Learn tips about hydrangea care - Specifically Hydrangea Macrophylla, how you can get them to grow and bloom in your garden, and alternative choices.
Hydrangeas are one of the most popular garden flowers and are coveted by many, including me. Many people have asked me about growing hydrangeas, and though there is tons of information out there I thought I would share my experience. I hope it will help with some of you and maybe shed some light on what you can do going forward.
Blooming on Old vs New Wood
For most, this is the main issue. The beautiful hydrangeas with big leaves and huge flowers like the ones you see in florist shops, bloom on old wood. Hydrangea macrophylla, commonly called Bigleaf or mopheads” with blooms in hues of blue, pink and purple aren’t always easy to grow.
What does this really mean?
It means that the flower buds for this year’s plant were formed last year and will need to get through the winter for your shrub to produce flowers this year.
So you’ve read the label and it says hardy to USDA zone 4. You buy one and plant it carefully, but the next year there are no blooms.
Here in zone 6a, I have this problem too. However, my bigleaf hydrangeas make it through the winter, but in the spring once the weather warms up, my H. macrophylla starts coming to life, only to have a frost literally nip them in the bud-and guess what?-No flowers.
What Can You Do About Frost Killing Hydrangea Buds?
Protect and Cover Over Winter
Well, you could cover them with landscape cloth or burlap, or you could bury them with mulch for the entire winter. Landscape cloth should let the light in and theoretically could be kept on through all danger of frost. I don’t do this.
Quick Cover During Frost Warnings
You can, and I’ve done this once or twice, run outside and cover them with plastic bags, tarps or anything on hand when there is a frost warning in the spring. But if you have several plants or if you get busy with the many other things in your life that may not be possible.
What Else Can You Do If Your Hydrangeas Don't Bloom?
Purchase Alternative Hydrangeas
Buy Some with Pretty Foliage
I enjoy the beautiful foliage on a couple of my mopheads that are pretty on their own. If we have a warm spring, the flowers are a bonus. Check out H. macrophylla "Variegata and Lady in Red" in the gallery below.
Buy More that Bloom on New Wood
I continue to buy hydrangeas that are newer varieties that bloom on both old and new wood such as the "Endless Summer" and "Forever and Ever" series. This way if the buds that were on the old wood die there will be new blooms on new growth in the same season. However, sometimes I don't see blooms until late summer.
Easiest to Grow Hydrangeas
I also enjoy growing hydrangeas that only bloom on new wood such as H. paniculata varieties and H. arborescens (aka smooth hydrangeas).
They are different from the macrophylla and I don’t believe there are any that are blue. However, there are some that are pink, such as H. arborescens, 'Invincibelle Spirit II,' and H. paniculata 'Pinky Winky'.
In addition, Hydrangea quercifolia or Oakleaf hydrangea, tend to grow well even with the threat of late frosts. They have beautiful foliage, white flowers and grow well in the shade.
Hydrangea Care
Sun Requirements
Many people think hydrangeas love the shade when in reality they need sun to bloom well. However, they don't like the high heat of the afternoon sun. So ideally an area that gets morning sun by some shade in the afternoon is the perfect setting for a hydrangea.
Hydrangea Soil - Changing the Color
Hydrangeas tolerate a range of soils and interestingly, the macrophylla or bigleaf will change color depending on the PH of the soil they are grown in. If your hydrangea macrophylla has blue flowers and you want them to look pink or purple you just need to add some lime to help turn the soil more alkaline. Conversely, adding aluminum sulfate will give you more acidic soil and turn the flowers blue.
Pruning Hydrangeas
If you do have any H. macrophyllas (bigleaf), and this is also true for H. quercifolia or oakleaf hydrangea, don’t prune them at all unless there are dead or diseased branches. Or, if it really needs shaping realizing that you may lose some blooms if you do. Deadheading spent flowers is okay.
If you have H. arborescens or H. paniculata you can prune them in the late winter. The pruning keeps them in line, helps promote flower growth and prevents them from getting too big and floppy.
Here in zone 6a, I’ve found planting mopheads near the foundation of the home seems to work well in normal winter conditions. I don’t know if it's the heat from the home or the protection it provides, but unless we have an unusually brutal winter, they perform well even with a frost.
Watering Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas seem to love water. Maybe that's why they have the word "hydra" in their name and often will droop during a hot afternoon. A little drooping is okay. Some call this "mid-day wilt". If they still are drooping in the early evening when the weather cools down, get out the hose.
