Endless Summer Hydrangea is very forgiving and will not suffer if left unpruned or pruned at the wrong time. In fact, young, recently planted shrubs are best left alone. Unlike other hydrangeas, your Endless Summer will bloom on both old and new wood (branches that grew last year and new branches from this year).
Endless Summer hydrangea macrophylla require very little pruning day-to-day, so you are able to simply enjoy the beautiful plants. These perennial hydrangeas bloom on growth from the current year as well as previous years, which allows for the re-blooming throughout the summer.
To prepare your container-grown Endless Summer hydrangea for overwintering, stop fertilizing them around the end of July or early August. Don't prune them in the fall. In cold climates, overwinter the container in a sheltered location such as an unheated garage, greenhouse, shed, or basement5.
To stimulate hydrangeas to bloom, it is important to provide the plants with plenty of sunlight and water. Make sure that the soil is well-draining and fertilize regularly in spring and summer.
The Endless Summer series blooms on both new and old wood, making the plants much more versatile in the landscape. However, if the plants are not properly fertilized in the spring, few if any buds will be produced on the current season's growth.
"Bigleaf hydrangeas, such as endless summer, should be deadheaded when the first set of flowers sprout from last year's growth in the spring," says Meyers. This eliminates the faded flowers before the next flush appears.
'Endless Summer' hydrangeas are the first hydrangeas that bloom on new growth with the ability to rebloom all summer long. This unique plant will also require unique care.
Shades range from deep blue to light lavender to soft mauve to vivid pink. The more acid the soil, the bluer, and the more alkaline the soil, the pinker the flowers are. Endless Summer Hydrangeas are compact, growing 3-4 feet tall with a 3-4 foot spread.
There are a few main reasons that you may not see blooms on your hydrangea bushes: sun exposure, over-watering and over-fertilizing. Endless Summer® hydrangeas prefer morning sun and afternoon dappled shade. If they are planted in full sun, it may be too hot and intense for the blooms to produce.
If you don't prune hydrangeas then they can eventually resemble a tangled mass of woody stems, and the flowers will become smaller and less showy.
Endless Summer hydrangeas should be planted in a place that receives morning sun and dappled afternoon shade. "The amount of sun they can tolerate depends on the zone," says Mcenaney.
Wrap with winter protection.
During the winter, make a DIY A-frame wire cage out of burlap and chicken wire to protect your hydrangea plant. This cage will protect it from winter winds, heavy snowfall, and cold temperatures.
The Endless Summer hydrangea thrives in partial shade and needs well-drained soil with consistent moisture. It does need some sunlight for photosynthesis and flowering potential, but overly hot direct sunlight can scorch the leaves.
Hydrangea blossoms are at their best when they are well watered and well fed. Mulch also provides an evaporation barrier. Keeping your soil moist in the heat of the summer, which is also the flowering season for hydrangeas, will help to maintain the healthiest version of your plant.
Provide a layer of organic mulch to help retain moisture, add nutrients to the soil, and protect the plant in the cold winter months. Plant is a full sun to partial shade location, though this plant does best in partial shade. Water frequently, at least once per week. But ensure the soil does not stay wet.
Overwatering is the major cause of plant decline as it literally suffocates and rots the root system. Also, know that macrophylla prefer shade to part shade – early morning sun, dappled afternoon shade. Picking the right location is best. Practice Pruning Patience: Macrophylla are very late to leaf out in the spring.
Most of the varieties in Endless Summer will reach 3-4′ wide at maturity. I would give them at last two feet away from the foundation. Or even a little more if you don't want them touching the house. Summer Crush is the most compact, so you can plant that one a little closer.
They don't grow too slowly or too quickly, and typically reach their mature size in 3 to 5 years. These hydrangeas produce large blooms lasting up to 8 weeks during the summer months. With proper care and maintenance, they will continue to bloom for many years after reaching maturity.
Simply add the Color Me Blue™ soil sulphur pellets to your soil around your plants, and enjoy the blue blooms! For established hydrangeas, apply 6 scoops (1/2 cup) of Color Me Blue™ soil sulphur evenly around the roots of your hydrangeas and water well.
Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) have smaller, ball-shaped blooms that are usually blue or pink but can be white, red, purple, or a mix of colors. Another way to differentiate them is by their woody stem. Endless Summer® Hydrangeas are all bigleaf hydrangeas. Prefer morning sun and afternoon shade.
Hydrangea Endless Summer 'The Original'
But it's the pH of the soil that determines flower color—specifically, whether or not the hydrangeas are taking up aluminum from the soil. If the flowers are pink, the plant is getting aluminum. If they're blue, it isn't. You can control the color by altering the pH.