Small Nikko Blue hydrangea - pot up or plant in the ground?
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
2 years ago
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Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoRelated Discussions
Easter Hydrangea pots to go into ground
Comments (24)My coastal Z8 is cool, often cloudy, and I would not move now unless an emergency. The plant would likely be OK but it would be easier on it if I waited until Fall rains begin. If I could point out something you may want to correct - Your hydrangea would do better without the competition for nutrients and water of grass up to the crown and stems. Also, you run the risk of damaging the plant with weedeater or mower keeping that grass short. It would be happier and healthier planted with nothing growing around it and the root zone (think potential size, not it's small size now) mulched. As the mulch breaks down it will slowly feed the soil, in the meantime it helps to keep roots cool and moist, conserves water....See MoreNikko Blue planting location. Need advice. Thanks.
Comments (2)Hydrangeas are understory trees that prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. If they get too much sun here in the summer months, the leaves in direct contact with the sun get scorched. However, the summer sun here is not as strong as it is in the northern half of the country so my MIL in MASS had a Nikko Blue on the western side of her home with no problems. It is possible that with enough moisture, your shrub can do well either on the original or the alternate locations. Why do you not try the current location and transplant it if it turns out to be too much? Just remember to keep the soil moist, well mulched and to check the leaves several times a week. When I gave one hydrangea too much sun, the leaves in contact with the sun turned all yellow including the leaf veins. I would investigate where people are putting similar hydrangeas to give you an idea. You can also look at city gardens and such. But regardless which location you try, you will not be the only person that has had to transplant a hydrangea because the original location did not work out when hot temps in July-August arrive or because it got too big or something else. Luis...See MoreNikko Blue Hydrangea
Comments (4)Very likely that you will see new blooms in Spring. Hydrangeas begin to develop flower buds in the month of July. To prepare it for winter, maintain 4" of mulch up to the drip line and quit fertilzing by the end of July or earlier. Hydrangeas tolerate neutral soil and some degree of alkalinity. When the alkalinity gets bothersome, you will know... the leaves will turn light green or yellowish, with leaf veins remaining dark green. Your soil pH is neutral at a reading of 7. In the past, NB has reacted to that by displaying light shades of blue. Some people have reported it to look blue-green or more white than blue. Right now, the soil pH that counts is the one in the potting mix because that is where the roots are located. As the roots grow and extend into your soil, they will respond to the soil pH in your garden (7.0). As you see the shades of blue that develop, decide whether you want to get darker blues. If you do, acidify the soil below a reading of 6. You can do this by amending the soil with garden Sulphur, green sand, iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate (do not use a/s near azaleas/rhododendrons) or iron-chelated liquid compounds. Plant nurseries should carry any one of the above. Apply per the product labels as long as you can. You will need to amend forever because soil has a tendecy to return to its original state. No need to amend when the soil is frozen and covered with snow, of course. Note: it is easier to change/control soil pH when the plant is in a pot/container....See MoreNikko Hydrangea Help
Comments (5)Hi Jack - Whew it is a scorcher out there ... been dirt digging and giving some haircuts & lecturing to misbehaving, aggressive perennials. I fought the urge to uncover when we got the too-early, warm-preview of Spring in Mar. Nikko was the ugliest 'baglady' with white tophat out in back (I'll share photos when my son comes to help me pull it from my file) - she was uncovered around Mom's Day ... patience paid off!!! I think I counted 15 clusters the very first to open is now larger than a saucer others are smaller and still others are growing by the day. I didn't fertilize, perhaps I should have. I used nylon p'hoses to bundle all her woods, dropped pine needles in before wrapping twice around with burlap, encaged her and dropped several bags of dried leaves ala Hayseed's (I used smaller white bags) around and topped her with a large rose-cone hat ... she was a funny sight under the arbor oh, but you should see her now! Because she lost the dappled shade she depended on when we took an old Locust tree down, she tends to collapse by 4PM - the Sweet Autumn I planted has aggressively climbed the arbor I provided her but not quite all the way to the top so I just water her heavily until she gets some reprieve with Sweet Autumn' shade - quite a cliber she is! I babied both my pairs of ES and F&E but only 1 of each pair, has blooms and only a couple on each too - I'm a bit disappointed - could it be sun exposure problem? Ditas...See MoreArtist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agohc mcdole
2 years agoluis_pr
2 years agoArtist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
2 years agoluis_pr
2 years ago
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