Using Hydrangeas Home Decor
Do you love the look of dried hydrangeas? Wait until the flowers begin to dry out a bit on their own. Then cut them and place them in a vase with two to three inches of water. Once the water dries out, they will begin to naturally dry. In a short time, you will have an everlasting bouquet. Read more about drying hydrangeas.
Panicle hydrangea 'Limelight' is so easy to grow and can get quite large as you can see in the image above.
Gallery of Hydrangea Varieties
When it comes to growing hydrangeas, I often think of my mother saying, “patience is a virtue.” Well, I don’t think she or my father passed that gene along to me. However, when it comes to plants, it is sadly true. If your plant is a new one, do not be surprised to have to wait one year or so for it to come into its own.
The saying, “first year sleep, second year creep and third year leap,” is so true.
Bethany Thompson
Thank you for all of this information. My mama rooted my plants from ones in her yard in east-central Mississippi and I have had them in my yard in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky for over 20 years along with a yellow rose of unknown origin or variety that was passed along from an aunt to Mama in the 1960s, then to me. I never worry if they bloom or not as I am happy to have heirloom plants now that both Mama and my aunt are gone.
Patti Estep
Oh Bethany, that's so wonderful. I wouldn't care if they bloomed either. Thanks for sharing.
Rebecca Klutts
I love hydrangeas, but have almost given up. I planted an Endless Summer Hydrangea last year and the old wood died and was brown. I even waited until this month to cut back the old wood, thinking that it may come to life later. I had about 3 scraggly blooms on the new growth. I also planted three Tuff Stuff hydrangeas in a bed. They are still alive, but have dead, brown edges on every leaf. I have watered every other day all summer, even when it rains, because the bed is protected from the rain. The bed gets morning sun for a few hours and shade in the afternoon and evening. Should I give up on hydrangeas? I do well with most plants, but seem to be really bad at hydrangeas. (They were beautiful and healthy when I received them from Sooner Plant Farm in Oklahoma where I live - Zone 7.)
Patti
Hi Rebecca,
Here are a couple of ideas. Next spring cut the brown growth back and add some super phosphate, bonemeal or any fertilizer with a high middle number to promote blooms. If you don't have your heart set on blue blooms try a peegee like Limelight, very easy to grow and blooms later in the season around mid-July for me in my zone 6 garden. Also, sometimes it just takes a season or two to get established. I wouldn't give up just yet.
Patti
Linda
Thanks for sharing! Yes I have an assortment of Hydrangeas.
White ones that have large mopheads and there is always an abundance and then I have
florist type as you mentioned that flower on old stems. I have learned not to prune these back and
have seen an abundance of pink flowers, then last summer I planted endless summer blue blooms and
was so excited to see that it survived our winter and continues to bloom. As much as I want to pick and dry them I'm holding back for another year.
Patti
Linda,
Sounds like you have a beautiful garden. thanks for stopping by.
Tracy
Linda, what zone are you in? This is strange but true... I am in zone 3 but I have to plant zone 4 hydrangeas in order for them to grow! I don't even have to protect them nor plant them near the house. It's definitely strange but also very true!
Linda Nelson
Great post! Regarding the mops that bloom on previous season's wood, it helps to refrain from deadheading them until the following mid/late spring. One could reserve a few shrubs for harvesting, and a few for leaving alone. When the leaf buds start to form in the spring, and all danger of frost has passed, carefully inspect the buds; narrower ones are leaf buds, and rounder/plumper ones are flower buds. It's a very subtle difference, but once you "get it" the branch can be trimmed back to just above a flowering bud. The added bonus to this is that it will flower at the top of the shrub, and not be hidden underneath upper leafy growth.
Patti
Hi Linda,
I love your idea of pruning above the flower bud so that the top of the shrub has blooms. Also, thanks for pointing out the difference between leaf and flower buds. If we every have an warm enough spring I'll definitely try it!
Patti
Kathleen
Thank you both. I have Endless Summers that haven't bloomed in the spring the last couple of years and didn't know why. Both the cold and the pruning may contribute; last year was the first that I pruned and might have done it wrong. Plus our winters have been colder the past couple of years (Zone 6a), so then I've been getting the second blooms.
Patti, I'm so jealous of all your different hydrangea varieties! One of my favorite types of plants; the only thing they lack is fragrance.
