Endless Summer buds look pinky :(

I bought an endless summer plant and was hoping that it would be blue. But the buds are starting to have a pinky purple look. Is it too late to try to turn the rest blue? This is my first Hydrangea and I have been reading about it but it does not tell me when to give them Alum....... I planted it in a large pot so I could have control over the color but it's controlling me.

I have read of some posts where people apply a tbsp weekly prior to watering. It seems too much to me though. I have not heard of anyone doing this and affecting a bloom's color though. Feel free to try and post the results for the rest of us. Just do not go overboard as sulphuric compounds in large qtys can be bad for the roots.

I've never tried to change the color of mine so I'm not sure what'll happen if the bloom's already started, but as long as you're careful about the amount you add it won't hurt the plant to try, the worst thing that happens is the color doesn't end up where you want it.

I just can back from visiting the garden shops....couldn't believe that they don't have any. I took another look and the bloom and it's taking a purpleish pink tone. Sorry if I a so excited about this, it's my first.

Loren

As the bloom matures, it is very common for it to change colors. This obviously depends on the specific variety, weather, soil, even geographical location. I have heard from people who have ES and whose blooms start pale green (sometimes called immature florets... think: Limelight), turn white, then blue/pink and then brown. Luis

Thanks Luis, I finally found the Aluminum Sulfate and I went back to where I bought the plant and found that all their ESs were blooming pink :( Mine are just buds...is it too late to try to turn them blue? I planted it in a large pot about 20 gals. and filled it with potting mix because I wanted to be able to have control of the color. It's in the east side of my home and it gets morning and noon sun.

Loren

You should be able to turn future blooms blue. Unfortunately, I have no experience using alum; I use Holly Tone. Whenever my blues start going pinkish, I just feed them a handfull of it. I've actually had a bloom that was half blue and half pink (wish I could do it again!),

Thank you for all your advices. I finally found it, and since it's started to rain here I am going to apply it now...

Loren

I think in a container you will need aluminum, in the ground I think there's usually already a little aluminum around, so all you need to do is drop the pH and the flowers will turn blue, but I've read that container soils don't have aluminum, and if you're missing that the flowers won't be blue even if the pH is low enough.

Got my first bloom, it's not blue but it's a pretty pink.

THis is my second year with endless summer. Last year they were all pink (I have 4 bushes)

This message was edited Jun 6, 2007 7:02 PM

This years there are varous shades of blue and purple on the same plants. The only thing I have done differently is last year I fed them Miracle Grow shake and feed and this year I have not fed them.

#2

I really love them and I took a few cuttings last fall and got 3 or 4 to root and they have made nice little plants that I was able to give to friends and realatives. I plant to take a lot this year. They did freeze to the ground and came back from the roots. They grew fast!

Love your pictures. Hope mine will look blue too..

That's a great idea. If my plant survives me, I will try to root some cuttings. Did you have to put the new cuttings inside?

Thank you! The above pic was in March and this was taken in May

I kept the cuttings inside the heated greenhouse. They looked pretty dead and really didn't do anything until spring. Then they just started growing like crazy and one even bloomed when it was just a few inches tall. These Hydrangeas bloom non-stop till frost. You will have plenty of time to change the color of future blooms. I would think that the miracle grow for acid loving plants would make them blue. I think some people have put vinegar on water and watered with that, but I would check it out first...

This message was edited Jun 6, 2007 8:21 PM

Thanks for the information. I have added about 1/2 tbs of Aluminum sulfur to the top of the potting mix and mixed it into a 1/4 inch of the surface. I a crossing my fingers. I hope I would kill the poor thing.

Tell me how you made the cutting....is it from soft wood or hard wood. I have a large aquarium and I thought that I could use that as a incubator in my basement. would that work?

Loren

That should work very well. Hee is a link to the thread that inspired me. It is a different variety of hydrangea, but it still worked. Also disregard the part about being only one or two flowers from the plant. That only applies to hydrangeas that only bloom on old wood. 'Endless Summer' blooms on old and new growth. I really think it would bloom on it's roots if it could. It is a terriffic bloomer!

http://www.nantuckethydrangea.com/propagation.html

Oh, and BTW I did not use the rooting hormone and they rooted anyway. When I use rooting hormone my cuttings die...

This message was edited Jun 7, 2007 2:43 AM

Yardqueen: Thank you for the information. As soon as my eyes open and I a fully awake I will try...

Loren

Yeardqueen, I just took a look at the site....THANK YOU!!!!!That is exactly what I needed to know and the pictures are a plus...

UPDATE: I have been watching the new blooms that are coming up and the buds look promising...I talk to them alot. Hope they are listening...Blue, Blue...lol

Loren

Hey Loren, you know what I did on 2 hydr. back in Holland? I happen be renovating my yard there when I decided to dig new spot for them in Fall. AND added a hand full of rusty nails in between roots! I took a hanfull threw them in water and 2 weeks later I had rusty nails. Dig in carefully in between root system or under rootball (no damage!) "et voilà". I have to say not totally fool proof because 1 turned nice blue, the other was sorta thinking about it.
YardQueen, I recently bought a ES "Blush.Bride". Never had one before. They really bloom all summer? When is the time to take cuttings?
Mine has been in newly renovated yard since 3 weeks now and it's beginning to look bigger already. 2 blooms out and 2 on the way! Although I have to say to me it looks pretty white iso pinkish. Does it turn pink later or when plant is older maybe.
Coby

This may sound silly, but, if I used a nail gun would it sink it deep enough? Never mind....lol..I forgot I have them in pots. Geez that was a dumb thought. I just took a look and it's still green, no sign of pink...still hoping for blue.

Loren

There are better more reliable ways to turn hydrangeas blue than the rusty nails (not to mention ones that are less likely to send you to the hospital for tetanus shots when you forget they're there and are digging in that area of the garden!)