Hydrangeas
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
by loz on February 07, 2006 09:41 AM
More than likely...yep.
My 5 hydrangeas are in in the same position as yours....early morning sun and shade the rest of the day and they are beautiful and very healthy and like that location a lot. I'm sure they'll like their new location a lot!
How big are your hydrangeas? I've always heard they were hard to move if they've been in one spot a long time.
My 5 hydrangeas are in in the same position as yours....early morning sun and shade the rest of the day and they are beautiful and very healthy and like that location a lot. I'm sure they'll like their new location a lot!
How big are your hydrangeas? I've always heard they were hard to move if they've been in one spot a long time.
by Triss on February 07, 2006 11:49 AM
Do they like their roots wet or dry? The area right behind my house which may get a bit of morning sun (but I doubt it) is very damp all the time it seems.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by Bill on February 07, 2006 12:03 PM
![[teacher]](im/graemlins/teacher.gif)
In Greek, Hydrangea means water tub.
by loz on February 07, 2006 12:07 PM
Oh yeh...when it's hot and dry out for weeks on end in the summer I soak them good every day..... ![[thumb]](im/graemlins/thumb.gif)
by Triss on February 07, 2006 12:53 PM
Thanks Bill. Going to invest in one of them for sure then!
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by Patty S on February 07, 2006 05:09 PM
quote:You mean how tall? Ummm... up to about --here--!
How big are your hydrangeas?
![[Big Grin]](im/biggrin.gif)
They don't get much taller than up to my waist (long legs/high waistline!) ![[nutz]](im/graemlins/nutz.gif)
I thought that I had 2 plants, but judging from when I trimmed them back last fall & cleared out around the base, I think I'm going to end up with the the larger one (maybe 15" across, where the stems come out of the ground) separating into about 3 plants.
![[dunno]](im/graemlins/dunno.gif)
(I want to wait for Hubby to dig it out for me, because I don't have the weight or strength to get the shovel in deep enough to get as much root as it might have to offer... I'm assuming that it's important to get as much root as possible, but don't even know if Hydrangeas have a Tap root or not...) Which leads me to ask, how much root does a section need, to survive? (I'm thinking that if this plant is propagated by cuttings, then it should be able to thrive if there is any root involved at all, during a transplant.)
Thanx for the link, Bill.
Last fall I tilled up the spot where I want to relocate these Hydrangeas & dumped Dolomite into the soil -- in varying amounts across the area... as an experiment, to see if I could change the pH & get different colors of blossoms from each plant. (Comments, please.)
I have to laugh at myself a little, as I'm so new to gardening that I barely know what I'm doing in the first place, yet I take off on a wild adventure to try to change the colors of flowers!! HEY, can't hurt anything...
![[scaredy]](im/graemlins/scaredy.gif)
CAN IT? ![[Eek!]](im/eek.gif)
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by mrsmessy on February 08, 2006 03:08 AM
Patty I think that the roots extend almost to the edge of the plant. Two years ago we had 3 trees fall and crush our deck and all the plantings around it (put there by the previous owner because I'm pretty useless in the garden) and in spite of being crushed the hydrangea came back beautifully and continues to send out new shoots. It's probably hardier than you think it is.
PS I think size refers to how round it is not how tall it is.
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Bev
PS I think size refers to how round it is not how tall it is.
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Bev
by loz on February 08, 2006 04:44 AM
I think they do send down pretty deep roots to get to the water. I'm not sure though because I've never dug mine up....
Here's one of my 5 hydrangeas...3 are great big established ones like this, and 2 are smaller ones that I planted a few years ago.
