Hydrangea Care
- Date added:
- Monday, February 02, 2009
- Last revised:
- Wednesday, February 18, 2009
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Answer
Hydrangeas
For best growing, plant in part shade. They can take full sun, but the plant will require watering almost daily. The leaf tips will burn if they become too dry.
Color
Acidic soil (pH under 7) = blue flowers
Alkaline soil (pH over 7) = pink flowers
pH of 6.5 can give a reasonably pink flower
Sometimes it takes up to 3 years for hydrangeas to become a fixed color in a garden. Adding aluminum sulfate can speed up the bluing process. Add a little bit at a time, but often, so that you do not damage the roots.
Fertilizers
Spring feed with a balanced fertilizer containing high levels of nitrogen. Avoid feeding in the late summer which encourages soft growth that is in danger of frost. With the exception of Annabelle (which has large white flowers), hydrangeas bloom off old wood. Do not cut them back for the winter!
Pruning
Prune in the early spring or just after they are done flowering to remove the dead wood, shape the plant, and increase the flower number and quality.
