Latest news with #Hydrangeamacrophylla
Daily Mirror
04-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Hydrangeas will 'grow like crazy' and be 'gorgeously blue' with 1 kitchen scrap
One woman shared a simple gardening tip that will turn your hydrangeas blue and have them 'growing like crazy' Hydrangeas, with their riot of hues ranging from pure whites, lush greens, deep purples, rosy pinks, and striking blues to variegated wonders, are sure to have a shade that complements your garden's vibe. Blue hydrangeas, in particular, are the pride of many a green thumb, with their vibrant spherical blooms standing out amongst other blue-flowered plants. Garden enthusiasts who covet the unique charm of pink hydrangeas often yearn to transform them into the coveted blue variety. Remarkably, these colour-shifting marvels—especially the Hydrangea macrophylla or "Bigleaf Hydrangea"—depict nature's own alchemy. The Bigleaf variant is known for its spectrum of colours: pink, blue, and even resplendent white blooms that remain steadfastly unaffected by any attempts at colour alteration. However, it's not a paintbrush but the soil's pH level that determines whether you'll get pink or blue flowers from this plant. A big reveal on the Creative Gardening Facebook group showed Janet Scott exalting the astonishing impact coffee grounds had on her hydrangeas, transforming them into a vibrant blue and promoting lush growth, reports the Express. She enthused: "My hydrangeas have turned gorgeously blue and have been growing like crazy since using coffee grounds." Fellow gardening expert Lori Jagon shared: "I do the same at the beginning of spring through till autumn and have beautiful blue blooms." Kat Niman advised: "Coffee will act as a fertiliser and help produce blue blooms due to the acidity. You can go ahead and add it now. "Depending on the bloom colour you'd like, you can adjust the pH by using other additives." So, what's behind this trick? In a nutshell, the more alkaline the soil, the pinker the blooms. At a neutral pH, some varieties will remain pink, while others will start to display hints of blue, along with lovely shades of lavender. For blue hydrangeas to truly thrive, they require acidic soils, typically with a pH of 5.5 or lower. To give it a try, incorporate the coffee grounds into the soil before watering. Be patient, as the colour change will occur gradually - it may take a full year of consistent effort for the soil to reach the desired acidity.
Irish Examiner
21-04-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Garden Q&A: Is it too late to prune my hydrangeas in April?
Question Is it too late to prune my hydrangeas? Answer It's a question I'm often asked at this time of year, and as with many gardening questions, the answer depends on the type of hydrangea you have. If you're growing Hydrangea macrophylla, the big-leaved mophead or lacecap varieties, then tread carefully. These flower on old wood, and they set their flower buds around now during mid-late spring. If you cut back too hard in April, you risk losing this year's flowers. At this stage, it's best to simply remove any dead flower heads and tidy the plant by snipping out damaged or crossing stems. Leave the rest alone and let it bloom. But, if you have Hydrangea paniculata or Hydrangea arborescens varieties such as the well-known Annabelle, you're still just about in time. These varieties flower on new wood, so you can prune them back hard now to encourage strong, upright growth and larger flower heads in summer. Always use clean, sharp secateurs and aim to prune on a dry day. And remember, even if you make a mistake, hydrangeas are forgiving plants. With a bit of time and care, they'll bounce back stronger next season. That's the joy of gardening.
Telegraph
21-03-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Ask the head gardener: How and when should I prune my hydrangeas?
Dear Tom, Is now the right time to prune hydrangeas – and what's the best way to to do it? – Sarah Dear Sarah, Towards the end of March, sap begins to rise, causing dormant buds to burst into leaf in many garden shrubs. This time of year is perfect for pruning hydrangeas, as we can easily see the parts of the plant that are alive and those that have succumbed to the winter chill, often resulting in a brittle shoot with no pliability. Hydrangeas are wonderful shrubs to have in the garden and they flower spectacularly if you give them a little attention in spring. The majority of hydrangea species are deciduous, so they lose their leaves during the winter and foliage starts to emerge again when it warms up. This means they're vulnerable to late frosts if we prune too early, though. The two most popular species in British gardens are Hydrangea macrophylla (mophead hydrangea) and Hydrangea paniculata (panicle hydrangea). When it comes to pruning, go steady: a very heavy hand will discourage flowers and promote lots of leaves instead, especially with the mophead types. As with many popular garden plants, there are good varieties out there that will flower prolifically with strong growth, but there are plenty that won't. If you have an underperforming hydrangea but you're doing all the right things in terms of growing conditions and pruning, you may have a dud and you should consider replacing it (see my suggestions below). With established mophead hydrangeas, wait until the buds have broken, then trim the ends of the stems back to the first or second pair of strong buds from the tip. You want to remove dead flowers and any frosted tips from the stems. Also remove spindly stems and a couple of older stems – you want to achieve an open, goblet-style shape, which will promote fresh growth from the base for future years. With paniculate hydrangeas, pruning is not essential, but a light trim will promote larger flowers and presents you with an opportunity to remove deadwood. Hydrangea paniculata flowers will appear on growth made this spring and throughout summer, so, in early April, prune back to a strong framework, aiming to cut last year's growth back to 5–10cm from its origin. Remove any dead shoots that have no live buds, and any weak, inward-facing stems too. Again, an open shape is the objective here. Young hydrangeas should be pruned minimally for the first few years to create a framework and strong root system. Neglected hydrangeas can be hard-pruned at this time of year to rejuvenate them, but flowering will be slightly compromised for a short time as a result. Climbing hydrangeas, including evergreen types, should be lightly pruned, to maintain a tight framework against the wall or fence that they're growing on, removing any deadwood from winter damage.
