Hydrangeas are a plant that puts the gardener in the driver's seat. You get to choose and control the coloring of the flowers. By amending your soil your hydrangea blooms can go from pink to blue and any color in-between.
The pH level of the soil is what determines the coloring for a lot of hydrangeas. Acidic soil turns hydrangeas blue while alkaline soil encourages pink blooms. Young's carries several products that you can use to change your soil pH. Hydrangea Blueing (acidic) and Garden Lime (alkaline) are both great products.
Some varieties of hydrangeas will not change colors. White hydrangeas are always white. Some newer hybrids will only be pink or blue.
With Hydrangea Blueing you should begin using it in early spring and continue application every 4-6 weeks, watering thoroughly into the soil. Keep using it until you get the shade of blue that you're after.
If you're trying to go more pink, use Garden Lime in the Spring and Fall.
Hydrangea Tips:
- Try growing hydrangeas in containers! New compact hydrangeas are great in containers and it's much easier to control the coloring.
- It's a lot easier to change a bloom from pink to blue than it is to go from blue to pink (pink blooms are achieved by taking aluminum away from the hydrangeas).
- Feeding your hydrangeas for a healthier plant can help produce more intensely colored blooms.
- Water your plants consistently, especially during the heat of the summer when they are prone to wilting.
- Nearby concrete will leach lime into the soil. If you plant hydrangeas near a driveway or cement patio it will be very difficult to get blue flowers.
- When you are amending the soil around your hydrangeas, keep in mind the other plants around. Other plants may not be able to take the soil pH changes as well.
