I'm looking for someone who can tell me how to take care of Hydrangea?

I live in Zone 9. I have most of my hydrangeas under high branching trees, so they get filtered light but not direct sun during the hottest part of the day, since the leaves will burn.


Hydrangeas are interesting in that the pH level of the soil will influence the color of the flowers. If you want them to be blue, use an acid fertilizer and if you prefer pink, a standard formula of fertilizer is fine. (The packages of fertilizer are labelled, or ask someone in your yard and garden store to show you.)


Except for the newer hydrangea Endless Summer, most hydrangeas bloom out of wood that they grew last year, so you won't get repeat blooming. (Endless Summer is different because it will bloom on old and new wood, so it has a longer bloom season.) So after the blooming is over, you can either leave the dried flowers on the plant, or remove just the flower head. Don't cut the plant back any further, or you will cut off next year's flower buds. (You probably won't be able to see where they are yet, but trust me - they're already there!)


Keep the soil moist but not soggy. An inch or 2 of compost or other mulch helps keep the soil cool and conserves the moisture in the soil.


Most hydrangeas are reasonably winter hardy even in climates lots colder than mine. If you have really cold winters, lots of people leave the dead flowers on the bushes, because the cold weather will damage the ends of the branches. That way the damage doesn't effect the new buds that will open up next year.

I'm looking for someone who can tell me how to take care of Hydrangea?
We live in zone 7. My local garden center said they need to be planted on the north side of the house, and watered daily when it's hot, and believe me, it's been hot, 100+ degrees here every day for several weeks now. T he heat really wilts them in the afternnoon so that's why they are on the north side. Also, don't prune them back in the fall. OH, also, the dead flower blooms are pretty spraypainted gold or silver and used in arrangements especially at Christmas time.
Reply:Here in zone 7, mine have done well getting morning sun with rich, ammended soil. This summer has been so hot and dry that I have had to keep them watered, usually every other day, and still they will wilt some.
Reply:There are some useful tips here -


http://www.helpfulgardener.com/hydrangea...


BBC guide


http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/pl...