Patti
Hi Kathleen,
I also grow in 6a so you can do it too. The last couple of winters have been tough on many plants but the arborescens and the paniculatas are unphased. The mopheads are tough to grow here though I have had some success with Endless Summer. Usually its the blooms on new wood later in the year. This summer I didn't get very many on it all it, but Limelight was out of control. So far we are having a mild winter, maybe too mild. We'll have to see how our plants end up. Also, I have observed those who grow hydrangea near the foundation seem to have a better chance of blooms.
Thanks for stopping by,
Patti
Tracy
Thanks, Linda! I am going to inspect my hydrangeas... Pinky Winky and Fire & Ice...for the different buds. None of mine are mopheads but I am going to plant those next spring! I tried one 2 years ago, incrediball, and by spring it literally had turned to mush! I don't know what I did wrong...this has never happened to me before. I did plant it up by the house so next spring I will fins a different spot to plant. Hydrangeas are my #1 fave flower and I need more of them! The other one I'm going to try is vanilla strawberry! They are gorgeous flowers & prolific bloomers! I can't wait til next spring!!
Heather @ new house new home
Great post, Patti. I have several mop heads that freeze every winter/spring no matter what I do. It's like winning the lottery when they do bloom.
Thanks for linking up with What's Bloomg This Week
Patti
Thanks Heather. Spring frosts are a beast around here too. I found that people who have their mopheads at the foundation of their home sometimes survive but not these past two brutal winters. Oh but we always want what we can't have.....:)
Connie K.
I have two new hybrids like the Forever and Ever that have been in same place for 5 yrs. They bloomed in previous yrs., and grew beautiful bushes this yr and last, but no flowers. I have not pruned at all, nor did we have a late frost. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
Patti
Hi Connie,
I can only think of two issues that may cause this problem.
1. Are they getting enough sun? Hydrangeas like morning sun and afternoon shade but I think sometimes they don't get enough sun to flower.
2. Maybe they need some extra nutrients. Try adding a fertilizer with a higher middle number which is Phosphorus and the one that promotes blooms. Alternatively you can add superphostphate or bonemeal.
Good luck. It's still early in the season so I hope they start blooming for you. So far my endless summer has only one bloom but that is typical for me. I'm in Zone 6a and never get any previous years blooms. I expect more will start blooming over the next several weeks
Alice
In my case, the cause for no blooms is DEER. They love the flowers and munch on the new growth if they can reach it. Construction in the area has led to an influx of deer in the last few years because they have no where else to go but in our yards. So I have lopsided beauty and have come to learn to enjoy it because I refuse to fence in my landscape.
Patti
Alice,
We have a good deal of deer problems in our area too. I find myself planting more "deer resistant" plants every year. A couple of times when we were having grad parties or some special occasion I have used liquid fence and it worked but that's something I am not willing to do on an ongoing basis. Sometimes there's not much you can do. A fence would have to be pretty high and sometimes it is not feasible depending on your terrain. We also struggle with groundhogs, especially in the spring.
Irene Hufford
Love the post. Who'd thought I hadn't watered enough. Just planted, now I'm wondering about location . I get a short time of direct sun and many hours of shade?? Thanks
Patti
Sun then shade should be perfect. Thanks for stopping by Irene.
karen
Patti,
I'm hoping for hydrangeas this year. I severely pruned my last year and did not get one bloom. Thanks for all the good info.
Patti
Hi Karen,
Now we just have to worry about the extreme cold we are getting. My mophead varieties did not do well last year. I eventually got some nice blooms on Endless Summer but that was do to all new growth. Fingers crossed.
Thanks for stopping by,
Patti
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces
My hydrangeas need some love, and I can't thank you enough for your tips! 😉
Patti
Thanks Larissa,
The winter has been awfully cold again this year. Fingers crossed for the mopheads.
Thanks for stopping by,
Patti
Leslie @ House on the Way
Love Hydrangeas! Beautiful pictures...
Patti
Thanks Leslie1
Bernadette
Thanks for sharing the info! I love my hydrangeas and look forward to them blooming each year. Found you at Creativity Unleashed.
Patti
Hi Bernadette,
So happy to hear from another hydrangea lover. Thanks for stopping by.
Patti
Amy @ A Healthy Life For Me
This is a wonderful post. Well done!
Patti
Thanks Amy. You are very kind.
Susan M
Your pictures are beautiful! Honestly, I had no idea there were so many kinds. Thanks for the tips!
Patti
Hi Susan,
Oh yes, there are even more that I didn't talk about. And, of course like all so many plant, tons of varieties for which that I didn't even begin to scratch the surface. So if you like them now you have even more reasons to go out and experiment!