Should you plant in the Fall? It depends what region you live in, what month in fall, and what species you’re planting. If you live in the mid-Atlantic, coastal New England, or Southeastern U.S., fall is an excellent time to set most hardy plants. Most (not all) trees, shrubs, perennials, […]
Archive for the ‘Hydrangeas’ Category
Should You Plant In Fall?
Posted by Hugh on September 30th, 2015
Posted in apple varieties, Azaleas (evergreen), Birch (Betula spp.), Cherry Laurel (Prunus), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Cranesbill (Geranium), Dogwood (Cornus), Fertilizing plants, Hawthorn (Crataegus), Hickory (Carya spp.), Hydrangeas, Ilex (hollies), Landscape ideas, Magnolia grandiflora, Magnolia stellata, Magnolia virginiana, Mahonia, Maples (Acer), Mountain laurel (Kalmia), mulching, mulching trees, Native Plant, Oaks (Quercus spp.), Ornamental cherry (Prunus), Osmanthus 'Goshiki', Perennials, Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra), Purchasing Plants, root injury, Roses, Sage (Salvia), Salvia, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Spring flowering bulbs, Summer flowering, Sweetgum (Liquidambar), Transplant problem, Trees & Shrubs, Tulip tree (Liriodendron), Walnut, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Should You Plant In Fall?Vanilla Strawberry™ Hydrangea
Posted by Hugh on June 18th, 2015
Vanilla Strawberry™ hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is a new peegee hydrangea selection introduced from France and it is really catching on with U.S. gardeners (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). This exceptionally cold hardy hydrangea blooms from late June thru early September. Blooms are enormous and stand upright. Following a heavy summer shower, saturated floral trusses temporarily bow down under their sheer weight, but gradually recover. Flower color […]
Posted in acidic soil, acidify soil, Bee Favorite, Butterflies, Fertilizing plants, Hydrangeas, mulching, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Vanilla Strawberry™ HydrangeaWhy Mophead Hydrangeas Do Not Bloom
Posted by Hugh on March 18th, 2015
The introduction of Endless Summer® hydrangeas in the 1990’s got gardeners excited about growing mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) again. Mophead hydrangeas bloom both on old wood in the spring and again on new wood in mid-summer. Flowers have either a blue/pink color depending on the pH of the soil. Endless Summer hydrangeas bloomed […]
Posted in acidic soil, Failure to Bloom, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, watering hydrangeas, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Why Mophead Hydrangeas Do Not BloomYoYo Winter Temperatures– Expect Flower Losses On BigleafHydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on February 21st, 2015
In the Southeastern U.S. region, wildly fluctuating temperatures this winter will likely destroy or delay spring and summer blooming on bigleaf (mophead) hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) (USDA hardiness zones 6 – 9). Other hydrangea species, such as smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens), panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata), and oakleaf hydrangeas, should not be affected. Bigleaf hydrangeas are […]
Posted in acidic soil, Failure to Bloom, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on YoYo Winter Temperatures– Expect Flower Losses On BigleafHydrangeasRenewal Pruning Is An Easy Technique To Learn
Posted by Hugh on November 16th, 2013
Renewal pruning is the practice of severely cutting back selected shrubs and trees. The task is simple. There are no books to read. Select a day from mid-February to early April (USDA hardiness zones 5-7). Cutback the entire shrub(s), leaving 3-5 inch tall cut stems or stubble. The cut stems will bud out in the […]
Posted in Aggressive grower, Blue mist (Caryopteris), Buddleia (Butterfly bush), Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Disease prone, Honeysuckle (Lonicera), Hydrangeas, Insect (Pest) Problems, Pruning, Rhododendrons, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Renewal Pruning Is An Easy Technique To LearnWhy Some Vines Do Not Bloom
Posted by Hugh on June 1st, 2013
Why doesn’t my wisteria (Wisteria spp.) or climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) vine bloom? There are primarily four (4) reasons why these vines have not flowered. In order of importance they include: 1. The flower buds, which usually formed on the previous summer’s wood, may have been pruned off. Do not prune vine after […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, Climbing hydrangea (H. anomala), Failure to Bloom, Heat Tolerance, Hydrangeas, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Vine, winter injury, Wisteria Comments Off on Why Some Vines Do Not BloomSuccess With Blue/Pink Mophead Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on October 1st, 2012
Mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), the blue/pink flowering species, have been the gardening rage since the early 1990’s. Endless Summer® hydrangea started a wave of new repeat blooming (remontant) cultivars. They bloom on both new season’s as well as old wood from the previous year. These hardier cultivars extended the flowering time by 8 to 10 more weeks and bloomed in cooler climates formerly unable to […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Failure to Bloom, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, watering hydrangeas, watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Success With Blue/Pink Mophead HydrangeasOutdoor Greenery for Interior Winter Decoration
Posted by Hugh on March 5th, 2012
If you are a new property or home owner, perhaps you’re planning some landscaping this year. Likely, you have several objectives in mind. You might include a few evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees which, in later years, can be cut for holiday wreaths, garlands, swags and indoor ornamentation. Here is a short list to […]
Posted in Boxwood (Buxus), Contorted filbert (Corylus), Foster Holly (Ilex), Hydrangeas, Ilex (hollies), Magnolia grandiflora, Pussy willow (Salix), Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Outdoor Greenery for Interior Winter DecorationSummer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf Hydrangeas
Posted by Hugh on June 15th, 2011
Bigleaf or “mophead” hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) tend to get tall and leggy, and outgrow their garden space. Our native oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) are pruned as blooms quality declines. Remove or “deadhead” all withered or faded flowers. Main pruning time for these two species is from mid-June thru mid-August. Mopheads may rebloom if they had […]
Posted in acidic soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Bees and other pollinators, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Garden Maintenance, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, Landscape ideas, mulching, Native Plant, Oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Trees & Shrubs, Uncategorized Comments Off on Summer Pruning of Oakleaf and Bigleaf HydrangeasPrune Some Hydrangeas Now
Posted by Hugh on March 3rd, 2011
PeeGee or panicled hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) and our native Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) are pruned now in late winter thru early spring. Why? – because these hydrangeas bloom on new or current season’s wood. Over the years these two hydrangea species grow to enormous sizes. When they overwhelm their garden space, severely cut them back to within 6 -12 inches from […]
Posted in Flowers, Garden Maintenance, Hydrangea, Hydrangeas, Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs Comments Off on Prune Some Hydrangeas Now
