Nikko blue was my first hyd, the bush must be 10 years old. I made the mistake of planting it where a holly was and so it is in western sun (!). We give it water just about every day. It wilts by the time we get home from work and so we mist and water it then. Today somebody on a stroll stopped by and admired it, then saw the other hyds and liked what he saw. Nice reward for me. He should see Bluebird in the back!
Another shot;
It is normal for hydrangeas to wilt when the weather is hot or windy or both. Your plants should be established after 10 years and normally established hydrangeas will wilt and then recover on their own by next morning or earlier (nightfall, for example). Try not to water too often though, since daily watering can make the environment too wet and the roots will develop root rot. The leaves might also be affected by other fungal diseases as well.
The shrubs do look very very nice. Pat yourself in the back, bbinnj!
Thanks Luis!
So far we've done the watering when we see the wilting, and Nikko Blue seems to love it. Drainage is very good where it is. No standing water.
We get wilting episodes a lot in July and August with temperatures between the upper 90s and mid to lower 110s. But by night time, when the temps have dropped to the lower 90s, the shrubs recover. I try to check them out when I go get the newpaper in the morning and when taking the pooches outside to care of business.
I water every other day, with two big 1 gallon waterings per week and a smaller 1/2 gallon application. The 1/2g application may convert to 1g on windy days or on days when the temps get to the upper 100s or the 110s.
Very nice Nikko Blue. I finally have gotten a few blooms on mine this year. My zone is really too cold and even with protection, it hasn't produced any in a long time. This year I kept it covered until late May since our spring was very cold and wet. It finally has decided to reward me with blooms. Yours is very nice and full.
I think my zone is too cold for Nikko Blue too (big grin; big smile).... when it finally bloomed the next year, it "became" a lacecap. 'Must have been the weather' is what I say; I cannot believe that Lowes would mislabel a plant and sell it to me, do you? Hee hee hee
A sport, Luis? there are reblooming types of Nikko Blue,maybe you have the first lacecap Nikko blue.
No, just a joke at Lowes expense for incorrect labeling. Ha! It has never resembled NB, not a single bloom.
Well, you bought it at Lowe's.....
Most of my hyds are from Nantucket Hydrangeas except for NB (a local nursery; it was a Mother's Day gift from DH to replace the holly) and LimeLight (forgot where I bought it, some online place).
