I am always looking for new plants to add to my garden, and one of them was the hydrangea. I was delighted to get the opportunity to grow my own hydrangeas with a collaboration and beautiful plants thanks to www.plantingtree.com. Keep reading to learn how to plant hydrangeas!
Hydrangeas are considered old-fashioned plants, but are making a comeback. I’ve seen many hydrangeas grown in yards all over Southern California.
These colorful flowering plants come in a variety of colors and types. I love the fact that many can grow in containers and enjoy shade. My container garden is engulfed in shade half the year, making hydrangeas the perfect addition to my garden!
Types of Hydrangeas
There are about 5-7 basic types of hydrangeas. These include bigleaf, climbing, oakleaf, mountain, and panicle hydrangeas. From those types, there are many varieties that come in an array of colors and sizes.
As I just mentioned, there are many different types of hydrangeas that you can grow in your garden. Below are several popular types of hydrangeas.
- Endless Summer-This popular hydrangea is a great flowering shrub. You can grow pink, blue, or purple flowers, based on the pH in the soil.
- Bloomstruck Hydrangea-These hydrangeas also come in an array of colors, based on the soil’s pH. Many flowers bloom from these plants and they grow great in containers. I can’t wait for mine to bloom beautiful, pink flowers!
- Pistachio Hydrangea-These hydrangeas come in striking red and green. They are a smaller plant, making them perfect for containers.
- Twist-n-Shout Hydrangea-This lacecap hydrangea is the first of its kind to bloom over and over again. Buds are in the middle while pretty flowers bloom on the edge surrounding the buds.
- Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea-This hydrangea is a panicle hydrangea. These hydrangeas have pointy looking blooms. The cream and pink contrast of the flowers are striking!
- White Climbing Hydrangea Vine-This hydrangea is in the group that grows on a vine. These white flowers bloom similar to the lacecaps and can make any fence beautiful again with its blooms!
- L.A. Dreamin-I had to add this hydrangea to the list because of its name. What makes this hydrangea plant unique is that blue, pink, and purple flowers can bloom on it all at the same time!
Planting Hydrangeas
With the help of my husband, I placed both hydrangeas into pots that were a little bigger than the plants so that they had room to grow. I added some potting soil to the bottom.
Once the plants were placed in their containers, I added more potting soil to the sides of the pots. I kept turning the pot so that the plant stayed in the middle and had the same amount of soil on all sides.
I made sure that the plant sat slightly higher than the soil and watered throughout the process. New plants need to be watered more frequently as they settle into their new home.
Watering Hydrangeas
Most plants need to be watered more frequently when settling into their new home. Hydrangeas are the same. Water your hydrangeas deeply at least once a week once they have settled in their new growing area.
Pruning Hydrangeas
Plantingtree.com was kind enough to prune my hydrangeas before sending them out to me. Each type of hydrangea needs to be pruned slightly differently for best results.
For a fuller plant, prune back after the flowers bloom, usually in late summer. This can vary based on the type of hydrangeas you have and where you live. If you aren’t sure, contact a local gardener or supplier of hydrangeas to find out when it is best to prune back your plants.
Fertilizing Hydrangeas
You can fertilize your hydrangeas using a slow release type fertilizer right before the plants start to flower. For best results, fertilize once in the spring and once in the early summer for plenty of blooms.
Changing the Color of Hydrangeas
Did you know that you could change the color of flowers on certain hydrangea plants? All you need to do is change the pH level of the soil its planted in.
High pH in soil can cause the flowers to bloom pink. Low pH in the soil can cause the flowers to bloom blue. With some trial and error, you can control what type of color you want your hydrangeas to bloom!
How to Plant Hydrangeas
I hope you found this post helpful if you have hydrangeas or are thinking of growing them. Do you have hydrangeas or are thinking about growing some? Let me know in the comments section below!
Kelly says
This post is so helpful! I want to plant hydrangeas in front of my porch but I’m a novice gardener and I’m worried I’ll accidentally kill them. I think I’m ready to give them a try though 🙂
Ann says
I’m glad you found it helpful! Start with a small plant and see how it does in front of your porch. I’ve killed a few plants myself, but its all part of the learning experience. Definitely give it a try!
Jamilyn says
You really know your stuff! Hydrangeas are so beautiful. I hope to have a beautiful flower garden one day 🙂
Ann says
Thank you! I’m still learning as I go, but enjoying my beautiful flowers in the process :). All you need is one plant! Pick an easy flower to grow and see what happens!
Chocoviv says
I love these flowers!
Ann says
Aren’t they beautiful? I can’t wait for mine to bloom!
Michelle says
I have yet to see my Hydrangea bush Flower
I don’t know what to do
The bush is directly under a dogwood tree in a shaded area with some sun . I Water them daily.
How can I get it to produce flowers?
Ann says
How long have you had your hydrangea bush? Sometimes it can take awhile to see flowers. Have you given your plant fertilizer or checked the soil? The right fertilizer and soil conditions can help your shrub to produce blooms. You may want to add bone meal to increase phosphorus in the soil to encourage blooms. You also want to make sure you are growing the right hydrangeas for your area and that they are pruned correctly. Certain hydrangeas produce new growth on old wood while others grow on new wood.