Dear Hydrangea Enthusiasts,
Welcome!
Welcome to the April 2008 edition of
Hydrangeas Plus® newsletter. We're getting busy here
at Hydrangeas Plus®. Orders just keep on coming. I'm starting
to run out of varieties so order, order and order again.
Our second annual on-site retail sale was great. The weather was
gorgeous on Saturday. Let's not talk about Sunday - guess what, it
rained! And rained. I'll have to do a little better planning
next year. Not only was Sunday Easter but the start of spring break
here in Oregon.
Weather here has been cold, cold, cold. We've had several frosts
this week in the Willamette Valley. This week, we've seen sun, thunder
clouds, snow, hail and rain. A weather alert came last week talking
about a hard frost this weekend but I think we're safe. They revised
the forecast to 31 degrees. I thought it was supposed to be spring.
At least we get a little sunshine mixed with the rain. We've
seen some beautiful rainbows this year.
The one-year plants are weeks away from being ready. These are our
one year size growing in a 3.5" plastic pot. I will have most varieties
available but there were a few I didn't quite get ready in time. I
will make these available as soon as they are ready to ship. I suspect
it will be April 16th for some and April 30th for the others. We just
need some warmer temperatures to get those roots growing.
A winter tip – Pruning
If you forgot to prune your hydrangeas last fall, don't worry, you
can still prune them in the spring. Unlike many of your other flowering
bushes (roses & buddleia), hydrangeas should not be harshly pruned
in the spring. Most mophead and lacecap hydrangea varieties bloom
on old wood and if you cut too much, you won't get any blooms. Once
your plant starts to leaf out, you can see the leaf nodes beginning to form.
Count back from the end of the plant such that you have at least three
fat and healthy leaf nodes forming. Prune right above the third one.
That is, after the pruning, you'll have three of the fattest leaf nodes
remaining. Be sure that you leave nice plump buds. Wait until
leaves are starting to show before you prune your macrophyllas so you don't
prune too much.
When in doubt, just cut off the dried bloom heads from last year.
The new leaves will grow around these old heads even if you don't
cut them. But, each cut you do will give you two branches and two
future blooms.
The Paniculata and Arborescens varieties bloom on new wood so you
may cut them for size every year, spring or fall, what ever is most convenient
for you. Cut these for size. These varieties will put on
one foot to three feet of growth in one year depending on the amount
of sun.
A spring tip – Fertilizing
It's almost time to start fertilizing those hydrangeas. My
rule of thumb is when the leaves start showing through the leaf nodes,
it's time for an application of time release fertilizer.
What do your hydrangeas need in terms of fertilizing? The
three essential components of fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium, the N-P-K numbers on any fertilizer. Nitrogen is for
healthy green growth by helping the plant to grow chlorophyll. Fertilizers
high in nitrogen like 25-10-10, is great for greening up your lawn.
Phosphorus helps a plant grow good roots and stems in the early growth
season then in flower production. A mix like 10-30-10 is great for
flowers on your annuals and perennials. The Potassium (K) helps your
plants generate and process nutrients. Other important elements
in fertilizers are calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and
sulfur. Organic fertilizers are usually very low in these trace elements.
Hydrangeas like a balanced fertilizer. We prefer the granular
time released kind that delivers nutrients to the plant over a 3 or 4 month
period. Water will break down the outside coating of the fertilizer
slowly and nutrients won't dwindle out in the active spring growth
season. Be sure that the soil is slightly moist when applying the
granulated variety and keep the fertilizer off the foliage to prevent burn.
For blue hydrangeas, a low phosphorus element (the ‘P’) is important
as too much will limit the plant's ability to absorb aluminum. The
amounts of sulfur (lowers pH) and calcium (raises pH) are important to
keep the blue color. A good soil test from you local garden center
can tell you what elements are missing from your soil.
Did you know that Hydrangeas Plus®) has it's own fertilizer for hydrangeas?
Just $5.50 for a two pound bag. Good for other shrubs too.
Happenings around Oregon
We are gearing up for Gardenpalooza at Fir Point Farms in Aurora, Oregon.
This is the 6th Annual Gardenpalooza scheduled for Saturday, April
5th from 8am to 4pm. Come visit us at Fir Point on Arndt Road.
I'll pick some special varieties just for the occasion. There
will be 40 vendors there selling their plants and other goodies.
http://www.gardenpalooza.com
Annual ‘Overstocks’ spring sale is April 26th-May 10th, 8am
to 5pm everyday here at the nursery. Directions at http://www.hydrangeasplus.com/directions.html
No presales are allowed. I'm not sure what I'll have left over
but I'll have lots of hydrangeas. We also sell lots of other plant
material so come visit and see what cool new shrub you can find.
