How do you take care of a blue hydrangea?
Hydrangea Care Tips
- Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season.
- Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool.
- Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas.
- Protect against pests and disease by choosing cultivars with resistant traits.
When should I cut back my blue hydrangeas?
If it blooms blue, it’s a hydrangea that should be pruned in late summer, as necessary. If it doesn’t have blue flowers and it blooms later in the summer (after July 4), it’s probably a good candidate for late-winter pruning.
Do you cut back blue hydrangeas in the fall?
Trimming should be done immediately after flowering stops in summer, but no later than August 1. Do not prune in fall, winter, or spring or you could be cutting off new buds. Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage multiple, smaller flower heads rather than fewer larger flower heads.
Can you grow hydrangeas in New York?
There are two native hydrangeas—Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea), native to the southeastern US, and Hydrangea arborescens (wild hydrangea), which is native to New York and most of the eastern part of the US. It does grow in moist soil, but, again, it needs to be well-drained.
Do I cut down hydrangeas for winter?
Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood require pruning in late winter or early spring. Prune to shape, cutting back to about two feet. The pruning promotes new, sturdy growth, which provides the blooms next season.
What month do hydrangeas bloom in New York?
It blooms reliably in late June to early July, producing white flowers in clusters 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
Where do hydrangeas grow in New York?
Plant your hydrangeas in an area where they receive morning sun. They also thrive in full sun but may need extra water on hot summer days. (Bigleaf hydrangeas survive full sun in coastal areas once they are established.)
How often should I put coffee grounds on my hydrangea?
Start adding coffee grounds to the soil surrounding your hydrangeas in late fall. Sprinkle them around your hydrangeas, but be sure to work them into the soil to help eliminate any off-putting smell. You do not need to do this process often–just two to three times per year should be sufficient.
What should hydrangeas look like in winter?
Hydrangea flower heads turn dry and brown in the fall and will remain that way throughout winter if not removed. Hydrangeas also lose their leaves during fall, but the brown stalks remain upright unless pruned back.
How do you prune hydrangeas in NY?
They need minimal pruning, but if you would like to reduce the size of the plant, technically the best time to prune these shrubs is immediately after flowering. However, if cold winters kill the tips of the branches, prune in spring instead.
How do I turn my blue hydrangea purple?
Generally speaking, acidic soil, with a pH lower than 6.0, yields blue or lavender-blue hydrangea blooms. Alkaline soil, with a pH above 7.0, promotes pinks and reds. With a pH between 6 and 7, the blooms turn purple or bluish-pink. To lower your pH, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate to your soil.