Just clarifying, Cathy. You got zero blooms on the last year. Nothing at all during the whole year?

Hi Luis - yes, that's right - except for two very tiny blossoms that were barely visible in the center of one of the plants, nothing at all. The plant that had the little blossoms was at the south end of the row and got more sun than the others, so I'm thinking either crowding (5 plants in a 20 foot row) or not enough sun. All of the plants were large and lush but no flowers. Cathy

Cathy:
I would guess two things could be your problem. Luis may agree.
1. Too much fertilizing containing too much Nitrogen causing too much growth - not enough flowering. How often did you fertilize? Just because it's organic doesn't mean it is harmless.
2. Too much or too little sun? Hydrangeas do best where they get morning sun and afternoon shade. I'm not an expert, but those are what are often described as the beggest problems with hydrangeas.
MHO - maybe others might have another opinion.
Good Luck!!!!

Thanks jemboysch - I used plant tone in the spring - I'm a pretty neglectful gardener and can't remember but it wouldnt; be like me to over fertilize.

I think you may be right about the lighting - maybe young plants are more vigorous and can withstand a lot of shade - I think these may need more sun - so I am going to transplant either 2 or 3

Any suggestions on how and when to dig them - how far should I stay from the "trunk" of the plant - and do they have a tap root or equivalent - any transplant advice is appreciated.

We just had 6 more inches of snow over night - total 3+ feet this year - an above average year for snow so far.

One more thing - about borers - the second year I planted these I found a borer on one of the plants so I keep a close eye on them - it comes back every year - around June - I notice sawdust and hollow stems on the previous year's growth that I've cut back - have you seen that - and what do you do - I just cut down until I don't see any damage - I usually find the critter - and there is usually only one - it only affects one or two plants - same 2 every time. Does it somehow winter over - I do kill at least one worm every year.

Any thoughts? Thanks - Cathy

I agree with jemboysch, Cathy. Since ES is supposed to rebloom throughout the year, the suggestions of not getting enough sunlight or getting too much fertilizer are worth checking. Unfortunately these are somewhat difficult to test for. I have seen some equipment that can help determine if a plant is getting enough sunlight but it was expensive. However, I do recall seeing some cheap test kits that tested the soil for Nitrogen content (and other things). Now ask me where I saw it.... groan.... it must have been a place like Lowes, Home Depot or a local nursery. Stores may be out of stock now but when Spring starts in your area, that is when these types of kits will easily be found locally (you can also check the Internet).

When trying to see if the location gets little sunlight, remember that these are part shade plants. The definition of part shade suggests that the plants should get no more than around 4 hours of sun or less. Measure from what time to what time does the sun hit the plants directly and see how many hours of sun you get (if any). Also observe if the light is indirect bright light reflecting from elsewhere. As few as 1-2 hours may be enough for many varieties. If you have dense shade, observe if anything else grows there. Nothing growing suggests that you may need to raise the canopy of trees, that the trees produce jugalone (Butternut and Black Walnut Trees, for example) or that the tree roots prevent other plants from getting enough water/nutrients.

I have some hydrangeas, azaleas and camellias that bloom well in front of the house (North side). Most get no direct sun ever but absorb quite a bit of reflected light from a cemented driveway and stuff like that.

Regarding borers, I have not had much personal experience. I had a tree affected by borers and know they like rhododendrons too but hardly hear about borer problems in the Hydrangea Forum so *knock *knock on wood.

It is strange that they would return to the same plants again although some pine sawflies will overwinter in the same place. If you prune hydrangeas, try adding some Elmer Glue on the stems that you prune to t-r-y and break the cycle or the attraction. Of course, that leaves one wondering where will they go next....

They drill holes that cause sap to fall or ooze down stems. So keep an eye during the Fall (when they deposit eggs) and Spring (when the larvae begins to feed off the sap) for symptoms of a borer attack.

Effective chemical control is usually difficult so most recommendations are to cut the stem when the problem is detected. When shrubs have been reinfested year after year, it may be helpful to protect the plant with a pyrethroid insecticide such as permethrin or cyfluthrin. This is claimed to give adequate control if applied in spring after the new growth has emerged and hardened off somewhat in mid-May and again in early June. But I have not heard from anyone who has used this insecticide so, take it with a grain of salt.

Luis

1/2 day shade should provide more than adequate light conditions. As Luis noted, these are woodland understory shrubs by habitat. The preferred situation would be filtered sun (through a deciduous tree canopy) all day but direct morning sun/afternoon shade is equally effective. The reverse (morning shade/afternoon sun, as what is usually found on the west side of a structure) can often be a bit harsh, requiring frequent watering to prevent the plants from wilting in the hottest part of the day. However, often hydrangeas will become acclimated to this and even full sun positions over time, provided soil moisture is adequate.

I'd pose another thought. If you review the archives or past posts on this forum, you'll turn up more than a few that complain about the poor performance of Endless Summer, particularly as it relates to flowering. Based on my experience and what others have posted, I just don't think this plant lives up to its hype. Perhaps some of the other, newer introductions that also flower on new wood/of increased hardiness will produce better flowering results, but I've not tested any personally.

Thanks Luis and Gardengal48

I'll try to relocate a couple to a more sunny spot. These are along my porch on the west side of the house and a little further west are a couple of large maples that provide shade. The bushes do get enough afternoon sun that on very hot days they sometimes wilt - maybe not the ideal location - so I'll move a couple and experiment with different locations and fertilizers.

I saw that there are new varieties of hydrangeas that bloom on new growth - I may try one of those also.

As for the borer - I'm calling it a borer because it's inside the stem but I don't really know what it is. I'll try to do more research on the pine sawfly. Also, I didn't know they deposited eggs in the fall - I thought the cycle started in the spring - interesting.

Thanks very much again for your advice and the ideas. If I am successful at getting these to bloom again, (and can figure out what I did right!) I will let you know.

Cathy