Hydrangea Care
Watering
- For the first year or two after planting and during any drought, be sure hydrangeas get plenty of water.
- Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. It’s better to deeply water 3 times a week than sprinkle water in a shallow manner. This encourages root growth.
- Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture.
- Leaves will wilt if the soil is too dry, and flowering will be hampered by a lack of water.
- Use a soaker hose to water deeply and keep moisture off the flowers and leaves.
- It’s best to water in the morning to prepare hydrangeas for the the heat of the day and to avoid disease.
- Add organic mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool, add nutrients over time, and improve soil texture.
Fertilizing
If your soil is rich, you may not need to fertilize hydrangeas. Too much fertilizer encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms. The best way to determine your fertility needs is by using a soil test.
Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. Each variety has different needs and will benefit from different application timing.
- Bigleaf hydrangeas can benefit from several light fertilizer applications in March, May and June.
- Oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas do best with two applications in April and June.
- Smooth hydrangea plants only need fertilization once, in late winter.
Winter protection
- In the fall, cover plants to a depth of at least 18 inches with bark mulch, leaves, pine needles, or straw in the fall. If at all possible, cover the entire plant, tip included, by making cages out of snow fencing or chicken wire, and loosely filling the cages with leaves. (Do not use maple leaves, as they tend to mat when wet and can suffocate the plant.)
How to Change the Color of Hydrangea Flowers
It is possible to change the flowers’ colors, but not instantly. Color correction takes weeks—even months. Wait until the plant is at least 2 years old to give it time to recover from the shock of its original planting. Also note that it’s easier to change blue flowers to pink than pink to blue.
It’s not every hydrangea that changes color. The color of some Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla)—especially Mophead and Lacecap types—and H. serrata cultivars change color based on the soil pH.
Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 produce pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.
See How to Change the Color of Hydrangea Flowers for more information.

How to Prune a Hydrangea
Many of our readers’ questions involve pruning hydrangeas. And no wonder—it’s confusing, and all depends on the variety of hydrangea. Luckily, as long as you know which type you’ve got, it’s easy to figure out what sort of pruning technique to employ.
Learn the essentials below, then read more about how to prune hydrangea varieties here.
Hydrangea Type |
When to Prune |
Where Flowers Appear |
---|
Bigleaf (H. macrophylla) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
Oakleaf (H. quercifolia) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
Panicle (H. paniculata) |
Late winter, before spring growth |
On new growth |
Smooth (H. arborescens) |
Late winter, before spring growth |
On new growth |
Mountain (H. serrata) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
Climbing (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
Pruning Common Hydrangeas
The most common garden hydrangea shrub is the Bigleaf variety, Hydrangea macrophylla. (See more below.)
Bigleaf (H. macrophylla), Oakleaf (H. quercifolia), Mountain (H. serrata), and Climbing hydrangeas (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris) are pruned AFTER the flowers fade in the summer. These varieties bloom on the previous season’s stems (“old wood”).
- Flower buds actually form in the late summer and flower afterwards the following season, so avoid pruning after August 1.
- Only cut away dead wood in the fall or very early spring.
- To prune, cut one or two of the oldest stems down to the base to encourage branching and fullness.
- If the plant is old, neglected, or damaged, prune all the stems down to the base. You’ll lose the flowers for the upcoming season, but also rejuvenate the plant for future years.
- It’s best not to deadhead (remove faded blooms) on the big Mopheads; leave them over the winter and cut them back in early spring (to the first healthy pair of buds). It’s fine to deadhead the Lacecaps; cut down to the second pair of leaves below the flower head.
- When growing H. macrophylla (and H. serrata) varieties in Zones 4 and 5, do not prune unless absolutely necessary, and then do so immediately after blooming. Otherwise, remove only dead stem in the spring.
Other Hydrangeas
Panicle (H. paniculata) and Smooth (H. arborescens) hydrangeas are pruned BEFORE flower buds are formed. These varieties bloom on the current season’s stems (“new wood”).
