how to look after hydrangeas outdoors

• Light requirements. Most hydrangeas prefer to be located in full sun or partial shade. ...
• Water requirements. Hydrangeas usually need a deep watering about once a week. In very dry weather they may need even more.
• Soil requirements. Hydrangeas can grow in a wide range of soils including acid and alkaline types. However, the Asian varieties need acid soil in order to flower.
• Fertilizer requirements. Fertilize your shrub in early spring to support new growth and plentiful blooms. You can use an organic soil improver or a slow release shrub fertilizer.
• Planting. You should plant your hydrangea in spring once all threat of frost has passed. ...
Maintenance. To keep your hydrangea looking at its best you should dead-head it whenever the blooms become spent.
Container grown hydrangea. Hydrangeas are often given as gifts in small pots but unless re-potted these will rarely last more than a few weeks.
Repotting. If your hydrangea is not a dwarf or compact variety it may need repotting again in time, or alternatively, you can prune it to the size you want.
Pruning advice. The different varieties of Hydrangea have different pruning needs. The most common types, the mopheads and lacecaps of the H. ...

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How to look after a Hydrangea plant?

Looking after hydrangeas 1 Sun. Hydrangeas thrive when they live in an area that has access to the bright morning sun, usually no more than four or six hours of daily sun. 2 Soil. Hydrangeas do best in soil that is well-drained but retains moisture. ... 3 Water. As mentioned, hydrangeas need a lot of water. ... 4 Food. ...

How to care for potted hydrangeas?

Here are some tips on how to care for potted hydrangeas. The first factor to take into account is the location. Most of them will do very well in the mild morning sun, but from midday onwards, they will be better in the shade. So, we must look for a suitable place that meets this condition or simply change the site.

Are hydrangeas good in the fall?

The foliage of Oakleaf hydrangeas have brilliant color in the fall. For perennial vines that reach impressive heights, choose climbing hydrangeas. Hydrangeas can be tiny or huge! Dwarf varieties like ‘Paraplu’ are perfect for containers, while large ‘Kyushu’ hydrangeas are better for your landscape.

Do hydrangeas bloom on new wood?

Pee Gee hydrangea ( Hydrangea paniculata, which includes varieties such as ‘Limelight’) as well as smooth hydrangea ( Hydrangea arborescens, also called seven bark and best known for the variety ‘Annabelle’) bloom on new wood.

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How do you care for outdoor hydrangeas?

2:124:03Caring for Hydrangeas - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey grow on most soils. But they love heavy clay as the name hydrangea suggests they love water. SoMoreThey grow on most soils. But they love heavy clay as the name hydrangea suggests they love water. So adding plenty of well rotted manure or garden compost when planting helps to conserve moisture.

Should dead hydrangea blooms be cut off?

No need to worry – this is simply a sign that it's time to remove the flowers, a process called deadheading. When you deadhead hydrangeas, you aren't harming the plants at all. Removing the spent blooms triggers flowering shrubs to stop producing seeds and instead put their energy toward root and foliage development.

How do you take care of hydrangeas after they bloom?

Trimming should be done immediately after flowering stops in summer, but no later than August 1. Do not prune in fall, winter, or spring or you could be cutting off new buds. Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage multiple, smaller flower heads rather than fewer larger flower heads.

How long do hydrangeas last outside?

Hydrangeas of all sorts bloom throughout the growing season. Individual blooms last for weeks, while the plants continue to put out new blooms to replace the old. Most gardeners prune away old, spent blooms to encourage the plants to put out new flowers.

What happens if you don't prune hydrangeas?

What happens if you don't prune hydrangeas? If you don't prune hydrangeas then they can eventually resemble a tangled mass of woody stems, and the flowers will become smaller and less showy. Regular pruning of hydrangeas helps to maintain their shape and also encourages new growth and a better display of blooms.

What happens if I don't deadhead hydrangeas?

If you simply skip deadheading hydrangeas, no harm will come to your plant. At least nothing so serious that you should stress about it. Your hydrangea may not produce as many blooms as if spent blooms would have been removed, nor the blooms will be very large. But it will still bloom, regardless.

