Last year I did not get any blooms on my 3 Endless Summer. Last fall I surrounded them with chicken wire and oak leaves so I could try to protect the old wood over the winter. When should I remove the protection? When should I fertilize? It's nice today (it may get up to fifty) but we are expecting some snow around here in the next few days and it still dips below freezing at night.
Thanks, Peg
When should I unbury my Endless Summer?
I'd wait until you're past the danger of a hard freeze (or be prepared to cover it up if the weather changes). I've never lived in MN so I have no idea when that would be. Light frosts shouldn't hurt the buds, but a hard freeze will knock off any buds that are growing and may kill off new growth that's starting which is where you'd get your blooms from later in the season. From what I've heard on Endless Summer, there are people out there who've had trouble with it not blooming well on new wood like it's supposed to, so that's probably why you didn't get any blooms last year.
The reason people cover there hydrangeas is to protect the buds from frost. If you uncover them now the frost will most likely kill the buds. I wait until the first of June to uncover mine. I am starting to fertilize all of my plants now, that way the plants will have food when they wake up.
Gary
Thank you both. I'll plan on fertilizing after this next winter snap and uncover when I put in my tomatoes. Endless Summer is supposed to be from a plant found in an older Saint Paul neighborhood, so I hope mine, long term, do better than they did last summer (and better than many on this forum have experienced!). Peg
I uncovered all my hydrangeas last week. Last night I was out covering them up again! I keep temporary cardboard boxes handy in a storage shed just in case. I have buds on the Endless Summer, Blue Deckel and Lady in Red. Sure don't want to lose them at the last minute. It's going to be in the low 70's starting Tuesday for about 6 days, then back to dicey again. What a roller coaster.
Mine are uncovered, but I have to cover them any time the temps reach near 30 at night.
It's supposed to be nice here for the next week, so I think I'll try uncovering them and keeping some boxes on hand. Thanks for the suggestions!