Special offer until April 30th ONLY
Free Shipping!!! For orders over $200, you will not be charged
for shipping. Sorry, this special only applicable to online orders
and is not applicable with any other offers. Remember, this is only
for until April 30th so get those orders in soon. We're starting to
run out of plants so hurry!! Just type in 'FREE SHIP' in the coupon
code section on the order form once your order for plants exceeds $200.
For those of you in colder zones, please note you can specify a
later ship date and still get this Free Shipping offer. This offer
applies to orders shipped anytime this through June 15th.
If you have trouble with the coupon I will change your order to reflect
the free shipping. This is only available to plants available now. No
pre orders for hydrangeas that aren't ready for shipping this month.
Never to early to start thinking about Mother's Day
How about a special hydrangea for that special Mother in your life. We've
got hydrangeas! And gift certificates. Mother's Day is May 11th
so order by May 5th, Noon, EST to get the hydrangea to that special lady.
Commonly Asked Questions
Q: I need to give my pink hydrangeas some
help in staying pink. I have taken notes from your newsletter and found
my notes that states I need to apply 10/10/10 slow release fertilizer.
It says I need garden lime to keep my hydrangeas pink so I was about to steal
some lime from the supply for the pasture....but, also have a note about
needing super phosphate and that part has me puzzled. Can you shed
any light on this? I really appreciate it.
A: The two methods you mention (lime or superphosphate)
are the two ways I've mentioned in the past to keep pink blooms.
The reason hydrangeas turn blue is the aluminum in the soil will be absorbed
in acidic conditions. The aluminum causes a chemical reaction in the
petal changing it to blue. If you can stop the absorption, you can
get pink blooms.
One, raise the pH of the soil = lime. But, I've had a real tough time
with this method. Our rain and make up of the soil plus the fact that
garden lime doesn't stay for long, add up to lots of work. Luckily
you have a good supply of lime for the pasture. Don't overdo it but
once every three or four weeks, about a 1/4 cup per foot of hydrangea (1
cup if you hydrangea is about 4 feet tall) around the drip line may help.
Again it depends on our rainfall. it will wash away faster if we get
lots of rain. Start as soon as you see leaf buds forming.
Two, stop the absorption of aluminum. This is where the super phosphate
fertilizer comes in. On a fertilizer box, there are three numbers NPK.
It's the 'P' part. If you have bulbs, you probably use super phosphate
when you plant them. Follow the directions for application.
Note on fertilizer, fertilizer is totally different than trying to get pink.
The balanced fertilizer I recommend is just for general care. Fertilize
if you have trouble keeping your leaves green in the summer months.
I rarely fertilize my hydrangeas.
Okay, back on track for pink hydrangeas. The final method I just learned
from another hydrangea grower was to disrupt the root system. This
time of year, take a sharp spade and around the drip line, make a sharp cut
into the ground. It doesn't have to be exact but form a circle with
cuts. This will disrupt the root systems and it will take a year or
two or maybe three for them to absorb the aluminum again. I just tried
this but in theory, it sounds like it works. I've transplanted hydrangeas
before and those that were once blue, stay pink for a few years.
For those of us with acidic soil, I recommend growing hydrangeas in containers
where you can use potting mix without the acidic conditions of our ground.
You'll get pink every time.
Thank you for your question.
Q: I live in Marietta GA and we have had a stage
4 drought for several years. I've lost most of my hydrangeas due to not be
allowed to water. I want to replace them, but because we are still in a drought
I'd like to put them in very large containers I've bought that can go on
my patio. (We are allowed to use our bath water so I can water them this
way). Will Hydrangeas live ok in containers? The containers are about 3'
x 3' with a drain in the bottom.
A: So sorry about your drought and losing your
hydrangeas. I'm afraid you're not alone.
Hydrangeas can grow well in pots! Select the smaller varieties (2 to 3 feet
or 3 to 4 foot varieties). Be sure than the container is very well draining
and you use soil that doesn't compact easily. Good potting mix is usually
the best. In your area, you may need to bring the pots indoors so that the
roots don't freeze in the winter months. The plants will be dormant and won't
need much water.
