I was reading Wendy's question about hydrangeas---and I saw a curious thing.---Do I have to cut back my hydrangea bushes to have them come back this year?? Planted them last spring but all I have this season is brown sticks---they were a mothers day present--would like to save them if there is a way--- The type is Nikko Blue Hydrangea
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
I believe those type bloom on old wood....but I'm not positively sure. If it blooms on new wood don't worry---it'll send growth out whether cut back or not. You probably have a while to go up there in Illinois before you start seeing things budding right? Down here in MD my hydrangeas are just starting to grow a bit, not much--just a tiny bit.
I think it is a bit early. I usually have to wait until the first part of May, at least that is when I begin to plant flowers out.---and this year we are just beginning to recover from the unseasonalbe warm up from a few weeks back--which was followed by an unseasonable cold snap---we had many buds & tiny leaves freeze---which bring on my concern--The hydrangeas were not affected either way luckily, as the warm up had no effect on them.
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
the nikko blue DOES bloom on old wood, so no, don't cut anything back. it can take a couple of years for them to get well-established, so what you're seeing is nothing unusual.
this is the third year that i've had mine and it's the first year that the leftover stalks from last year didn't completely die away. after the first winter, i didn't see any new growth in the spring and thought i'd lost it...it had died back so much...darn thing surprised me tho! so, don't give up hope on yours!
where i put it is kind of more sunny than it really likes. when i realized that, last year, i made a point of making sure it had enough water throughout the season and it really made a difference in it's growth. hydrangea are REALLY thirsty!
within the next few weeks (on the sooner side if zone 6 and the later side if zone 5) you should start seeing some new growth coming up from the bottom and/or the stalks (even if they do look brown and dry). if there is no new growth sprouting from whatever stalks are left from last year you can remove them - gently pull on them to remove them. if they don't pull away easily, just cut them off an inch or so above the soil level. i'd wait a couple of weeks to do anything tho as this cold snap we've just gone through could be holding things back.
it's important to mulch the hydrangea too. the mulch holds the moisture in the soil. and hydrangea are REALLY thirsty, so mulch is an important step. leave a circle of clear area right around the base of the stalks - the mulch should never actually touch the base of the plants - just an inch of space is enough.
in the fall, i put down a thick layer of crushed leaves to protect the roots for the winter.
about my zone---I think it is 6 but as to a or b i am not sure---I live 40 miles NE of Saint Louis in Illinois. How do I find out for sure about the zone? Thanks so much for answering me--I will leave my hydrangea alone for now---and yes we too had a overly warm snap & then a freezing cold snap here---but now things are returning to normal. about mulching--Thru no fault of my own (LOL)---my hydrangea were mulched this winter with leaves--I have just removed those--but can put grass down (and I will leave a space as advised.) again, many thanks
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
i'm 6b and there is some budding on both of my hydrangea, so you should be seeing something soon.
since this winter was barely a real winter, it should be fine. if it turns out it's not, tho, you could check into where the plant was purchased as most places have a one year warranty and will replace it.
I appreciate your trying to help with the map site & all but it only enlarges 1 time---so I am still guessing---but at least I know it is 6a or 6b---The winter here is/was not the problem---it is/was the early warm-up and the week of freezing we had that followed it, that is causing all the problems. About the warrenty, they both were MOM's day gifts & by now are 1 yr old--so no returning---I am hoping that they will in fact come back--but as of today they have not.
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Yep my zone is 6a--thanks so much for your help---Yesterday I noticed that one of my bushs are coming up from the bottom so I have hopes for the other---with what you said I will be sure to leave them be and just take are of them as if they were green & pretty-- again, thanks so much.
Carol
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
besides the slight zone difference, both of mine are in higher sunlight spots than the really should be. so, that answers for why mine sprouted out so much earlier than yours. there really should only be about a 2 week difference as we're basically the same zone...altitude can cause differences too.
k. so i was out there yesterday clearing out the winter mulch and got a chance to really look at both of them.
just to give you an idea of what to expect growthwise (from my experiences): one i puchased 4 years ago and the other i transplanted 2 years from a neighbor (they were moving and said i could have it).
the one i bought, i tried to make the flower color change (the variety is one of those that you can manipulate) and i ended up burning some of the roots a bit and didn't think it would make it through the winter (and it was a bad one that year too). it had died down to nothing over the winter - and no new growth until late in the spring. just a few bits of green came up from the roots. only got about 8 inches tall that year. it DID bloom tho. died down almost completely the next winter - a few shoots did have new growth last year a couple of inches up. it grew a to about a foot or so tall and there were many new shoots that came up. i had a half dozen blooms last year. this year, most of the stalks have new growth on them and there are new shoots started. the stalks from last year have new growth 6 to 8 inches up and at least 2 flower buds on each stalk - most have 2 sets of 2.
the one i transplanted really went into shock and didn't do much the first year (i transplanted it in late september). it grew last year...had gone down to nothing and just had completely new shoots come up last summer. i don't remember if it bloomed last year - i think not. there are a couple of stalks that have new growth (a few inches up) and some new ones coming from the roots. too soon to tell if there will be flower buds.
