A hydrangea’s roots shoot can be cut off from the mother plant and planted somewhere to produce a new (and free) hydrangea.
Q: In front of my house, there is a really enormous hydrangea. It receives morning sun and is flourishing. I want to split it in half and move a piece of it to another area of my yard. Can you divide hydrangeas? If so, when would be the ideal time to do it? Do they thrive in the shade?
A: Hydrangeas are an exception to the rule that not many shrubs may be divided like perennial flowers, and they are probably one of the simplest to “create kids” this way. Comparable to splitting a perennial flower, the procedure.
The greatest option is to search for shoots that are poking through the plant’s outermost layer. These shoots typically have their own healthy underground root system at their base a year or two after they first appear.
Sever the stalk with a spade to check for a piece with roots. If you succeed, you will have a young plant that is prepared for replanting.
This type of viable perimeter shoot is common on mature hydrangeas, and it can be dug up and divided. It’s the major method by which hydrangeas increase their range.
Whole hydrangea plants can be pulled up and divided into two or more parts if you don’t notice any shoots or are obtaining portions with no roots.
Look for naturally occurring divisions in the root ball, such as intersections where the main stems are protruding. A wishbone from a turkey can sometimes be separated by simply pulling apart the parts. To divide the plant, you could occasionally require a fork or a shovel.
In either case, you now have two plants to replant once you have two sections with roots connected to each.
Early spring is the ideal time to divide bigleaf hydrangeas, when the stems’ fresh green buds are just beginning to swell and unfold. A few while ago, that was. Mid to late October is an excellent period as well.
Treat divisions like a fresh plant by keeping them continually wet. These divisions’ smaller, weaker roots can’t draw as much moisture from the soil as a mature hydrangea’s large, well-established root system.
Your hydrangea’s placement in the early-morning sun is ideal. The majority of hydrangea varieties thrive in rich, moist soil with good drainage that receives early and afternoon shade.
Although they will live in heavy shade, they might not bloom at all or only slightly. Choose the native smooth hydrangeas, botanically known as Hydrangea arborescens, for heavy shade.
By the way, another question I’ve been getting lately is how hydrangeas will fair after many of their new leaves were destroyed by the almost record-breaking cold weather we experienced the third week of April.
Only the young leaves sustained the harm that I saw. In June, I predict that fresh leaves will emerge and the flower buds will unfold gracefully.
The flower buds weren’t developed enough, in my opinion, for the late cold blast to cause them significant harm.
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How do I deal with an overgrown hydrangea?
Myers believes excessive trimming can be harmful, even though deadheading your hydrangeas can be beneficial for fresh growth. The energy held in the roots of “Annabelle” cultivars will all be used to produce above-ground growth, which is frequently insufficient to support the blooms, according to the author. The older stems can help sustain the new growth while a late winter 15 to 18 inch cutback will promote new development from the roots up.
What time of year is ideal for splitting hydrangeas?
Depending on how well established it is, a hydrangea will require different tools to split. More hardware is required the more developed it becomes!
Most Hydrangeas in pots may probably be divided by hand, with nothing more than a good pair of gardening gloves. We would advise including the following tools for one that is rooted in the ground:
To remove the roots out of the ground, more mature Hydrangeas may need a more powerful tool, like a pick or an axe.
The most important step in getting ready to divide your hydrangea, which isn’t even a tool, should be mentioned last:
the right moment. When they are dormant, in the spring or the fall, hydrangeas should be divided. Their root systems are more susceptible to damage in the summer since they are actively producing new growth.
Can I move a big hydrangea?
A: I want to relocate a sizable hydrangea plant to a different area of my garden. What time of year is ideal for this?
A huge hydrangea plant can be moved, but it will be very heavy so plan to seek assistance. Make sure to remove the largest portion of the hydrangea root ball.
Hydrangea shrubs can be planted in spring or fall, but the majority of the publications I read advise waiting for cooler weather and moving the bushes in late fall or early spring, when the plants are dormant but the soil is still usable.
