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In the summer, hydrangeas, which are deciduous shrubs, can add elegant flowers to any Southern garden. Hydrangeas come in a wide range of shapes, colors, and variations. Hydrangeas can be broadly divided into three groups: Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea quercifolia, and Hydrangea paniculata, though there are far too many variants to list them all.
Common names for hydrangea macrophylla include bigleaf, mophead, lacecap, and French hydrangeas. The big-leaf hydrangeas are among the most popular varieties. Depending on the pH of the soil, this group of hydrangeas can produce blue or pink flowers. Because it affects the amount of available aluminum for the plant to absorb, soil pH is to blame for changing the color of the flowers. Pink flowers grow in alkaline soils, while blue flowers grow in acidic soils (soil pH: 5 to 5.5). (soil pH: 6 or more).
The oakleaf hydrangea is also known as Hydrangea quercifolia. Oakleaf hydrangeas feature leaves that resemble an oak leaf and offer a stunning display of white flowers. In addition to offering a lovely flower display in the summer, oakleaf hydrangeas also provide interest to the landscape with their colorful fall foliage, interesting leaf texture, and appealing bark. Suggested kinds of oakleaf hydrangeas include “Snow Queen,” “Snowflake,” and “Harmony.”
PeeGee hydrangeas are a subgroup of Hydrangea paniculata. PeeGee hydrangeas can reach heights of 10 to 25 feet. PeeGee hydrangeas have panicle-shaped blooms rather than ball-shaped ones. As the petals ripen towards the fall, the blooms are also renowned for taking on a pink hue.
The process of growing hydrangeas is not too difficult. Depending on the cultivar, hydrangeas can reach heights of 4 to 12 feet. The hydrangea’s growth pace is fairly rapid. Choose a spot with well-drained soils when choosing where to plant hydrangeas. In soils with a lot of organic matter, hydrangeas thrive. A site with early sun and afternoon shade is ideal for hydrangeas. They shouldn’t be cultivated in arid, hot climates. Many people consider buying and planting hydrangeas when they see them in bloom in the summer, but the optimum times to plant are spring and fall.
Small amounts of fertilizer applied periodically throughout the growing season are beneficial to hydrangeas. Hydrangeas respond well to a complete fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, applied at a rate of 2 cups per 100 square feet in March, May, and July. When fertilizing, it is not required to remove the mulch; however, watering soon after application will help the fertilizer dissolve and go into the soil.
For the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Wayne County, Jessica Strickland works as an agriculture extension agent with a focus on horticulture.
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When is the best time to plant hydrangeas?
Learning the fundamentals of how to plant hydrangeas can help you save time and money, just like with most other items in your garden. You’ll improve your chances of enjoying big, vibrant hydrangea flowers for years to come by picking the appropriate site, getting the soil just right, and planting correctly.
When should I plant hydrangeas?
The best time to grow hydrangeas is in the fall, followed by early spring. The goal is to provide the shrub lots of time to develop a strong root system before it blooms. Early in the day or late in the day are the ideal times to plant. The day’s cooler hours provide relief from heat exhaustion. Water new plants frequently until they get established.
Locations to plant hydrangeas
The first step is knowing where to grow hydrangea plants. Hydrangeas are frequently grown in beds adjacent to houses or fences. This is so because hydrangeas prefer the mild early sun to the hot afternoon sun. A protected area with sunny mornings and shaded afternoons is the ideal spot to plant hydrangeas. This is frequently found on the north or south side of a house. Avoid planting underneath trees since it could cause competition for nutrients and water. Flowers and leaves can both be destroyed by strong winds.
hydrangea-friendly soil
The soil needs to be rich in organic matter for hydrangeas to thrive. Drainage is important. Although hydrangeas prefer damp soil, they cannot stand standing water. Root rot can be brought on by wet, poorly draining soils. Your hydrangeas could pass away in a matter of weeks. Consider adding a lot of compost to your heavy soil before planting to increase the soil’s quality.
Methods for planting hydrangeas
Simply dig planting holes that are 2 feet wider than the root ball for planting hydrangeas. So that your plant lies level with or just higher than the surrounding soil, match the depth of the hole to the size of the root ball. You can improve water drainage away from the plant’s base by making a small mound.
The best way to grow hydrangeas
Simple propagation methods can multiply a single hydrangea into several more. The optimal time to layer bigleaf and panicle hydrangeas is in the early to mid-summer. You only need to:
- Close to your hydrangea plant, make a small trench.
- Bend a branch so that the middle of the branch touches the soil in the trench (six to 12 inches of branch should extend past the trench).
