When the hydrangeas begin to bloom in New England, you can tell it’s summer, and boy, are they gorgeous this year. When I shared this photo of hydrangeas on Instagram the other day, I immediately received a deluge of comments and direct messages from people asking me about the dos and don’ts of hydrangeas. As a result, I decided to put together this post as a type of New Englander’s Guide to Hydrangeas for you all to refer to and keep for years to come rather than replying to each person’s queries individually.
Let’s start off by saying that I am not a flower expert and that the material in this post is a combination of what I’ve learned from family, friends, and, most importantly, trial and error. Let’s get started straight away, shall we?
Shrub over seed: I mean, shrub over shrub over shrub. I’ve never attempted to grow a hydrangea bush from seed since I lack the required patience. In fact, after doing some study, I learned that it can take three years for a shrub to reach garden center size. Basically, choose a shrub if you want to soon see hydrangea flowers in your New England yard!
Deciding whether to plant your hydrangeas in pots or directly in the ground is crucial. Personally, I’ve preferred in-ground hydrangeas to potted hydrangeas, but a lot of that also has to do with where we live. I’m fortunate to have a backyard with parts that are slightly shaded, which hydrangeas are known to thrive in. In fact, the garden expert instructed my dad and I to plant the extra three bushes this past Mother’s Day, telling us to space them widely apart so they have opportunity to flourish and develop into a mature size. Now, if your front or backyard receives full sunlight nearly every day, you might think about potting your hydrangeas on your porch or doorway to shield them from the sun.
When Should You Plant Your Hydrangeas? You should try to plant your hydrangeas in late spring; you might plant them straight away or wait until early fall. Avoid planting your hydrangeas right before or right after a frost at all costs. Instead, aim for workable moist soil and comfortable temperatures.
The secret to keeping your hydrangeas healthy and blooming is to make sure they are well-hydrated and, as I mentioned earlier, in some shade. Pull out the watering hose once a day to give them a good soak if you want the soil to keep moist. To check if the leaves are drying out or burning from a lack of water, just look at them.
For a more aesthetic Instagram, make it blue: You know how much I adore having a consistent Instagram aesthetic, so when I planted hydrangeas, one of my main worries was how to ensure that they will be blue. I instantly conducted some study and discovered that by increasing the acidity of your soil, you can easily change pink hydrangeas into blue ones. If you want to be more precise, you can use a pH meter to measure the acidity of your soil prior to planting; ideally, you want to aim for an acidity level of 5.0. Before planting or, if already planted, close to the base of the plant, you can easily layer soil acidifier into the earth to impart acidity.
Cutting Your Blossoms: A fresh bouquet of hydrangea blossoms in your kitchen really does sum up summer in New England. I usually get delighted when it’s time to cut my hydrangea blossoms, but maintaining the freshness of your bouquets and the health of your shrubs depends on your cutting method. My neighborhood garden center advised me to use a knife and only cut hydrangea blossoms once they were fully opened and at a 45-degree angle. They insisted on using a knife even though I’ve previously cut with scissors without any problems in order to minimize harm to the bush. Additionally, they advise having a vase available because hydrangeas shouldn’t be left out of water for an extended period of time, especially after being cut.
Preparing Your Hydrangeas For Winter: I know it’s way too early to be thinking about winter, but I’m just going to mention it here so that we are ready when the time comes. The best time to get your shrubs ready for winter is in the late fall or right before the first frost. The hydrangea shrub should first have all of its flowers removed. After that, the stalks and stems should be cut back, leaving about six inches of stem remaining. Oh, and don’t forget to re-fertilize and water the plant before the first frost; this is an essential step in ensuring that your shrubs will survive the harsh winters New England has to offer.
Guys, this was a really lengthy post. Numerous facts and discussions on flowers, but hopefully this has inspired you to try out your own green thumb this summer. When in New England, hydrangea, that is!
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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?
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 tiny trench.
- Bend a branch such that the middle of the branch meets the earth 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.
- After the trench is filled, cover it with a paver, brick, or stone.
- The branch can be transplanted to a different area once it has established its own root system over time.
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.
In the Northeast, when can you grow hydrangeas?
Since most hydrangeas are cultivated in containers, they can be planted at any time of the year. Hydrangeas from a field should be planted in the spring or fall.
When can my hydrangeas be planted outside?
Choose a time in late spring or early fall when the nights are cooler and there is little risk of frost. If you garden in an area where the ground freezes, put seeds at least six weeks before the first deadly frost of the fall. This allows plants to establish roots before the ground becomes really cold. To improve root insulation, place a 2-inch mulch layer around plants after planting.
When can hydrangeas be planted in Rhode Island?
Planting is best done in the late spring or early fall. Planting shouldn’t be done on extremely hot or windy days. Water the plant in its container before you start digging the hole. After planting, give it a good soak.
Can I currently plant hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas can be planted at any time, but spring and fall are the ideal seasons. They will require a lot of care to survive if you plant in the middle of the summer. Put and Grow. Once you’ve selected the right location (preferably one with soil that drains well), dig a hole that is twice as wide as the hydrangea’s container.
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.
Can hydrangeas be planted in February?
The optimal time to transplant hydrangeas is right after the autumn dormancy of the plants. This indicates that all of the flowers have withered away and that most or all of the leaves have fallen.
- The optimum time to move hydrangea shrubs in colder locations is in November, when the bushes are dormant but the ground is not completely frozen.
- You can transplant hydrangeas in warmer regions where the ground doesn’t freeze between December and February.
While these are the ideal times to move hydrangea bushes, you may actually do so at any time of the year as long as it is not the hottest part of the year.
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!