I just bought this hydrangea and I cant find anything on it as to how where to plant. How much sun? Can anyone give me some insight?
Strawberry shortcake
I think you are talking about Hydrangea Vanilla Strawberry. It is a paniculata hydrangea that gets around 6-7 feet high and 4-5 feet wide. Hydrangea leaves can sunscorch when they get too much sun but you are located where they might be able to handle more sun than they do here in the South. I would try to give them shade starting at around 1-3pm in the afternoon. Or something like that. They like well draining acidic soil. Be prepared to ammend the soil if yours is alkaline. You can use Garden Sulphur, green sand, iron-chelated liquid compounds, aluminum sulfate, iron sulfate, etc. If planted in a location where it can attain this mature size, pruning should not be required often. Allow for some separation between the hydrangea and other plants in order to improvfe air circulation and minimize fungal infections. Water the soil (start with 1 gallon of water at a time) and not the leaves very early in the morning, when a finger inserted into the soil at a depth of 4" feels dry or almost dry. Skip fertilizing this year since the shrub will probably have those round fertilizer pellets in the pot in which it came. Next year, feed it 1/2 to 1 cup of compost, composted manure or cottonseed meal in June. Throughout the rest of the growing season you can also add weak fertilizers like coffee grounds, liquid seaweed or liquid fish but stop all fertilizers by the end of July to make sure that the plant goes dormant "as scheduled in the Fall" and to make sure that it hardens off before early frosts arrive (these could kill any new plant growth). Watch for wilting during the summer season always but especially on its first year. If you see an extreme wilting episode, add 1/2 gallon of water immediately. Otherwise test the soil as before... add water if the soil is dry or almost dry. If the soil is moist, the shrub should recover on its own at night and by morning. If not, add 1/2 gallon of water in the morning. Keep the shrub well muched at all times; 3-4" should suffice. No winter protection is needed in your zone.
Luis
Wow, that is a lot of information...lol. The package says, Strawberry Shortcake, but I am sure it likes the same conditions as my other red lace cap. Shade. It was purchased at CVS for Mothers Day. I will do as you say and not give it any food this spring, but mulch it well.
Thanks Marie