- Prune in the late winter when the plant is dormant. This means that if the buds are killed during the winter, the plant will produce new buds in the spring which will produce blooms.
- In general, prune only dead branches, and do not prune to “shape” the bush.
Read more about how to prune hydrangea types.
Reader Comments
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drawf Hydrangea
planted dead stick 2 years ago, now have one 10" tall with 4" pink bloom.. we love it, but can't find instructions on how to splice for a new plant.. we would love to have more, but none of the nursery's here carry any that small.. Does anyone know what we have to do to get new plants??? help..
hydrangeas
I've had one for three years and it's only 3 inches tall. HELP.
Stunted Hydrangea
I suspect you have a “gift” hydrangea–one that was purchased in a grocery store (or someplace other than a nursery) and came in a foil-wrapped pot. If so, know that they are greenhouse-grown and fed a diet meant for them to be big and showy for purchase–often to the detriment of the plants’ long-term health. It is rare that they thrive when transplanted into the landscape. Consider replacing it with a nursery-grown hydrangea that is already a few years old.
Florist hydrangea
I have a florist hydrangea that was given to me by a garden center right after Mother's Day about 12 years ago. I planted it and after moving it 3 times,it finally found it's home in a natural area that only gets about 3 hours of morning sun. It has lived in this spot for 9 years now and has lovely blue blooms every year.It's a rather compact bush growing only about 3 to 3 1/2 feet. This is a tough little bush!
Struggling hydrangeas
We bought Endless Summer hydrangeas last year and planted them mid summer. We live in central Indiana. Two are planted on the south side of our house and so they get full sun. The other two are on the west side for the house, so they get full sun but a little less than the others. Only one on the west side of the house is doing ok, meaning it normally looks alright and there are about 3 or 4 blooms produced this year. The other on the west side is tiny, just one little leaf popped up and isn't doing anything. The two on the south side of the house have brown spots, have not bloomed, are really small and struggling. What can I do to improve these plants? I'm planning on adding mulch soon to retain moisture. I have started to water them a few times a week. Any assistance would be greatly accepted and appreciated. Thank you!
Hydrangeas in sun
Hydrangeas much prefer shady conditions. If there is any way you can move them to a darker location come fall, that would likely make a big difference in their overall health and blooming potential.
Hydrangeas
Earlier in thread, you said they like morning sun, partial shade in afternoon. I have that perfect place I want to plant them. Later you said they prefer shade. Well?
how can you change color to
how can you change color to purple
how to change hydrangeas to blue
Acidic soils cause hydrangeas to bloom blue (soil pH below 5.5). You can apply aluminum sulfate or sulfur to lower soil pH (broadcast half a cup of wettable sulfur per 10 square feet and water in). To gradually change flower color from pink to blue, broadcast half a cup of wettable sulfur per 10 square feet and water it in.
It’s even better if you can drench the soil. For example, dissolve one tablespoon of aluminum sulfate in one gallon of water, and then drench the soil around the plant in the spring. (Avoid the leaves, and get at soil level).
Hydrangea Leaves Turning Orange
We put in four very nice dwarf Hydrangea bushes in 2011 and they have done very well until this when three had mostly orange leaves. We've had a normal growing season in western North Carolina and all our other plants have done well. What happen and how do I correct this problem?
Orange Hydrangeas?
We planted four dwarf Hydrangea bushes in 2011 and they have done very well until this year when three of them now have mostly orange leaves. We've a good growing season in western North Carolina and all our other plants are very healthy. What has happed to these plants and what can I do about it.
Hydrangea
I pruned my hydrangeas improperly last year and while the plant thrived and grew, I had no blossoms. This year I allowed the dead wood to remain all winter and in early spring I had new green leaves in the old wood stems. Then, suddenly the new green shoots died and dried up. I pruned the wood back to the base at that time, the plant is now thriving well but I have no blossoms again. I wonder why the new green died so suddenly. Help!