Here's one of my 5 hydrangeas...3 are great big established ones like this, and 2 are smaller ones that I planted a few years ago.
by plants 'n pots on February 08, 2006 06:18 AM
Stunning loz!!! ![[Cool]](im/cool.gif)
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Lynne's knitting journal 
"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"
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Lynne's knitting journal "I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"
by loz on February 08, 2006 08:29 AM
Thanks Lynne, they're so beautiful when they are in full bloom .....I just wish they'd last longer than they do...they get so top heavy we have to tie them up after a while or when it storms it flattens them... ![[Razz]](im/tongue.gif)
.....I just wish they'd last longer than they do...they get so top heavy we have to tie them up after a while or when it storms it flattens them...
by Eagle on February 08, 2006 08:30 AM
Hey guys. I love hydrangras. The mopheads are great but there are a couple of new varieties like "Endless Summer" that bloom off the old and new wood which extends the blooming in my area. Also, there is a variety "Lady in Red" which changes leaf colors in fall and is a marvelous addition to the garden.
by Triss on February 08, 2006 09:09 AM
Gorgeous pic! Do you ever add anything to the soil to change their colors?
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by loz on February 08, 2006 10:40 AM
Thanks Triss....I've never tried to change the color before....I actually like the white to be honest....it just looks so fresh and bright against the green of the leaves.
The 3 established ones were the only plants here in the yard when we bought the house other than the 2 red maple trees, and a blue spruce.
You can't see in that picture but Mark made big wooden boxes to go around the base of them....
The 3 established ones were the only plants here in the yard when we bought the house other than the 2 red maple trees, and a blue spruce.
You can't see in that picture but Mark made big wooden boxes to go around the base of them....
by Triss on February 08, 2006 10:46 AM
Does that help them stay upright?
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by loz on February 08, 2006 10:54 AM
Nah but it looks nice and neat in the winter when they've been cut down. We usually have to rope them up to the chain link fence in the back....some of the t-storms in the summer can be bad and I learned my lesson a few years ago...I didn't tie them up that year and they were totally flattened...all of the big beautiful flowers were pretty much ruined.....
by Triss on February 09, 2006 02:35 AM
That is too bad, but at least you know now and I bet that makes it easier. How far back do you cut them every year?
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
* * * *
We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by loz on February 09, 2006 03:20 AM
I could them all the way down to the ground in late fall.....since the ones I have blooms on new wood it doesn't hurt them one bit! They grow that big every year!
And yep, trial and error is what works best in the garden....LOL
And yep, trial and error is what works best in the garden....LOL
by Triss on February 09, 2006 03:36 AM
It just amazes me that things grow so big in just one year!
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
by njoynit on February 10, 2006 12:27 AM
I have a few hydrangeas ![[clappy]](im/graemlins/claps.gif)
I got oak leaf(pretty fall colors.dry years are the bomb!)
and another one but has pretty pale liliac blooms and then got a nikko blue.
I root my cuttings off too.and I moved one from SIL house.so the roots aren't too bad i dug out about 1 1/2 ft out from plant and we wiggled it around.It had a tap root,but we really didn't pay that much attention to it.I'm sure it will do nicely as it DID have roots in mass to boot.
Mine get more sun than shade,but the oakleafs WERE in shade till Rita retreescaped my yard.My shade beds changed lighting wise& my heavy shade bed now just has a shade spot,but not deep like before.I do water them well.There are pictures in yahoo,but don't think i have a shot of niko.
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I will age ungracefully until I become an old woman in a small garden..doing whatever the Hell I want!
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http://community.webshots.com/user/njoynit
http://photos.yahoo.com/njoynit03
I got oak leaf(pretty fall colors.dry years are the bomb!)
and another one but has pretty pale liliac blooms and then got a nikko blue.
I root my cuttings off too.and I moved one from SIL house.so the roots aren't too bad i dug out about 1 1/2 ft out from plant and we wiggled it around.It had a tap root,but we really didn't pay that much attention to it.I'm sure it will do nicely as it DID have roots in mass to boot.
Mine get more sun than shade,but the oakleafs WERE in shade till Rita retreescaped my yard.My shade beds changed lighting wise& my heavy shade bed now just has a shade spot,but not deep like before.I do water them well.There are pictures in yahoo,but don't think i have a shot of niko.