Your afternoon sun maybe a bit troublesome. The best for containers are the
hydrangeas that grow less than 4'. Here's some of my favorites
2 to 3 feet
Hornli
Pia
Serrata Blue Billow
Serrata Diadem
3 to 4 feet
Serrata Beni Gaku
Blue Danube
Enziandom
Harlequin
Merritt's Supreme
Mont Forte Pearl
Tovelit
Trophy
Miss Belgium
Ami Pasquier
Serrata Blue Deckle
Larger varieties will be okay in containers like you describe for a year
or two, but will outgrow that size.
Q: From last year (2006) I was wondering when the best time
was to take off the winter protection that I have put on my hydrangeas.
I put burlap around them and then put leaves inside the burlap. It's starting
to get warm here (zone 6) but the cold weather isn't gone for good yet,
it's too early. Should I take off the covering and just watch out for frosts
or is it just too early yet?
A: Great question! I haven't answered this one yet
this winter.
Don't let the warm weather fool you but the sooner you can get the wraps
off the plants, the better for the plants. Unwrap one and look at
the stage of leaf. If you can see leaf edges (not just leaf buds)
it's a good time to take off the covering.
If you get severely cold weather (20s), you'll need to wrap and mulch
them up really well again. Definitely watch out for frosty nights (30
to 35 degrees) and cover the plants for the night. The reason it's
so critical is you don't want to lose the blooms due to the hard frost.
You shouldn't lose the plant but blooms will be much more sparse if you
get a hard frost.
I'm referring to the macrophylla type hydrangeas here. Paniculatas,
Serrata, Oakleaf, deciduous climbers should all be still mostly dormant
and these varieties are much more frost damage resistant.
Q: I am interested in the Hydrangea Paniculata Grandiflora
- Tree Form, and have a few questions. 1. What would be the size
of the tree? 2. How old would the tree be? 3. Does it ship in root
form? 4. What would be the shipping cost? 5. If place an
order, how long until it ships?
A: The trees are dormant and about 4 feet tall.
The trees are grafted so the base is about 3 years old, branching system,
2 years old. This is the only product we ship bare root so we must
ship before May 5th, 2008. I may be able to stretch that to the 12th
of May but as soon as the leaves start showing, I can't ship safely and the
tree may not transplant successfully.
Cost is about $20 - $25 but we charge just actual shipping for the trees.
I can ship two for that price. The box is 65 x 9 x 9 and it's the shape
(oversized) that makes it so expensive to ship. I ship UPS or USPS
depending on your order total. If you include plants, I need to use
expedited shipping versus ground.
I ship on Mondays and Tuesdays and cut off for Tuesday shipping is typically
noon EST on Monday. The week of April 7th, the cut off will be Friday,
April 4th at noon.
I hope I answered all your questions. Trees will grow quickly once
out of dormancy. They typically grow at least 2 feet sometimes 3 in
one growing season.
Q: How can I tell what kind of soil that I have the Acidic soil
or the neutral soil /no aluminum?
A: To see if you have acidic soil, get a pH test.
There are kits you can buy or send a soil sample to a lab. Our agriculture
college extension office will do soil tests for $12. It will tell you
not only pH but other components as well. Most soil does have naturally
occurring aluminum but the pH of the soil must be acidic for the plant to
absorb the aluminum and realize the pigment change.
Kits are about $15 here in Oregon and there are several kits available on
the market. Each brand will have several test papers in the kit.
These are not as advanced but it will be close for your purposes. Remember,
below 7.0, hydrangeas will be more blue & purple. Ideal pH for hydrangeas
is about 5.5 to 6.0. Aluminum occurs naturally in most soil. It
doesn't stay around very long in artificial media (potting mix, for instance)
so if you want blue hydrangeas in containers, use the aluminum sulfate in
small doses.
Q: What do I need to make my hydrangeas bloom? I've had them
for three years and they have never bloomed. The foliage is very healthy and
prolific. What's wrong here? (PA)
A:
The reasons why hydrangeas don't bloom are usually (1) too much pruning (2)
improper pruning time (3) weather - too cold or transition to winter/summer
too drastic (4) too much shade (5) too much fertilizer.
The most common reason is too much pruning or pruning too late (prune in
fall or not too much in the spring). From what you mention and where you
live, perhaps it's the late spring frosts, after the plant has leafed out,
that damages the plant's ability to bloom. Over Easter weekend in 2007,
many of the east and southeast states had that awful freeze. There's
not much that can be done for the plants when it gets that cold.
Finally, don't overfeed your hydrangeas. Too much nitrogen in the fertilizer
and you grow great leaf! but fewer blooms. If the plants aren't getting
yellow leaves or general health issues, don't fertilize too much in the spring.
I hope that helps. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
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Hydrangeas Plus®
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