No Blooms
It is hard to say why the new stems died off, perhaps they were bitten by a cold snap while they were still tender. However, it is likely you don’t have blooms because you cut the old wood back to the base–those were the branches that would have produced blooms. You want to keep year-old wood for a few seasons before removing it. The new growth, as it ages, will take its place. That is how you keep hydrangeas blooming–they should always have a mix of older branches and first-year growth.
sick hydrangea
Please could you advise on what might be wrong with two hydrangeas which are currently in a pot (each). They are wilting and the leaves dying. I would be most grateful for any assistance.
Sick Hydrangea
It is hard to say for sure, but you might be over watering (wilting and drooping foliage is often a symptom). Providing good drainage is key to growing hydrangea in pots.
blooms
My hydrangea is new this year. There are buds-blossoms ready to open, but only a few on each head have opened. What do I do?
Closed Hydrangea Buds
Fertilizer might be the ticket. Try getting it on a bi-weekly schedule to see if you can encourage those buds to open.
Advise
How do I prune my shrub of hydrangea // Bottom large leaves now get brown // Shrub grow taller each day // Blooming ended // Please reply //
How to Prune Hydrangeas
Take a look at our advice for pruning hydrangeas. The method for pruning depends on what kind of shrub you have.
Hydrangea
I have 3 hydrangea plants, I thought the first one survived our winter snow. I cut the dead part of it and cut it down and saw the branches were still alive (green). I have not yet seen any new growth or new leaves. This plant was bought last summer.
Early this summer, my new plants (2) apparently dried up (I had done away for several days), so I cut off the dead parts of these plants. Will any of these revive and show some life again? Discouraged.
Pruning Hydrangea
Take a look at our advice for pruning hydrangeas. The method for pruning depends on what kind of shrub you have. It may be that by cutting off year-old wood you have removed the branches that would have bloomed. This is the most common reason a hydrangea fails to flower Water them well and regularly since you say they are dry, but don’t do anymore pruning. Let them grow for the next two seasons to get established.
Hydrangea
I planted my hydrangea and the new growth leaves are turning silver. Someone said if it's hothouse grown it will do that and it dies because it's meant to be inside.
Should I unplant and repot for indoors only?
Hot House Hydrangea
Hydrangeas that were grown in a greenhouse to be sold in grocery stores as gifts have been bred to produce big blooms quickly, functioning as one-time showy ornamentals. They are rarely hardy enough to make it outdoors.
old dried out hydrangeas plants
can I get some of my dried out hydrangeas plants healthy again if I cut them down to the base? or are they a loss cause?
Dried out hydrangea
If you still see green foliage, it is not a lost cause. Prune off stems and foliage that are clearly dead or dying. Set up a hose at the shrub’s drip line and turn it on to a low trickle. Let it run for a few hours so the plant gets a nice deep drink. Move the hose a few times so you are targeting the whole root zone. Be sure, too, your plant isn’t sited in direct sun. Hydrangeas prefer partial shade.
Hydrangea
I have a macrophylla hydrangea it has been in the garden three years now and only bloomed the first year and the flowers were very small the last two years nothing, I gave it bone meal last year as told by the garden centre it would help to bloom this year but to no avail any information would be gratefully received
Many thanks Linda
Hydrangea Blooms
The most common reason people don’t get blooms has to do with improper pruning. There are two types of hydrangeas: those that bloom on new wood and those that bloom on old wood, and knowing what you have dictates how to prune it. Many people inadvertently cut off the branches that would have produced flowers. (Macrophylla hydrangea blooms on old wood.)
Transplanting Hydrangea
1. When is the best time to transplant them?
2. Any special conditioning?
3. Do they produce seeds so they can be reproduce?
Hydrangeas won't bloom!!
Please tell me what I need to do to make my 3 year old plant bloom!
My hydrangeas quit blooming
after a few yrs my plants quit blooming I get maybe one or two blooms each year. very frustrating.
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