Hydrangea Care Basics for the Beginner
Want to grow hydrangeas in your garden? Learn hydrangea care basics for the beginner with these simple tips.
Hydrangeas are the most asked-about plants in the garden. They grow the prettiest flowers, don’t they?
I’m a huge fan of hydrangeas, I grow several different varieties and have had lots of different experiences with them.
For some years, my hydrangeas struggled to bloom. In other years, they bloomed like crazy.
Sometimes, hydrangeas take a few years after planting to establish before they even start blooming.
If you want to learn how to start growing hydrangeas, I am sharing everything about growing them and enjoying the flowers so you can get the most out of them in your garden.
Learn hydrangea care basics with these simple tips.
(Posts on stacyling.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.)
About Hydrangeas
In general, hydrangeas have a USDA hardiness zone of 4-9 depending on the variety you have.
Hydrangeas are easy-care flowers with a range of colors that include blues, purples, pinks, whites, and chartreuse.
There are lots of different varieties to choose from. Some are bred to rebloom. While others will bloom once and be done until the following season.
It’s helpful to know what varieties you have in your landscape because that will drive how you care for them.
Hydrangea Care Basics for Beginners
There are several factors that go into properly caring for hydrangeas.
Understanding their needs will help you better care for your hydrangea plants and get the most out of their blooms.
Plant Hydrangeas in the Proper Location
In general, hydrangeas prefer shadier spots where they receive morning sun and afternoon shade.
However, there are some varieties that can handle more sunlight. So it’s important to read the plant tag to see what kind of light conditions your hydrangea needs.
When planting hydrangeas, it’s best to do it in early spring or fall. Avoid planting in the hot summer months because they don’t acclimate as well and require a lot more care than you’ll want to do.
To relocate an established hydrangea, move it during spring or fall. And if I’m getting really specific here, I prefer fall when the temperatures cool down or early spring before it leaves out.
Soil Matters
Always test your soil before planting so you know what’s in it and how to improve it. You can buy a test kit like THIS but I advise going through your local cooperative extension.
That said, hydrangeas prefer well-draining and rich soil with lots of organic matter.
Peat moss and bark are better amendments than animal manure, because animal manure is high in nitrogen and can affect flowering. However, manure that is well-aged is OK to use.
It’s important to understand your soil drainage because hydrangeas do not like wet feet. You’ll know it’s getting too much water when the leaves have brown edges or drop.
Alternatively, if hydrangeas receive too little water, they will let you know through droopy leaves that revive shortly after watering.
How to Plant a Hydrangea
- Determine the right planting location by selecting an area with fertile soil and ample room for the shrub to grow. Consider what the overall size will be and understand the light conditions of the spot.
- Dig a hole 2x the size of the root ball.
- Prepare the hole and amend the soil if necessary to improve drainage.
- Remove the plant from the nursery container, loosen the roots, and plant at the same depth as the pot.
- Backfill with garden soil. If the soil needs improvement, backfill with high-quality garden soil and compost.
- Spread organic mulch to help retain moisture and improve the quality of the soil over time.
- It’s also a good idea to add some leaf mold if you have some to help improve the soil quality too.
- Bottom water to thoroughly and keep the plant hydrated but avoid over-saturating the plant so it doesn’t sit in water either.
If you want to make your own compost to use with your hydrangeas, here is a great compost recipe!
Pest and Disease Problems
In general, hydrangeas are pretty easy going, but sometimes they can have issues.
Hydrangeas that are planted in too shady of an area that receives a lot of water or has poor drainage, powdery mildew, and blackspot are common.
If you notice powdery mildew or blackspot, relocate the hydrangea to a sunnier location with better drainage in spring or fall.
In the alternative, when a hydrangea receives too much sun and watering from overhead, you may see signs of rust spots on the foliage.
This can be corrected by watering more at the base in the early morning or late afternoon. Drip irrigation systems are perfect for this when there isn’t much rain.
And if the hydrangea is getting too much sun? Relocate it to a slightly shadier spot in spring or fall.
Pest problems include slugs and snails. If you see holes on the foliage, try using organic slug and snail bait like THIS.
Hydrangeas are also susceptible to deer damage so protect them by using these deer-resistant techniques.
Fertilizing Hydrangeas
In general, hydrangeas do not need to be fertilized. Instead, I recommend amending the soil with good-quality organic matter.
If hydrangeas are planted closely to grass and you fertilize your grass, keep an eye on the blooms.
Because grass fertilizer is high in nitrogen and affects hydrangea blooms if it’s fed too close to plants.
Nitrogen makes plants greener and more lush. So hydrangeas will not flower as much, if at all if, it receives too much nitrogen.
How to Change the Hydrangea Flower Color
Hydrangeas are sensitive to pH in the soil. Testing the soil will tell you the pH of your soil.
But you can also tell from the color of your hydrangea flowers.
With the exception of white flowering varieties, acidic soil conditions cause flowers to be more blue or purple.
A favorite of mine.
When you see blue or purple flowers, soil pH is generally 6 or lower.
If you want to increase the acidity, only try it with well-established plants. And you would do this, by amending the soil with sulfates, like coffee grounds.
Alternatively, more neutral soils generally produce flowers that are pink or red.
In general, when you see pink or red flowers, soil pH is around a 6-7.5 pH.
To increase the alkaline in your soil, add garden lime.
Soil tests will typically provide guidance on ways to improve garden soil. So I always recommend testing it.
As an aside, I don’t play around with the flower color and don’t really recommend doing it. I prefer my plants to do what they want in the environment that they are in.
