Where is the best place to plant a Hydrangea macrophylla?
We recommend planting your hydrangea macrophylla in a location that allows for full morning sun with dappled shade in the afternoon. The further south you live, the less tolerant the hydrangea macrophylla is to the intense sun. Allow for 2-3 hours of morning sun with afternoon dappled or part shade. You can clip the dead flowers off the plant just below the bloom, or leave it on the plant into the winter. Most dried hydrangea flowers break off sometime in the winter and any that remain on the plant can be removed in the spring. Don’t “neaten them up”!You don’t need to cut back hydrangeas. If left to their own devices, hydrangeas will die back in the winter and grow again in the spring. However, if they are not pruned or cut back, at some point, the branches will begin to become a mess of last year’s wood and this year’s wood.Make sure your container will withstand the rigors of winter. If not you may want to move the plants to a nursery pot that can be placed inside the decorative pot during the growing season. Overwintering these types of hydrangeas indoors is difficult and usually not successful.Over 10-20 years Hydrangea Macrophylla will reach a height and spread of 2. This is a hardy hydrangea capable of withstanding cold UK winters if its roots are well drained. Hydrangea Macrophylla is a stunning addition to a mixed flower bed in an urban garden or country cottage-style planting.
How do you overwinter macrophylla hydrangeas?
In colder climates, wrap or completely cover marginally hardy hydrangeas. This is especially important for those that bloom on old wood, such as mop head/big leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla). However, note that newer varieties of mop head/big leaf hydrangeas bloom on both new and old wood. If the air temperature doesn’t go below 0 degrees (zone 7) there is no need for winter protection. In colder climates, wrap or completely cover marginally hardy hydrangeas. This is especially important for those that bloom on old wood, such as mop head/big leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla).What Happens If You Don’t Prune Hydrangeas in the Fall? Nothing. Your hydrangea may thank you with prolific blooms next year because you didn’t prune it. This season’s flowers will slowly dry up and, throughout the winter, blow off and away.If you enjoy puttering in the garden or like a neater appearance, go ahead and deadhead your hydrangea as needed. But you won’t harm the plant or affect blooming if you don’t, says Hirvela.Pruning in early fall while the weather is mild promotes growth in a time a plant should be storing up energy for winter. Pruning in late may not give the plant enough time to harden off the new cuts and could be susceptible to frost damage. Old wood hydrangeas shouldn’t be prune unless absolutely necessary.
Do you prune macrophylla hydrangea?
Hydrangea macrophylla bloom on old wood, so stems that grow the previous year. You want to prune these hydrangeas immediately after flowering by cutting back flowering shoots to the next bud. The Endless Summer hydrangeas are ever-blooming because they bloom on both old and new wood, thus they have a succession of flowers. Pruning: In general, they will not need regular pruning as long as they are in a spot that gets the light and water they need.There are certain instances when pruning Hydrangeas can be helpful: All dead stems should be removed from hydrangeas every year. After the plants are at least 5 years old, about 1/3 of the older (living) stems can be removed down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant.Panicle hydrangeas should be pruned in late winter or early spring, cutting back one-third of last year’s growth to promote fuller blooms. Oakleaf hydrangeas require pruning right after flowering in the summer, with light pruning to maintain shape while avoiding cuts in spring.
What is the lifespan of a hydrangea plant?
Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs, sometimes living for up to 50 years if properly cared for. They enjoy morning sun but afternoon shade, and they need frequent watering during the growing season. Hydrangeas in pots will dry out much more quickly than those planted in the ground, so during the hotter, drier months, check your plants regularly. Butler says: “In the summer, the pots will need watering every day and must be kept moist the rest of the year.The best fertilizer for hydrangeas is a balanced, slow-release fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10 or similar.Really, any clay, terra cotta, or ceramic pot that catches your eye will work for hydrangeas. The size of your container matters, since the plant’s roots will need room to grow into during their stay.If you find that your soil doesn’t need three fertilizations, you can just fertilize twice: in spring and early summer. For hydrangeas you overwintered in containers, give them fertilizer in early spring and again in May. There’s no need to fertilize again during summer.
Can you keep Hydrangea macrophylla indoors?
This term is used primarily to indicate that this plant is intended to be enjoyed indoors for the duration of its bloom. Indoor hydrangeas tend to be mostly the species Hydrangea macrophylla, also known as bigleaf hydrangea, florist hydrangea, or hortensia. These are the macrophyllia, or “big leaf” type and there’s lots of info online about how to take care of them! It is not just that they are regular hydrangeas that were forced early to bloom. These are not bred with any endurance characteristics whatsoever. Yes you can grow them outside.When hydrangeas grow lots of leaves but no flowers, it is often due to excessive nitrogen in the soil, which encourages foliage over blooms. Insufficient sunlight can also cause lush growth without flowers, especially in varieties that need 3-4 hours of direct light.Hydrangeas are one of the most popular perennial garden shrubs with a variety of foliage and flower shapes. Hydrangeas can be grown in containers; however, for longevity, planting in the ground is best. If grown in pots, it is usually best to pick a dwarf variety in order to accommodate growing needs.In harsh conditions, some plants people advocate bringing potted hydrangeas into the house or shelter. Others suggest using chicken wire to protect hydrangeas planted in borders and adding pine needles to the soil for added insulation.