The plant’s mature, unpruned size should fit in the new planting location. Pick a location with soil that drains effectively. Rich organic matter in the soil will help it retain moisture. Keep in mind that soil that is damp can nonetheless be effectively drained. A spot where water pools or takes a long time to drain should be avoided after a strong downpour.
An excellent location will not be completely shaded in the afternoon. To blossom, hydrangeas require sunlight—not intense sunlight, but also not complete shadow. Each kind of hydrangea has a different tolerance for sun exposure.
After relocating, give the transplanted hydrangea one good soak in water. After relocating, avoid overwatering, but give the plant additional watering over the course of the following two summers as it gets acclimated.
A: I have two healthy fig trees (same cutting), but for the second year in a row, neither of them has produced any figs. Advice?
A fig tree is something I’ve never grown. I’ve looked at a few sources and can suggest the following. I am aware that the cuttings are from the same tree and of the same age, but I am unaware of the reader’s growth practices.
Starting with the potential causes of a fig tree not producing fruit:
It isn’t old enough: A fig tree usually starts bearing fruit between the ages of two and six. It makes sense that two trees that were grown from the same cutting will develop similarly and reach maturity around the same time.
An issue with gardening is having too much nitrogen. A plant with too much nitrogen will have healthy leaves but no fruit. The majority of the sources I looked at advised making only one sparing spring fertilizer application.
Fig trees don’t like to be too wet or too dry, which causes water stress. Make sure the soil has good drainage, and keep it evenly moist but not soggy or humid.
Does this resolve the issue? I’m not sure, but I think the first step would be to look at the circumstances that each plant is facing. Do you drink more or less water? Does one plant receive run-off fertilizer from an adjacent lawn if it is planted in the ground? Does the soil differ in any way? What has changed?
If you’ve grown figs and have any tips for this reader, send them to me and I’ll share them with them.
Even though it’s only September, you should get your amaryllis bulbs from the previous winter ready to bloom once more as there are only roughly 15 weeks before Christmas. If you followed my instructions, you would have cut the flower stems back after they bloomed and preserved the greens through the winter. You will then plant them this spring and let them to thrive throughout summer. The containers are filled with lush, deep green leaves.
Move the pots inside and stop watering them right away. The bulbs need to become dormant.
They should be kept in a dark, cool (not cold) place. Once the leaf has dried up and become shriveled, remove it. Before they begin to grow once more, the bulbs will rest for eight to twelve weeks.
Water the bulbs and relocate them to a location with bright but indirect light as soon as you see fresh growth. After emerging from dormancy, the bulbs should flower four to six weeks later. After 12 weeks, if they still don’t sprout, try watering them and moving them into light.
Until the first frost, I normally leave my amaryllis outside. Because of this, I had lovely flowers in February, when I really value them. For my Christmas display, I usually buy fresh bulbs, however after a while, I have a lot of bulbs. Can there ever be too many amaryllis flowers, though?
I have finally recovered from Lyme disease symptoms after taking medications and avoiding sunshine for more than two months. Every time you walk outside, take precautions against ticks to spare yourself a lot of pain. Although that is a story for another day, the garden is a jungle.
This orchard is nearby, accessible, and reasonable—only it’s 15 minutes from my house. James Hamilton founded it in 1974, and his twin sons Ron and Rick now oversee it. The family website states that the orchard started providing pick your own in 2015. On a Saturday afternoon, my friend Betty Cauler and I went and came home with a lot of gorgeous nectarines and peaches (Flaming Fury) (Fantasia).
There are now also apples accessible. Find a local producer and enjoy the delight of freshly picked, locally grown fruit if you are unable to do so yourself.
Native Plant Sale at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., September 17 and 18, 414 Center St., Bethlehem. There are more than 1,300 plants and more than 55 different species of potted native perennials available ($3–$6, larger pots $10). The Lehigh Valley’s green spaces profit from the sale. While you are at the plant sale, complete the native plant survey for the Lehigh Gap Environmental Educational Center to earn a voucher good for $10 off your plant purchase.
- Planting:
- Plant pansies for early spring blooms and fall color, if you choose winter pansies.
- Mums and asters are beginning to show up on the market.
- Plant seeds that need a period of cold weather for germination.
