Have you ever dreamed of planting and caring for your own hydrangeas with their glorious clusters of color and vivacious leave ?
These old - fashioned yet utterly fashionable works are a colorful addition to borders and beds , can be found as a hedge , and are easy to grow in containers as well .
In ourguide to mature hydrangea , we discuss everything you need to recognize about naturalize these beauties in your garden .
H. macrophylla
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But maybe you do n’t have tons of outer space for hydrangea , which have three master growth habits : shrubs that grow between three and nine substructure grandiloquent , tree - like eccentric that grow from eight to 15 feet tall , and lianas ( woody vine ) that can climb up construction and grow up to 100 feet tenacious .
Shrub hydrangeas are the best type to uprise in a container , and we ’ll overlay some of our preferent container - friendly cultivars below .
H. macrophylla
No matter which eccentric you grow , make certain to keep it out of reach of pets and child , as the plant life are toxic to humans and animals alike .
What You’ll Learn
Getting Started
Many cultivar of these long - bloom shrubs produce flowers during the outpouring , summertime , and fall . “ mophead ”
The popular “ bigleaf ” varieties ( Hydrangea macrophylla ) grow large , rounded clustering of pinkish , dreary , royal , and even bright greenish or red flowers , depend on the mixed bag and develop conditions .
In addition , someH. macrophyllavarieties feature tiny lacelike flowers skirt by expectant blossoms – these are commonly known aslacecap hydrangea .
H. macrophyllaflowers on either old or new wood , depending on the cultivar , and are extremely sensitive to the pH of the grunge .
The idealistic pH is between 5.2 and 5.5 , and plants raise in these condition will typically bring about blue flowers . More alkaline dirt , in the range 6.0 to 6.2 will plow the flowers pink or mauve .
Bigleaf case typically thrive inUSDA Hardiness Zones6 to 9 , and sometimes 5 .
Panicle hydrangea ( H. paniculata ) , another popular mintage , are normally white . Their blossom fountainhead are shaped like embonpoint crank - cream conoid , and the blossoms will often wither to a pleasing pink color over meter .
These extra - hardy hydrangeas thrive in zone 3 to 8 and sometimes 9 .
Panicle varieties blossom exclusively on new Ellen Price Wood , and can be cut back in winter . And unlike bigleaf types , they ’re not particular about soil pH and will thrive in a range between 5.0 and 7.0 .
Shade - tolerant smooth hydrangeas ( H. arborescens)are a lot like mopheads in damage of the form and sizing of the bloom head . But the individual flowers are smaller , and they always turn on new Grant Wood .
These marvelous shrub are native to the southeastern United States but they grow well in Zones 3 to 9 . Their ointment - colored efflorescence fade to Green River over time .
Mountain hydrangeas , H. serrata , feature of speech “ lacecap - style ” blooms , with a center of flyspeck blooms .
This species grows best in Zones 6 - 9 .
As withH. macrophylla , a lower pH will turnH. serrataflowers dispirited , and in more alkaline soil , they ’ll be pinkish .
The net species suited to container ontogenesis is theoakleaf hydrangea ( H. quercifolia ) .
As its name suggests , this type has foliation that resemble oak tree leafage and it turn ruddy in the nightfall . The white bloom grow in a cone shape and are less “ full ” than they are in other species . Oakleaf varieties prosper in Zones 5 to 9 .
Why Grow in a Container?
Lack of space is one understanding why you might want to spring up your hydrangea in containers .
I care to commit container of long - bloom flowers on my front porch every summer – it gives me a face lifting to look at them each time I leave and do home .
With their compact top and full , rounded aspect , hydrangeas in gage are idealistic on balcony , patios , or as a focal point in the garden .
Another cistron to weigh is the coldness . If you be in Zone 4 or 5 and wish well to produce classic bigleaf type , keeping them in containers allows you to bring them indoors or move them into a sheltered surface area during the winter , where they wo n’t die from photograph to the low temperature .
you’re able to also more well adjust the pH of the soil in container forH. macrophyllavarietiesthat change colour .
