Potted Hydrangea 'Annabelle', Martha Sims of Alabama
Doreen writes:
Greetings Ms King
Can you plant hydrangeas in pots/planters? If so, what kind of pots are best?
What kind of soil,etc to use when planting in pots?
Your site is great, I am in the process of reading each category.
Thank you
Doreen
Potted Mophead Hydrangea by Martha Sims of Alabama
Hi Doreen,
Thanks for writing and for the kind words about my site. I’m glad you enjoyed visiting it.
Many people grow beautiful hydrangeas in containers. One lady wrote that she grew all her hydrangeas in pots [See the next post above]. Using large containers is the key to success unless the hydrangea is small. A ½ whisky barrel (or the equivalent) would be about right size for a large plant, especially in a hot climate.
One word of caution: when small plants are put in very large containers, the roots can rot if the soil is kept too damp. Start these plants in terra cotta (clay) pots and allow them to grow for a couple of years. Eventually the plant will be large enough to be put in a large container. If you purchase a hydrangea in a 3 or 5 gallon container, you can start with a large pot.
There are both advantages and disadvantages to growing hydrangeas in containers. The advantages are: (1) you can move the pots to areas where the sun/shade situation is best. Hydrangeas should get morning sun and afternoon shade or bright shade all day. (2) You can move pots to a garage or other protected area if your climate is too cold in the winter for hydrangeas; and (3) you can grow hydrangeas in areas where no beds exits such as a balcony, a well lighted porch, or around a swimming pool that receives afternoon shade.
The main disadvantage to growing hydrangeas in pots is the difficulty of keeping them watered once they have grown a bit. In hot climates, they will require watering every day once their roots have filled the pot (usually hydrangea roots will fill a pot in one or two summers). They are also difficult to transplant into a larger pot since the original pot is probably pretty big. It would be easiest to use dwarf or compact varieties of hydrangeas in pots.
There is no doubt that hydrangeas are easier to care for in the ground where, after the first two years, they can almost care for themselves. But sometimes this is not possible. In such instances, pots can be extremely practical.
Best of luck and
Happy hydrangeas,
Judith
All About Hydrangeas
http://www.HydrangeasHydrangeas.com
A Flower for All Seasons
July 1, 2009 at 6:18 pm |
I read in good housekeeping that you should keep your plant moist and fertilize weekly. What type of fertilizer is best. My plant is in a container, putting on lots of new leaves but no blooms.
Hot texas weather so keep it in the shade except for 30 minutes every morning I move it to the sun.
Thanks
Nancy
July 2, 2009 at 6:04 pm |
Hi Nancy,
Since your plant is in a container, fertilize it weekly with a well-balanced liquid fertilizer. You can use any of the MiracleGro products. Just choose one that is easy for you to use. You can’t go wrong if the fertilizer shows flowers or vegetables on the package. If your plant were in the ground, I’d suggest a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote. You can still use Osmocote, but you may prefer the liquid for more interaction with your hydrangea.
Sometimes it takes a hydrangea takes a couple of years to start blooming. This is not unusual. You are correct to keep it in the shade most of the day in Texas. You could give it a little more than 30 minutes of sun, though, if your shade is heavy. Gradually increase the amount of sun to a couple of hours – from 8-10 am or 9-11 probably would be about right. If it wilts, just mist the leaves and eventually it will get accustomed to the morning sun. It should experience some freezing weather this winter, so hopefully you live in an area cold enough to freeze. However, if you live in or around Dallas or the Panhandle, you may need to protect the plant when very cold, icy weather is predicted.
Best of luck,
Judith King
http://www.HydrangeasHydrangeas.com
March 31, 2011 at 12:45 pm |
Is it possble to grow hydrangeas in St. Pete. FL.? Is it better to plant in the ground or containers? thanks
March 31, 2011 at 5:33 pm |
Janice,
St Petersburg, FL is right on the border of where hydrangeas might be grown in Florida and where they just won’t grow at all. In general, if you do not get some freezing weather, hydrangeas cannot go into dormancy and will not do well for long. You might get your hydrangea to survive for a couple of years, but if it cannot go into dormancy, it normally gives up and slowly dies.
Ideally, hydrangeas prefer (1) consistently moist, rich soil and (2) they do best in cooler climates. They also need (3) a dormant period (freezes), especially in hot climates. Sometimes we can get them to bloom if the growing area for hydrangea has two of these three characteristics. But, unfortunately, some parts of Florida can only offer one of these characteristics – good soil, if it is well prepared.
If your area receives a few freezes in the winter, you may have very good luck with hydrangeas. If you decide to try them, they often do much better in the ground than in pots. Also, in hot climates, pots must be watered every day once the hydrangeas have matured a little.
I’m sorry if this sounds negative, because I would love for everyone to grow hydrangeas.
Best of luck,
Judith
June 4, 2011 at 1:02 pm |
We live in Illinois borderline Wisc. Love hydrangeas and was given a huge pot for Mothers day. Would love to put them in the container. Just want to make sure I do everything right!!!! Thanks for any additional help you can give me.~Barb
June 4, 2011 at 3:00 pm |
Hi Barb,
Hydrangeas do very well in pots. As I mentioned in my answer about growing in pots, it’s important to take watering very seriously. Watering can be a special problem when you put a plant with a small root system in a “huge pot”. In your area, I might even suggest growing your hydrangea in the sun to make sure the soil dries out quickly enough. If the soil stays wet a long time, the roots can’t breath, and the plant will die.If you’ve had this hydrangea indoors, it must be gradually acclimated to the outdoors before putting it in the sun. If your hydrangea blooms wilt in the sun, you will have to move it to afternoon shade. But in your area, many people tell me they grow hydrangeas in the sun. Also, it might help if you put other plants in the same pot. You could grow annuals around the hydrangea, or you could put more than one hydrangea in the pot if it is truly huge. Once the plants grow and the roots fill the pot, they will be much easier to water because the roots will dry the soil out on a regular basis.
