Hydrangeas: what should I do about these?

6 years ago

I live in NJ. Unfortunately these are always in full day sun (front of house faces east). They’ve been in the same spot for about 10years and most years just look terrible. I have the blackest thumb in town and I also have a lousy landscaper (he just mows and goes). What Can I do with these? This year I think I got 6 flowers off of them and I was glad to get that. I have a sprinkler system. Thank you.

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Comments (5)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
That looks like a whole lot more than 6 flowers! an old photo?

Big leafed hydrangeas like morning sun and afternoon shade, so I would look around for an area that has afternoon shade that you can move it to. Make sure it gets adequate water if the weather is dry and the leaves look droopy, and put a good layer of mulch under the shrub out to the drip line, though not against the stems. If you have a period of warm weather followed by predicted cold in spring, I would cover the shrub with sheets or a frost blanket since once the buds start expanding the flowers are vulnerable to freeze/frost damage.
magner69 thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
luis_pr
6 years ago
The shrub looks fine,???... except for having old/spent blooms. The blooms are spent and can be deadheaded or kept for winter interest. But I am couting more than 6 blooms though so I am confused...

Here is all you need to know about hydrangeas:

http://hydrangeashydrangeas.com
magner69 thanked luis_pr
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hyed
6 years ago
Hello, what are you telling us ... few blooms but show a picture of 50+ Blooms agree with Babs and Luis, totally confused... Endless Summer? may need Winter protection
magner69 thanked hyed
magner69
Original Author
6 years ago
Obviously you are all very experienced with hydrangeas. I’m a “city girl” and, back in the day, we would see a weed and think it was a plant! That’s how much I know about greenery! By “6 flowers”, I meant 6 actual flowers to make a bouquet for a vase in my home. There are actually 2 bushes here (bad photo, sorry). They’ve looked like this 90 percent of this season (and every year prior except one). Should I just clip the heads off and keep my fingers crossed for next year? When they bloom they’re gorgeous. But like I said, in the past 10years, they’ve probably looked nice for 2 seasons max.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
The flowers on this type of hydrangea each bloom for a few weeks and then they fade. So you have to cut them when they are looking good if you want flowers for a vase. Once they fade as they are now, if you don't like the look, clip them off just below the flower cluster to tidy up the bush. It may only rebloom a bit or some or not at all depending on the variety that you have.

There are very few plants that continue to put out profuse new blooms all season long, mostly annuals. What you have on your shrub shows that you had a lot of blooms this season, but it sounds like you don't like the faded look, so remove them when you find them unattractive. Most gardeners will plant at least one or two other kinds of plants with colorful foliage or flowers nearby so that when one type of plant's blooms fade and are removed, other plants will capture the viewer's interest and the plain green of the nonblooming hydrangea will just be background.
magner69 thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH

Hydrangeas: what should I do about these?

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Hydrangeas: what should I do about these?

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