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Moonshine Designs Nursery Located in Milan, Illinois 309-756-1967 Fax: 309-756-1058
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Hydrangea Culture
Upon arrival: Keep roots moist & tops dry. Keep away from direct sun. Do not soak in a bucket of water for more than 1 hour. If frozen, allow to thaw slowly. Do not thaw in microwave!. If unable to plant at once, “heel” the plant into the ground by digging a shallow trench and covering the roots with soil until ready to plant. Water well.
Site prep: Before taking your new plants to the intended planting area, make sure all preparations are complete. Loosen the soil, remove rocks, weeds, etc. Dig a proper size planting hole: As the saying goes, “dig a ten dollar hole for a one dollar plant”. This means to dig the hole oversize so that the root system can be spread out and not cramped. It is also a good idea to do soil testing. If certain nutrients are lacking or the ph is wrong, this is a good time to correct this. Do not fertilize heavily! This will result in lush, leafy growth at the expense of flowers that can winter-kill easily.
Site
Hydrangeas love a location where they can get morning sun and afternoon shade. They will grow in locations with afternoon sun, but will may wilt and need more supplemental watering in zones south of Zone 6. Beware of deep shade – hydrangeas need at least 3-4 hours of direct sunlight. The exception is Oakleaf hydrangea. This in nature, grows as an understory shrub beneath mature trees.
Avoid planting any hydrangea in locations that stay soggy or very dry.
Dig a hole at least twice the size of the root ball. Amend the bed around from 6-8 inches deep in an area several feet from the plant, if possible with compost or good garden soil if conditions are not favorable. At the same time you may choose to mix in a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Plant the plant at soil level or slightly higher to allow for soil settling. Water well until puddles form around the plant and be sure all the air bubbles have escaped. Applying two to three inches of mulch will help to conserve moisture, but avoid piling mulch around the stem(s) of the plant. Water consistently during its first spring, summer, and fall. The larger the plant you have planted, the more it will need watering in the first year to compensate for its reduced root system. A good soaking of the root system once or twice a week is much better than a sprinkle! Hydrangeas have a reputation for being “water hungry.” Adequate water is very important in the spring when the plant puts out the most growth.
Some types of hydrangeas may wilt during the heat of a summer afternoon. This is because their large leaves are giving off water faster than the roots of the plant can replace it. As soon as the sun goes down, they perk back up. Check the soil moisture level to a depth of 4-5”. If it is moist, put off watering until the soil is dry.
How to Prune Hydrangeas:
Pruning guidelines:
Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) Flowers bloom on last year’s wood. In early spring remove older, woodier branches at ground level to allow more light and air circulation. Determine whether or not a branch is dead by scratching the bark with a fingernail. If there is green directly beneath the surface, the branch is alive. Do major pruning and reshaping after the blooms begin to fade in July, but no later than August 1st. On a mature bush (5-6 years old) remove 1/3 of the oldest woody stems each year by cutting to the ground. Encourage further new foliage growth by deadheading.
Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) This is a large shrub that should be left to grow in its natural form. Flowers bloom on previous season's wood. Prune after flowering only to remove dead wood, old flower heads and 1/3 of the oldest wood If necessary, severe pruning may be done in early spring (late February to early March) to renew overgrown plants.
Peegee Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’) Flowers develop on new wood. Plants may be handled in two ways: 1). Cut back severely to leave only two buds at the base of each stem in early March. or 2). Allow plant to develop without pruning. Blooms will still appear on new growth. Severe early pruning produces a smaller plant with larger blooms. By not pruning, it produces a larger plant with many smaller blooms.
Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Flowers bloom on current year's wood. Prune entire plant back to 6-12” from ground in early Spring.
Climbing Hydrangeas (Hydrangea anomola petiolaris) Little or no pruning is required. In the summer, if needed, remove unwanted shoots that have grown out of bounds. (Note: Trees are not harmed by climbing hydrangea.)
Note: paniculata and arborescens hydrangeas, because they bloom on this year’s wood, do not have their buds damaged by the late spring frosts that so often harm some other hydrangeas. This makes them especially well adapted to growing in the more northern zones.
Color Change in Bigleaf Hydrangeas
The color of Bigleaf or French Hydrangeas is influenced by the availability of aluminum in the soil. In acid soils more aluminum is available resulting in blue color; in alkaline soils
with less aluminum available, the flowers are pink. A quick way to influence soil pH (acidity/alkalinity) for an individual plant is to apply a liquid soil drench:
To make flowers blue, dissolve 1 tablespoon of alum (aluminum sulfate) in a gallon of water and drench the soil around the plant in March, April, and May.
To make flowers pink, dissolve 1 tablespoon of hydrated lime in a gallon of water and drench the soil around the plant in March, April, and May.
Avoid applying to the leaves, as foliar damage can occur.