Will have same requirements as hanging fuchsias in regard to the rooting environment. The only differences are that hanging fuchsias hang, and most cannot live through the winter here outdoors. Most upright fuchsias are not hardy here either. In fact, most of the "hardy" ones are for all practical purposes herbaceous perennials here rather than true hardy shrubs. Really only the Magellan fuchsia is pretty consistent about retaining a full, completely viable top through many winters over a fairly large area. Other kinds may also re-leaf well from the top some winters in sheltered nooks on the mildest sites close to salt water.

There's a great deal of variability with the hardiness of 'hardy' fuchsias but I've found most to be fully root hardy once established. But that pertains to inground planting situations - containerized hardy fuchsias will be vulnerable to the same extremes of cold as any other containerized tree or shrub and depending on the specific selection and the size of the container and its location, they may very well have experienced root damage due to cold.

Hardy fuchsias are quite late to leaf out. Often one doesn't see any signs of life until well into April or May. I'd recommend not doing anything major in the way of pruning or repotting until that time. As for treating as herbaceous perennials, I'd consider them more in the category of caryopteris, perovskia or romneya or other woody based deciduous subshrubs/perennials. Wait until you see new growth emerging, then remove any obviously dead wood and trim back to a permanent woody framework. The ultimate size of this framework will depend on specific variety.

I have some in pots and some in the ground. I agree, wait until they start to sprout to prune. I've never completely replaced the soil in the pots. I might add new at the top if some washed out but I haven't washed it off the roots and started completely fresh.

Last winter I had some of the hanging basket types live over in their pots with no protection but I'm sure they are toast this year.

Earthworks Fuchsias in Covington has a page on their site dedicated to the culture of fuchsias, which I've linked. Once there, you can navigate around the site. They list their fuchsias under the 2 categories, upright & trailing. On most of them they list the general hardiness of them - rating them H1, H2 or H3.

If I want to overwinter fuchsias, hardy or otherwise, I store them in my garage & try to remember to water them a few times during the winter. Most potted plants, sitting above ground outdoors, are severly challenged during our arctic blasts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earthworks Fuchsias

LOL I've never "told" my hardy fuchsias that I'll see them in the spring nor mulched them with more than a top dressing of compost and leaves blown into the bed off the lawn.

Maybe my luck has run out this year....too early to tell.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and recommendations!

I see new growth at the soil line on 'June Bride' and 'Army Nurse' I called Monnier's Country Garden fuchsia growers and they said it was fine to cut back now. Yea. I hate looking at three feet of dead stems. These two are in the ground. I highly recommend both of them by the way.