- Keep fresh plants indoors until it gets cooler.
- Seasonal:
- Let the last flush of blossoms mature and set seed.
- For planting in the fall, place an order for asparagus, rhubarb, bulbs, flower and fruit plants, and shrubs.
- Frequently weed and remove the blossoms from any weeds that you are unable to get out.
- Keep irises and day lilies from setting seedpods by deadheading the flowers and trimming any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage.
- Lawn:
- Through mid-October, sow, overseed, dethatch, and aerate lawns.
- Apply weed control for broadleaf plants from mid-September until mid-October.
- As the weather begins to cool in September and October, prepare sodding projects and lay sod.
- Treat for sod webworms and chinch bugs.
- Fill up the lawn’s holes and low areas.
- Apply weed control made of corn gluten to the garden; repeat every four to six weeks.
- Chores:
- Don’t water amaryllis bulbs anymore. Let the bulbs dry up and enter a dormant state. Keep them dry and cool until they grow again in 8 to 12 weeks.
- Regular crop harvesting should occur, ideally every other day.
- often, water containers.
- Garden hoses and broken screens should be repaired or replaced.
- Remove any standing water
- Protect delicate plants from deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. Reapply taste or odor inhibitors.
- Regularly clean and restock birdbaths and feeders.
- Rainwater runoff should be directed away from building foundations by clearing gutters.
- Equipment, supplies, and tools:
- Verify the seed supply for planting in the fall and late crops.
- Pots and trays used for seed beginning and transplanting should be cleaned and sterilized.
How do I make my hydrangea smaller?
I’ve looked online for information on cutting hydrangeas, but I’m still not really sure what I should do. My plants are enormous, and I want to prune them back while preserving this summer’s blooms.
The type of hydrangea you have will determine how you prune it. While Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens produce flowers on growth from the current year, the traditional pompon variety (Hydrangea macrophylla) blooms on growth from the previous year, or what is known as old wood.
As they are the most common, let’s start with the traditional kind. Lacecaps and oakleaves are also a part of this category (H. quercifolia). These hydrangeas only need minor pruning. In fact, shrubs that have been incorrectly clipped may not blossom at all. By removing old flower heads and trimming back any dead wood to the ground level in late winter, you can tidy up the plant. Wait to prune until after the latest frost date if you reside in a location that has erratic springs with warm periods and cold snaps. Cut the faded blooms all the way back to the first set of leaves or leaf buds when pruning. It is a good idea to cut around 1/3 of the oldest stems from a mature shrub if the center has become crowded. While some of the summer’s blossoms may be lost as a result, the plant will be exposed to more light and blood flow, which will make it happier and healthier.
When the plant is shrunk, things become a little more challenging. You are given two choices. The plant can first be pruned back in late winter. The hydrangea won’t blossom until the following year as a result, but I feel that now is a much better time to prune because the shrub’s bones are easier to see. Simply remove about a third of the mature stems. Cut all the stems back to around 1 1/2 feet tall if the plant is entirely out of control. To prevent crowding, thin out the emerging shoots during the summer.
The second choice is to trim your traditional hydrangea as soon as the summer flowering period is through. The plant requires enough time for the new shoots to harden off before the first fall frost, so timing is crucial. For this kind of summer pruning, trim roughly a third off the undesirable height.
H. pruning H. paniculata and Because arborescens blossom on new wood, growing them is significantly simpler.
H’s “PeeGee” variation is a well-liked one. paniculata. Large cone-shaped, milky white blooms appear in the spring and fall before fading to a lovely coppery pink. PeeGee is sometimes cultivated as a tree or as what is known as a standard. The growth on this one stalk is weeping down from the top. Cut the stems back to two buds above the stem base in the late winter.
I expand H. ‘Annabelle’ arborescens in my garden. In the late summer, it blooms in enormous, white pompon-shaped blossoms. Both residents of cold and warm climates might consider “Annabelle.” It is not as picky as H. macrophylla, which is only resilient to zone 5 and struggles in regions without a dormant season. I just pruned the plant back to various heights of 1 to 3 feet from the ground in late winter. The plant will be able to keep its unstructured shape thanks to this.