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I will age ungracefully until I become an old woman in a small garden..doing whatever the Hell I want!
http://community.webshots.com/user/njoynit03
http://community.webshots.com/user/njoynit
http://photos.yahoo.com/njoynit03
by moondance on February 21, 2006 11:01 AM
Patty- we dug up our hydrangea to move it to another place that I thought it would like better. I tossed out all the old branches-trimmings etc into the woods.. Well they came up beautifuldidn't do anything to them-just tossed them out. Now of course I am out there getting all of those little plants and moving them around the border of our wood. preety stubborn things there! but cool! more plants!
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There is no pleasure in having nothing to do: the fun is having lots to do and not doing it.
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There is no pleasure in having nothing to do: the fun is having lots to do and not doing it.
by flwrgrdnmom on March 06, 2006 12:19 AM
I love these plants... I've made it my mission to have one of each kind, I think! lol
As for changing colors, if you wait until just before the buds start opening, then add lime (or tsp or 2 of dish soap mixed with water, so I've heard) to make them red/pink, or (used) coffee grounds to make them more blue/purple. Add it around the drip line, and water it in. That should cause the colors to change for you. You can play with the amounts of additives to get what shade you want. These are such gorgeous plants!
As for changing colors, if you wait until just before the buds start opening, then add lime (or tsp or 2 of dish soap mixed with water, so I've heard) to make them red/pink, or (used) coffee grounds to make them more blue/purple. Add it around the drip line, and water it in. That should cause the colors to change for you. You can play with the amounts of additives to get what shade you want. These are such gorgeous plants!
by SpringFever on March 06, 2006 10:52 PM
Hello.. How big do they get? I was thinking about putting one on each side of my front stairs. Are they green year round?
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Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album
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by flwrgrdnmom on March 07, 2006 01:48 AM
As for the size, it depends on what type you have. Some stay around 3-4', others will grow into small trees. Here in z8 they usually lose their leaves in the winter, but I'm not sure if they in warmer climates. Hope this helps!
by loz on March 07, 2006 02:38 AM
Mine grow to be about 4 - 4 1/2 feet tall, and get really wide....if you look on the first page you'll see a picture of mine. In the late fall, or early spring I cut mine all the way down....mine grow from new growth, and not old growth.
by SpringFever on March 07, 2006 06:38 AM
cool I will have to try some out...I found some really pretty blue ones @ michiganbulb.com ... I love the life time guarentee
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Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album
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Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album
by FlowerNewbie on March 07, 2006 11:17 PM
I want to try those to Spring - I heard that they might grow well as houseplants... They are soooo pretttty ![[flower]](im/graemlins/flower.gif)
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Kitten in Life
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Kitten in Life
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by angelblossom on March 08, 2006 10:13 AM
I just planted a baby hydrangea about 3 weeks ago forever pink and it's coming up!!! am I supposed to pinch out the center??(A lady at work told me to) But I put that on hold untill I could get input from here!! 
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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/
by SeptemberMorn on March 14, 2006 02:03 AM
The two hydengeas I've got were already in the ground when I bought my place and I lived there for six yrs. Last September, we moved down the street and heard that my old place was going to be demolished so we quickly went back and dug up Everything including the two hydrengeas.
From what I remember, they didn't have much of a root system. At least it wasn't deep. They were each put in a pot. They've always gone semi-dormant, hanging on to a few leaves and almost budding right away. They stay that way until spring.
I've always cut them back and this year, I "opened them up" quite a bit by pruning a lot of dead wood in the center. Some of it was still green. (oops?) Everything is beginning to leaf out here and so are they. So far, no harm, no foul.
One is a dark pink and the other is a light pink. I decided I was going to try and change the color of the dark pink one so I added acidic fertilizer. I'll let you know if I have any luck.
I may be thinking seriously of moving both of them from the front of the house where they get sun all day to the back of the house. At the other place, they got direct sun for a while in the late afternoon.
And, yes. They require quite a bit of water.![[Wink]](im/wink.gif)
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http://photobucket.com/albums/y103/SeptMorn/
From what I remember, they didn't have much of a root system. At least it wasn't deep. They were each put in a pot. They've always gone semi-dormant, hanging on to a few leaves and almost budding right away. They stay that way until spring.
