Learn How to Grow Stunning Hydrangeas – Tips & How-Tos

Hydrangeas are an old fashioned blooming shrub perfect for adding color and charm to any landscape. Learn how to grow hydrangeas as well as propagate, change the color of, and care for these gorgeous blooming bushes. When properly cared for, hydrangeas are an easy way to add color, attract butterflies and hummingbird, and add great uniqueness to curb appeal.

One of the many things that make hydrangeas unique are their globe-like flowers, which are a cluster of several tiny blooms. These beautiful plants are commonly grown in warm, southern states and are preferred for their hardiness, bushiness, and brilliant flower heads. They are easy to grow and make great plants for both beginners and expert gardeners. Below you will find everything you need to know on how to grow hydrangeas including light, water, fertilization, and other requirements for a beautiful, healthy plant that will reward you year after year.

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Hydrangeas are a shrub-like plant with large flower heads that contain many small blooms. The small blooms grow in a large, round shape like a snowball. The hydrangea colors can range in pale shades of white, blue, light green, pinks, dark pinks, lavender and reds. The foliage is a light, dull green that becomes full and lush making the perfect backdrop for it’s beautiful blooms. You can find several varieties showcasing different colors, sizes, and bloom types here at: hydrangeas on Amazon. (Affiliate link.)

Hydrangea foliage is a light, dull green leaf on long stems that become full and lush making the perfect backdrop for it’s beautiful blooms.

Hydrangeas Do Best in Moist Soil

One of the most importing thing to know about how to grow hydrangeas is their moisture content. Hydrangeas require moist soil during the growing season to produce an abundance of beautiful blooms. Keep the soil moist {but not soggy} during the flowering season, watering daily during hot weather. During non-blooming seasons, allow the soil to become partially dry to moist. Do not allow it to dry out completely or you may have problems with bud and leaf drop, and scorching of the roots.

Light Requirements for Hydrangeas

Do Not Put Hydrangeas in Full Sun!
Hydrangeas do well in full or part shade. Never plant hydrangeas in full sun as they will scorch and dry out quickly. A few hours of indirect sun is acceptable as long as the soil is moist.

How to Fertilize Hydrangeas      

It should be noted that hydrangeas like an acidic soil. The exact pH level should be decided using the desired color listed above. After flowering season, add sulfate to lower the pH or lime to raise the pH level to suit your needs.

Withholding fertilizer during the growing season will promote a healthier, longer lasting blooms for a spectacular display. Fertilizing during the blooming season can cause your hydrangeas to drop flowers, prevent blooming and change colors, which will defeat the purpose of growing these beautiful bushes.

Never fertilize hydrangeas while they are blooming or they may drop their flowers.

In general, you can use an all-purpose fertilizer, but they will perform best with an acidic fertilizer created just for plants {such as hydrangeas} that require a high acidic level. One that I would recommend is the Miracle-Gro Miracid fertilizer. It will add all the nutrients your hydrangeas need to produce graciously, including the Miracid to insure the correct pH level.

How to Prune Hydrangeas

Another important part of growing hydrangeas is proper pruning. Hydrangeas need to be pruned to encourage new growth and establish a nice shape. Only prune during dormant months to achieve a desires shape or size.

At the beginning of spring as Hydrangeas can be cut back a few inches above the soil to establish a thick, compact bush. If you want a large, lush Hydrangea then you should only prune when needed to maintain a specific shape or size, or to remove old growth.

Changing the Color of Hydrangeas

Growing up, we all remember the hydrangeas our grandmothers had and they ranged in various shades of pink, blue, purple, and white. Now, there are several gorgeous varieties that include dark pink, red, purple, green, and even some multi-color patterns. The color of old fashion hydrangeas blooms depend on several factors. The exact color of the bloom will depend on the soil conditions and the variety you are growing. New varieties are less likely to change colors although, the shades may change slightly. Newer varieties are easy to spot as they usually have rich colors in deep pinks and purples or have several colors on a single bloom such as pink, orange and green.

How to Change the Color of a Hydrangea  

To change the color of hydrangeas you will need to alter the soil pH. It’s quite simple and just requires the addition of a fertilizer geared for pH alternations.

• Pink Hydrangeas
  For pink Hydrangea blossoms maintain a soil pH at or near 6.5
• Blue Hydrangeas
  For blue or purplish colored blossom, maintain a pH at or near 5.0.

How to Change the pH of Your Soil 

Add sulfate to lower pH.

Add lime to raise pH.

How to Grow Hydrangeas by Propagation

After learning how to grow hydrangeas and you’ll likely want to expand your hydrangea collection or share them with friends and family. One of the easiest, and most cost-effective ways to do so is to propagate them yourself. Hydrangeas are best propagated by cuttings. Seeds are an option, but there is a lot to it, and the germination rate isn’t very high. In addition, due to hybridizing, there is no way to determine what your new hydrangea would turn out to be, if anything. To insure you get the color and variety you want, it’s best to propagate hydrangeas by cuttings. Plus- it’s so much easier and quicker this way.

What Are Your Thoughts & Tips on How to Grow Hydrangeas?

Are you a fan of growing hydrangeas or are you still trying to learn how to grow hydrangeas? Maybe have a fond memory of your grandmother’s? If so, I would love to hear about it. Please share your thoughts, tips, questions, or suggestions related to growing hydrangeas in the comment section below.

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How to Grow Hydrangeas was shared on Farm House Fridays!