Hydrangea inconsistencies - Ask Extension
Hello. Background: I planted several hydrangeas two years ago and I don’t know the type. They only bloom on new wood, old stems easily snap away ...
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Hydrangea inconsistencies #876782
Asked July 11, 2024, 8:27 AM EDT
Hello. Background: I planted several hydrangeas two years ago and I don’t know the type. They only bloom on new wood, old stems easily snap away and do not have blooms. They are in full sun until early afternoon when they go to shade. Soil is heavy clay, but I augmented it with Pete moss and manure. One is very healthy but only one bloom, one droops daily but has many blooms and one appears darker green than the others but only has 1 or 2 blooms. See pics. Thanks for any help.
Delaware County Ohio
Expert Response
Thank you for your question about the bloom and health of your hydrangeas. Your hydrangeas look like a Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) cultivar. As such they would bloom on old wood, with some of the newer cultivars blooming on new wood as well. The stems should not snap off after one year's growth, and I suspect that whatever is stressing your plants is causing those branches with this year's buds to break off. Do you think you may have purchased/planted some of the less hardy hydrangeas, which would cause winter die-back and thus the removal of those old stems and also loss of plant vigor?
Make sure that your hydrangeas are getting adequate water, watering well when the soil is dry several inches below the surface.
It sounds like you have amended your clay soil well, as long as the manure was not fresh, but was composted. It is also important for long-term health to plant shrubs at the right level---the top roots should be just below the soil's surface. If they are planted too deeply they will not receive enough oxygen.
Here's a good publication from OSU on hydrangea care and types of hydrangeas:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1263
Good luck with your hydrangeas!
Make sure that your hydrangeas are getting adequate water, watering well when the soil is dry several inches below the surface.
It sounds like you have amended your clay soil well, as long as the manure was not fresh, but was composted. It is also important for long-term health to plant shrubs at the right level---the top roots should be just below the soil's surface. If they are planted too deeply they will not receive enough oxygen.
Here's a good publication from OSU on hydrangea care and types of hydrangeas:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1263
Good luck with your hydrangeas!
Thanks for the response Karen. I water them well, manure was compost and believe I planted at the right height. I’m not sure what you mean by “less hardy”? They were purchased as Proven Winner brands, so I think they’re from a good grower.
One fact I failed to mention is that last year was their first year, I had them in an area that was full sun into late afternoon. We noticed stress with the hot dry summer, so late last summer we moved them to a different bed that provided shade after mid afternoon. They are doing much better this year. I will wait and see what happens next spring as they were never really established last year. If I’m thinking correctly, this may be the entire issue.
Jim
Hello,
Moving them to afternoon shade was a good idea. Sounds like you are on the right track. (Stems should not break off at the base---a sign of some sort of stress.)
Good luck!
Moving them to afternoon shade was a good idea. Sounds like you are on the right track. (Stems should not break off at the base---a sign of some sort of stress.)
Good luck!
