Can Florist's Bargain Be Saved?

Hi-
My 1st time on the Hydrangea forum!
I grow everything (well...) but I have had ZERO luck w/ hyds. I purchased a dwarf pink hyd from a large commercial grower about 6 years ago; it died back down to the soil each year. It lived for about 4 years; each year getting smaller- it only bloomed one bloom during this time.
Yesterday, I spotted a lovely pink hyd in a pot at my grocery store. It was staged outdoors w/ the perennials, and it was marked $4! (down from $24.99!!). I snapped it up-
Now what?
The label simply says "Hydrangea macrophylla. Keep moderately moist. Bright/indirect light is best. Use a balanced, slightly acid fertilizer after flowering. Cool-moderate temps. 60-70."
So, is this not cold hearty? I imagine this is a "florist's" hydrangea, meant to be an indoor gift plant, carefully forced to bloom at just the right time and color, then tossed in the garbage. Still, it is lovely and I'd like it to live- preferably outdoors, (I'm in zone 6a).The color is spectacular. I understand that the color is a result of the soil ph. How do I get my $4 grocery-store bargain to thrive? Or can I?

Florist hydrangeas tend to not always do as well if you throw them out in the garden, if you really want a hydrangea for your garden I'd recommend going to a nursery and picking out a cultivar that was designed to do well in the garden. The plant itself will probably be hardy in your zone (the 60-70 temps they mention are the ideal temp if you keep it indoors), but unless you pile leaves over for the winter you'll probably never see blooms again because in zone 5/6 you'll often get a late frost that zaps the flower buds, and since the plant blooms on old wood it won't make new ones. A better option for you would be one of the reblooming cultivars like 'Forever and Ever' or 'Endless Summer', these bloom on both old and new wood so even if you lose some buds to frost, it'll make new ones and you'll still be able to enjoy flowers.

Will the plant I bought do alright if placed outside for the summer, maybe in a large pot, then sheltered for the winter?

It should continue to look good for the summer but I'm not sure how it'll look next year. The florist plants in addition to not really being designed for the garden, are often treated with something to stunt their growth so that they are nice and pretty and compact when you buy them, but once that wears off they tend to not look as nice as other hydrangeas that have been bred to look good in the garden. Since you already have the plant there's no harm in trying it in the garden or in a pot and see what happens, but it's very possible that it's not going to be as pretty next year as it is now even if you keep it alive and keep the buds from freezing off.

I hhave wintered bigleaf hyd by piling bags of leaves over them right to top of the plant. I live and garden in zone4

The roots are hardy but the buds must be protected az the bloom on previous ly formed buds. Good luck Joy

I know that this is contrary to everything written, but I have great luck with the 'florist' hydrangeas in the garden. I plant them along side my expensive cultivars and they do just fine. I would not hesitate to try it.

Since I have lots of room, I have nothing to lose by planting it out! I will be sure to mulch it well. Funny how sometimes the bargains work out well while the expensive plants languish. I spent a bundle on one-gal expensive coneflower hybrids only to have them die over the winter for the past 2 years in a row!

When I lived in Wantagh, NY I grew hydrangeas and never had problems with the cold as long as I mulched them heavily for the winter. All I would do was top off the tips of the dead wood and when spring came they would bud up and start all over again. Now here in So Fl the nurseries sell them to gardeners and they are very expensive but will not last in our heat or am I wrong? I'd love to grow them again but I think it is to hot and humid for them even in the shade? Anyone have advice about this??? I am in zone 10.

I have also had great luck with florist hydrangeas. One was given at my brothers funeral. One I picked up after Mothers day and the blooms were done...I got that one for $3. The other was a similar bargain. The funeral hydrangea has actually done much better than the endless summer I bought at the nursery and is planted near it.

I would plant it...the worst that will happen is it won't make it.

Good luck.

Hey! The first pink hyd that I spoke of just poked three leaves out of the groundcover of Pachysandra that overcame it! I think I should dig it and move both pink cuties to a sunnier spot. Then I should STOP FUSSING- they'll probably do just fine! Thanks, all!!!

Although I live in zone 9 I wanted to add my story of a 'florist' hydrangea.

Several years ago my DIL bought one and planted it in a pot on her covered patio. One night when we visiting she said 'yes' when I asked if I could take a cutting from it. It rooted, I planted it in a pot in my backyard and then I got sick. 18+ months later it's one of the plants that survived being neglected throughout my illness while numerous 'natives' didn't. I repotted it a couple months ago and it's repaid me with a huge bloom cluster and another one is just starting to open.

My DIL's wasn't as lucky. My son's Weimer ate it. : - }

Donna

I had a couple of young ladies living next store one summer. A boyfriend bought them 2 beautiful "supermarket" hydrangeas in plastic pots. Although I don't know the variety, they are a magnificient blue/purple. When they moved out, the placed the pots next to the garbage. I couldn't see throwing out these plants, so I picked them up and eventually planted them. They are now (a few years later), approximately about 4 feet wide and high. They are also loaded with buds. When they bloom, I will take a picture and post it on this site. Any plant, flower or vegetable, that I love or even like, deserves a try in the garden. What do you really have to lose?

I feel exactly the way you do, dsid! I don't know if it's ethical, but I have fished "dead" plants out of trash cans at a cemetery where I sometimes walk. The groundskeepers just throw out the plants people buy for grave displays when they dry up. I can see tossing a cut flower arrangement that's dead, but not a plant. Sometimes they are too far gone, in that case, I get myself a free pot. I tried to contact groundskeepers at this particular cemetery, but I couldn't find them.
That's a lovely story, Donna! I've had similar luck with plants I threw into the compost heap, or left for dead in the basement. Makes me think all this fussing about perfect nutrients, perfect soil, etc. etc. is sometimes pretty silly!

Purchase one from a local nursery that is hardy to your area. If you don't have a nursery, Home Depot, Walmart, or Lowe's should have them.

kyjoy,

I don't trust Lowe's or HomeDepot for something important like that!

xxx, Carrie

I have acorn hydrangaes. I've had them about five years and never had any problems with them. Of course I purchased them at a nursery.