how to take care of hydrangeas outdoors

Hydrangea Care Tips

• Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. Deeply water 3 times a week to encourage root growth. ...
• Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool. ...
• Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. ...
• Protect against pests and disease by choosing cultivars with resistant traits. ...

Full Answer

How to prune hydrangeas and when you should do it?

When to prune popular hydrangea varieties?

• Bigleaf hydrangeas. Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea Macrophylla) have very long, large dark green leaves up to 8 inches. ...
• Smooth hydrangeas. Smooth (wild) hydrangeas (H. ...
• Panicle hydrangeas. Panicle (peegee) hydrangeas (H. ...
• Oakleaf hydrangeas. Just like the name suggests, oakleaf hydrangeas (H. ...
• Mountain hydrangeas. Mountain hydrangeas (H. ...
• Climbing hydrangeas. ...

What plants go well with hydrangeas?

What to Plant with Hydrangeas (Companion Planting Guide)

• Hydrangea Traits. First, it’s worth pointing out what makes hydrangeas so beautiful and popular in the first place. ...
• Aesthetic Pairings. That last point hints at a clear choice you have when planting hydrangeas – whether to complement their rounded nature or contrast it with taller options.
• Gardening Choices. ...

Where to plant hydrangeas to give them the best start?

With time, the branch will form its own root system and may be transplanted to a new location.

• 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.
• Fill in the trench and place a paver, brick or stone on top.

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What do you need to know about caring for hydrangeas?

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. ...
• Panicle hydrangeas are hardy to Zone 3. ...
• Smooth hydrangeas are also known as snowballs because of their large white clusters of blooms. ...

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Do you cut off hydrangea blooms?

Removing the spent blooms triggers flowering shrubs to stop producing seeds and instead put their energy toward root and foliage development. This makes plants stronger and healthier, so by deadheading, you'll be doing your hydrangeas a favor.

How do you care for an outdoor hydrangea?

Hydrangeas are generally very easy to take care of. 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.

When should hydrangeas be pruned?

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?

With large blooms in pink, blue and white, hydrangea bushes are a visually striking and popular garden plant. Individual hydrangea blooms can last for weeks at a time, but the plant flowers throughout the entire spring-summer season.

Do hydrangeas like sun or shade?

morning sunHydrangeas like morning sun, but do not do well if they're in direct, hot afternoon sun. Partial shade in the later parts of the day is ideal for these beauties.

How do I get my hydrangeas to bloom more?

How to Get More Smooth Hydrangea Flowers:Plant smooth hydrangeas in full sun if the soil stays moist. ... Water them during times of drought, especially during the heat of summer.Amend the soil with organic matter (such as compost).Prune stems back in early spring, just before new growth emerges.

What happens if you don't cut back 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.

Should I cut my hydrangea back 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.

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 hydrangeas only bloom once?

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

Can hydrangeas stay potted?

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.

Why is my hydrangea dying?

The reason for a hydrangea dying is most often due to not enough moisture in the soil. Hydrangeas require the soil to be consistently moist and will droop or die because of drought. Hydrangeas can die due to frost damage, drought, transplant shock and because of too much sun.

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 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 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 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!

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.

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.

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 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 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 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.

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 keep hydrangeas blooming?

Sure, to keep them reblooming, you should take some tips such as by cutting back a Hydrangea’s shoots when the plant has stopped flowering. You also have to leave two pairs of leaves on each shoot.

How to rebloom hydrangeas in autumn?

Instead, you can also put the Hydrangea in complete darkness and allow the leaves to fall off. Place your Hydrangeas in an unheated room with temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

How long does it take for a hydrangea to bloom?

Continue your regular watering and fertilizing schedule. Finally, your Hydrangea will bloom again in around four months.

Why do my hydrangeas hang?

Well, if you see the Hydrangeas’ leaves hang, it indicates your plant is thirsty. So, water them as soon as possible thoroughly. However, it will be better under water than overwater. Check your Hydrangeas every day to get the signal that they really need water.