Choosing the Right Container
The most authoritative consideration when you ’re select a container is its size .
The roots require plenty of space in lodge to flourish , so you will want a mint that ’s around two groundwork broad and deep , with drain fix in the bottom .
You also need to take into history the fledged proportion of the miscellanea you choose . ensure the stool is gravid enough so that the shrub does n’t risk becoming top heavy and topple over in the fart .
Sunnydaze Anjelica Polyresin Planter
This 24 - in planter , available as through Amazon , is an excellent pick .
While this pot looks extremely heavy , it ’s made of a double paries of ultraviolet light - resistant polyresin , and it actually weighs just 13.2 pounds .
This makes it sturdy enough to hold up those lush blooms but not so cloggy that it ’ll be impossible to move .
The doubled walled building facilitate protect and insulate sensitive solution during temperature swings .
A large terra cotta container works well , too , although it ’s large to move , so you may wish to gift in a wheeled nucleotide .
you’re able to also use a cultured stone , concrete , or wooden container , so long as it has adequate drain holes in the bottom and a wide-cut base .
Learn more about thedifferent container materials in this guide .
Preparing Your Container
Whichever container you select , if it ’s been used before , ensure to pick and disinfect it thoroughly before planting to avoid the spread of disease .
Fill your prefer pot withhigh - quality potting soil , will two inches of space between the dirt and the top of the container so that when you water , it does n’t overflow .
I use a mixture of regular potting land with Miracle - Gro ’s Nature ’s Care Organic Incredible Expanding Planting Mix , uncommitted from Amazon .
Nature ’s Care Organic Expanding Planting Mix
Or , youcanuse a assortment of topsoil , well - rotted compost or manure , and perlite for drain .
However , it ’s advisable to use a fresh potting mix to preclude introducing any pests or disease from the garden into your container .
If you ’re design to implant any pH - sensitiveH. macrophyllavarieties and want to use garden soil , considerconducting a dirt run first .
If you need to glower the pH of the soil , you may add together some land acidifier according to package instructions .
Espoma Soil Acidifier
I wish this one from Espoma , useable from Home Depot , as it ’s project especially for hydrangea .
How to Grow
Hydrangeas are most commonly sold as young plants in small pots from a glasshouse .
When you bring yours home or receive it in the postal service , fag a hole as deep and wide as the original pot , remove the plant life , and come in it inside .
It should be as deep in the soil of the young container as it was in the old one .
After planting , water the flora good , until it run out out the bottom of the pot .
Place the container in a sheltered field that receives sunrise sun and good afternoon shade for best outcome . If they are in a full Dominicus location , you ’ll need to be extra vigilant about watering .
Thoroughly water the shrub a few times a week , or whenever the top in of soil begin to dry out .
These hungry plant will quickly bug out to sag if they do n’t get enough pee , so gibe them day by day , particularly during hot or dry charm .
you could alsoapply a layer of mulchto assistance water system retention .
feed the plant once in the spring using a balanced 10 - 10 - 10 ( NPK ) fertiliser .
As for pruning , you do n’t need to prune mophead hydrangeas , which flower on honest-to-goodness forest . Pruning can actually cause the plant toproduce fewer bloomsthe survey class .
Justdeadhead old flowersand remove dead or diseased branches when demand . If the bush is catch too large for the container , look at transplant it to a larger one .
hydrangea that blossom on new Grant Wood , such asH. paniculata , can be cut down to one to two feet tall after their leaves shrivel and fail each fall .
In the winter , mulch the container with straw to help the roots remain insulated during the cold calendar month . Or , consider move the corporation into a garage or shed .
Bring it back alfresco when temperature consistently move above 15 to 20 ° F .
Growing Tips
Cultivars to Select
Here are a few of our favorite diverseness of hydrangeas , chosen with an eye for successful container growing :
Cityline Paris
There ’s nothing quite like the survey of the Eiffel Tower at sundown . I ’ve been favorable enough to see this sight doubly , and one 24-hour interval I hope to reelect with my son .
