Blushing Bride Soil Needs

This is my first year of "real" gardening -- I fell in love with the Blushing Bride and bought one. I haven't planted it yet and wondered what kind of conditioning the soil might need. I want to be sure she blushes pink and doesn't turn blue on me -- what pH is recommended? The area I've chosen is under some trees where it will get limited, filtered sunlight. The soil nearby tested 7.0.

Any suggestions for me?

Thanks.

Hydrangeas will start to turn turn blue around 6.5 or less so it sounds you will get your pink with no action needed. Hydrangeas will tolerate this much alkalinity but if the alkalinity gets too high, you will notice signs of iron chlorosis, where the leaves turn yellow but the leaf veins remain dark green. In that case, amend the soil with some liquid iron-chelated compounds (available at most nurseries) or you can add garden sulphur or green sand. Maximize phosphorus and minimize pottasium in fertilizers to maintain the pinks. Or use 1/2 cup to 1 cup of an organic fertilizer like manure, compost or cottonseed meal in May and July only.

Since I just got it and am about to plant it, would it be advisable to wait until next May to add the organics? Also, what about mulching?

Thanks for your advice!

Yes, wait since the potting mix already contain fertilizers, usually in the form of those round fertilizer pellets. Maintain (year around) three or four inches of mulch past the drip line; I check mine in the Spring and Fall.

Thank you -- and before I plant, one more question. The lower branches create a candelabra shape. Most of this will be lying on the ground after the plant is situated. What's the best way to deal with this?

I let them be but if it bothers you, you can prune them off. They could be caused by weak branches being forced to grow fast too quickly and/or by placing many plants in close proximity with others. In your garden, I would expect stems to grow somewhat straight and not like this. Pia, also known as Pink Elf tends to do that a lot, which may be why it is considered a "dwarf" in the Hydangea World.

This message was edited Sep 7, 2009 3:22 PM

Thank you -- I just wanted to be sure the plant wouldn't suffer from those limbs lying on the ground. You've been a lot of help.