Do hydrangeas need fertilizer?

Hydrangeas do not need a lot of fertilizer. You should also use a slow release generic fertilizer in early spring. Fertilizing once or twice a year is likely enough for you to care for your Hydrangea. A kind of great fertilizer for Hydrangeas are composted manure, a slow-release balanced fertilizer and a 10-10-10 granular fertilizer.

Do hydrangeas like sun or shade?

As most Hydrangeas prefer the morning sun and afternoon shade, choose a bright and cool spot. By placing the Hydrangeas in half-shade, it also easier to give them the growing conditions they prefer. It’s important to note that some varieties probably have other requirements.

Can hydrangeas rot in water?

Sure, water that stands around the roots will cause rotting. You also have to use a good quality soil with organic matter, not ordinary garden soil. Then, plant Hydrangeas at the same level that it was in its original pots. Here, you also need to leave some room below the rim of the spot, so it will be easier to water your Hydrangeas.

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.

How to protect hydrangeas from cold?

Protect your hydrangeas from cold winds by planting them in a sheltered spot or with a burlap windscreen or burlap frame filled with dry leaves.

What zone do hydrangeas grow in?

Most hydrangeas can adapt to a wide range of growing conditions. They are generally hardy from USDA growing zones 5 to 9. And as long as they are planted in well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter, they should grow well.

How big does a hydrangea get?

Hydrangea macrophylla: Also known as bigleaf hydrangea, this species grows to around 6 to 10 feet tall and wide and has leaves that reach around 6 inches long. Hydrangea arborescens: Known as smooth hydrangea, this shrub reaches around 3 to 5 feet tall and wide and produces white to pink flowers.

How do hydrangeas change color?

Although somewhat determined by cultivar, the color can be tweaked by the amount of aluminum in the soil and the soil pH. The soil pH determines how available aluminum is to the plants.

What color are hydrangeas?

Their flowers now come in a wide array of colors, including bright blue, deep red, and pale green. Some hydrangeas have large, round flower clusters while others have smaller, flatter, and more delicate flowers.

Do hydrangeas have round flowers?

Some hydrangeas have large, round flower clusters while others have smaller, flatter, and more delicate flowers. The foliage also varies depending on the species. Plus, these versatile shrubs thrive in sandy coastal soils, shady woodland sites, and almost everything in between.

Do hydrangeas need fertilizer?

Fertilizer. If your soil is rich in nutrients, you likely won't have to fertilize your hydrangeas. In fact, if hydrangeas are given too much high-nitrogen fertilizer, they might grow full and lush but with fewer flowers. If your soil is not rich, apply a flowering shrub fertilizer in the spring.

Types of Fertilizer for Hydrangeas

Hydrangea fertilizers come in three main forms: liquid, granule, and compressed spikes. All three offer different benefits, albeit only slightly:

Organic vs. Inorganic Fertilizers

Many fertilizers meant for feeding hydrangeas contain chemicals. Still, a few of them have natural ingredients. Both boost the health of the plant and encourage blooms that are exceptionally huge and beautiful.

Which Inorganic Fertilizer to Choose

When shopping for fertilizer, examine the labels for the amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Typically hydrangeas thrive when fed an all-purpose, balanced fertilizer like a 10-10-10 N-P-K or 12-4-8 N-P-K. To increase the size and quantity of hydrangea blooms, consider a fertilizer with more phosphorus.

How to Fertilize

Learning how to fertilize hydrangea shrubs is equally as important as the type of fertilizer chosen. Apply a slow-release chemical for shrubs and trees once a year. Depending on the variety, a balanced time-release fertilizer can be applied a few times a year, in spring and early fall.

When to Fertilize

Hydrangeas benefit from applying fertilizer in mid-to-late spring and additional intervals recommended by the manufacturer of the fertilizer you choose to use. While the first set of flowers start to fade, apply the same slow-release bloom-boosting fertilizer used in spring. Time-release fertilizers usually need to be reapplied every three months.