When do big leaf hydrangeas bloom

However, the large leaves on big-leaf hydrangeas give off a lot of water, so plants need to be compensated with irrigation or rainfall for best performance. Watering every day is probably too much in all but extreme cases; a thorough watering times a week should be sufficient during flowering and periods of hot weather.

Big-leaf hydrangeas have shallow roots, which increases the risk of drying out and heat stress. A good " layer of shredded bark mulch conserves moisture and keeps the roots cool so they can grow more quickly, resulting in a healthier, happier plant. You can also opt for a mulch of pine straw or compost, but avoid rock mulches of all types - they retain a lot of heat so can have the opposite effect.

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Low flat-rate shipping Spend on plants, not postage. To change the color of your Hydrangea, add aluminum sulfate to the soil to make the flowers bluer or add lime to the soil to make them pinker.

Hardy to zones , Bigleaf Hydrangeas are more vulnerable to cold than their cousins and welcome a good layer of mulch year-round shredded bark, peat or compost. This will suppress weeds, retain moisture, reduce temperature fluctuations in the soil.

Sun to part shade lovers, Bigleaf Hydrangeas are best grown in rich , medium moisture , well-drained soils. They tolerate full sun only if they are grown in consistently moist soils. No serious pest or disease issues. Watch for bud blight, bacterial wilt, leaf spot and mildew.

Perfect from foundation plantings to container plantings. Massed in a sheltered location or as an accent plant. Effective as a hedge , they make excellent cut flowers too! Perfect for seaside gardens as their tough, glossy leaves allow them to withstand wind or salt. Bigleaf Hydrangeas should be pruned after flowering by cutting back the stems to a pair of healthy buds.

Prune out weak or winter-damaged stems in early spring. Favorite Hydrangea macrophylla Cultivars Hydrangea macrophylla 'Altona'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Amethyst'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Big Daddy'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blaumeise'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Charm'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Dear Dolores'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Emotion'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Eternity'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Glory Blue'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Hamburg'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lanarth White'.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Madame Emile Mouillere'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Masja'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Merritt's Supreme'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Miss Saori'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Passion'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Peppermint'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia'.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Romance'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Rotschwanz'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Star Gazer'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Sumida No Hanabi'. Hydrangea macrophylla 'Zorro'. Heat Zones 6 - 9 What's My Zone? Not sure which Hydrangeas to pick? Recommended Companion Plants. Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' Coneflower More than just a pretty face!

Its long flowering season, showy flower Want Garden Inspiration? Related Items Plant Family. Hydrangea Types - Which one is yours? A favorite of florists and gardeners, Hydrangeas are A Majestic Walkway This lovely serpentine bluestone path with plantings of Get garden design ideas Find your perfect garden.

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You can change the color of the flowers. For your hydrangeas to be blue, aluminum which is present in most soils must be available to the plant. In acid to neutral soils this isn't a problem. But in alkaline soils, the roots can't take up the aluminum and the flowers will be pink. Do a soil test to find out what you have. Ask at your local garden center what works best in your area. Always follow package directions carefully, as too much can stunt or kill your plant.

Give this several months to work. Two or three lighter applications are better than one heavy one. Try grouping plants together so you only have to change the pH in one area. If your soil is alkaline, you can try to acidify it by working in lots of organic material and adding elemental sulfur gradually over several years.

Of course, you can always grow blue-flowered ones in containers. With just that small amount of soil, you can more easily control the pH. Except for the Endless Summer series, most bigleaf hydrangeas bloom on mature wood. In especially bitter winters, the tips of the stems may be killed by the cold.

Should the entire plant die back in a severe winter, cut it down to the ground in early spring. The roots of an established plant will usually survive and send up new growth as the weather warms.