Planting Hydrangeas For Late Season Color
A common complaint among gardener is that late in the summer,
before the fall foliage, there seems to be lull in garden color.
There is, however, no shortage of shrubs which bloom in later in
the season. Hydrangeas are one the most versatile. In fact, they
are indispensable in the garden for summer color and foliage
texture. No shrub border is complete without them.
Hydrangeas prefer part shade and rich organic soil. They prefer
morning sun with afternoon shade; this will protect them from
the hottest part of the day. If they get shade in the morning
and sun in the afternoon they may look stressed due to the
sudden rise in temperature. Hydrangeas need lots of water
especially young plants since they tend to dry out quickly
during the hot weather. After planting be sure to mulch well,
this will help the soil retain moisture as well as help prevent
weeds from encroaching on your garden. Fertilize the shrubs in
the spring and then again in late summer. Adding compost to the
soil around the base of the hydrangea each spring will keep the
soil rich.
Lacecap and nikko blue hydrangeas are both cultivars of
(Hydrangea macrophyllla). Lacecaps are recognized by its ring of
flowers surrounding a center of florets and nikko blue by it
large pom-pom like flowers. You can change the color of the
blossoms of these varieties by changing the acidity of the soil.
Add aluminum sulfate to make the soil acid. A pH level
somewhere between 5 and 5.5 will result in blue flowers.
Alternately, for pink flowers, make raise the pH level to 6.0 by
adding lime, making the soil alkaline. You will need to repeat
the this 2 or 3 times over the growing season and continue the
process for as long as you want the change to continue.
The large (up to 15″ long) white flowers of the PeeGee hydrangea
(Hydrangea paniculta) turn to a faded pink in the fall and are
great for cutting and taking indoors. Because their large
flowers often weigh down its stems, PeeGee hydrangeas require
staking.
Oak Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has a much different
appearance than the other hydrangeas. Its foliage resembles that
of the American oak. Its white blooms fade to pink in fall.
Oakleaf hydrangeas grow to about 6′ and can tolerate more
shade than other hydrangeas.
Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) is a deciduous vine
which clings to garden structures, walls and fences with aerial
roots. Its flowers are white and have the characteristics of the
lacecap hydrangea.
Though there are numerous choices when it comes to types of
hydrangeas, there are some general rules of thumb to follow when
planting and caring for them. When planting new hydrangeas
you’ll need to add a mix of compost and peat moss to the
existing soil. This will give the plant plenty of nutrients and
the soil ability to retain water. Dig a hole approximately twice
as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Place the hydrangea
in the hole, making sure the top of the root ball matches the
existing grade of the garden. Never install any plant below
grade, its often detrimental to the health of the plant.
Backfill about half way and water to remove air pockets. Finish
filling the hole, water again and mulch. Planting in the spring
or fall is best as the hot summer weather can stress hydrangeas.
In the spring prune broken branches and old flower blooms from
the previous season. Don’t prune new shoots; they are where the
new blooms will be. Prune in late summer, after blooming.
Thinning the plant by reducing its number of stems by half will
yield larger flower clusters.
Noted for their long lasting, late blooming flowers and their
unique foliage, hydrangeas are one of the most versatile shrubs
in the garden. Whether among a shrub border, climbing a garden
structure or planted on its own as a specimen shrub hydrangeas
are a wonderful addition to any garden.