- Where the branch meets the trench soil, make scuff marks on the bark.
- Fill in the trench and place a paver, brick or stone on top.
- With time, the branch will form its own root system and may be transplanted to a new location.
Hydrangeas with smooth or oakleaf leaves produce new growth from underground stems. Simply separate the baby plant from the main plant by digging it up. After then, it can be moved to a new spot.
Do hydrangeas thrive in North Carolina?
In Eastern North Carolina, any kind of hydrangea can be cultivated, but they do demand evenly moist, well-drained soil.
With morning sun and afternoon light shade, they thrive.
The French hydrangea (macrophylla) and oakleaf hydrangea are the two most common varieties (quercifolia). There are two main flower types on French hydrangeas. The ones known as “mopheads” feature enormous, spherical or conical clusters of lovely flowers with much smaller, seed-producing flowers beneath them. With clusters of tiny seed-producing flowers and bigger showy blooms surrounding them, lacecap types have quite a different appearance.
Depending on whether the soil is acidic (pH < 6) or alkaline, both types have different colors (pH above 7). Blooms can range in color from a light blue to a deep purple in acidic soil, which is more prevalent in our region. Pink hues are frequently produced by alkaline soils. On one plant, you might even see both blossom hues. And while it is possible to modify some plants' bloom colors, I would advise sticking with what nature provides.
While French cultivars are in flower right now, oakleaf hydrangeas bloom in the late spring (early summer). The Endless Summer series is one of the rebloomers that will continue to bloom throughout the summer.
Knowing whether your hydrangea will bloom on this year’s new growth or last year’s old growth is crucial. This is important because if you prune your shrub in the late fall or early winter, you risk removing the buds for this year’s blossoms, and then you’ll wonder why your plant isn’t giving you flowers. Hydrangeas currently require very little trimming, other potentially shortening errant branches and getting rid of any dead wood. The ideal times to prune are as follows: pruning once-blooming French hydrangeas in the summer; pruning reblooming hydrangeas in the winter; and pruning oakleaf cultivars in the summer.
The lovely autumn foliage of oakleaf hydrangeas, which becomes a vibrant scarlet, is another advantage of these plants.
Therefore, even if you don’t have any of these lovely plants in your yard, you may still enjoy the blooming plants that are currently visible across the city.
Where to plant hydrangeas:
- A location with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal. They’ll take more sun if you reside further north (possibly full sun all day).
- Think about the mature size and give it lots of room to expand.
- Pick a location with great drainage. If necessary, add compost to the soil.
- Plants won’t thrive if they are planted too close to a tree because of root competition and a lack of sunshine.
- Planting should not be done in open locations where strong winds could snap stems.
How to plant hydrangeas:
- By amending your soil with up to 15% organic matter and an all-purpose slow-release fertilizer, you may give your plant a good start (use half of what is recommended).
- Plant a little higher than you did while you were in the nursery container.
- In order to give the roots plenty of freedom to expand, the planting hole should be two to three times broader than the root ball.
- Before planting, gently untie the roots from their pots.
- Add the modified dirt back in and thoroughly water it.
- Planting in groups requires a minimum distance of 3 feet (more, if planting larger varieties).
Planting hydrangeas in pots:
- Put potting soil in a bag rather than garden dirt.
- Slow-release fertilizer should be added.
- For watering, leave 1 to 2 inches between the soil’s top and the pot’s rim.
- Make sure the pot includes space for the plant to grow and drainage holes.
How late may hydrangeas be planted?
When may I put a hydrangea in a planter outside? Anytime of the year is suitable for planting a potted hydrangea in the ground. The ideal seasons are, however, spring or autumn. Plant either in early fall when the soil will still be warm and before the frosts or after the spring frosts have passed.
Can hydrangeas be planted at any time?
VERY IMPORTANT: Pick a spot where your hydrangea will be able to grow to its full size without being pruned. For hydrangeas of average size, aim for a height of at least 4 ft. X 4 ft. It is nearly impossible to keep hydrangeas clipped to a size that is smaller than what they ultimately want to grow.
Plant in a soil that drains properly! Add roughage, such pine bark mulch, to heavy soil (make sure it’s ground BARK, not ground WOOD).
Avoid planting seeds too deeply. Plant at the same depth at which the hydrangea was potted.
When a hydrangea has lost all of its leaves and gone dormant, transplant it (late fall or winter).
When do hydrangeas bloom in North Carolina?
Having hydrangeas in the garden can be quite beneficial during good hydrangea years, which are years without a late season hard freeze. There are hydrangeas that will perform admirably even in trying years. A gardener’s paradise, hydrangeas can offer profusions of color, intriguing flowers, and attractive foliage.
