Do you love hydrangeas? Are you having trouble growing them? They are such a southern staple plant and they really don’t take much care. Here are my three favorite easy care tips for beautiful hydrangeas.
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Sun or Shade?
While hydrangeas like sun, here in the south, they need some afternoon shade or they will wilt. Mine are actually in a little too much sun, but I am making some changes to that flower bed and adding some taller plants that will one day provide a bit more shade. Watering them during our hot dry summers is necessary when in full sun especially.
Fungal Disease?
Do your hydrangea leaves get ugly spots and then drop off? This is caused by a fungal disease. This disease is spread by overhead watering. You will need to dispose of the diseased leaves and treat the plant with a spray such as Daconil or Fungicide.
Which Color?
Want to change the color of your hydrangeas? Changing the ph of your soil allows you to do this. Alkaline soil creates pink hydrangeas and acidic soil makes them blue. (the white ones can’t be changed) Purples are found somewhere in between.
Pink:
Alkaline: Add Lime to the soil.
Blue:
Acidity: Adding coffee grounds, egg shells, citrus peels to the soil will slowly change the ph, Or if you are in a hurry purchase Aluminum Sulfate and apply to the soil beneath the plant.
Hydranges are such easy care shrubs and such beautiful long lasting blooms! That’s near perfection in my world. AND… the blossoms dry easily for fall and winter decorating indoors too! Click on this link if you’d like to learn the Easiest Way to Dry Hydrangeas.
Want more care tips? Try 3 Care Tips for Knock Out Roses and How to get Beautiful Clematis Blooms.
Or if you’d like planting and pruning tips for Hydrangeas, read this article by the Farmer’s Almanac.
Oh, these hydrangeas remind me of my grandmother’s house. She had a huge bluish-purple bloomed bush. I have tried to grow them here in El Paso but I think it must be to arid and hot here. Great tips for growing them. If only I could!
Isn’t it wonderful to remember our Grandmothers? What kind of soil do you have there? 🙂
This is one of my favorite flowers and I am always looking for ways to take care of them.
Mine too CAndy! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Good tips Nikki! Awesome that you can change the colors. Is this the same thing that my grandmother had in her yard called a snowball bush when I was a kid growing up in the 60s?
The snowball is in the same family, but they are white and you cannot change the color. 🙂
So gorgeous. I like to dry them at the end of the season.
Oh me too Ellen! I have them scattered about the house. 🙂
That’s interesting that you have an issue with fungal disease with Hydrangeas in the south. That’s unheard of here in the north. I love hydrangeas. They are definitely a must-have for any garden. I have dozens in my garden.
Oh I am jealous that you don’t have the fungal disease up there! I guess its got a lot to do with humidity and heat. 🙂
Oh how I wish we could grow hydrangeas in our garden. There’s just too much shade and they don’t do well at all. Plus we have a lot of water restrictions and they’re always the first to take a knock. Aaai maybe one day. A girl can dream right
awe… so sorry Michelle! I am sure you have things I am jealous of… 🙂
Hydrangeas are so pretty! We have trouble here in the north with tough winters killing the buds on the ones that bloom on old wood. I’m gradually switching many of mine over to panicle hydrangeas because they bloom on new wood. I do have a few right by the house that seem to get enough protection to bloom consistently.
yeah… we even had the cold get the first buds down here this year! I can only imagine what would happen up there where you are! 🙂
This is helpful.. I have one big hydrangea and it always looks a mess.. Thanks for the tips..
Good luck Linda! I do love hydrangeas.
Love hydrangeas! They always make me think of the south. Do you think they might grow in large containers? Don’t think I’ve seen any up here, but we do get close to 24 hours of sunlight by mid-June, so maybe they’d have a chance.
Yes, I’ve seen them grown in containers! And Dawn said that you need to get the kind that blooms on new wood to prevent cold from getting the flower buds.
I bought three hydrangeas and they’re really hard to grow in Houston. I’m had nothing but issues in my front yard and full sun. Soil isn’t great either even after I amended the soil. I took them out and potted them and they’re still struggling ugh so idk why I keep hearing they’re so easy to care when they’re not lol
I suspect that full sun in Houston is way too much sun. Try some afternoon shade. Don’t give up! 🙂
when is it the right time to cut the hydrangeas back. Mine look really leggy right now
After blooming is always a safe time to prune. Different varieties should be pruned at different times though if you wait any later than immediately after blooming.
Help! My hydrangeas are putting on buds in October. What should I do? I Fear they won’t bloom next summer.
Where do you live? Are you likely to get frost soon??
I planted a snowball bush for the first time here in North Alabama. It’s in a spot that gets a good bit of shade. It’s only been planted for 3 weeks, but it has rained in the afternoon here a good bit and now there are those fungal spots on the leaves. What do I need to do? The soil is still moist there also.
They are in the same family as hydrangeas, although I’ve never had the same problem with a snowball that I do with a hydrangea, I’d treat it the same way. Spray with a fungicide such as Daconil. Remove the damaged leaves and discard. Consider moving it to more sun than shade too.