Hydrangeas are one of the most under-utilized shrubs in gardens across the country. Yet, they require very little care and reward you you with huge colorful blooms that last for weeks on end. You may want to grow this beautiful plant in your garden, but still have some unanswered questions. Learn all about hydrangeas and how you too can grow this wonderful plant in your garden.
What kind of hydrangeas are there?
There are several different hydrangeas that are grown. The two most common are the lacecap and mophead hydrangea.
The mopheads are the most commonly grown of the two. They sport large colorful flower heads that resemble the head of a mop. The blooms are usually quite huge and are available in an assortment of colors; anywhere in the range from white, to pink to dark blue.
The lacecaps have a tiny bunch of small frilly flowers inside an outer ring of larger flowers. There are many different cultivars of the lacecaps with availability in a wide range of color combinations that are collected by lacecap hydrangea aficionados.
How easy are hydrangeas to grow?
Once your hydrangea has been planted and you help it get established they are practically a maintenance free shrub, other than any desirable pruning you may wish to perform to keep your hydrangeas in shape. They do require an area that receives afternoon shade to keep them growing at their very best & prevent them from wilting in the afternoon sun, but otherwise will grow happily on their very own. Fertilizing need only be done on a twice yearly basis.
Where do I plant them?
Hydrangea are best planted in an area of your yard that receives afternoon shade or at least spotted shade to prevent the leaves from wilting. The leaves of most hydrangeas, if planted in a full sun location, will wilt regularly giving the plant a poor appearance. But the leaves will recover later in the evenings. Too much shade will cause them to not perform as desired and overall appearance of blooms and plant most certainly will be affected. Just try to locate them will they will receive full morning sun and shade in the afternoon and they will do fine.
Do they need a lot of water?
Hydrangeas love a cool, moist soil to grow in. Applying a quality mulch will generally keep you from having to water them too much. You should occasionally check the soil at the base of the plant to make sure that the soil is sufficiently moist. Make sure that your mulch is 4-5 inches thick and applied from about 3 inches around the base of the plant out to the drip line of the leaves.
Author Resource:
To learn more about hydrangeas be sure to visit the author's website, where you'll learn the secrets to why hydrangeas won't bloom and even how to propagate hydrangeas from cuttings.
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