Hydrangea care

Hydrangeas are a whole genus of plants called Hydrangea. They are plants commonly used ornamentally, which have their origin in some areas of Asia and America, although almost all of them come from Japan, Korea or China.

Is about shrubby plants up to 3 meters high, but generally much lower, although there are also some that are small trees or lianas. They are both deciduous and perennial and bloom from spring to fall.

The hydrangea flowers They form large inflorescences of bright and very striking colors, whose tones depend on the pH of the soil they are in, although there are fertilizers rich in certain elements that help achieve the desired color.

To summarize, these are the basic hydrangea care:

• Light: Hydrangeas are not picky about the light they receive.
• Irrigation: they require a soil with a constant level of humidity.
• Climate: they appreciate temperate climates, they do not tolerate frost.
• Soil: it is important that the pH is between 4.5 and 6.5.

As we have already mentioned above, hydrangeas are not demanding when it comes to light and sun. You can have them indoors or in shaded gardens without any problem, and the plants will develop properly as long as they are not in total darkness. In fact, it is preferable to place them in semi-shade areasespecially in climates with a very intense sun, since the direct incidence of this can harm them.

As far as temperature is concerned, they are plants that appreciate temperate climates, above 15 ºC from spring. In winter they do not tolerate frostso if the temperature drops below 0 ºC, you should move them indoors.

This is the most important point of the hydrangea care, or at least one of the two most relevant. Hydrangeas need a soil with a pH between 4.5 and 6.5. A midpoint of around 5.5 will always be the safest bet, but since the color of the flowers depends on the acidity of the soil, many people play with this to achieve the desired bluish or pink tones.

With a pH below 5.5 the flowers will tend to be blue, while above this they will tend to be pink. In addition, you can use fertilizers or specific inputs to help in this process, but be very careful not to make the soil too alkaline, or your hydrangeas could suffer from iron chlorosis. In any case, prepare soils with a good drainageto help you avoid waterlogging problems.

As those with blue tones are one of the most sought after, here is an article about blue Hydrangeas: care and how to grow them.

Along with the pH of the soil, this is the other key point in the care of these plants. Hydrangeas need a large amount of water and humidityrequiring constant watering to keep the soil moist at all times.

However, exceeding this point and flooding the soil will be fatal for our plants, which may not survive. Therefore, it is necessary water them very often and in not too abundant amounts, in order to keep the soil moist but without flooding. Logically, a soil with good drainage will help us a lot in this regard. Also, avoid wetting the aerial part of the plant when watering it, focusing only on the soil.

This other post can be very useful to know when to water the plants.

Pruning hydrangeas is quite important for enhance flowering of the plant in spring. Prune wilting flower clusters as soon as they do to keep the plant vital and active.

In this other gardening guide we explain everything about Pruning hydrangeas: how and when to do it.

Finally, providing your hydrangeas with adequate fertilizer in spring will help them produce their flowers more strongly. Choose natural organic fertilizers, or by specific fertilizers for hydrangeas. In any case, be careful about altering the pH of the soil.

Here you can learn how to make homemade organic fertilizer for plants. In addition, below you will see our video on the care of hydrangeas.

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