Should I cut off Brown hydrangea leaves?

However once the flower buds and newer leaves have turn brown there is not much you can do to revive them. Therefore cut back any growth that has been damaged by the frost and trim back to healthy growth.

Do you cut off old hydrangea stems?

To rejuvenate the hydrangea, remove up to 1/3 of the older living stems down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. If necessary to control the size of the plant, cut back before late July to allow for buds to develop. Usually the plant will return immediately to its former size.

Do I cut down hydrangeas for winter?

Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood require pruning in late winter or early spring. Prune to shape, cutting back to about two feet. The pruning promotes new, sturdy growth, which provides the blooms next season.

Do hydrangeas only bloom once?

Do hydrangeas rebloom? The plants only bloom once annually, but there are reblooming hydrangea varieties.

Can hydrangeas stay in pots?

Can hydrangeas grow in pots? It's a good question, since the potted hydrangeas given as gifts rarely last more than a few weeks. The good news is that they can, as long as you treat them right. Since they can get quite big and produce stunning blossoms all summer long, growing hydrangeas in pots is well worth it.

Are hydrangeas hard to maintain?

Although their appearance may seem high maintenance, with the right conditions and care, hydrangeas are actually fairly easy to grow. So grab your garden gloves, because our growing hydrangeas guide will have you ready to plant in no time.

How to bring hydrangeas indoors?

If you're lucky to have garden hydrangeas, it's easy to bring them indoors for a beautiful arrangement. Using a sharp floral knife or clean kitchen shears, cut them on a bias (a 45-degree angle) and place them in a bowl of lukewarm water while you're working outside.

How to protect hydrangeas from winter?

Along with pruning dead stems and blooms, you'll want to protect your hydrangeas during the winter. "Add an extra layer of mulch, leaves, or pine straw up to 6 to 8 inches high to provide tender buds protection from drastic temperature changes, cold nights, and high winter winds," McEnaney says.

How to soak up water from hydrangeas?

Hydrangeas produce a sap at the bottom of the stems that needs to be sealed off so they can soak up water. "After you cut the stem on a bias, dip the stem in alum powder, which is an onion powder that you can pick up at your local grocery store in the spice aisle," Bladow says. "All it takes is a simple dip of the bottom of the stem, and then straight into the vase." If you don't have alum powder, you can dip the stem in boiling water for about 10 seconds, which will produce the same effect. You'll also want to remove the leaves from the stem, since they'll hog all the water in the vase.

When do hydrangeas bloom?

These blooms are at their peak in mid-summer through fall. 2. Choose the Right Location. Hydrangeas grow best in partial shade areas. "Make sure that there is enough space for the hydrangea to grow into, that the soil is amended as needed, and that there is the proper amount of sunlight," McEnaney says.

Can you cheat on hydrangeas?

It's OK to cheat and buy a shrub from your local gardening center, instead of trying to grow your hydrangeas from seeds—especially since seeds are hard to come by. "If you're able to obtain seeds, you must sow or scatter the seeds in the soil, taking extra care until they're germinated," McEnaney says.

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Do hydrangeas need TLC?

As with any flower, though, keeping up with hydrangea care is important—these flowers certainly need their fair share of TLC. Learning how to care for hydrangeas isn't difficult, especially once you have these pro-approved tips in your back pocket.

How to control hydrangeas?

You can control some hydrangea flower colors by changing the soil pH. A low soil pH allows hydrangeas to absorb aluminum, turning the flowers more blue. Do this by adding peat moss to the soil, or adding additional aluminum sulfate to your soil throughout the growing season.

How should I care for a hydrangea plant?

Most of them don’t like extremely hot conditions, so make sure they get some partial shade or at least afternoon shade. While they can be grown in most soils, they like rich, moist soil that drains well.

How should I prune hydrangeas?

