General Chat

Jen, Have a look at this website gives you all the info you need. www*helpfulgardener*com/hydrangea Sue

Jen I think perhaps Teresa's referring to a feed to maintain the colour of the hydrangea. Planted in an acid soil the flowers will be pink but in an alkaline soil they will be blue. What really keeps them all bright and bushy tailed is judicious pruning in the spring. I'm trying to describe how to do it but you'll probably get far better instructions from the RHS site! Cherryxx

Thanks Sue, I will do, appreciate this. Teresa.........perhaps the soil doesn't have the right balance for them then Teresa after all? I will buy some feed and use it for the rest of the autumn, then start again in Spring............hopefully this will help them for next year? Thanks so much Teresa, for those valuable tips and the advice.... Thanks everyone for your help. Jen

Hi Jen Our Hydrangeas were smaller last year,but, this year are romping away,massive blooms.Due to more sun this year?? Who knows? Make sure when you prune them don't cut back too hard, might have caught the early frosts in the Spring. Beautiful plants aren't they? Mau xx

Hydrangeas grow in both acid & alkaline soil equally well, but the colour varies according to soil type. Prune in the spring by removing LAST years flowering stems, as flowers appear on current growth. I am the world's worst gardener and they thrive with very little attention. Lost mine when the builder had to dig it up, but previous to that it had been in the garden for about 15 years,and for most of that time I was living away and only visited for odd weeks at a time. Jay

Cherry, appreciate this extra info............ I did cut them back a little..didn't go mad but I have noticed that some of last years stems sort of went woody, though didn't prevent new stems and shoots forming this year..........the foliage has been very good and just as full as last year, just the blooms went missing? I will check out the site Cherry Thanks again. Jen

Yes they're lovely Maureen, I was really looking forward to watching them spread out more too, as they do, still theres hope yet.........do my best to get it right next year lol! Jen

Janet, Yes I will do thanks.........think that was probably my main mistake, pruning too soon rather than anything else..........the colours were still the same this year I noticed, one remaining pink a one blue...........from the one small bloom that appeared on each.........and that makes sense because although they are all in the same border...........the two blue ones are side by side, and the pink one is lower down and lying parallel to them.....so obviously the soil does vary. Jen

Hello again Jen, I'm amazed to see how much hydrangeas cost, you certainly don't want to lose them at that price! They are incredibly easy to 'strike' but I guess forcing them in greenhouse conditions pushes up the price! I forgot to mention, they are very thirsty shrubs so don't stint on the watering next year and enjoy an abundance of blooms. Cherryxx