Tricks And Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Hydrangeas

An incredibly well-love shrub, Hydrangeas are sought-after plants thanks to their beautiful display of blooms. Growing in round, ball-shaped, formations in stunning colours. From pinks to blues, Hydrangeas make for a stunning addition to a British garden, but they do require extra care and attention to ensure their healthy growth.

In this blog we provide some of our expert tricks and tips for growing Hydrangeas but also how to get the most out of these shrubs throughout the year.

General care of Hydrangeas

If you are already fortunate enough to have Hydrangea plants in your garden, these tips are just some general care tips to ensure they continue to thrive well-after being planted and their first flowering season. 

• Hydrangeas should be well-watered, but especially during hot spells. They do best in moist soil and are susceptible to wilting if temperatures get too hot. Watering them frequently and keeping their soil moist is incredibly important. 

• The colour of your Hydrangeas flowers can be changed from pink to blue by simply feeding them with different types of fertiliser. Plus, watering them with rainwater can keep their flowers blue!

• Pruning for most varieties of Hydrangeas should be carried out during the spring season. Either in early spring or mid-spring.

• If you struggle to keep your soil moist, we recommend using organic solutions such as rotted manure or compost, before planting your new Hydrangeas.

Planting Hydrangeas in your garden

There are two seasons in the year when planting Hydrangeas is recommended – spring and autumn. During both these periods the soil is at its best quality for planting Hydrangeas, with a good level of moisture but limited risk of extreme weather exposure. And while it is possible to plant Hydrangeas in the summertime, it should be done with caution and extra attention should be given to the moisture of the soil at the time of planting. In their first season, extra care should be taken to ensure that the Hydrangea plants are we–watered. We suggest watering them at least once a week.

It’s important to remember that there is not a one size fits all approach to gardening, so it is incredibly important to pay close attention to the variety of Hydrangea you are interested in and also the type of soil in your area.

Pruning Hydrangeas

When it comes to pruning Hydrangeas, healthy growth should be encouraged by cutting back growth from the previous year. This is usually best done in early or mid spring. However, different types of Hydrangeas, such as climbing Hydrangeas, will ideally be pruned after their flowering season, which typically falls around late summer/early autumn.

Tricks for pruning your Hydrangeas: 

1. Always use sharp pruners or loppers to make clean cuts that heal quickly.
2. Cut just above a healthy bud pointing in the direction you want new growth to go. 
3. For deadheading, simply remove the spent flower head by cutting back the stem to a pair of healthy buds below the bloom.

If your hydrangea is overgrown, with Bigleaf Hydrangeas, you can spread out rejuvenating pruning over a few years to avoid sacrificing blooms. With Smooth Hydrangeas & Panicled Hydrangeas, a more drastic prune in early spring is tolerated.

Buying Hydrangeas to plant

At One Click Plants we offer a wide variety of Hydrangeas to purchase directly from our Lancashire nursery online for direct delivery to your address. Our excellent offering of Hydrangeas includes a great variety, from Hydrangea Macrophylla, and Hydrangea Arborescens, to Dwarf Hydrangea and Climbing Hydrangea, as well as other popular choices. For any concerns or questions regarding the specific type of Hydrangea you would like to buy or have ordered from our online store, simply get in touch with us.