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    Thread: My First Hydrangea... Any tips?

    1. #1
      mark622's Avatar
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      My First Hydrangea... Any tips?

      My big patch of flamingo grass didnt make it through the winter. Needed something to go in its place. Always wanted to try a hydrangea, so while at Lowes today I picked up a reblooming hydrangea from the forever and ever collection called Peace hydrangea. The spot gets mostly sun, probably from 11am to 6-7pm. Anyone have any luck with these types of rebloomers or have any information I should know? Did a bit of my own research so I have some ideas, but info from first hand experience would be nice lol. But man oh man, digging up that clump of dead grass was a chore. 3 years old and about broke a shovel getting that sucker out, hated to lose that thing as last year it was just getting big and nice looking, but came out of the ground as a 60-70 pound clump of half rotten roots, looked like there may had been a touch of life left once dug out, but showed no signs at the surface and it is usually up by early to mid April. Guess on to better things with the hygrangea.

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      Quote Originally Posted by mark622 View Post
      My big patch of flamingo grass didnt make it through the winter. Needed something to go in its place. Always wanted to try a hydrangea, so while at Lowes today I picked up a reblooming hydrangea from the forever and ever collection called Peace hydrangea. The spot gets mostly sun, probably from 11am to 6-7pm. Anyone have any luck with these types of rebloomers or have any information I should know? Did a bit of my own research so I have some ideas, but info from first hand experience would be nice lol. But man oh man, digging up that clump of dead grass was a chore. 3 years old and about broke a shovel getting that sucker out, hated to lose that thing as last year it was just getting big and nice looking, but came out of the ground as a 60-70 pound clump of half rotten roots, looked like there may had been a touch of life left once dug out, but showed no signs at the surface and it is usually up by early to mid April. Guess on to better things with the hygrangea.
      The main thing this first year is to make sure the plant gets plenty of water until it is established. For hydragnea's it will pretty much be this whole summer before its established. They will wilt right away if thirsty but its better to not let them get to that point because it stresses them out. When windy warm and just plain hot days are in the forecast, make sure it is prepped for it with a good long drink. The other thing is to not over fertilize it. If you do that you will get all leaves and no blooms. Give it a dose of BALANCED fertilizer now, an 8-8-8 or a 10-10-10 is good. Then leave it alone. I was admiring another hydragnea in the Forever and Ever Line today. It is called Pistachio and is this cool red and green flower. I just need to find a spot for it...

      Stacy

    3. #3
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      I watered heavily yesterday after planting and watered heavily today as a few leaves were wilting, but I guess that is to be expected, even my butterfly bushes take a month or so to get established and not need to be watered everyday. When I planted it I gave it some 10-10-10 fertilizer. So glad I haven't messed anything up yet lol.

      I've looked up the Forever and Ever collection online and it seems like there are lots of good things said about them.

      Forever and Ever Hydrangea Collection

      I agree the Pistachio looks really nice, I also think the peppermint looks nice as well.

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      We live in a similar zone. For me hydragneas are great plants after the first year because you can basically just ignore them. The first summer though they are always needy for me with their water needs. You were smart buying and planting now while we are still getting regular rainfall, before the heat comes! That will help a lot.


      Stacy

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      Well after getting the one, I surprisingly ended up with another. My wife who couldn't tell you the difference between a hydrangea and a maple tree came home with a blue endless summer (the original) hydrangea. She had no idea what it was, and had no idea it was a hydrangea like the one I just bought days ago. She was just being nice, saw a 'pretty flower' she liked, and bought it for me on a whim. This one seems to be a bit more heat and sun tolerant. Planted it last night, and today the bush was in full sun and the temp got up to 88, this new endless summer hydrangea didn't even blink, not a single wilted leaf, while the Forever and Ever Peace one I watered a ton yesterday and today and its ends are always a bit wilty it seems so far in the heat of the day regardless of the water I give it.

    6. #6
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      I have two Endless Summer hydrangeas. I like them very much. Here are some pics of them. My GD has had her pic taken every Spring with the hydrangeas for years. I also have Nikko Blue. It is in the third pic. It is beside the deck.

      I think you will love them!
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      Nancy



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      Quote Originally Posted by gray cat View Post
      I have two Endless Summer hydrangeas. I like them very much. Here are some pics of them. My GD has had her pic taken every Spring with the hydrangeas for years. I also have Nikko Blue. It is in the third pic. It is beside the deck.

      I think you will love them!
      WOW very NICE!! Do you need to add anything to your soil to keep the blooms blue? I'm sure mine will revert back to pink since I am watering them with my water that has a ph of nearly 9!

    8. #8
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      Quote Originally Posted by mark622 View Post
      WOW very NICE!! Do you need to add anything to your soil to keep the blooms blue? I'm sure mine will revert back to pink since I am watering them with my water that has a ph of nearly 9!
      I don't use wood mulch around my Azaleas or Hydrangeas. I use pine straw which adds acid to the soil.