How to Prune Hydrangeas 1 Knowing your variety can help you determine the best time to prune, as well as how to prune. 2 If your hydrangea blooms on old wood (bigleaf, oakleaf), you want to prune them after they are done blooming in late summer and early fall. This way, you are trimming the shrub before it begins to produce the buds that turn into next year’s flowers. If you miss this timing, just wait until next year to prune. 3 Remove old blooms by clipping under flower heads to keep the shrub looking tidy. You can also remove dead or dying canes at this time by trimming them to their bases. 4 If you’re pruning your hydrangea to reduce its overall size, do this in June or July after blooming season. Trim back the branches by one-third to the nearest joint. ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas are more low maintenance and don’t really respond poorly to pruning if you miss a specific window, so you have more flexibility with this type. 5 For hydrangeas that bloom on new wood, prune in late winter before bud generation begins. Cut back all stems by one-third in the winter for bigger, showier flowers. Also prune dead canes or crossed branches to encourage airflow and clean up the plant.

Why do hydrangeas get nervous when they are pruned?

Pruning hydrangeas can make you nervous since you don’t want to miss your window or limit your flower production. But if you know the type of hydrangea you have, this can be easier because different hydrangea varieties prefer pruning at different times of the year.

What is the best zone for hydrangeas?

Hydrangea macrophylla - This bigleaf hydrangea grows best in USDA zones 5 to 9 and offers a 6- to 10-foot height and spread. They like part to full shade and offer flowers in whites, pinks, blues, purples, or reds from June to October. These make great cut flowers.

Why are hydrangeas so popular?

Hydrangeas are so popular because certain varieties are longer bloomers so they provide more color time. On top of that, they are hardy and easy to grow, making them a simple choice when you’re looking to add something fun to your space.

When should I fertilize hydrangeas?

When it comes to hydrangea care fertilizer, bigleaf hydrangeas like light fertilization in March, May, and June, while oakleaf and paniculata hydrangeas do best with two applications in April and June. You can control some hydrangea flower colors by changing the soil pH.

How to get rid of a hydrangea plant?

All you have to do is: Dig a small trench near your hydrangea plant. Bend a branch down to the trench so it touches the soil in the middle of the branch ( six to 12 inches of branch should extend past the trench). Make scratches in the bark where the branch touches the trench soil.

How to keep hydrangeas from wilting?

Watering in the morning will help prevent hydrangeas from wilting during hot days. Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool. An organic mulch breaks down over time, adding nutrients and improving soil texture. Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas.

How to make hydrangeas blue?

A low soil pH allows hydrangeas to absorb aluminum, which turns the flowers a beautiful blue color. To increase blue hydrangea flowers, lower your soil pH by adding sulfur or peat moss to the soil.

What is the name of the hydrangea that withstands the cold winters?

Endless summer hydrangea – Discovered in the 1980’s, this unique bigleaf hydrangea variety has the ability to withstand the cold winters of zone 4. Peegee hydrangea – While often trained to look like a tree, the Peegee (P.G.) is technically the Grandiflora cultivar from the panicle hydrangea family.

What is the best hydrangea to grow in the summer?

There are four different types of hydrangeas grown in the United States: Oakleaf hydrangeas thrive in warmer zones. If you live in Zone 5 or warmer, oakleaf hydrangeas are a great choice, as they’re able to withstand the heat of summer. Bigleaf hydrangeas are the most common of all.

When do hydrangeas bloom?

Most new growth hydrangeas put on buds in early summer to bloom in the following spring, summer and early fall seasons. In hot climates, hydrangeas may stop blooming in the heat of summer, but will rebloom in the fall.

What are the pests that can be found on hydrangeas?

Leaf spots, bight, wilt and powdery mildew can all appear on hydrangeas. Pests are not common on hydrangeas, but can appear when plants become stressed. Possible pests include aphids, leaf tiers and red spider mites. Properly caring for hydrangeas is your best defense.

How to make hydrangeas bloom pink?

Pink hydrangeas can be turned blue by applying aluminum sulfate to lower the pH and add aluminum to the soil. Applying lime to raise the pH level will help blue hydrangeas turn pink.

How long can hydrangeas live without pruning?