Hydrangeas come in a variety of varieties. There are flower varieties with cone-shaped petals, large mop heads, and exquisite lace capping. Even climbing hydrangeas are available. In the Piedmont NC region, some bloom early around the season, typically in June, while others bloom later. Then again, some plants, if the conditions are right, continue to bloom throughout the season.
Learning about and comprehending the requirements of the hydrangeas you are growing is a challenge for the gardener. Each type has specific needs. Some flowers bloom on new growth, some bloom on growth from the previous year, and some do both. Absolutely, it can be confusing. Understanding the hydrangeas you are cultivating and being able to recognize them is helpful for this reason. It’s crucial to understand when and if to prune. If you prune a hydrangea that blooms on old growth in the late fall or early spring, the blooms for that year will be diminished or eliminated. You might want to give the plant a harsh cutback in the early spring if you’re growing an Annabelle variety that blooms on new growth in order to promote vigorous new growth. In years with a late freeze, which is a weather condition that harms the buds of many hydrangeas, hydrangeas that bloom on new growth will still blossom.
Some hydrangeas have flowers that change in response to the pH of the soil. The flowers will be blue on soils with an acidity lower than 6.0 because the plant can access the aluminum in the soil, which promotes the blue hue. Aluminum is inhibited in alkaline soils, and pink blooms result. The pH doesn’t matter because the bloom colors of some hydrangeas are genetically predetermined.
Hydrangeas are alluring plants that, with careful planting and maintenance, will reach their full potential. Embrace them.
A hint: bouquets with ripe flowers remain longer. The cut flower’s lifespan can be increased by soaking the entire stem and bloom for around 10 minutes in warm water.
Do hydrangeas like shade or the sun?
With the ideal balance of morning sun and afternoon shade, hydrangeas flourish. Even the sun-loving Hydrangea paniculata will thrive in some shade. Some hydrangea cultivars may survive complete shadow, though.
The oakleaf hydrangea, also known as hydrangea quercifolia, is a substantial species of hydrangea that may reach heights of up to eight feet. In a shade garden, this big bush makes a beautiful backdrop. The height will provide excellent midsummer seclusion. Oakleaf hydrangeas are summer bloomers with mostly white blooms, elegant oakleaf-shaped leaves, and lovely peeling bark.
Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris is another choice for full shade. This climbing species, which has lacy, white blossoms in the summer, can reach a height of 50 feet if it is given adequate support. The foliage is a rich shade of green and would look wonderful growing up a tree trunk or covering the face of a building. It would also look lovely covering the roof of a garden shed.
Full shade cultivars require the same upkeep as partial shade. In the deeper shade, it will be especially crucial to keep the plants free of leaf litter and with excellent airflow. Water your plant once a week after it has become established. Keep a watch on the leaves, and if you notice any drooping, especially during the hot summer months, water them right away. The importance of this increases in hotter regions.
These leaves’ unique shape would be a lovely complement to Hosta leaves. The white blossoms would contrast nicely with the lighter hues of your shady blooms and provide some brilliant brightness to your shaded locations.
Shade Varieties
There are a few different hydrangea cultivars that thrive in the shade. Some types can even thrive in zones 3 (which doesn’t warm up until later in the spring), which is one of the coldest growing regions. Let’s examine some of the best shade selections!
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snow queen’
The movie “Snow queen” is stunning. The flowers are stunning, as they are with all hydrangeas. These rose blush-colored blossoms appear in the middle of summer. The foliage of this plant is my favorite component. The leaves begin the season in a very deep green, gradually changing to a deep reddish bronze color, and finally finishing in that shade, offering a stunning splash of color to your fall landscape.
Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Alice’
With a height ranging between 12 and 15 feet, this Oakleaf Hydrangea is one among the biggest. In the summer, this plant blooms with incredibly deep cream-colored flowers. A woodland garden would be a truly lovely place for “Alice.” This cultivar would look especially beautiful if it were grown as a bordering hedge.
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’
‘Annabelle’ enjoys partial shade and has some of the largest flowers in the hydrangea family (12 inches wide!). These enormous blossoms can be supported all season long by the sturdy stalks. This shrub can grow up to five feet tall and five feet broad, so give it plenty of area to expand. These enormous, all-white blossoms bloom for a long time.
In a mass planting, as a specimen shrub, or as a foundation planting, “Annabelle” would look lovely. These bushes should still be included in your cutting garden. Imagine a bunch of flowers that large! Wow!