But in the meantime , we ’ll console ourselves with the lovely ‘ Cityline Paris , ’ aH. macrophyllathat blooms fleeceable and blood-red and then maturate into a bright pinkish vividness .
‘ Cityline Paris ’
‘ Cityline Paris ’ produce and distribute just one to three feet , which makes it an first-class choice for container growing .
Even well , this cultivar is insubordinate to mold . Like otherH. macrophyllavarieties , it ’s hardy to zone 5 to 9 .
you could findplants usable at Burpee .
Fire Light
For a long - lasting display of flowers that faithfully exchange color over clip , try ‘ Fire Light . ’ ThisH. paniculatavariety blooms in panicles of frosty white that turn a deep pinkish color over time .
Hardy in Zones 3 to 8 , ‘ Fire Light ’ is an splendid choice for nurseryman in cool emplacement .
‘ Fire Light ’
It grows four to six foot marvellous and encompassing at full due date , but adapts well to container growing and can be pruned lightly to maintain a compact size .
Unlike other hydrangeas , though , ‘ Fire Light ’ make love the sun and needs at least eight hour a day to produce its most radiant flower .
Find quart - sized , three - column inch , or five - in containersavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Tiny Tuff Stuff
With tempting pinkish or blue blossom ( and sometimes both ) , ‘ Tiny Tuff Stuff ’ is a gorgeousH. serratacultivar that raise just two feet tall and full . The perfect size of it for container grow !
‘ Tiny Tuff Stuff ’
This cultivar thrives in Zones 6 to 9 , but it can withstand Zone 5 wintertime with protection .
you could find a quart - sized containeravailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Managing Pests and Disease
As they do with most industrial plant , aphidscan aim your hydrangeas , and they can infest new growth on a plant quite quickly .
If you notice these pestering blackjack - suckers , spray them offwith a hoseand practice insecticidal soap or neem oil to the flora .
A more insidious gadfly is the calamitous vine weevil ( Otiorhynchus sulcatus ) , which can kill a hydrangea if infestation goes undetected . The weevil larva run through the root , causing the plant to turn brown and die .
grownup black vine weevil are half an in long and black with yellowish maculation on their back .
They tip on the edges of the leaf during nighttime .
If you tell apart feeding adults on the container or see the telltale jaw leaves , spray the industrial plant with BotaniGard ES , uncommitted from Arbico Organics , which expend the beneficial fungusBeauveria bassianato control infestations .
BotaniGard ES
Common disease that plague hydrangeas let in anthracnose , powdery mildew , botrytis blight , bacterial leaf spot , and more .
For a full breakdown of how to protect your adorable shrub from these disease , see ourguide to name and treating hydrangea diseases .
Best Uses
Aside from dazzling your chiliad , porch , or balcony with their refined display of color , hydrangeas make ideal cutting flowers .
To serve them last longer , cut a long portion of bloom stem , convey it to a vase occupy with water and yourfavorite bloom food , and cut again at a 45 - grade slant before placing the stem in the vase .
verify the cut is clean , because an bruise stem will heal itself – in other words , it will seal up – which prevents water from arrive at the thirsty leaves and blossoms .
Change the water every few 24-hour interval , using the same method to re - cut the stem . Mist the blossoms with water supply daily to help keep them fresh .
Hydrangea Heaven
Now that you know how to create your own little container garden of dazzling hydrangeas , which cultivar will you imbed first ?
If you add pots of marigold , lilac-colored , and geranium in chromaticity of pinks and purples , you ’ll have a collection of blooms to make even the hardest inwardness soften with delight .
And for more data aboutgrowing hydrangeasin your garden , check out the watch over guides next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Originally published November 28th , 2020 . Last update August 10th , 2023 . production picture via Arbico Organics , Burpee , Dr. Earth , Espoma , Home Depot , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock . With extra writing and redaction by Clare Groom .
About
Laura Ojeda Melchor
