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I Need Hydrangea Advice!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Many of you know that we planted hydrangeas last October.  You can read all about it here. This is how they looked then:

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And this is how they look now:

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We used aluminum sulfate according to package instructions.  Are the hydrangeas supposed to look like this?  They are a very pale lavender color with a green tinge.  Is there anything else I should be doing for them?  I am a newbie when it comes to growing hydrangeas, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Linking to Tracie's Cottage Flora Thursday @ Fishtail Cottage, and Tootsie's Fertilizer Friday/Flaunt Your Flowers.

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

20 comments

  1. Sorry hon, I have no idea but I hope you figure it out! Chris

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  2. Dear Ricki Jill,
    The best advice you can get is from your local nursery. Give them a shout and hear what they say, after all they should know best! Good luck.

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  3. I'm not sure Ricki Jill, but they are very pretty!!!

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  4. I need hydrangea advice as well. I love pink hydrangeas and I bought a plant last weekend with one pink bloom. They said it could come back blue next year depending on the soil. I guess I should have asked a few more questions but I'm new to the whole plant business. Yours look beautiful!

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  5. Ok.. I am no super green thumb...but I have about 20 of these.... For starters...they LOVE LOVE LOVE water!!!! So when it starts to get real hot...you'll be watering them everyday... it is the acidity in the soil that will change the color of the plants..also if you plant white next to pink let's say.... eventually, depending on soil.... one or both the plants with change their own color..kinda like mating....
    I use "Blood Meal" on them.. a fertilizer... I use it on a lot of my flowers or plants... be careful on which ones though... but I get huge.. vibrant blooms.. and the end of season.. when you plant is "dried up" outside.. I always trim mine down..the following year they are fuller and get bigger and bigger..
    Hope this helps...
    Smiles~
    Cricket

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  6. Thanks for sharing your post at Fishtail Cottage's garden party...I believe.mine are usually lighter in color when the blooms first open and darken over time! Please let me know what you find out...xoxo tracie

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  7. Hi Ricki, we have got a lot of hydrangeas,we called them hortensia's. Our hydrangeas are all become pink, because we don't put anything in the soil, but i now that rusty nails are helping to get them blue or keep them blue. Thealuminum sulfate you use i know also, but if you want to get them really blue, you must use a little bit more than,on the package. The normal soil, has got not enough chemical thingies to keep them blue. (got this is hard to tell in English),
    You can trim, the flowers after blooming, but we trim it in the spring, because the flowers look really nice in the winter with,snow and ice on it.

    But I like your colour, i never have seen , a lavender colour Hortensia, so.....
    ps a Hortensia is always blooming on old wood, so if you trim it,look out that you will not trim all the old wood, because otherwise you will have the first year(after trimming)not a lot of flowers.

    greetings

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  8. Adoro le ortensie,specialmente quelle azzurre!Buona giornata,Rosetta

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  9. They look gorgeous Ricki. I think they come in all variations of colors..so you just have a lighter one. I am not sure, I am the last person to ask really LOL.

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  10. Ricki, It is all about the acid in the soil. If you are unhappy about the color, you will need to change the ph level in the soil. Check with google for all the in's and out's. I am going to follow Daily's advise regarding trimming old wood and see if I get more blooms next year. Hydrangeas are one of my favorites...have you tried the lacetop hydrangea?

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  11. From what i have seen, they change colors throughout the season. They will probably look like they did last year later in the summer! I love hydrangeas!

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  12. Dear Ricki:
    I found this website regarding:
    "How can I change the color of my hydrangeas" -
    http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html
    I think this will help you,
    Love,
    Lorraine

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  13. Hi. Here's what I do...If I want my hydrangeas to be blue, I add an acid based fertilizer such as Mir-acid. If I want them to bloom pink, I leave my soil un-amended. They will still change colour throughout the season, mine end up a deep shade of burgundy by Autumn. Adding the acid just affects the colour they begin with.

    Hope this helps.

    Blessings,

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  14. I think they tend to be blue/purple and change with time. But of course the acid dictates the color. I really don't know but am very interested what others have to say. Good question. Seems to be a lot of good help.

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  15. I have had no luck with Blue Hydrangeas, I think it has something to do with the acidity in the soil. Google it!!

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  16. Yours look great. Mine look almost exactly like that. Start off white, yes, with a green tint, turning blue as they mature. I have a couple that have more of a purple tint to them, where the soil was trucked in as is obviously not as acidic as my natural soil. They start out white and green tinted, too.

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  17. http://search.southernliving.com/sl-results.html?Ntt=hydrangeas

    Try this link on some advice. They had a great special in an issue. I love hydrangeas, but I'm not much of a gardener. Cheers

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  18. I would try applying ferrous sulfate (sold as copperas) at the beginning of each month for improved blue color... Larry

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  19. Hi Ricki! Have you checked the acidity of the soil. It really doesn't pay to just add things, without first knowing what you're working with. You can get a soil testing kit from most state Cooperative Extension offices. They will submit your soil for a test to see what amendments, if any, are needed. Also, the amount of sunlight they get greatly affects the color and the amount needed is dependent on the variety. Hope this helps. ;)

    By the way, I just joined you as a follower.

    Blessings,
    Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
    http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

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  20. I thin k they look great! The little I know is that acid soil makes them more one color and alkaline makes them more another - depending on what color you want you add one or the other! Good luck! Paula in IDaho

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I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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