      You can fertilize once a year slow-release fertilizer, or fertilize twice a year with 10-10-10. . Stop fertilizing by August to let your hydrangea get ready to go dormant.

      But what I do is feed them once a month April thru July with Miracle-Gro Azalea/Camellia/Rhododendron Plant Food. This fertilizer is 30-10-10.
      I mix it in a watering can. I use this because I happen to have it on hand for the Azaleas and my Orchids. Works well for mine.

      Also mine get the morning sun. Later in the summer they will wilt down because of the heat in the late afternoon, but bounce back up around early evening.

      Good luck with yours. The first year they will need the most care for watering. Never prune them, except for dead limbs. You may not get blooms the next year.
      Nancy



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      Quote Originally Posted by gray cat View Post
      I don't use wood mulch around my Azaleas or Hydrangeas. I use pine straw which adds acid to the soil.

      You can fertilize once a year slow-release fertilizer, or fertilize twice a year with 10-10-10. . Stop fertilizing by August to let your hydrangea get ready to go dormant.

      But what I do is feed them once a month April thru July with Miracle-Gro Azalea/Camellia/Rhododendron Plant Food. This fertilizer is 30-10-10.
      I mix it in a watering can. I use this because I happen to have it on hand for the Azaleas and my Orchids. Works well for mine.
      Do you water the actual plant itself with this fertilized water, or just the soil around the plant? I have always wondered that.

      Doug - out
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      Snapped a pic of my little hydrangeas.
      Attached Images Attached Images   

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      Quote Originally Posted by trumpetdoug View Post
      Do you water the actual plant itself with this fertilized water, or just the soil around the plant? I have always wondered that.

      Doug - out
      Doug it is fine to spray on the leaves to feed too. If I feed using my Miracle-Gro sprayer, I wet their leaves but mostly spray it under & around the base of the plant. I like to use the watering can and slowly pour about 2 gal. around each plant.
      Nancy



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    12. #12
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      Quote Originally Posted by mark622 View Post
      Snapped a pic of my little hydrangeas.
      They are nice. They will not stay small for long.
      Nancy



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    13. #13
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      I planted an Endless Summer Hydrangea today. I sure hope they get as nice as yours Nancy. How old are those plants? Your GD is beautiful, and the background of the hydrangeas is simply wonderful.


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    14. #14
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      Quote Originally Posted by totallyvictorian View Post
      I planted an Endless Summer Hydrangea today. I sure hope they get as nice as yours Nancy. How old are those plants? Your GD is beautiful, and the background of the hydrangeas is simply wonderful.
      I am thinking 5 years old. I have a thread here somewhere showing my GD every Spring standing in front of them. The pic I posted of her earlier is 2012.
      This one is last Spring.
      Need to get one of her this year too.

      As you can see from the two pics, they are about as tall as they will be. I think about 4 foot tall and 4 to 4 1/2 foot wide.
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      Nancy



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      I fertilize everything every two weeks or so with the 10-10-10 miracle gro sprayer, I'll find the azalea one for the hydrangeas and water those with my 2 gallon can.

      I sure hope mine look that good some day, Nancy those are really wonderful!

    16. #16
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      Oh yeah, another question. Do they really continuously bloom? Or is it a peak kind of thing with sporadic blooms here and there. My butterfly bushes and knockout roses cycle through booming phases, when the blooms slow down I hit everything with a good dose of miracle gro and get another good round of blooms in a week or so, I am guessing they are like that lol.

    17. #17
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      Quote Originally Posted by mark622 View Post
      Oh yeah, another question. Do they really continuously bloom? Or is it a peak kind of thing with sporadic blooms here and there. My butterfly bushes and knockout roses cycle through booming phases, when the blooms slow down I hit everything with a good dose of miracle gro and get another good round of blooms in a week or so, I am guessing they are like that lol.
      That is right. You will get blue blooms all season but never as full as the first bloom of the spring. But the fading blooms look good for quite awhile. They have a purple hint to them.
      Nancy



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      My Endless Summer blooms all summer with no additional watering other than the storms we get a couple of times a week. Bloom is pretty consistently the same for me, never a big flush like Nancy's gorgeous bush, about half as many blooms for me all summer long. I suspect it is because mine is grown in a fair amount of shade under the pear tree.

      I agree the Endless Summer line is easy and pretty darn maintenance free as long as temps stay below 90. They are more tolerant about watering than this Peace Line seems to be. Pistachio is turning out to be somewhat needy in that respect, despite all the rain we have had and that is rather annoying. It had better shape up! Good thing its pretty




      Stacy

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      My fav flower. I have seeds just starting to sprout in my mini green house

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