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Clegg’s Nursery, LLC

Plant Profile of the Month:

Hydrangeas

Quench your garden’s thirst this summer with the refreshing blooms of hydrangeas. These popular old garden shrubs have long been favorites in southern landscapes, since their easy-to-care-for nature and rich tantalizing hues keep gardeners and friends coming back for more. Hydrangeas average four to six feet tall and best show off their majestic pink, lilac, azure, and white blossoms in morning sunlight and afternoon shade.

For the most part, hydrangeas fall in two major categories—the traditional mop heads (Hydrangea macrophylla) and the lace caps (H. macrophylla normalis) - though other classes do exist. Both the widely grown common hydrangeas and the more subtle lace caps perform exceptionally well in home landscapes and containers. The larger mop heads of course, create a phenomenal presentation in late spring and summer when planted either as accents or in masses, since their oversized, boisterous pompoms can’t be missed. On the other hand, the lace cap hydrangeas, more docile by nature, yield clusters of delicate flat-topped flowers that look their best beneath wooded settings of Eastern redbuds, native azaleas, and Florida Anise.

Endless Summer hydrangeas, the latest edition—and ever so trendy alternative—to the early flowering common and lace cap hydrangeas, bloom all summer with their ocean blue, blushing pink, and vivid lilac flowers. Unlike the older cultivars that bloom on last year’s wood, the more hip Endless Summer varieties continuously flower on both old and new wood—a plus for gardeners who crave season-long colors!

Color Change:

Though hydrangeas are some of the oldest garden plants, their ability to change colors in the landscape never seems to wear. While the white cultivars typically retain their clear, unsullied petals, the pink and blue varieties can be manipulated by raising or lowering the soil’s pH. Turn pink blossoms blue by lowering the pH to a level of 5.2-5.5—you can do this by applying small amounts of aluminum sulphate (following the recommended rate of the manufacturer), or by adding generous amounts of organic matter like peat moss and composted leaves.

To alter blue flowers to pink, raise the pH to a level of 6.0-6.2 with small applications of dolomitic lime throughout the course of a year; raising the pH above 6.4 can result in iron deficiency. Consider also fertilizing with high levels of phosphorus, since this nutrient helps prevent aluminum from being taken up in the plant’s system. Keep in mind that whether you wish to raise or lower your soil’s pH, the acidity is often best controlled when working with container grown hydrangeas. Adjusting the soil in your landscape can prove laborious and occasionally lack in results.

Pointers for Pruning:

Although deadheading spent blossoms can be done year round, the older common hydrangeas and lace caps prefer to be pruned in the summer as flowers have begun to fade. The next season’s buds begin forming in late August, so any pruning done after July may result in fewer blooms the following summer. Because Endless Summer varieties bloom on the current season’s growth, they can be successfully pruned any time of the year.

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Baton Rouge Denham Springs

274 North Donmoor 31275 Hwy 16

(225) 927-1419 (225) 791-6060

5696 Siegen Lane

(225) 292-9153

10645 Greenwell Springs Road

(225) 275-7006