remember what i said before about my being more diligent with watering them last year? that really made a difference! i'd recommend that you keep them well watered and they should grow really well for you!
water at the 'drip-line' so the roots will spread out to reach the moist soil and you'll have healthier and more well established bushes.
thank you so very much--- Do you recommend any type of fertilizer?? yesterday when I was out buying some spikes the check-out lady thought some fish emulshion she had was mine--I guess I should have taken it, but I was doing good just having the thought process to buy the plants. I have had the flu (or food poisoning) & so I will not be getting out today or tomorrow---but wednesday I plan on getting out---& planting a lot of the garden plants & flowering plants that I have bought--so that will be a very good time to water the Hydrangea with fertilizer if you recommend it.
also do you think perhpas I should be putting some of those styrofoam rose bush protectors on them in the winter??
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
What color do you want your plant to be?Different fertilizer will make hydrangeas change there colors.That why you can buy a nikko blue then plant at home and it will turn pink or purple.
@ jg: i hope you feel better soon!!! and i hope it's just the flu as food poisoning can be even worse than that!!
i use peter's plant food. it's a powdered concentrate that you mix with water - it can be made full strength or less strong. i really only used that the first year tho to help the roots get going. i probably should be doing something more often tho! that peter's stuff is great! i use it on the indoor plants as well as for what's outside.
i also use licorice root mulch. and then, in the fall, i crunch up the leaves from the trees and pack them around all the plants (on top of the mulch). i use those small, cheap, white plastic-coated wire edging things to hold the leaves on the flowerbeds through the winter. i do at least 6 inches worth (lots of trees in the neighborhood and they always seem to congregate by my front steps and on the back porch so i have plenty handy!
@ ll: yes, the nikko blue can be manipulated...that's the one that i purchased. i don't know what the other one is. when i moved it, it had a flower on it...white with a maroonish marking sideways near the tips of the blooms.
the licorice root mulch that i put around it ended up turning the flower from the interesting variegation to solid, and very deep, purple. same with the nikko blue...the mulch turned the blooms light lavendar with a hint of pink still there. i wanted it deeper purple and i added av food...didn't dilute it enough tho and put it too close to the roots and almost lost the bush.
the licorice root (which i always use) hasn't done anything for the flower color any year since, tho. i like the pink flower that the nikko blue has...would really prefer it be purple/blue tho!!
I guess I will wait to see what color the flowers are before I decide what I want them to be--but a blue color appeals to me as I sit here now-- Thanks Joc I think I will begin with the Peters Plant food then --all I have here now is root hormone , bone meal & Miracle grow plant food. & I think that is for only indoor plants.
I would be sad if I had a nice varigated plant & it turned solid on me---I search far & wide in the spring for varigated plants--I really like them--As always thanks so much for your help--and oh--about the being sick--I am almost well--I think by morning I should be good as new!!
LL : which fertilizers make the hydrangea turn to what colors?? (if I made myself clear?)
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
If you want blue use aluminum sulfate,it will make your soil acidic.Alkaline(non-acidic) soil will give you pink.I don't know how to turn them red.If I find out how I'll let you know.A mix of both kinds of soil can turn half of your plant one color and half another so fertilize evenly around the base so you can have an even color.Although a mix does look neat.
I'm loving the wealth of information here on hydrangeas! Got mine 50% off after Mother's Day. They didn't care much for being planted, or looked at! I tried 3 different places to find out who liked where best. One of the plants is in a south east corner just under the drip line of our oak. Lost every leaf, green 'buds' appeared and looked ready to burst for weeks. Then leafed out. Another in a direct north location just beyond the drip line didn't make it. The third, still north but under some protection of the elm. Our sun is so hot, many plants that ordinarily prefer sun, often burn. It is doing the best. I so wish I'd found this site sooner.
I recommend to anyone fortunate enough to have an aquarium enthusiast in the house to make a deal for the old water. My husband keeps several tanks outside and when he changes water, which is once every week or so, he very kindly drains the old water into the garden. A nice recycle effort during our drought months.
I'm interested in the red hydrangea question too. There must be a particular soil/nutrient issue. I know this will sound crazy, but MANY plants I have bought that promised to be red end up pink or lavendar in my garden: hydrangea, rhodo, even astilbe and butterfly bush! Anybody else experience this? I'd love some suggestions. Thx!
"To love what you do and feel it is worthwhile. . . What could be more fun?"
it most probably has to do with the acidity of your soil. lots of plants like acid soil, but that turns some hydrangea's blue and will affect other plants as well.
I'm interested in the red hydrangea question too. There must be a particular soil/nutrient issue. I know this will sound crazy, but MANY plants I have bought that promised to be red end up pink or lavendar in my garden: hydrangea, rhodo, even astilbe and butterfly bush! Anybody else experience this? I'd love some suggestions. Thx!
This is all very interesting---and now that I think of it, back at the "farm", I once transplanted a very pretty red chrysanthemum, from by one of my well tops to the front yard in front of the porch. The next season, when it flowered, it was a very crisp & clear white color------now i understand the "why".
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
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