I just received 10 one gallon Endless Summer hydrangeas through a mail order. I was very concerned about doing this in the heat of the summer, but it was a really good deal and I didn't think they would be very big. They are all at least two feet tall (above the pot) and very full. It's obvious they need to be repotted or planted in the ground. I'll probably pot them in 30 quart self-watering pots this year.
I would appreciate some expert advice. Would it be a good idea to cut them back when I repot them? What is the best medium to plant them in? Thank you so much. Susan
Need Advice on Repotting Endless Summer
I generally don't cut things back when I'm repotting them to give them more room...the time when cutting back makes sense is if you're disturbing the roots significantly, like if you dig them out of the garden to put in a pot. So I think you'd be fine just moving them to the larger pot, if they are potbound I would make sure to loosen up the roots a bit so that they'll grow out into the new soil.
I'll let someone else advise you on the potting soil, I've only grown them in the ground so I'm not sure if there's one type of soil that would be better for them in a pot. I do think it's a good idea to pot them for now rather than putting them in the ground in the middle of summer...I did that once and the hydrangea survived, but I had to be very vigilant about watering and I almost lost it a couple of times.
Oh! Did you get them from Park's? They were already out when I went to order! I just planted a blue bird hydrangea outside last week that is doing wonderfully - but I live in a much cooler zone! Almost hit 100 on Tuesday but mostly mid 80-90's right now.
ecrane3 - Thank you for your advice. I followed it and planted them in containers. I'll keep an eye on them, but felt like this is their best chance for consistent moisture on the roots. I didn't prune them, but may a little because they seem somewhat leggy. I think they probably outgrew their pots some time ago.
hydrangea80 - Yes, I got them from Park's and I'm sorry they were out when you ordered. When the mail carrier delivered 5 big boxes today, I was shocked. Really expected these to be small plants and that was why I ordered several. I've ordered a lot from Park's on this sale and been happy with all of it.
Yes, if they're leggy and you want to prune to make them bushier that's fine, I thought you were asking if you needed to cut them back in order to do the transplant to the larger pot, and for that I don't think it's necessary.
You are right and that was what I was asking, but when I started repotting I realized they seemed pretty leggy. Thank you for letting me know it won't hurt to prune them back. I'm not very experienced with hydrangeas, but at least the ES Hydrangea blooms on both old and new wood. Maybe they will forgive me and come back more bushy.
Thanks again
I repotted most of the above but didn't cut them back. A couple of them with long stems and flowers are pretty wilted and floppy. They are probably in a bit of shock and I'm wondering if there is too much stem and leaf for the root system. I'm not sure what to do to save the plant and don't know how severely I can cut it back without losing it. I'm hoping some of you experts can advise me on this. Thanks! Susan
How much sun are they getting? While they're in pots I would keep them in a pretty shady spot to protect them from the heat and make sure they get plenty of water. You can cut them back too, they probably won't bloom anymore if you do that but in the long run it shouldn't hurt them any. If you kept the rootball the same size it was though and just put it in a larger pot, I don't understand why they would have gone into shock, so my thought is too much heat or not enough water. Or conversely, it could be too much water...the symptoms are often similar.
I've placed them under a pergola. They get dappled shade most of the day. It baffled me because most of them seem to be doing okay,. I've tried to be careful about watering enough and not too much. I've gone ahead now and cut the stems down, but left a few of the lowest leaves. I'm hoping the leaves will tell me if what I'm doing is working. I also put a very weak solution of Super Thrive on them to try to stimulate root production.
I really appreciate your input. It's so helpful to hear what experts have to say. I have very limited experience with hydrangeas, but they are just about the most beautiful flower and I'm determined to grow them. Although I'd love to have flowers this year, I'm not concerned about that. If I can get them off to the right start I'm hoping they will pay back later.