Climbing Hydrangea - anomala ssp. petiolaris

We planted our climbing hydrangea when we 1st moved to this home and were new to gardening. Thought it would be ideal to create some privacy and camoflage a chain link fence. Later learned this plant needs a solid fence to climb, AND needs several years to really get going.

Took several years but this plant was finally ready to take off for past two years, but it didn't due to fence. Last spring we were advised to "lasso" vines to fence with garden tape to help them grow toward fence, and then we'd be able to thread thru fence and then it would be fine. This turned out to be totally false - plant did not adhere to tape! Another season lost, plus tape looks awful in fall and winter after plant loses it's leaves.

With so many years put into this plant, we really want to see it thrive this summer and provide the privacy we hoped it would provide. We've threaded some of the longer vines thru the fence, but most are too short to reach fence although planted only about a foot away from fence.

Is there any way to help this plant along? Any advice will be very much appreciated...Thanks!

Hello, lawnlady3. It does not seem like it will get much sunlight under the tree. It can get full sun in the northeast. Have you checked the soil to see if has high salt or low phosphorus levels? I would double check things that hydrangeas like:

* H. anomala ssp. petiolaris (climbing hydrangea) is hardy to Zone 4.
* It is not too fussy about the soil but in general, hydrangeas do not like to grow in salty soils (near the beach, near roads that get salted during winter and stuff like that)
* It can grow in sun and part shade. The more dense the shade, the slower growth will be.
* Availability of soil minerals can be an issue if you have too much of other minerals so it is useful to have a soil test that can check to low/high levels.
* You should not prune this hydrangea so it will continue growing further and further away from the crown throught the years.
* Petiolaris develops and extensive root system, like most vine do, so make sure that you spread fertilizer to cover an expanded area and mulch as well (2-3 inches).
* Make sure that the tree does not release juglone, a toxic compound in the root, leaves, etc of trees like Black Walnut, Persian Walnut and Butternut.
* Maintain the soil evenly moist. Try not to have long periods of dry soil followed by wet/moist soil and back to dry.
* Apply 1 cup or more of cottonseed meal, compost, composted manure after the threat of frosts has passed. You can also apply a general purpose fertilizer like Osmocote 10-10-10. These are slow release fertilizers that will last for a while, maybe 2-3 months. Stop fertilizing by the end of July.
* Make sure you have acidic soil where the roots are growing. A soil pH kit from HD, Lowes, etc can help you analyze soil sample. Amend the soil if alkaline using garden Sulphur, iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate, green sand, etc.
* the tendrils on petiolaris do not stick to tape. They cling like ivy to walls, bricks, etc. But the tape can be used to force the branches to follow the fence in the direction that you want it to. So as the plant extends growth, I would use the tape on new growth to stay the course and not, for example, grow in the wrong direction or fall down if there is a strong wind.
* if it gets a lot of shade, consider raising the tree canopy so it gets bright shade.