I acquire many things that my MIL dosen't want which is great for me. She is givivg me a huge Hydrangea that grows but never has bloomed for her. So how do I take care of it?
Light,soil, can it tolerate wind?
It is about five years old, buds great but blooms fail. So she said she was putting it out to the garbage and I screamed NO!!!!
I am getting it tommorow...so what do I do?Any hints would help. Thanks ahead of times for replys..
How should I take care of Hydrangea?
Well-
We had several Hydragias taller than a house.
Grams always dumped coffee grounds on them, as well as used plenty of Miracle Grow.
Since the move we are down to smaller ones- but we do the same thing- hers are already blooming-alot.
Don't let Hydrangesa dry out. If they get dry, the blooms will wilt. Make sure they are kept watered,but not drowned and they do need some sun but not alot.Good luck with your new addition.
Can't say I'm an expert on hydrangeas but this one I cut back every year. When we moved here, it was all the way up to the A/C unit in the pic. I tried to dig it out, then had DH scoop it out with a skid loader. Amazing how many roots they have. My next door neighbor has the same type of bush. Notice how small hers is compared to mine. It has only a few blooms each year and only get sun in the evening. Mine gets morning sun and evning sun. It gets water when I water my flower beds but I have never fertilized it. This is the old fashioned white variety. Don't know if this helps any. Good Luck! :)
i'm no hydrangea expert either, but if I always add about a 1/2 cup of epsom salt to mine in the spring. Havent't had a problem w/them blooming or growing well. And, I just watered mine, whenever I watered my other flower beds.
Thanks,
TraciS
Add some lime, the more lime the more vivid the color will be...I like to save my coffee and tea grinds in a coffee tin then apply to the soil around hydrangea plants/bushes and my tomatoe plants.
Good luck
Julie
You have to find out what kind of hydrangea it is first before listening to any culture suggestions, because the method of care differs for most of the species and even amongst cultivars. For example, Pee Gee hydrangeas do best in full sun. Mopheads and Lacecaps for the most part don't like any direct sun. Oakleaf hydrangeas can take a lot of sun or heavy shade.
There are also wide differences in when to prune between many of the species. Whether or not you add lime or sulfur depends on which species you have and what you want to accomplish. For certain species such as mopheads and lacecaps, addling lime or sulfur depends upon whether or not you want pink or blue flowers.
I suspect you have a Pee Gee or a Smooth hydrangea as these are the hardiest species, but the others are marginal in your zone. Does it have copious numbers of white flowers that bloom in summer and are narrower at the top and have a tendency to flop over? If so, you have a Pee Gee. Does it have copious amounts of white, softball shaped flowers? If so, you probably have Smooth hydrangea. Does it have pink or blue softball shaped flowers that bloom in spring? If so, you have a mophead. Does it have pink or blue flowers that are spread out and have somewhat of a mushroom or parasol shape? If so, you have a lacecap.
Growing tips, I hope this helps:
Caring for hydrangeas outdoors is fairly simple, but a few conditions will enhance their vigor and beauty. The shrubs will tolerate partial shade but prefer full sun; hydrangeas will become lanky and produce fewer blossoms if they are grown in insufficient light.
While these plants can thrive in nearly any well-drained soil, a soil's pH level (the measure of its acidity or alkalinity) may influence the color and tone of hydrangea blossoms.
Acidic soils (pH 0 to 7) tend to deepen blue shades, while alkaline environments (pH 7 to 14) brighten pinks and reds. You can check the pH of your soil with a simple test kit available from your local nursery. For a more accurate result, consult your local extension agency for information on professional soil testing.
You can adjust the soil's pH at the time of planting (increase the acidity by adding peat moss and sulfur, or increase the alkalinity by adding lime), but this is unnecessary; whatever the pH, you will not be disappointed in the colors your hydrangeas will achieve.
Some species grow only on new wood. This allows for indiscriminate pruning in late winter without sacrificing flowers the following summer.
Other hydrangeas, including most H. macrophylla cultivars, flower on second-year growth only. Prune these in late winter or whenever you collect blossoms to make arrangements, by removing only the spent flowering stems.
Hugs
Julie :)
To clarify BrugAddict's growing tips somewhat. Mopheads and lacecaps have to be planted in partial shade. Otherwise, they will wilt. Oakleafs prefer morning sun, afternoon shade, but will grow in full sun or partial shade. Smooth hydrangeas do well in sun or partial shade. Pee Gee hydrangeas do best in full sun. If she has a Pee Gee, then full sun is the best place for it. But if she has a smooth, oakleaf, or Pee Gee, then it should bloom for her in zone 5b. If it never blooms, then I suspect it is a mophead or lacecap. Bottom line, this is all speculation until she finds out what kind of hydrangea she really has.
I totally agree :)
Big leaf hydrangea (mopheads and lacecaps) form their flower buds in late summer for blooming the following year. If you prune after August 1st you will most likely cut off the flower buds and not have any blooms. This is one of the most common reasons for failing to bloom. Other reasons are growing in too much shade or applying too much nitrogen fertilizer.
Post some pics and we'll try to help you determine what type of hydrangea you have.
Tracey
My cousin has Oak Leafed hydrangea and it requires partial shade to sun with blooms in a cone shape. They start out much like the Confederate Rose, pale pink then white...Now this is a sight to behold....And it's fragrant. Im hoping to hijack some from his yard LOL!
Man that is alot of info...Thanks..I have to get a digital camera to show you guys my stuff. It is slowly growing. I promise I will break down soon and buy a camera.
Now after all that I get the tag it is a Nikko and there is one bud on it, it has rained almost every day for the last 5 days everything is coming up like crazy.
If it's Nikko Blue, then it is a mophead and blooms on old wood. I suspect the reason it did not bloom for your MIL is that cold has nipped the flower buds. If you are in the same area as your MIL, you will have the same problem unless you protect it during the winter. Or, you can get an 'Endless Summer" mophead that blooms on new wood.