I don’t know if your hydrangea will survive the winter in a pot near the Wisconsin border. That may be just a little too cold. You could try pushing (or rolling) the pot into an unheated garage for the winter to give it a little protection.
I hope your hydrangea thrives.
Judith
June 8, 2011 at 9:50 am |
I have visited this site several times and it has really helped me a lot. I am new to gardening, so I have a lot to learn. I am growing a hyrdrangea in a container and i have a concern. Can you prune some of the leaves that have wilted or turn yellow? If yes, is there a certain spot to cut them? Thank you for your advice and website. It is great!
June 8, 2011 at 1:15 pm |
Hi Heather,
If leaves are wilted, removing the leaves won’t help and may harm the plant if there are a lot of them. It’s best, with wilting, to discover what is causing the leaves to wilt. The soil may be staying too wet, the plant may have been over fertilized, or the soil could be getting too dry. If the soil is drying out almost every day, you will want to repot the hydrangea in a larger pot. This will give it a new lease on life and will also make your life much easier.
You can remove any yellow or brown leaves at any time. Just pull them off (straight down) or cut them off next to the stem.
Best of luck with your hydrangea. I hope it does extremely well.
Judith
June 10, 2011 at 12:48 pm |
Thank you very much for the information. I live in Arkansas and in my city it is hard to find an experienced person to help a beginner. I’m grateful that I found your site.
I test the soil everyday by placing my finger about 5-6 inches into the soil. The soil feels cool and my finger comes out a little dirty. I compare it to when you stick a toothpick in a cake that is not fully baked and a little batter is left on the toothpick!! Am I checking the soil correctly? Is this how the soil should feel?
June 10, 2011 at 6:46 pm |
Yes, that is exactly right. I’ve never thought of comparing the test of the soil moisture to checking a cake with a toothpick. I’ll have to get that on my site. It’s surprising how hard it is to get people to put their finger in the soil!
I’m glad my site is helping you. Feel free to email me directly if you have other questions.
Best of luck, Judith
All About Hydrangeas http://www.HydrangeasHydrangeas.com A Flower for All Seasons
June 11, 2011 at 9:58 am
Thank you so much Judith. Where can I find you email address? I feel I will have more questions as my exciting adventure continues!
June 11, 2011 at 11:19 am
jking@dwjak.us
Any time! Judith
All About Hydrangeas http://www.HydrangeasHydrangeas.com A Flower for All Seasons
July 15, 2011 at 12:09 pm |
I have just purchased a “Twist & Shout” hydrangea which I would like to keep in a pot defying advice from my local garden center. Because I live in Minnesota, I need advice about care over the winter. I will move the hydrangea into a heated (40°) garage. But should I leave it outside until the first few freezes or move it before the frost begins? Do I water it over the winter or allow it to go dormant? What care do I give it in the spring?
July 15, 2011 at 4:54 pm |
Jennifer,
Thanks for your comment. Your hydrangea should do fine in a pot this summer. As you mention, it’s the winter you will have to be concerned about. Hydrangeas are healthiest and do best when they can go through a full dormant period. If they do not, they gradually stop blooming and eventually seem to decline. It isn’t easy, though, to get them through a winter indoors, even with cold temperatures. In general, it is best to allow them to stay outdoors until they have lost their leaves (they will look alarmingly pitiful after the first freeze, but that’s OK). They can withstand temperatures down to the mid to low 20s in a pot (much colder in the ground). Hopefully your winter will come on gradually, and you can leave it out through several frosts and freezes. Then take it into the garage. Hopefully the temperature will stay fairly cold in the garage. Even if it freezes, this will be fine as long as it doesn’t get below about 25. Don’t let it dry out completely. Depending on how dry the air is in your garage, you may need to water it about once a month. Check the soil with your finger before watering it. If the soil is damp on top, don’t water the plant! If it feels slightly dry on top (but moist below), it is time to water. Give the plant enough water to start draining out the bottom a little. Don’t let it sit in water.
In the spring, after you think you’ve seen the last frost (I know this can be hard to determine), put the plant back outdoors in morning sun.
Good luck
Judith
September 24, 2011 at 8:12 am |
Hi Judith,
I live in upstate NY and we are moving this February. I want to try to keep my hydrangea, but am not sure about when to dig it up, where to keep the pot over winter and how to care for it indoors. It was originally a grocery-store foil wrapped hydrangea that I received for a birthday a few years ago that I planted outside and it has done reasonably well, but is still small enough to move. What do you recommend?
Thanks,
Kathy
September 24, 2011 at 1:00 pm |
Hi Kathy,
I’m glad you wrote. The best time to dig up an established hydrangea is after it loses it’s leaves in the fall but before the ground becomes too frozen. Probably late November in your area, but I’m not positive. Prune off a good bit of the foliage (maybe 1/2), put it into a pot a little larger than the root system, add soil if there is room for it, and set it in a protected corner outdoors. If you have an unheated shed or garage, this might work, but the garage should get pretty cold – at least well below freezing (our garage is unheated, but it never freezes here in the DC area.) You are fortunate that your hydrangea is not a large, established plant. Large ones are very difficult to dig up and move. Unless your hydrangea is one of the ever-blooming type such as Endless Summer, you will probably not get blooms next summer. But the following year it should bloom again as usual. I don’t know where in NY you live now, but f you are moving further north or more inland, it may not do as well as it has in the past. If you move the other directions, it may do better. Good luck. I hope it does very well. – Judith