A potted hydrangea can be planted in the ground at any time of the year. However, spring or fall are the best times. Wait until the frosts are over in spring, or plant in early fall when the soil will still be warm and before the frosts.
As the weather gets warmer, slowly acclimate your plant to the outdoors. Gradually take the potted plant outdoors and place it in an area of partial sun, watering it regularly. Take it indoors if the nights are cold. Plant it in its permanent place in the garden after adjustment.
*We don't recommend oakleaf hydrangeas because they don't often look their best when grown in a container. They flourish when planted in the ground. But if you enjoy the look, go for it!
The best hydrangea winter protection for potted plants is to bring them inside prior to the first frost. If they are too cumbersome to move, they can remain outside and be protected by covering the entire pot and plant. One method is to use foam insulation to protect your potted plants.
Hydrangeas are hardy, but if left in a pot over winter, it will be much colder than if left in the ground. The roots are much more vulnerable to freeze-thaw cycles if the hydrangea is planted in a pot. Pots can be brought inside during the winter, and then brought back outside in the spring and summer.
Bring potted hydrangeas inside.
Potted hydrangeas overwinter best in a garage or basement where the temperature stays cool but doesn't freeze. The plants will go dormant, but you'll still need to water the pots occasionally, about once a month, to keep the roots moist, until spring.
Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs, sometimes living for up to 50 years if properly cared for. They enjoy morning sun but afternoon shade, and they need frequent watering during the growing season.
Fall is the best season to plant hydrangeas, followed by early spring. The idea is to give the shrub plenty of time to establish a healthy root system before blooming. The best time of day to plant is early morning or late afternoon.
It is always best to plant the potted hydrangea outdoors whenever possible. It should only be planted outdoors in early to mid summer as it needs time to acclimate to outdoor conditions before winter arrives.
If you purchase the annuals small and make your own pots in early Spring, you can save money but you still are left with dead plants at the end of the season. Hydrangea plants are considered a perennial which will grow back year after year if care for properly.
It's a good question, since the potted hydrangeas given as gifts rarely last more than a few weeks. The good news is that they can, as long as you treat them right. Since they can get quite big and produce stunning blossoms all summer long, growing hydrangeas in pots is well worth it.
To loosen the soil, mix dehydrated cow manure, garden compost or peat moss (up to 1/3 concentration) into your pile of topsoil. Make sure the peat moss you get is either baled sphagnum or granular peat.
Most common hydrangeas prefer a partial sun location - ideally receiving sun in the morning hours and shade in the afternoon. The reblooming Endless Summer® Hydrangea series prefers part shade. These include BloomStruck®, Endless Summer®, Blushing Bride®, and Twist-n-Shout®.
You can use multiple stems or use one stem for several cuttings. Cut the stem into 4- to 6-inch lengths with your knife or pruners. Cut each piece right above the node where leaves attach to the stem. These nodes are where new roots will form.
A newly planted bush may bloom the first year if it set flower buds while it was confined to a pot, and then not bloom again for a year or two as it settles into the soil in its new location. Instead it is busy growing new roots and branches, instead of flower buds.
They can be planted at any time of the year. However, to get good results, keep these considerations in mind: Whenever possible, plant in early summer or fall. Don't plant in early spring when frosts are still possible.
Plant compact shrubby hydrangeas (such as 'Little Lime') in containers in April or May. Choose a pot with good drainage holes and fill with a mix of organic multi-purpose peat-free compost and John Innes No. 3 compost. Place the pot in sheltered semi-shade and ensure the compost is kept moist, but never waterlogged.
To rejuvenate the hydrangea, remove up to 1/3 of the older living stems down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. If necessary to control the size of the plant, cut back before late July to allow for buds to develop. Usually the plant will return immediately to its former size.
While hydrangeas can grow successfully in a large container for several years, it's not permanent. If your plant becomes challenging to keep adequately watered, appears stunted, has small leaves, or the flowers are small or diminished, it's time to move on.
Effectively, a hydrangea should be able to sustain a temperature of minus-10 degrees. But in the real world, temperatures as low as 12 degrees — and late fall or early spring freezes — may reduce the flowering capability of this hydrangea.
Hydrangeas don't make great houseplants long-term. But if you live in areas where the winter temperatures go below 5 degrees on a regular basis, you can plant these in pots and over-winter them in a garage or other area where they can be dormant but not go much below 30 degrees.