Growing Hydrangeas
A Few Simple Tips On Growing Hydrangeas
Growing hydrangeas is not as hard as some might have you believe. Hydrangeas are generally pretty hardy shrubs, and a lot of them can thrive under most weather conditions. They can fill in holes in your garden, and add texture and color to the area in late spring and then in the summer months. If you prune them back – carefully, so you don't take off new buds – in the winter, they will stay unobtrusive during the summer months when everything else in your garden is blooming as well. Additionally, you can treat the pH levels in your soil to make some of them bloom in different colors.
There are three different kinds of hydrangea, and the main differences in them are the shape of their blooms. Mopheads are probably the most common type, and you see them in many gardens. They have round, large heads, and the bloom sizes vary from three to twelve inches across. The second type is the lacecap, and they tend to be flatter than the mopheads. Their blooms appear lacy, hence their name. The third type is the panicles type, and these are not as well-known or as widely-planted. Panicles can be similar to the mophead to look at, or they can be more pointed and long. This variety can bloom for long periods of time, and they tolerate more sun than the other types.
You can encourage your growing hydrangeas to bloom in different colors, with a few exceptions. The white-flowered shrubs will not change their color, regardless of soil pH. But most of the pink and blue varieties are adjustable, by either adding lime to the soil, or iron, to change the pH levels.
Growing hydrangeas generally means spending a bit of time on pruning, or at least removing dead stems and blooms. You can leave your hydrangeas unpruned, but through the years they will start to look shapeless and straggly. Young shrubs do best with just the dead stems and blooms removed, but with older shrubs, you can safely trim away a third of their old wood during the winter, and this will help the plant to grow in an eye-appealing shape.
If your hydrangea appears to have died, you may want to try some more extreme pruning. Cut it back to three to five feet from the ground, and then fertilize and water it well. It may spring back, and usually does, even if most varieties won't show blooms until the following summer season.
Healthy and growing hydrangeas need a lot of water, but they can't stand in water for any period of time, with a few exceptions. If your plant doesn't get enough water, the leaves may look fine but it will not bloom, or the blossoms will not cover much of the plant. Mulch or compost is helpful to hydrangeas, or you can add a fertilizer that you apply spring and fall.
Many gardeners utilize growing hydrangeas to add to the color of their garden, and along their fence lines. Hydrangeas fit in with most planting arrangements and they can fill out a garden, whether it's large or small. They make an excellent and hardy addition to your garden, as long as you care properly for them.