1. the homestead you should be bale to trim at this point. If you want to wait, you can but those are probably dead and new growth will cover them soon. Homestead can grow fast!

2. I'd wait just a bit more for your last 2 lantanas. you can cut the stalks to the ground- they are going to emerge from the ground, not the stalks. the stalks do offer some protection in winter, so you should leave them then, but no worries now. If they don't come back, look at it as an opportunity to try something new. You do already have some lantana.

3. don't know too much about magnolias, so i'll pass on this ones. I'd just say a big tree probably wouldn't be hurt by some fertilization, and most don't really need it.

4. Since your lilacs are small, i'd go ahead and get a big ball of moist soil when you move them so you be sure to get all the roots. You'll have to watch them this summer if it gets dry. If the hydrangea is small, go ahead. If it's bigger, you can do it, but be sure to water it a lot this summer- they are thirsty plants in the best of circumstances. i've always heard for hydrangeas they are happiest at 40-60% sun. which may be your partial answer for #6 as well.

5. i have other hibsicus but not moscheutos, and i never feed mine (i don't feed much but veggies, other than what they get in mulch & compost, truthfully). I would think rose food would do the trick. The year you lost a lot of foliage to jb's, that would stunt them, and since they are thirsty plants, the drought may have been enough to keep them from blooming last year. They need a good deal of sun, so if they are semi-shady that may be your culprit. Most hibs blooms on new wood, and i don't think they are an exception, so with the good conditions this year, you should see blooms. most hibs bloom a bit later than now, tho- they are warm season plants. Mine are just getting going.

6. No doubt the hydrangeas struggled with the drought! They are very thirsty- pat yourself that they made it through the drought! They typically bloom on old wood, and with the dry conditions, probably didn't set buds for last year. You should see some blooms this year if they didn't get frozen back with that hard freeze this spring. This is the reason the rebloomers who can bloom on new wood are popular- even with late freezes you get blooms, just a little later. I have a mini one that i cut back hard this year b/c it out grew its space and it's already got blooms! Yay- i like new wood types! I have a varigated lacecap old wood type and i hardly ever get blooms on it. Gets frozen nearly every year. Fortunately i like the foliage so much i just look at the years it blooms as bonus. My oakleaf seems able to shrug off everything and has bloomed every year, even the drought ones and late freeze ones, for many years now. You may want to consider adding one of these- they are definitely easier than the typical hydrangeas. White, conical blooms that fade to dusky pink and persist 1/2 the summer. Gorgeous wine red fall color on distinctive leaves. More drought tolerant than the mops or lacecaps. What more could you want? (me- blue color, but it ain't happening). :)

hope that helps! tammy

I'm just wondering if you are jumping in with the feeding too soon. Between arriving in the ground during a drought and followed by a wet fall/winter and another drought last summer those hydrangeas have got to be stressed trying to grow a good root system. You fed them to get a lot of leaf growth at the expense of flowers. Give them a year off, let them get their root system settled. Then start a feeding program next year.
Whew. We expect a lot from our new plants and our new pets (hey, plants are pets too) but forget sometimes that a living thing needs to adapt to new soil/light/wind and water conditions. They have to grow a good root system to stay upright and reach for water and nutrients.
Give it a chance to adjust in a year of (hopefully) more normal weather. Just my opinion.

Tammy TY!!

I'll trim back the Lantana and the Verbena today. It'll make them more attactive anyways.

I'll also go ahead and move the hydrangea, it's really small only about 18 inches or so. It's in full sun, which I know it doesn't like but when I got them, I had 10 others to get in the ground, as well as 20 other shrubs that I'd purchased, and honestly, I was just sticking things in where the soil was easy enough to dig. But, I have a lovely garden that I've reclaimed from the forest off my back deck and I know the hydrangea would love it there. My lilacs are in the perfect spot in terms of sun/shade, but I've expanded their planting area and now they are in the front of the border, and behind them is totally empty. I want to move them to the back of the border, which is also a slight slope which I know they'll appreciate due to the runoff.

My hibiscus are in full sun. They're planted right next to my driveway and some of them are on a pretty steep part of the slope, while others are at the bottom of the driveway. I guess I'll just keep watering them to keep 'em happy, although Mother Nature has been kind enough to drop over 4 inches of rain in my garden this May.

The Magnolia tree is still a baby in terms of trees. I think it was planted right around the time the house was built in 2001. It's probably 7ft tall, but it's "scrawny". My hubby (non-gardener, but appreciative of all my efforts) thinks I should feed it because it looks skinny. I tend to leave well enough alone and concentrate on the things I know need care. The tree looks healthy enough, the leaves are glossy and there are many buds formed that look like they'll bloom soon. I guess I'm just looking for someone who knows more than I do, to let me know if I should feed it or, leave well enough alone.

Dottie, I've already fed my hydrangeas in April, but I'll hold off from now on and see what happens. I have an old coffee can that I throw my used coffee grounds into it. When it's full I'll throw them in my compost pile and then I'll use the hose to rinse out the can. I always pour the "coffee liquid" around the roots of my hydrangeas. Should I not do this also while I let them adjust, or shall I continue??

Thank you again for all your advice. I love getting such quick responses to my questions.

I'd leave the hydrangeas alone and just give them collected rain water when it gets drier.

I don't think i'd feed the magnolia- but if you want to, since it's been in that long you probably could. I just tend to err on the side of not feeding. Hope moving everything goes well- sounds like you've thought it out thoroughly- which is half the battle!

I would add my voice to those that say 'wait and watch' on the hydrangea. If the plants look healthy where they are and are just not blooming then the problem is not the location. It seems far more likely that they are stressed by two years of drought followed by a winter of many changes!

I planted my hydarngea in the fall/winter of 2006-2007 just before the drought started. out of 8 plants; 1 was killed outright by the late frost at Easter that year and only 2 bloomed. (a native oakleaf and 'Endless Summer') none of the others have bloomed since and after the snow and frost damage this year I had planned to shovel prune the rest this spring. It was just too sad watching those little things struggle just to survive the summer heat and lack of water for even one more year.

But they surprised me! They popped up after the snow melted and have tripled in size since last year, 2 of the Nikko Blue have even got buds openning right now.

I am new to gardening in the Carolinas, but I have learned that patience is important (and usually will be rewarded)

Good luck with them. I think a little time (and patience) is all they really need.

Frances

oh also, that compost you are making would be much better food for your hydrangea than azalea/rhodie food!

I thought one of my lantanas didn't make it either, (it looked REALLY dead- no signs of life) A few days ago, I checked and there were some green leaves peeking out. Give it a chance-- I'd wait.