Because I believe plants do better if we don’t mess with them so much and just leave them be providing the general care they need to thrive.
Pruning Hydrangeas
Pruning hydrangeas is a popular question among my readers.
Knowing when and how to prune it, is really important so your plant flowers.
Therefore, it’s even more important to know what type of hydrangea you have so you know when to prune it.
There are three different pruning categories that depend on whether the plant blooms on old or new wood. They are:
- Hydrangea Macrophylla which blooms on old wood
- Hydrangea Arborescens and Hydrangea Paniculata which blooms on new growth
- Everblooming or Endless Summer Hydrangeas which blooms on both old and new wood
Everblooming and Macrophylla Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood should be pruned when flowers start to fade.
If cut back between fall and early spring, they won’t flower because the buds were trimmed off.
Hydrangeas that bloom on new growth should be cut back in late winter or early spring.
I cut my Hydrangea Paniculata back hard the first seasonable day in early spring and it blooms beautifully every fall.
Thus, timing is critical!
And if you are not sure what variety you have, reach out to your local cooperative extension or master gardener program and ask them to ID the plant for you.
The local cooperative extension and master gardeners are a great resource for home gardeners.
How to Prune a Hydrangea
Now that we understand when to prune a hydrangea, how do we prune it? Find a budding node and cut it on a 45-degree angle about half an inch to 1” above it.
This is where new leaves and blooms will grow.
When you notice completely woody branches on established hydrangeas, cut these branches to the ground to promote new growth at the base.
I typically wait until the whole plant is lush and green before cutting these particular branches back so I know they are really dead.
But in general, aside from my hydrangea paniculatas, I don’t prune my hydrangeas much at all and let them be.
When I cut flowers for arrangements or decor, I make the cuts the way I mentioned above. But in general, I leave them alone unless I need to control the overall size.
Click here for more information about pruning.
Drying Hydrangea Flowers
If you want to dry hydrangea flowers for decor, wait until the blooms have a vintage papery look which is typically 6-8 weeks after it starts flowering before cutting them.
Fresh flowering hydrangeas do not dry well, so wait until they age a bit.
Click here to learn the easiest way to dry a hydrangea the easy way. And click here if you want to make a simple hydrangea wreath drying the flowers right on the wreath form.
Fresh Cut Hydrangea Care
If you want to enjoy fresh-cut hydrangea flowers indoors, wait until the flowers are completely open before cutting them.
Always cut in the mornings and remove all the leaves from the stem to ensure it retains as much moisture as possible.
If you plan to cut your hydrangea flowers for a vase, follow these tips to prevent hydrangeas from wilting.
More About Hydrangea Care Basics
Do you grow hydrangeas? What varieties are you growing? I would love to know more in the comments below.
And don’t miss joining my Gardening DIY and Decorating Community on Facebook for more chatter. And follow along there and on Instagram as well. There are behind-the-scenes daily things that I share on Instagram that don’t make it to the blog. Would love to see you there too!
If you prefer to binge-watch Bricks ’n Blooms on TV, we go more in-depth with tours and posts on my YouTube channel. Would love to hang out with you there!
And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.
Garden Supplies I Use
I’m often asked about the garden supplies and tools that I use most. From pruners to deer repellents, here are some of my favorites in no particular order.
- I like to use a good-quality, potting soil, garden soil, compost, and perlite when planting.
- I have used this deer repellent with great success. But now, I’m all about this deer repellent that is systemic instead of topical. This means the plant takes it in as opposed to it just smelling bad.
- Hands down this is my favorite hand-weeding tool. You can use it to get underneath roots, and loosen soil, and it cuts down on the weeding time because you work much faster.
- But I also love this long, stand-up weeding tool to really get around roses from afar.
- I like to use THIS ORGANIC FERTILIZER for roses because the blooms are more prolific and it’s organic.
- You’ll need a sharp set of pruners when working with plants and flowers. I buy a few so I can stash them around.
- I use these garden snips to deadhead and cut flowers from my gardens.
- Where pest and disease problems are concerned, if I need to, I generally use this insecticidal soap or neem oil to help control infestations depending on the issue. When using, only apply when pollinators are less active.
- This is my favorite set-and-forget slow-release fertilizer for houseplants, annuals, and container gardens.
- Whenever I stake my peonies or other plants, I generally use these grow through garden supports because they work really well and keep the blooms upright.
Want to Learn More About Hydrangeas Care?
- The Complete Guide to Hydrangea Care and Their Flowers
- How to Divide Hydrangeas
- How to Propagate Hydrangeas
- Why Are My Hydrangeas Not Blooming?
- The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Fresh Cut Hydrangeas From Drooping
- How to Dry a Hydrangea the Easy Way
- Are Hydrangeas Deer Resistant?
- How to Make a Hydrangea Wreath for Free
- How to Prune Hydrangeas
Sign Me Up!
Sign up for my free newsletter to get blog posts, seasonal tips, recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox!
Plus, get free VIP access to my Resource Library where you’ll find insider freebies not readily available to the public.
Pin and Save It For Later
Elegant Adult Halloween Party Ideas for a Spooktacular Celebration
Easy Baked Whole Chicken Wings Recipe
Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 150
How to Divide a Hosta Plant Like a Pro
Mouthwatering Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe You Can’t Resist
Fall Decorating with Plants and Thrift Store Finds
Thank you so much for following along.
Enjoy a beautiful day! xo
About Me
Want to learn more about me?
Get the inside scoop about my background, education, and experience, as well as why I started blogging.
Let’s Connect!
If you like this post, please follow me @bricksnblooms on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. Or join my Facebook Group.
