Last year I pegged several branches of my Limelight. Now they are rooted. Should I cut them from the mama plant now and move them or wait till spring?
thanks! ( I love hydrangeas but don't know a whole lot about them. I really depend on this forum for my "education".)
Libby
When to "operate" ???
Considering the heat and lack of rain that we are having in our area now I would certainly recommend that you wait until it is much cooler before you move them. But, I have also found the paniculatas and the macrophyllas very easy to root in our area so that when you do move them you should have no problems.
Shirleyd
Zone 7b
Starkville, Ms.
Thanks,"neighbor". Yes, I have lost several trees/shrubs. That is why I hesitated to do anything, but I also wanted to give them time to recover. Even my beautyberry is drooping.
I can understand the beautyberry drooping. Last week I was in Baton Rouge from Wednesday till Sunday, and when I returned, it looked like a blow torch had been applied to my garden. I have a watering system------but, had difficulty programming it----and just didn't! Of course, part of my problem is that I have over 100 hydrangeas (macrophyllas, paniculatas, arborescens and quercifolias), and I have stupidly planted them very close together (you know how gardeners never expect anything to get larger) in raised beds that I personally built some years ago. I have rooted many of these plants, but I have never done the pegging that you describe. I assume that you plan to move them elsewhere?? Anyhow, I would wait till it gets much, much cooler than it is now. (This weather is horrible!!!)
Shirleyd
yes, I want to move them. Hmmm, over 100 ???? You sound like me and daylilies ! While I lived in Clinton I had around 1200 daylilies, but when I moved to north MS I had to cut back - A LOT !!!
I had only one hydrangea before I moved, and I moved it with me. I have rooted several from it since my move ( it is a lacecap but I don't know the variety) and shared with others. I then bought 3 mopheads and one Limelight and one White Diamonds. I was given one oakleaf in exchange for a daylily. That is about it for me. I have 3 more in pots , trying to hold on till cooler weather to be planted. I would LOVE to add more varieties to my properity !!!
Gosh, I need to talk you into letting me come see your hydrangeas and you could come see my daylilies next spring/summer !
I would love to have you come visit next May or June when the hydrangeas are in bloom. But, I have to admit that I am no longer a gardener. Age (78) and physical problems have brought it all to an end. I do try to keep them watered when necessary-----and, I will still try to root a particular plant for a friend----------but, that is about it. At one time I had over 60 tea roses which required spraying weekly!! Eventually, I got smart and let them pass on. The nice thing about the hydrangeas is that they are perennial and will mostly tend to themselves. In fact my sun garden is packed with perennials from cannas, phlox, buddleias, rudbekias, lantanas and brugmansias-------and they are all on their own and do fine.
I hope that you add an Annabelle (arborescens) to your hydrangea collection-------but, my favorite is the paniculata which begins blooming in July and continues into the Fall. It has practically no enemies that I know of------and the best one is the oldest---the Grandiflora.
Ahhh, I ,too, have health problems and that is the reason I have had to cut back so much. At my last home I had too much shade. Here I try desperately to find some shade !!! My daylilies love it here but it sure is rough on the hydrangeas !
Ok, I will try to find an Annabelle ( I've heard good things about them) and check into paniculatas. I have 'Limelight' and 'White Diamonds'. Any others you can suggest???
My biggest problem,other than finding shade, is the cost ! I have to go to Tupelo to find plants and if Lowe's or Home Depot don't carry them then I usually can't afford them. The nurseries are SOOOOO high !
My favorite paniculatas came from Lowe's----on sale in the Fall----so, don't give up. Just keep searching at Lowe's. I find that they have a much greater variety than Walmart or some of the nurseries.
Good luck.
Shirleyd
ok, thanks !