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Best time to transplant H. macrophylla

15 years ago

Hello, I'm preparing to transplant H. macrophylla from a pot into the garden. I received this plant as a sympathy gift last April (2008) and it's been in a pot ever since, awaiting cooler weather for transplanting. It lost most of the leaves and now has some nice buds leafing out.

I have a spot ready for it, but it faces northeast and there's still lots of winter left. I read that this plant is hardy down to zone 6 and we are zone 9 (sunset 19), so I know an established plant will be fine in that spot.

I'm wondering how a newly-transplanted plant will do in a north-facing spot with potential for frost any time in Jan or Feb, even March. Should I keep it in the semi-sheltered pot in the patio until it warms up in early spring? I want to take advantage of cooler weather and winter rains and not wait until too close to the hot months of summer.

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Comments (2)

morz8 - Washington Coast
15 years ago
Jenn, do I understand correctly it's been outdoors (so does not need hardening off from being in a completely protected environment) and is doing fine now?

I would think you would be safe in planting it. If I had a containerized hydrangea that had been outdoors and not in the house or in a greenhouse, I would plant it here in my Z8 if only my ground were not too saturated to dig. With all the precipitation we've had, I couldn't possibly take a shovel to my beds right now :)

On the odd chance something very unusual were to show up in your forecast (not likely, but it does happen), you could drop an old sheet, tablecloth over it temporarily but I doubt very much if that kind of insurance would be necessary. Light overnight frost shouldn't give it any pause at all.
jenn
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you, morz. I decided to plant it today. It had been outdoors in a pot in our covered (but open) patio, and that spot is slightly sheltered compared to the spot I put it in. However, I mulched it well and it should be fine. I know the roots are hardy to below what our coldest temps will ever be, so even if we have a frost I doubt it will kill the plant.

We had some rain last month and this spot stays wet in winter, but it was just right for digging -- not too hard or too wet -- so I wanted to plant it while the digging was good.

I'm relieved that it is finally in the ground and anxiously await the first blooms to greet me in spring.
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