are not sunk at all and survived the winter of 2012/13. Pot grown ones are more likely to croak from frost damage to the roots than the crown.