Keep good air space between the plants; don't crowd them together or against other plants. Don't give bigleaf hydrangeas too much love; if they're too comfortable (water, fertilizer, etc.), they may devote all their foliage to leaves instead of blooms.
Leave adequate space between plants to allow airflow for happy plants (and happy gardeners). All of our plant pages have spacing recommendations under the “more information” section in the “how to grow” tab. Incrediball hydrangeas are recommended to be 3-5 feet apart, so you can plant them spaced 3 feet if you wish.
Water regularly, and cover the root zone with an organic mulch to keep the soil moist at all times. Spacing varies with the type grown, but hydrangeas should usually be grown at least 5 feet (1.5m) apart. Hydrangeas often are grown as single specimen plants, or several may be used to structure woodland landscapes.
Removing spent flowers will ensure your hydrangeas produce healthier, more bountiful blooms later on.
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.
You should deadhead throughout the blooming season to keep your hydrangeas looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place.
Hydrangea Care Tips
Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. Deeply water 3 times a week to encourage root growth. Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture.
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.
Deep weekly watering is usually enough (if you don't get enough rain). Although you may need to water more often in hot, dry weather. Water hydrangeas deeply and regularly in the first growing season to encourage an extensive root system.
Arranging Tips
Cut the stems so the blooms are just above the rim. For a more complex arrangement, use an opaque container and the grid method with chicken wire or tape on the opening. Bold blooms such as roses, peonies, and dahlias pair great with hydrangeas.
Planting too close
The size of these shrubs will not be the size that the hydrangea will grow to. Hydrangeas can grow anywhere from two to six feet tall, and much taller if you are growing a climbing hydrangea. It might be difficult, but you will need to resist the urge to plant your hydrangeas too close together.
When planting hydrangeas, dig a hole that is twice as wide as the width of the container the hydrangea came in. Place the plant in the hole so that the root ball is at the same depth as it was in the original pot, then fill in the hole with the 50-50 soil mixture described above. Water well after planting.
Space hydrangeas anywhere from 3 to 10 feet apart, depending on the type. Always space plants based on their expected size at maturity! Gently remove the hydrangea from its container and inspect the root ball, snipping off any dead or rotting parts and teasing free the roots if the plant is especially root bound.
Hostas are a great companion for hydrangeas because they thrive in the same soil conditions and share the same pest problems. They also have similar light requirements.
Hydrangeas bloom seasonally and typically start to bud around mid-summer or late summer. However, a newly planted hydrangea may take 2-3 years to bloom.
Most common hydrangeas prefer a partial sun location - ideally receiving sun in the morning hours and shade in the afternoon.
Hydrangeas need more water than most garden plants and will begin to wilt quickly without it. To ensure that Hydrangeas thrive, water deeply two to three times a week in the summer. Be sure to water in the morning or evening so that water does not evaporate as quickly as it would during the heat of the day.
East Side. The east side of the house is the best planting location, as it gets the morning and afternoon sun. This is the best side of the house for your hydrangeas, traditionally.
Some gardeners report success in turning their hydrangeas blue by applying coffee grounds to the soil. The coffee grounds make the soil more acidic, allowing the hydrangea to more easily absorb aluminum. In addition, fruit peels, lawn clippings, peat moss and pine needles, are thought to have a similar effect.
If you're growing hydrangeas, use coffee grounds to affect their color. Coffee grounds add extra acidity to the soil around hydrangeas. On a chemical level, this increased acidity makes it easier for the plant to absorb naturally occurring aluminum in the dirt. The effect is pretty blue clusters of flowers.
Though they are fast growing shrubs, it can take 2-4 years for hydrangeas to reach their full size. Some are faster to mature than others. Growing hydrangeas is simple, and they can thrive in just about any climate.