From mid-summer to early fall, you don't have to look far to find hydrangea bushes growing in flower gardens, around hedges and in front yards. This perennial plant produces large clusters of tiny flowers in a variety of shades of pink, blue, purple, white, or color combinations that last well into fall. Read on to learn how to grow, care for and dry hydrangeas so they can be enjoyed year-round.
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Part 1 of 3: Planting Hydrangeas
Step 1. Choose the type of hydrangea flower
In order to determine which type of hydrangea you are going to plant, you need to find out which type will best suit your growing zone. Start by looking at the plant hardiness zone map to determine your zone number. There are hundreds of types of hydrangeas to choose from. If this is your first time growing this beautiful flowering plant, you can choose a common type that is known to be hardy and produces flowers that last a long time.
- Mophead and lacecap hydrangeas, or "big leaf" hydrangeas do well in zone 8, where the climate is warm. They don't grow well in colder areas unless you provide frost protection. Look for the "Endless Summer" mophead at your local nursery – this is a mophead hydrangea that thrives more than once during the summer. this type of hydrangea produces large balls of pink or blue flowers that darken during the flowering season.
- Hydrangea oakleaf grows well in places with very hot summers that are not too humid. This breed is suitable in zone 4b/5a. This type of hydrangea flowers are white.
- The annabelle hydrangea is more cold tolerant than the mophead or oakleaf hydrangea, it can still grow in zone 3. This type of hydrangea has white flowers that turn light green later in the blooming season.
- Hydrangea peegee can grow more resistant in zones further north than Annabelles – up to zone 3a. This type can also grow in the southern zone. This species has white flowers.
Step 2. Plan to plant in the spring or fall
Planting in milder seasons will give the hydrangea time to acclimate to soil conditions and grow roots before the weather turns more extreme. Look for hydrangea plants in the nursery in early spring or early fall.
Step 3. Find a good planting spot
Hydrangeas are easy to grow in the ground or in large pots. Whichever method you choose, you need a spot that gets full sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon. Large leaf hydrangeas will also grow in moderately shaded areas throughout the day, so choose this type if you have a shady lawn.
Step 4. Enrich the soil with compost
Hydrangeas need rich, well-draining soil that stays moist. If you are working with dry or nutrient deficient soil, prepare the hydrangeas by adding compost. If the soil tends to retain water, you can apply peat to help with drainage.
Step 5. Dig a wide hole in the soil
The hole you dig should be as deep as the root ball on a hydrangea plant, at least twice as wide. Use a shovel to dig a large hole that can accommodate the plant's roots. If you are planting more than one hydrangea, you should space them about 1.5 - 2.1 m from each other, as these plants can grow very large.
Check the instructions for the specific type of hydrangea you choose. Some hydrangeas can be planted closer together, while others need to be planted at least 3 meters apart
Step 6. Plant hydrangeas
It's important to make sure the hydrangea roots are watered when planted, so start by setting up a hydrangea root ball in the hole you dug. Fill the hole with a few centimeters of water and let it drain completely, then fill the hole with soil and water again. Pat the soil around the base of the hydrangea.
Planting hydrangeas too deep can cause roots to fail. If not planted deep enough, your hydrangeas may fall in heavy rain or strong winds
Part 2 of 3: Caring for Hydrangeas
Step 1. Keep the soil moist
Hydrangeas will start to wilt if the soil is too dry, so make sure you water every day or every other day, especially during the hot summer months. Watering hydrangeas near the base of the plant and above the roots is better than spraying water directly on the flowers; this prevents the flowers from getting sunburnt.
Step 2. Trim if needed
New hydrangea plants don't need pruning; if you prune, you may not get any new flowers the following spring. If you have hydrangeas that are older and become large enough to need pruning, make sure you do so at the right time of year for the type of hydrangea you are growing.
- Large leaf hydrangeas should be pruned after the flowers have disappeared in late spring.
- Hydrangea oakleaf and other types that thrive in oak season should be pruned while the plant is still dormant, and in late winter before flowers appear.
Step 3. Protect the hydrangeas during the winter
Cover with leaves, straw, or pine needles to a depth of at least 45 cm. if you have smaller plants, you can cover the entire plant during the winter. Open the lid in early spring, after the last frost.
Step 4. Change the color of the hydrangea
The color of the hydrangea depends on the pH of the soil in which it is planted. If you have pink or blue hydrangeas, you can change their color by changing the pH of the soil. This will take weeks or months, so be patient!
- To turn flowers from pink to blue, lower the pH of the soil by adding sulfur or gambit.
- To change flowers from blue to pink (which is more difficult than turning pink to blue), add limestone to the soil to increase the pH of the soil.
- White hydrangea flowers cannot be changed color.
Part 3 of 3: Cutting and Drying Hydrangeas
Step 1. Harvest the hydrangeas when the flowers are mature
Wait until the color is rich, and the flowers are more paper-like and not runny. This will make the flowers easier to dry. Use scissors or pruning tools to trim the stems.
Step 2. Dry the hydrangeas to preserve them
Hydrangeas will stay beautiful when dried. The color stays bright for a long time, and the shape will also last for years before it wears off. To dry hydrangeas, use one of the following methods:
- Hang flowers upside down. Glue the flower stalks over the door of a dark, dry room. Let it hang to dry completely, then take it down and arrange it in a vase.
- Dry in water. Put the stalks in a vase filled with water a few centimeters high. Let the flowers dry slowly as the water evaporates.
- Use silica gel. Place the flowers in a container and cover them completely with silica gel. After a week or two, the flowers will dry, the color will last perfectly.
Tips
- When moving hydrangeas from one area to another, it is best to wait for the fall when the plant is dormant. Pick up as many of the plant's roots as you can while digging.
- When the flowers begin to fall, prune the plant to encourage new flower growth throughout the season.
- The best time to plant hydrangeas is early summer or fall, and plant them in an area with plenty of sun and shade.
- If you live in the north, plant hydrangeas where they get plenty of sun during the day. This plant can withstand direct sunlight longer when grown in colder climates.
Warning
- Hydrangeas will not survive or bloom if you plant them in a very shady area with little or no sun.
- Do not over-water the hydrangeas. Too much water can cause the flowers to dwindle or cause the roots to rot.
- When planting hydrangeas, wait until the frost has passed, and avoid planting hydrangeas during the hottest days of summer.
- Do not allow the soil around newly planted hydrangeas to dry out. Check plants regularly when the weather is hot and dry, and water as needed.
