how to care for blue hydrangeas

To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Posts about how to care for written by Pam. Bigleaf hydrangeas are not only beautiful but among the easiest flowering shrubs you can plant. Plus, the blooms look absolutely beautiful in a vase! ", "Exactly what I needed as this is my first time purchasing hydrangeas and I want them to be blue. Don't be tempted to apply a stronger concentration as this can burn the roots. Alternatively, you can take a sample of your soil to a local gardening center where they will test the pH of the soil for you. I will put some to use. Authorities recommend that a solution of 1/2 oz (1 Tbsp) aluminum sulfate per gallon of water be applied to plants (which are at least 2-3 years old) throughout the growing season. Color. They enjoy deep watering at least once a week, especially in dry weather. An alkaline soil will produce pink blooms in hydrangeas; an acid soil will cause the same plant to bear blue flowers. Hydrangeas should be pruned each year for best growth. Balance in the amount of water given, in pruning them, and in the type of compost used. You can also add a layer of mulch following hydrangea planting. They’ll grow to several feet in height and can be three to five feet wide. Used coffee grounds are particularly effective, just make sure that they have cooled completely before working them into the soil around the base of your plant. Paniculata types are larger with conical flowers, great for mixed borders or hedges. New varieties will bloom repeatedly throughout summer; others will bloom on new growth as well as the old wood as long as they're watered. Learning how to take care of hydrangeas isn’t difficult. Thanks! Therefore, if you want to maintain the blue color of the flowers, you will need to monitor the pH level of the soil and take measures to preserve its acidity. As you care for this type of hydrangea, know that it is best to prune them in early summer, right after the flowers fade. Prune to shape or remove any wayward stems. Applying lime to raise the pH level will help blue hydrangeas turn pink. Care of Blue Hydrangea Maintaining Color. The lacecap hydrangea requires a rich, well-draining soil--which should remain evenly moist--along with the addition of organic matter (such as manure or compost). This includes smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) and paniclehydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). Thank you.". https://www.al.com/living/2013/06/how_do_i_make_my_hrdrangeas_bl.html, https://www.gardenista.com/posts/magic-trick-how-to-make-your-hydrangea-change-color/, http://www.gardenista.com/posts/magic-trick-how-to-make-your-hydrangea-change-color, https://plantcaretoday.com/how-to-make-hydrangeas-turn-blue.html, http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html, http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/06/how_do_i_make_my_hrdrangeas_bl.html, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/can-add-soil-deeper-blue-hydrangea-43726.html, mantener el color de las hortensias azules, So behalten deine Hortensien ihre blaue Farbe, conserver la couleur des hortensias bleus, الحفاظ على اللون الأزرق لأزهار الكوبية الزرقاء, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. This can take weeks or months, so be patient! It was explained very well, and it was easy to follow. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. My three formerly blue hydrangeas are planted with a tarp on the soil and small rocks and pebbles around them and other plants. Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. ", "I got information I had no other way to get! Only then will each year bring forth the luscious and abundant blooms for which this plant is best known. At the final stage, the colors will stay constant, often through the winter if not pruned in the fall. Hydrangeas winter care. As leaves start to appear, it’s a good idea to fertilize hydrangeas. The exception to this is white or green hydrangeas, which are unique varieties and don't change color. For purple blooms (or a mix of blue and pink flowers on the same plant), the pH of the soil must be 5.5 and pH 6.5. You may be over-fertilizing: two to three applications during a season is usually plenty. The perennials have stunning foliage and blooms, and are mostly fuss-free. The complex uses a landscape service, and I'm not allowed to plant or remove things in the landscape. To obtain a blue hydrangea, aluminum must be present in the soil. Hydrangea Care Tips. It's often labeled as ‘blue hydrangea powder'. What can I do? Blue flower tones appear in the French or bigleaf hydrangea. Firstly, cutting back the hydrangea for winter is the best thing to do. Mophead hydrangeas offer big, dome-shaped clusters of flowers in blue, pink, or white. Soil with a pH lower than 5.5 will result in bright blue hydrangea flowers. Store bought potted hydrangeas usually languish because a small container on the kitchen table is less than ideal. Should I continue to use the blue dye on my hydrangea when it is not flowering? Buds are set in late summer to early fall, so prune prior to this. For true blue flowers, the hydrangeas need to be grown in acidic soil (pH 5.5 and lower). A popular question around here, since I tend to share our own hydrangeas on Instagram pretty often. Spread it evenly over the soil up to about 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 cm) away from the stems. Bricks were used as an edger. How to change