Planting Hydrangeas
If you know me, you know how much I love hydrangeas. They totally remind me of my summers at the Cape and I think they add a softness and color to any space they occupy and believe me, if I had all the time in the world, I’d have a pathway like this somewhere around my house so that I could just wander through hydrangeas. That sounds a bit heavenly to me.
Over the years I have planted my share of hydrangeas in both pots and in ground and I thought I would share the tips I’ve learned to make the successful.
GOOD SOIL
First and foremost – you have to have good soil for these guys. In my opinion, it’s way easier to grow these guys in pots then it is in the ground because it is much easier to control the soil that way but I do them in both because I just love them that much.
If you are planting them in a pot, start with a good, rich soil and compost. The thing about hydrangeas that I’ve found is that they need A LOT of water, so you want your soil to be able to hold that water. BUT, you also want to make sure you have good drainage so the roots don’t sit in water and get root rot. Some people like to put some sand in the soil that that the water flows through the sand without sitting on the root.
FERTILIZE AND WATER
In addition, I like to use the blue Miracle Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant as a fertilizer but I water it down so it doesn’t burn the plant. After you have it planted in the good soil, with good moisture and a little bit of plant food, make sure you water. Hydrangeas need lots and lots of water and my kiddos can tell you this because I make them do the watering and if they come in early, I tell them it wasn’t enough water and to head back out.
If you want to plant those hydrangeas in the ground, make sure to dig a hole three times the size of the root ball and then fill that hole the same way you would fill it if you were putting it in a pot. And again, don’t forget to water, water and water.
Once the season is over and your hydrangea dies for the time being, you’ll be tempted to cut it back but don’t do it. By not cutting it back, it will grow even larger the following Spring.
As you can see, it’s not rocket science and I hope if you were wanting to plant some hydrangeas this year, these tips help make your planting successful! I would love to see pictures of your success! You can email me pictures at kim@kimarmstrongdesign.com - I’ll share them on my Instagram!
