I have a two yr old Limelight that has bloomed well this season. Still has blooms, but I have to move it very soon. Can I cut it back and move it, taking as much soil as possible, without it suffering? Also will I lose next season's blooms? I lost my Vanilla Strawberry and I surely don't want to lose Limelight? I'm zone 6.
Also, It was very floppy, not tall and strong as I expected. Do the large blooms always weigh the branches down?
thanks,
Judy
Moving Limelight hydrangea
Judy, I am not a "hydrangea" person, but I have 3 Limelights. All 3 of them flop on the ground - but I won BEST OF SHOW at the fair this year with its bloom !!!!!
I don't know about moving them. Maybe someone will answer that question for you.
Congratulations on that Big Win, Corgimom. The blooms are outstanding, and yours must have been really spectacular. Mine doesn't get a lot of sun. I'm wondering if it would have stronger stems if it got fun sun. Hope someone answers my SOS about moving it.
Judy
If you need to move it now, I'd see if you can wait a couple weeks in hopes of cooler weather, but don't wait too long because you need to give it time to get its roots going again before it gets really cold. As far as next season's blooms, there's no guarantee on that. They do bloom on new wood so if you cut it back that won't stop it from blooming, but on the other hand when you transplant things they will sometimes take some time to get going again, so there's no guarantee that it would bloom the first year after it's moved.
Thanks. I have one that needs to be moved as well. I love it but it is quite large. The blooms are so lovely.
The reason it flops is that it blooms on new wood. What you can do is support the long stems just for a year, tie them up, or stake them up with whatever, and they will harden off and not flop. Once again, of course, you will get new wood, but it won't be as long, and the now hardened off old wood will support the flowers better.
That's a great tip, thanks so much. The new location will be much easier to tie them up. We are due for a break in our weather, so will probably move it about Sept. 7-10.
You're welcome. I usually transplant my paniculata hydrangeas here when dormant, so right after the leaves fall off. But if it's only two years old, and you can keep dirt around the rootball, anytime should be fine. Keep it well watered up until ground freeze.
pollyk - thanks for the info for me,too !!!
Hi corgimom,
You're welcome!
Good luck everyone!