If you’re as enchanted with hydrangeas as we are (and it’s hard not to be), then maybe you’re thinking about adding some to your garden this summer! We’re here to help tackle all your questions, such as “how do you take care of hydrangeas,” “how do you create blue blooms,” and more!
Hydrangea care isn’t as complicated as you might think, but to simplify it further, we’ll go over some essential practices.
Plant hydrangeas either in spring, once there’s no risk of frost, or autumn before the first frost. Dig a hole that’s two to three times larger than the root ball and make sure there’s adequate space between each plant. Depending on the variety, this could be between 3 or 10 feet. Make sure you water thoroughly—newly planted hydrangeas require lots of moisture and won’t tolerate drought. The caveat to that is—they also don’t like soaking wet feet; they prefer consistently moist but well-drained soil.
Many varieties like partial sun, preferably in the morning, and shaded from the heat of the afternoon sun. There are some beautiful full sun varieties as well, such as Limelight, Bobo, Incrediball, and Invincibelle. In general, the panicle varieties can tolerate full sun conditions while most other varieties prefer a little afternoon break in the shade.
The word ‘Hydra’ is a Greek word meaning water, which indicates that hydrangeas like lots of it! Due to their shallow root systems they tend to dry out quickly, making them a little needy when it comes to watering. Water deeply and often so that the soil is kept consistently moist—but not soaking or saturated; standing water is a no-no. It’s also best to water first thing in the morning to avoid them drying out during the day. If they start to wilt, even without being exposed to afternoon heat, there’s a good chance it’s because of too little water.
Tip: Add a layer of mulch under your hydrangea shrubs. Not only will this provide added nutrients, but it will help keep the soil cool and retain moisture.
The type of hydrangea you choose will determine when, how, and if you should fertilize. Suppose you’re one of those lucky people with rich soil, then you may not need to fertilize at all! Too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer will leave you with beautiful, bushy shrubs, but your hydrangeas might not produce flowers (which, let’s be honest, is the main reason you planted them).
Tip: The easiest way to determine whether or not to fertilize is to do a soil test; this goes for planting anything in your garden—not just hydrangeas!
Perhaps the most complicated thing about your hydrangea care will be learning how to prune them. The reason for this is because every plant is different.
Hydrangea varieties will bloom either on old wood, new wood, or both. Those that bloom on old wood can be gently pruned right after they finish flowering. If an old wood variety is pruned too harshly or too late in the season, then you risk cutting off next year's blooms—leaving you with a lovely green bush but no blooms. Those that bloom on new wood can be pruned either in early spring or late winter. And finally, hydrangeas that bloom on both kinds of wood benefit from combined pruning techniques.
We can’t stress enough how important it is to research the variety of hydrangea you choose beforehand. Incorrect pruning can result in accidentally chopping off the following year’s blooms—which will mean no flowers at all.
While hydrangeas come in all kinds of beautiful colors, they’re the only shrub that has certain varieties that allow you to change the bloom color! Blue blooms provide a stunning and unique look to your yard, and we love having the creative freedom to play around with differing shades.
A few things to note, however, is that they don’t all possess this magical color-shifting ability. We strongly recommend you do your research first so that you’re not left disappointed. Changing your hydrangea bloom color is also only something that can be done with established plants. Start by choosing a plant with a color you already like and prepare to wait up to 2 years before you can try to change it.
The secret to changing the color comes down to the simple science of soil pH (again, this is where testing your soil before planting comes in handy!) Soils with a pH of less than 5.5 will produce those coveted blue blooms. Soils with a pH greater than 5.5 will produce gorgeous pink blooms.
So, how do you take care of hydrangeas? While we covered many vital tips, one of the biggest takeaways should be to do your research beforehand so that your care is perfectly tailored to the variety you choose. Stop into one of our Westwood Gardens locations to pick out your favorite hydrangea today!
