Is It Enough if My Hydrangeas Get Morning & Late Afternoon Sun?

Characteristics

• Bigleaf hydrangea, H. macrophylla, the most common variety, comes in two flower types: mopheads and lacecaps. The mopheads bear flowers in rounded clusters; the lacecaps bear flat flowerheads with sterile flowers around the outside and tiny, fertile flowers in the center. The colors of both types are affected by the level of acidity of the soil – more acid soil produces blue flowers; more alkaline soil produces pink. H. macrophylla grows about 6-by-6 feet and is hardy to minus 15 degrees F.

Planting

• Hydrangeas prefer acid soil that is well-drained, so amend the soil in the planting area with an equal volume of compost or acid planting mix. Dig a generous hole to accommodate the full root ball. Hydrangeas also grow well in pots, where a mixture of half potting soil and half acid planting compost will suit them. Mulch hydrangeas 3 inches deep with compost, wood chips, bark chips or the like to keep moisture levels even and discourage weeds. Avoid placing hydrangeas in hot, dry, exposed sites.

Care

• As their name indicates, hydrangeas need plenty of water. Soak them once a week during hot weather by letting the hose run at a trickle at their base for about two hours. Feed hydrangeas in March, May and July with an organic fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants, which is often labeled for rhododendrons, camellias or blueberries. Follow directions on the package.

Pruning

• Cut off the old blooms and tidy up the plant when the flowers fade, which is late summer in hot climates and late fall in cool climates. Hydrangeas bloom on new wood only, except for the recently introduced "Endless Summer" cultivars, which include "The Original," "Blushing Bride" and "Bella Anna," which bloom on new and old wood. Yearly pruning involves removing any dead stems, heading back unruly stems and cutting a third of the woody, older canes down to the ground.