I've always cut them back and this year, I "opened them up" quite a bit by pruning a lot of dead wood in the center. Some of it was still green. (oops?) Everything is beginning to leaf out here and so are they. So far, no harm, no foul.
One is a dark pink and the other is a light pink. I decided I was going to try and change the color of the dark pink one so I added acidic fertilizer. I'll let you know if I have any luck.
I may be thinking seriously of moving both of them from the front of the house where they get sun all day to the back of the house. At the other place, they got direct sun for a while in the late afternoon.
And, yes. They require quite a bit of water.
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http://photobucket.com/albums/y103/SeptMorn/
by flwrgrdnmom on March 14, 2006 05:24 AM
Personally I wouldn't pinch out the middle, but after they flower for the year I'd go ahead and cut them back. That way they'll branch out a little more next year.
by angelblossom on March 14, 2006 07:53 AM
quote:Thank you!
Originally posted by flwrgrdnmom:
Personally I wouldn't pinch out the middle, but after they flower for the year I'd go ahead and cut them back. That way they'll branch out a little more next year.
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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/
by Bestofour on March 15, 2006 08:17 AM
Loz, do you cut your blooms and bring them inside in vases? They are so beautiful sitting around the house and they stay pretty for a long time. My friends at work love getting a bouquet.
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http://www.picturetrail.com/bestofour
by loz on March 16, 2006 11:49 PM
Sheri I do---YES!! There are so many big blooms that I just snip a few off from the back....that way it still looks nice from the view of my porch!
I love fresh flowers in the house...nothing better!![[grin]](im/graemlins/grinnnn.gif)
I love fresh flowers in the house...nothing better!
by joclyn on April 18, 2006 01:05 AM
i put licorice root mulch around my hydrangea - changed the flower color from light pink to dark lavendar.
when i transplanted the hydrangea from the neighbors yard last year, it had a bloom on it that was white with a maroon marking just inside the tip of the petals. i didn't put the mulch down right away...within a couple of days i noticed that the blooms had turned a very light lavendar. 2 days later i put the licorice root around this bush and within a few days, the blooms turned a really beautiful dark purple - almost black actually.
when i transplanted the hydrangea from the neighbors yard last year, it had a bloom on it that was white with a maroon marking just inside the tip of the petals. i didn't put the mulch down right away...within a couple of days i noticed that the blooms had turned a very light lavendar. 2 days later i put the licorice root around this bush and within a few days, the blooms turned a really beautiful dark purple - almost black actually.
by Gary on May 19, 2006 01:09 PM
I have an Endless Summer about to bloom. I know they are supposed to bloom again this season if you cut them back. My question is how much to cut back? I have heard everything from just the blooms to pretty much the whole bush.
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Gary in Soutn Carolina
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Gary in Soutn Carolina
by Squirrel on May 19, 2006 02:49 PM
I have two climbing hydrangeas. They are planted in bright shade. The one got blooms last year and the other one didn`t. The same thing is going on this year. I`m beginning to believe I have a male and a female. LOL Because they are climbing, I didn`t prune them. The flowers seem to be only at the top. I thought that they would have flowers all over but I guess they only flower on new growth??? Do you think I should prune them and when do you do that? Sue
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What goes around comes around, so be nice!lol
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What goes around comes around, so be nice!lol
by joclyn on May 19, 2006 02:56 PM
some hydrangea bloom on new growth and some on old growth.
are they both the same variety? and, do you know what variety it/they are?
are they both the same variety? and, do you know what variety it/they are?
by Squirrel on May 19, 2006 03:26 PM
They are the same variety. I bought them at the same place at the same time. I don`t know their variety off hand. I`ll have to look through my stuff because I usually keep the tags that come with my plants I buy. I have another Hydrangea and I`m anxious to see if it blooms this year. My husband cut it back to the ground when he was helping me winterize the gardens last year. lol I was surprised to see it come back! But HAPPY it did. Sue
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What goes around comes around, so be nice!lol
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What goes around comes around, so be nice!lol
by Gary on May 20, 2006 10:44 AM
quote:I take it nobody knows?
