Hydrangeas do well with all-purpose mixes like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. The upside of choosing this type of mix is that you can use it on most plants in your garden without keeping many different types of fertilizer on hand. Another good mix for Hydrangeas is 15-30-15.
Balanced granular fertilizers such as Espoma Rose Tone and Holly Tone are good choices. Jobes Fertilizer Spikes are another good option. Avoid using fast-release fertilizers in liquid form on hydrangeas. These products can stimulate growth in the short term but may not sustain the plant for the long haul.
Hydrangeas should be fertilized twice during the year – once in early spring to promote flowering and once in early fall to finish out the season. Well-performing Hydrangeas only need a low-concentration, balanced fertilizer with equal NPK values, while a 15-30-15 fertilizer higher in phosphorus will improve flowering.
Hydrangea Fertilizer for Proper Hydrangea Care and Feeding
Hydrangea care and feeding is fairly simple once you learn some basic rules. Specially formulated hydrangea fertilizer is available but isn't really necessary. A good all-purpose 12-4-8 or 10-10-10 composition will provide all the fertilizing hydrangeas need.
However, slow-release is certainly not the only way to fertilizer hydrangeas. A less expensive fast release fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 will work just as well if applied twice during the summer.
If you over-fertilize, it can burn the root system of your hydrangea bushes and actually inhibit bloom production. For more tips on fertilizer and how to achieve big, beautiful blooms, please click here. My hydrangeas have brown dry spots on the leaves and brown petals on the bloom.
Avoid feeding hydrangeas after August, especially in regions with cold winters. A slow-release plant food works well. For best results, try Miracle-Gro® Shake 'n Feed® Flowering Trees & Shrubs Plant Food, which feeds for up to 3 months.
15-10-10 Flower Fertilizer
Great for Hybrid Tea, Old Fashion & Landscape Roses. They're like Vitamins for your Landscape!
Our 20-20-20 Garden Fertilizer is a multi-purpose, premium fertilizer that can be used in all stages of plant growth in vegetable or flower gardens. It contains equal amounts of nitrogen (20%), phosphorous (20%) and potassium (20%) to provide a balanced formula for your garden plants.
Recommended for root development of all types of plants. Normally is selected for feeding trees and landscaping plantings. Recommended for root development of all types of plants.
A: Not only do your gardenias and hydrangeas demand acidic soils, they will die if they do not have an acidic soil (pH 5-6 minimum) WHICH ACIDIC FERTILIZER CAN NEVER FULLY FURNISH.
For hydrangeas planted in ground.
For optimal growth, bloom production, and quality, fertilize three times: In early spring when plants are just leafing out. In early May to boost their flower production for summer. In late June/early July to help your plants finish the summer strong.
Keep this in mind as your choosing and caring for your plant. Requirements: in this area hydrangeas prefer full morning sun with afternoon dappled shade. They like well-drained, moist soils. Fertilizing: recommended granular, slow-release fertilizer of 10-30-10, in the spring/early summer.
A 20-20-20 fertilizer has twice as much concentration of all three nutrients than 10-10-10. The fertilizer numbers can be used to calculate how much of a fertilizer needs to be applied to equal 1 pound of the nutrient you are trying to add to the soil.
A bottle of 20-0-0 fertilizer contains 20% nitrogen, 0% phosphate, and 0% potash. OUTDOOR USE - Liquid Weed & Feed is designed for use on bentgrass, bermudagrass, Kentucky bluegrass, fescues, perennial ryegrass, St. Augustinegrass lawns, vacant lots, playgrounds, & more. Not intended for indoor use.
Pour 1 quart of the mixture beside each plant, and repeat every 2-3 weeks as plants grow. When using our Hoss Fertilizer Injector, mix 1-2 lbs of 20-20-20 per 1,000 square feet of garden. Apply every 2-3 weeks or as plants appear to need it. 20-20-20 can also be combined with our Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement.
Typically hydrangeas thrive when fed an all-purpose, balanced fertilizer like a 10-10-10 N-P-K or 12-4-8 N-P-K.
Water your hydrangeas in the morning before the heat of the sun is strong enough to quickly evaporate soil moisture. Try to avoid watering at night, which can encourage mold and mildew as the moisture sits through the cool night. Water your hydrangeas through the growing season as well as in late fall.
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.
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.
The water-soluble formulation should be applied every 7 days throughout the growing season for the biggest, brightest blooms and healthiest plants. Get the Miracle-Gro Performance Organics Blooms Plant Nutrition at Amazon, Lowe's, or The Home Depot (2.5 pounds).