Hydrangeas can live for many years without ever needing to be pruned, but if your shrubs grow out of bounds or lose flowering vigor, then there are some essential pruning guidelines you must follow to ensure bountiful blooms the next year!

Do hydrangeas wilt faster than other flowers?

You should be able to find this at a local nursery. Keep in mind that many gardeners and florists complain that hydrangeas wilt faster than other cut flowers and may require a little extra planning.

Can you grow hydrangeas in raised beds?

If your soil naturally produces very blue or very pink hydrangea flowers , you may need to grow your hydrangeas in containers or raised beds to achieve the desired color. If you do attempt to change the color of your blooms by adding these minerals, dilute them well, and add sparingly.

What color are hydrangeas?

Image by tioloco. Who can forget the ever-changing blooms of hydrangeas — changing blue in acidic soil, pink in that with more lime and reminiscent of those science class projects using litmus paper. And then of course the white hydrangeas, with blooms resembling large snowballs that as children would often amaze us.

What are the different types of hydrangeas?

As there are many types of hydrangeas, the pruning and care of hydrangeas may differ slightly with each. The most common types of hydrangea are the Mopheads and Lacecaps ( H. macrophylla ). These are the varieties with the large, globe-shaped flowers that many of us remember as kids.

Can you transplant hydrangeas?

Hydrangeas can also be transplanted easily, but this should only be done during dormancy in fall or winter. Be sure to dig up the entire rootball and replant immediately. Since flowers are produced on new growth, you should prune hydrangeas once their blooming has ceased.

Can hydrangeas grow in full sun?

Growing Hydrangeas. Although there are many types of hydrangeas, most can be grown in full sun or partial shade. Keep in mind, however, that many hydrangeas do not like extremely hot conditions, so try to locate them in an area where they can enjoy some afternoon shade.

Do hydrangeas grow as adults?

As adults, they still do, which is why growing hydrangeas is so much fun. They’re not only easy to grow but are also quite hardy and resistant to most pests and diseases, making it even easier to care for hydrangeas. And with numerous varieties to choose from, you’re certain to find one that’s right for you.

Do hydrangeas need pruning?

The hydrangea vine or climbing hydrangea ( H. anomala) doesn’t usually require pruning, but it may be done in order to keep the new shoots under control. Growing hydrangeas is easy, as is the care of hydrangeas.

Why do hydrangeas need pruning?

Pruning is essential to keep the plants in a contained and aesthetic size. But it is necessary to investigate and be well informed about how pruning is done in the different varieties of hydrangeas since some bloom on old stems and others on new ones.

How big of a pot do hydrangeas need?

Hydrangeas wilt quickly if they do not have enough space. The appropriate pots for them are those of 18″- 20″ (45-50 cm) in diameter so that they have enough substrate to thrive.

Do hydrangeas need fertilizer?

When the upper part of the substrate, 1″ (2.5 cm) or so, is dry, it is time to water. Hydrangeas do not need much fertilization; in any case, we will only add some slow-release fertilizer or cured manure a couple of times a year. Certainly, never after summer if you live in a warm climate.

Do hydrangeas need drainage holes?

They must have drainage holes because hydrangeas do not tolerate waterlogging. This is a golden rule for all types of plants and is essential in the case of hydrangeas. We will choose the most suitable variety for the climate of the place where we live.

Can hydrangeas grow in pots?

by Henry Morgan. It is certainly not an easy task to grow hydrangeas in pots and we must be very clear about this. It is a plant that does not tolerate well the interior and those that we acquire coming from greenhouses need a process of acclimatization to get used to the outside.

What color soil do hydrangeas need?

The colors you can get will vary slightly based on the soil you have ranging from blues to pinks. Highly acidic soil with a low pH will force the hydrangeas to take up aluminum so the colors will become bluer.

How much sun do hydrangeas need?

Hydrangeas thrive when they live in an area that has access to the bright morning sun, usually no more than four or six hours of daily sun. In the afternoon they required light shade ideally. The morning rays are much gentler and the shade protects against the afternoon heat.

What color are panicle hydrangeas?