the color of hydrangeas Hydrangeas change colors depending on the pH content of the soil. If your hydrangeas don’t have many blooms, there are a few possible reasons. When you grow blue hydrangeas, you bring that elusive hue right into the summer garden, a welcome break from the season’s sizzling shades. If you plant more than one type of hydrangea in the garden you can have flowers from April to October. To point the color more towards blue, apply aluminum sulfate as described above in a concentration of 1 tablespoon per gallon. However, some varieties can handle more sun, especially in northern areas. Gently loosen the roots, then plant using plenty of rich soil. Go ahead and tackle pruning hydrangeas that flower on new wood. About, "The part about taking cuttings from a mature hydrangea bush was helpful. Now all I, "This is the most informative and helpful page l have used to help with gardening problems. Learn more... Hydrangeas bloom blue (rather than pink) when they are grown in acidic soil. To ensure that aluminum is present, aluminum sulfate may be added to the soil around the hydrangeas. Follow these few steps and your hydrangeas will be happy and vibrant for years to come. What effects your hydrangeas color? Hydrangeas like this mophead variety can be a real delight and source of color in your garden, if you know how to care for them. Sprinkle elemental sulphur around the base of the shrub to bring your soil’s pH below 5.5. Plant your hydrangea in spring after the danger of frost has passed. How strong or pale the color is depends on lots of factors such as temperature, humidity, and the plant's general health. You can also learn how to make hydrangeas blue, shifting pink blossoms to blue shades. This is why when you go online to search for “hydrangea pictures”, several types of flower heads can pop up. Approved. This article has been viewed 105,759 times. ", "Needed advice on keeping my hydrangea blue - this told me just how to do this clearly. Avoid using fertilizers such as bone meal, as this will make the soil more alkaline, undoing all of your hard work. The typical change will be, for example, from pink to green and then to a mottled white and brown. Give the hydrangea a thorough soaking at the base daily for the first week while the plant gets established. For perennial vines that reach impressive heights, choose climbing hydrangeas. Hydrangeas can be tiny or huge! The main plant was an off color this year, so it will need treated as well. How to grow hydrangeas I have one that is enormous every year, "I always thought aluminum sulfate had to be used. For those macrophylla / Serrata hydrangeas that flower pink or blue, pink flowers are in alkaline soils and blue in acidic soils. Fertilizer and Mulch. She and her family live in Vermont and enjoy all things food, as well as the beautiful outdoors, game nights, Avengers movies and plenty of maple syrup. If your soil is more alkaline, you can lower the pH by applying Soil Acidifier at the rate specified on the package. Hydrangea Growing Tips 01:18 Learn how to care for hydrangeas with these helpful garden hints. Follow these expert tips for hydrangea care—whether they’re in a vase, potted, or in the ground—for beautiful blooms all season long. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. The huge variety of sizes and blooms is what makes hydrangeas so appealing. How to Care for Hydrangea in Pots. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. For plush pink or blue... Find the best location. The Complete Hydrangea Care Guide. You get hydrangeas, but with less hassle. Learn about how our products can help you. Can I use white vinegar or lemon juice to make the soil acidic? Hydrangeas that bloom on last season’s growth (old wood) will need a layer of straw or mulch to protect the stems through winter. Choose your hydrangea keeping both the height and spread of the mature plant in mind. The best soil & light. Use a small hand rake to mix the elemental sulfur into the top 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of soil, then water the area generously to help wash the sulfur into the soil. Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0 Must now carry out the instructions/suggestions. When I was given this flowering plant as a gift I was told it was a Plumeria. Tricks and tips are useful to. Loam or silt loam soil will require a ¾ pound of elemental sulfur to lower the soil pH in a 25 square foot area by one unit. Water them at their roots, and ideally in the morning—the afternoon heat takes a toll on plants. Because hydrangeas have shallow root systems, mulch well to prevent them from drying out. If you’re not keen on using chemicals, apply organic material, such as vegetable peelings or grass clippings to make the soil more acidic. Newer cultivars that reflower are also available, which provide color again and again. Endless Summer ® Hydrangeas is a collection of Hydrangea macrophylla perennial shrubs that have the unique ability to re-bloom throughout the spring and summer months, giving more color and visual appeal to your garden for a longer period of time. Just do not allow it to touch the plant. Change the color of hydrangeas. This is a natural progression for hydrangeas as the blooms age. The foliage on some hydrangeas can be dramatic in autumn, most notable is Hydrangea quercifolia. Choose the right one. Here's a closer look at how to care for hydrangeas, including tips on where and how to plant them. Hydrangeas create a soft