Hydrangea

How to grow hydrangeas in a garden

1. Choose a spot in the garden that attracts morning sun with well drained soil. Enrich the soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. If the soil is clay based, add gypsum and fork in well.
2. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.
3. Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. 
4. Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed.  Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes.
5. Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.
6. Feed every week through Spring and Summer with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food.

How to grow hydrangeas in a pot

1. Choose a pot at least 500 mm wide. Position in full sun and fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates Potting Mix with Dynamic Lifter.
2. Remove the shrub from the container, gently tease the roots and cut away any circled or tangled roots.
3. Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Water in well.
4. Mulch around the base with organic mulch like bark chips, sugarcane or pea straw, keeping it away from the trunk.
5. Feed every week through Spring and Summer with Yates Thrive Roses & Flowers Liquid Plant Food.

Growing tips

• Use a good organic mulch at the base of the plant to stop it from drying out.
• Some hydrangeas have the peculiar characteristic of changing their flower colour according to the acidity or alkalinity (pH) of the soil. At home Soil pH tests can be purchased from your local nursery or hardware store.
• Pink flowers are produced in alkaline soils (pH 7 - 8.5). To adjust the soil use Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite to the soil.
• Blue flowers are produced in acidic soils (pH 4.5 - 5.5). To adjust the soil use Yates Hydrangea Blueing Liquid Aluminium Sulfate.
• Pale purple like flowers are produced when the soil is slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5.5 - 7). 
• Pruning can occur any time after flowering is over, although some leave it until mid winter. Ensure that you don’t prune any stems of the Hydrangea that have not produced any flower buds as these will provide you with flowers for next season.
• Hardwood tip cuttings taken in winter will propagate easily, allowing you to share favourite plants with friends.
• Avoid planting in areas that attract afternoon sun as it will burn the leaves of the plants.
• Great as a cut flower to use in floral displays indoors or in weddings or events.
• In the heat of summer protect the large leaves with Yates Droughtshield.