What + what = optimum growing conditions for hydrangeas?

13 years ago

I see so many gorgeous hydrangea blooming right now in the neighborhood where I work and I would love to have the same in my yard... if I can!

Having never grown (successfully, anyway) the gorgeous blue hydrangeas, I wonder if I can produce the "right" growing conditions to do so.

I have heavy clay soil, and mostly shade. The back yard is full of maple roots from a HUGE silver maple. This is where I unsuccessfully grew the last hydrangea I bought about 5 years ago. Every winter, it would die back to the ground completely and send up new shoots in the spring, but no blooms. It wilted in the heat of the summer and needed to be watered every day - so last fall I moved it to a hosta shade bed in the front yard.

This past winter it did not die back to the ground and I had at least 12" to 24" of live stems with green shoots on them. I thought I had found a good place for it; shady spot, amended soil, composted leaves, nice and moist - but still no blooms. It is currently a nice, bushy 2-1/2' tall bush, with dark green leaves (some of them have some yellowish shading, though).

So, if I were to try to duplicate the perfect growing conditions - what would I strive for?

Thanks!

BettyLu

Comments (5)

luis_pr
13 years ago
Hello, BettyLu. Do you know the name of this variety? Do you know if it was supposed to be hardy in Zone 6a? The plant label that came with the plant should have given cold hardiness information. If this was a hydrangea purchased at a grocery store, it may not be cold hardy and will require that you provide it with winter protection in order for the blooms not to dry out and-or freeze.
hydrangeasnohio
13 years ago
For your area if you want to have sucess every year. You need to buy a reblooming Hydrangea. They bloom on new and old wood. Good brands sold locally are Endless Summer or Let's Dance series from Proven Winners.

Also you can winter protect your hydrangea and hopefully get lucky most years. I double burlap mine and stuff full with leaves and I do pretty good.
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bettylu_zone6a
Original Author
13 years ago
I do not know the variety for sure, but I think it might be Nikko Blue. I bought it at one of the "big box" stores - maybe K-Mart.

I had thought since it had a good 12" to 24" long live stems this past spring that I had protected it well enough for the winter, but I can certainly try the burlap/leaves solution to see if I can get the entire stem to stay alive next winter.

Is winter protection the only variable regarding whether it blooms or not?

BettyLu
dublinbay z6 (KS)
13 years ago
The stems and leaves of Nikko Blue can survive the winter and flourish. However, the latent flower buds can still be damaged by the winter--so no blooms.

Do you have a more protected spot, next to the foundation perhaps, or somewhere Nikko can be somewhat protected from the winds of winter? I sometimes think those northern winter winds are harder on hydrangea than the actual temperatures--at least in Zone 6 KS.

Kate
sue36
13 years ago
In my area Nikko Blue are sold at many garden centers as huge shrubs in full bloom...never to bloom again. Well, that is an exageration, they might produce a bloom or two every 3-5 years. Unless sited really well (there is one at my work against a brick wall on an inside corner, probably making it effectively a zone 7), they are not bud hardy in zone 5 and even into the colder edges of zone 6. They also need a decent amount of sun, at least 4 hours I'd say. My mac hydrangeas get sun until about 2:00 pm. The ones that get less are more spindly and don't flower well.