Originally posted by Gary:
I have an Endless Summer about to bloom. I know they are supposed to bloom again this season if you cut them back. My question is how much to cut back? I have heard everything from just the blooms to pretty much the whole bush.
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Gary in Soutn Carolina
by Karrie on May 23, 2006 03:41 PM
I have an endless summer from what I understand they bloom on old and new wood. I might be wrong though. If anyone knows the answer to Gary's question I could use the info too. I just used to pop off the wilted blooms on mine in indy.
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Karrie's Photos
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It doesn't matter where you go in life... It's who you have beside you when you get there.
Karrie's Photos
by angelblossom on May 23, 2006 04:01 PM
Gary and Karrie I sure could use the answer to that ? also!! This is my first year I had several blooms but they are now beginning to wilt do I just cut off the bloom or the entire stem that it bloomed off of?
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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
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* * * *
Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/
by Squirrel on May 23, 2006 04:13 PM
That info would help me, too. Anyone, Everyone?? lol Sue
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What goes around comes around, so be nice!lol
* * * *
What goes around comes around, so be nice!lol
by johnCT on May 24, 2006 12:36 AM
Endless Summers do bloom on old and new wood. I certainly wouldn't cut it all the way back though. Removing all of the foliage would not be good for the plant. This will be my third year with my ES's and I've had good luck with simply deadheading the blooms back to a set of leaf nodes.
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John - Zone 6
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John - Zone 6
by Gary on May 24, 2006 01:08 AM
It turns out Endless Summer has its' own web page where it says "Another unique feature is that this hydrangea will continue to set buds and bloom throughout the season; deadheading
the spent flowers will encourage this. Feel free to cut the blooms for drying or fresh cut in vases because you will actually encourage the plant to produce more blossoms".
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Gary in Soutn Carolina
the spent flowers will encourage this. Feel free to cut the blooms for drying or fresh cut in vases because you will actually encourage the plant to produce more blossoms".
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Gary in Soutn Carolina
by angelblossom on May 25, 2006 02:06 PM
John and Gary Thanks I did go out and cut three of them back to a set of leaves that appeared a new growth was wanting to come out SOO I'm hoping by cutting it back to right above that point I have encouraged it to resprout and bloom!!
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Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/
* * * *
Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up!
http://photobucket.com/albums/e374/2thtek/
by johnCT on May 26, 2006 02:32 AM
quote:I'm sure you'll be pleasantly suprised.
Originally posted by angelblossom:
SOO I'm hoping by cutting it back to right above that point I have encouraged it to resprout and bloom!!
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John - Zone 6
by FreedSoul on June 15, 2006 02:46 AM
may I pop in here?.... I've got several hydrangeas and might be able to shed some light on the color thing....
the dolomitic lime you used in your soil will send the hydra's color toward pink..over the space of a year or more.....if it's a mophead, that is.... white hydras won't change color...
acidic soil and aluminum sulphate will turn a mop towards blue......
it's more obvious on mops, but lacecaps' color will intensify , also, with the changes in the soil pH....
there's a great website with loads of info on Hydrangea and very nice folks who will answer email questions,(if there's no answers on the website) here...
www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com
edit.... sorry, I neglected to read all four pages!!... this may be redundant... new member jitters here......
the dolomitic lime you used in your soil will send the hydra's color toward pink..over the space of a year or more.....if it's a mophead, that is.... white hydras won't change color...
acidic soil and aluminum sulphate will turn a mop towards blue......
it's more obvious on mops, but lacecaps' color will intensify , also, with the changes in the soil pH....
there's a great website with loads of info on Hydrangea and very nice folks who will answer email questions,(if there's no answers on the website) here...
www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com
edit.... sorry, I neglected to read all four pages!!... this may be redundant... new member jitters here......
by Triss on June 22, 2006 07:03 AM
Hi there FreedSoul. Thanks for all the info. I just put in my first one and am looking forward to seeing what color blooms it gets and keeps being where I planted it. Will decided if I want to change them once it really gets going good.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
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