Hi Deb and welcome to GOY.

At start of season I feed my fuchsias with a high nitrogen feed untill my buds appear.

Once buds are formed change to a a high potash feed.

I use tomato feed .

Is your fuchsia a hardy fuchsia?

Where in California are you Deb?

Is that white mildew on the stems or is it just an effect of the light?

I'll take a new pic. It's too sunny right now.

I don't think its mildew. It seems like a deficiency tho I'm not ruling out anything. This happened last year and the nursery said to use 7. I did and everything fell off the branches. I was so worried about the hummingbirds and bees supping on something with 7 on them. I got very little sleep for the next month. then it was full of bounty. I don't want to use 7.

You will get a better idea when I take better picture.

I am in silverado canyon between Orange and riverside counties. Elevation about 900'.

Thanks I'll post a pic later.

also it is a bush. I don't know what you mean by hardy. It produces year round. I've lived here three years and pity these helpless plants. I'll probably be asking lots of questions since I've never gardened before and I'm having problems with the orange tree and bougainvilla.

Appreciate your being there. Thanks.

Have you any idea what your USDA zone is? This a system used in the States which refers to plant hardiness in different areas of the country. From what you say, it sounds as if your temperatures never really get cold if your fuchsias flower all year, in which case, its probably wise to cut them to the ground in what passes for Spring in your area, then feed and keep well watered. These plants like a shadier spot with soil that doesn't dry out frequently.

Zone 10. Southern California. This plant is mature. It was well established when we bought the house May 2010. I'm not comfortable with cut back process. This is my first house. I'd hate to lose the plant completely. The nursery adviser was impressed that it was living here.

I've added two more pics, closeups.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I'm well in over my head.

Fuchsia leaves do tend to go a bit like the if they get stressed. Have you tried keeping it well watered? They don't like to dry out. Your temperatures may be a bit high for it as you don't seem to have any shade around it. You can trust Bamboo's advice. If you are afraid to cut it all back down to the ground, which is what we have to do here after winter has killed off all the top growth, try cutting just half of it.
If this still worries you take some cuttings before you do it - take ones about three inches long from non flowering shoots that are still green (ie not gone woody), take off all but the top two pairs of leaves and insert them into a pot of damp compost. Put a plastic bag loosely over it if the weather is very warm, to prevent the leaves losing too much moisture, but don't let it touch the leaves and avoid letting a lot of condensation from in the bag. Keep it in a cold place in indirect light until signs of growth appear.. Or easier still put them in a small jar of water out of direct sun and they should grow roots eventually. Then pot them up into damp compost.

Thank you so much. It has been very hot so I will water every day instead of every other day. I will definitely take clippings and try to gather coutage to cut back.

But not now - do it when its your equivalent of spring, which I imagine will still be earlier in the year, then give it a good feed. I think it's just suffering from poor conditions (not your fault, its pretty amazing its survived so long in your part of the world).