You can find panicle hydrangea colors ranging from a light white shade all the way to a deep pink or even a pale lime color. Bigleaf hydrangeas. The bigleaf hydrangeas are commonly referred to as the florist hydrangeas or the French hydrangeas and even mophead hydrangeas in the UK.

What are the white flowers on a hydrangea called?

These include old fashioned styles known as the Annabelle with large white blooms. Panicle hydrangeas. These include the grandifloras and the PeeGee’s. They are called panicle hydrangeas because of the long, pyramid-shaped clusters that the flowers have resembling a panicle.

What are the different types of hydrangeas?

There are dozens of species around the world but most of them fall under one of six species: Smooth hydrangeas. These include old fashioned styles known as the Annabelle with large white blooms. Panicle hydrangeas.

When do panicle hydrangeas bloom?

The panicle hydrangeas and smooth hydrangeas develop new flowers every summer and a cold winter might kill the plant down to the ground but you’ll be surprised when spring comes around and new wood grows with beautiful blossoms in the summer.

What is a climbing hydrangea?

Climbing hydrangeas. Climbing hydrangeas have large vines and they are typically used to cover big walls and other support structures like trellises. They have a deep rich, cinnamon red color bark with beautiful white flower clusters.

How long do hydrangeas last?

One of the newest hydrangeas to appear on the market is ‘Magical Revolution’, which produces classic mophead-style flowers with a unique quality - they last for up to 150 days! Opening in spring, the blooms go through a colour transformation from pastel blue or pink, through pinky-red shades and onto deep burgundy by autumn. They’re also compact growing plants, so are perfect for pots and small gardens too.

What is the best color for hydrangeas?

For sunny areas of the garden, choose forms of Hydrangea paniculata which are more sun-tolerant. ‘Candlelight’ bears creamy white flowers which turn pink as they age; ‘Diamond Rouge’ produces white flowers in summer, which gradually morph through pink to rich red.

What is the name of the hydrangea that blooms on new wood?

Pee Gee hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata, which includes varieties such as 'Limelight') as well as smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens, also called seven bark and best known for the variety 'Annabelle') bloom on new wood. Timing for the pruning of these types of hydrangea is not as critical—you can prune in winter or early spring and they will grow and flower in the same season.

How tall do hydrangeas get?

The best known varieties are the mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), which are deciduous shrubs growing to around 1-2 metres in height and bearing large rounded flower heads. Lacecap hydrangeas are a smaller group (belonging to the same species), which have more flattened flower heads, where the showy coloured petals form a ring around a cluster of tiny flowers in the centre.

What is the pH of hydrangeas?

Hydrangea macrophylla varieties are well known for their habit of changing flower colour, according to the pH of the soil they’re growing in. Soils which are acidic (below pH 7) produce blue blooms and alkaline soils (above pH 7) produce pink.

How to grow hydrangeas from cuttings?

Take tip cuttings about 10 – 15cm long, making the cut just below a pair of leaves. Remove this bottom pair of leaves, then cut the remaining leaves in half, to reduce water loss. Plant the cuttings into pots filled with propagating mix and place in a shady but bright spot. Don’t let the soil dry out, keeping it just damp but not waterlogged.

Do hydrangeas need sun?

They won’t thrive in heavy all-day shade, especially where there is no air movement around their leaves, as this tends to lead to problems like powdery mildew on the foliage. Hydrangea quercifolia and H. paniculata both tolerate more sun – just avoid positions which are blasted by hot westerly afternoon sun in summer.

Do hydrangeas like sun?

Location makes a really big difference with hydrangeas. They don’t like too much sun!! Our little deck is mostly shaded, with some afternoon sun. They seem super happy there in their shady spot. The amount of sun hydrangeas need will differ based on your location.

Do hydrangeas need to be cold for winter?

How to prepare hydrangeas for Winter. Hydrangeas do need a cold period for blooms to appear. Because our winters here in Zone 8 are mild, I don’t need to do anything special to prepare them for Winter. I just leave them sitting out in their spots on the deck in their pots all winter long!