Some local garden centers are holding 50% off sales - including hydrangeas. Is it too late to plant hydrangeas this time of year? I am in Minnesota 4B zone.
fall planting hydrangeas - is it too late?
Well, as they say, you live there so you know best if this is the right time for your area.
Planting hydrangeas in the Fall is normally a great time but I would forgo planting if you are anywhere close to the average date of early frosts. While hydrangeas are pretty sturdy plants that will survive early and late frosts, there could be some winter damage done to newly planted ones if hit with early frosts.
Just make sure that you maintain the soil moist until it starts to go dormant and then water it once every two weeks during dry winters when the soil has not frozen.
Maintain 3-4" of mulch up to the drip line; a little further if the area is windy.
Some people will winter protect hydrangeas planted in the Fall (even winter hardy ones) so that is a suggestion that I am also passing on.
Lastly, do not fertilize this time of the year. Wait until June and use about 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of cottonseed meal, compost or manure; if you prefer to use chemical fertilizers, use a general purpose slow-release fertilizer with aNPK like 10-10-10. Weak fertilizers like coffee grounds, liquid seaweed or liquid fish can also be used during the growing season (2 weeks after your average date of last frost thru the end of June).
This message was edited Oct 7, 2010 1:30 AM
Thanks for all of the info! I did not make any late fall purchases this year. It is too dicey by October so I chickened out. I can wait (barely) until next year. I planted 3 hydrangeas already this summer - Invisible Spirit and Tickled Pink. So I can certainly show a little restraint for the remainder of the year.
Restraint? How I wish I had some of that!
Ha! Yeah me too.
Oops, my invincible spirit weakened today, just a little. Bought a Salvia and got some watermelon seeds. I went to view some houses that an organic-minded lady invited me to. She has a viewing once a year to show what people are doing, with her help of course. And of course, we stopped at an organic-minded garden center where.... ooops!
Sounds like we're at the "True Confessions" time of year (an old women's magazine of the 50's and 60's, for those too young to know the title) so I must confess I went to a terrific Estate Sale, about five houses away, and I bought all six Amaryllises and two of the Begonia Bunchii that called my name along with a pot of Ledebouria Socialis. The last two plants were identified by kind and knowledgeable DG people yesterday.
In total I made four trips for purchases, which totaled $10.00, and then my husband went over at the end of the sale and bought an irregularly shaped reddish piece of granite for a big $5.00.
I also bought many other items included in that $10.00 price but the most surprising buys to me were the bonsai pots because I don't "do" bonsai! At least I'm ready if I ever get interested in the subject.
If you're wondering why I made the purchases it's because the home owner, Clara, died at 91 and I couldn't bear for the dumpster to hold so much of her life that her two nephews didn't want or couldn't use. She was a biologist, a world traveler, an art collector, did work in bonsai and was highly regarded for her knowledge of plants.
To return to the hydrangea topic - our helper, Nevi, moved all three of the hydrangeas shown here, in place for 15 years, which had grown so large they obscured the obelisk. We had the white one replanted in this area further from the obelisk. The other two were planted elsewhere.