yet powerful statement, thanks to their abundance of clustered flowers in delicate hues of blue, pink or white. ", "How user-friendly it is! ", "The most helpful tips was that coffee grounds are useful and also grass clippings. Water deeply. Dwarf varieties like ‘Paraplu’ are perfect for containers, while large ‘Kyushu’ hydrangeas are better for your landscape. You can improve soil with compost and other organic matter to add nutrients. To determine the pH of your garden... Sunlight and Water. Another culprit is damage from frost. I'm, "The article told me exactly what I wanted to know. ", "Just what I wanted to know: how to control the color of my hydrangeas! Pruning may also be to blame—hydrangeas need only light pruning to remove diseased or dead branches. By using our site, you agree to our. I moved two, "I have just bought two beautiful blue hydrangeas, planted for a short while, with both starting to go pink. Gradually the color will shift towards blue. ", "Very informative. Otherwise, opt for Flower-tone. My hydrangeas were purchased blue. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 2-3 times as wide. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. I was so glad to read of all your tips with your lovely illustrated guide. This can be done relatively easily by understanding the science behind it and making necessary soil improvements. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. This includes choosing the correct hydrangea for your space, planting, watering, fertilizing, pruning and more. If your hydrangea can't quite decide what color it wants to be (a mix of pink and blue) or it's purple, then it's likely your garden soil is quite neutral. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Remove lower leaves on the stems. To keep your hydrangeas blue, you'll need to make your soil more acidic. Hydrangea Care Guide. Thanks! Start sprinkling the elemental sulfur about 2 feet (0.6 m) beyond the shrub drip line or outer edge of the shrub. Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas ... Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, acidic soil with 5.2 – 5.5 pH level produces blue colored flowers. Hydrangeas add gorgeous flowers and dimension to your garden and landscape. Recut the woody stems at a slant under water. The biggest difference in how the different varieties are treated when it comes to pruning and winterizing, comes down to whether they like to be pruned in the fall, with their old growth (referred to as old wood) or pruned in the spring when the new growth appears (referred to as new wood). Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 105,759 times. The most important thing to having thriving hydrangeas is maintaining a balance in their care. Don’t prune away stems that will bloom. ", starts from my blue mop head and they were both pink. Try to use rainwater as much as possible when watering your plants, because tap water will counteract the acidity and turn your flowers pink. Deeply water 3 times a week to encourage root growth. The most popular types of hydrangea are mophead and lacecap. Search for a stockist online. You can buy acidic compost at the gardening center - it is usually labeled as "ericaceous". For the best hydrangea care, feed 2-3 times throughout the growing season, which is from spring until fall. Aluminum sulfate is available as a powder from garden centers or online outlets. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Follow these steps to prune hydrangeas correctly. Feed them with a general-purpose flowering shrub fertilizer in the spring. The scientific reason behind this is that different levels of aluminum become available to the plant depending on the soil's acidity level (also known as pH). Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. This article has been viewed 105,759 times. Only the macrophylla hydrangeas change color based on soil acidity. When you fertilize your shrubs, use a fertilizer that's high in potassium and low in phosphate since it will be more acidic. Most mopheads bloom in late spring or early summer but make their flower buds the year before you see them. How to Grow Big, Beautiful Blue Hydrangeas . Water thoroughly after planting. After seeing this same plant at the local Home Depot store, I discovered it was a Desert Rose.But before I knew what it was, I had taken it out of the original pot and put it into a sunny location in the backyard. Last Updated: September 12, 2020 Hydrangeas also benefit from an occasional boost of fertilizer once or twice a year in spring or summer. Ideal conditions for the most flowers and healthiest foliage include a moist, humusy, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Nikko Blue hydrangea bushes do not require much (if any) pruning, but the main thing that you need to know if you do feel compelled to prune them is that they bloom on old wood. Then, rake the sulfur into the top 2 inches of the soil and water it to help the sulfur soak in. This fertilizer may be labeled as an appropriate fertilizer for azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons. ", "This site always gives good advice. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/25\/Keep-Blue-Hydrangeas-Blue-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Keep-Blue-Hydrangeas-Blue-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/25\/Keep-Blue-Hydrangeas-Blue-Step-1.jpg\/aid4812110-v4-728px-Keep-Blue-Hydrangeas-Blue-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"