Howdy! Another rookie! I live in Northern West Virginia, right on the boarder between zones five and six. I planted a hydrangea this spring and, of course, have a few questions.
First, the booms are taking FOREVER to open completely. Is this normal? One bloom was about 20% opened when I purchased the plant. Now, a little over two months later, it is still not fully bloomed.
Second, since planting the leaves have yellowed a little. They aren't actually yellow, just not as dark green as they should be. I do fertilize, though I have stopped since it has become hot. I remember hearing that yellowing has something to do with nitrogen, but I can't remember if it means too much or too little. The soil is pretty rocky and about 50% clay. I also mulch, so I would be surprised if it were too much N. I also have yellowing problems with my daylillies and a burning bush. The lillies and bush are in full sun. The hydrangea is in part sun.
Third, there are brown spots on the leaves that get the most sun. I am assuming that this is sun damage. The brown spots are in the middle of the leaves and fade as they move out. There are also brown areas on the tips and edges of the same leaves. I am planning on moving this plant up about ten inches closer to the house when it is dormant, unless someone tells me I'm way off base. (I can take it, I'm here to learn)
That's it for here and now!
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Cookie Bear
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:45 pm
Hi Cookie Bear,
Don't worry about being a rookie, we all started that way.
I noticed you had other questions that I answered so I'd like to suggest that you add your hardiness zone to your profile like mine so we won't have to ask and you won't have to remember to tell us.
The leaf yellowing of your shrubs and daylilies could be a form of chlorosis. Are all the leaves of your daylily yellowing or just inner or outer leaves? Here's some sites to see if you can id if it's chlorosis.
https://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/microchlorosis/microchlorosis.htm
https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07728.html
https://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/focus/chlorosis.html
Hydrangeas do get leaf spot diseases. Take a look here to see if you can id which one and we can go from there.
https://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1212/ANR-1212.pdf
Here's some helpful info on growing hydrangeas. You may not see alot of bloom the first year, especially with all this heat.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/hydrangea/2003/index.html
With rocky and clay soil adding lots of compost to the planting bed will help your plants alot. The organic matter will help retain moisture and improve the texture of the clay.
Newt
Don't worry about being a rookie, we all started that way.
I noticed you had other questions that I answered so I'd like to suggest that you add your hardiness zone to your profile like mine so we won't have to ask and you won't have to remember to tell us.The leaf yellowing of your shrubs and daylilies could be a form of chlorosis. Are all the leaves of your daylily yellowing or just inner or outer leaves? Here's some sites to see if you can id if it's chlorosis.
https://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/microchlorosis/microchlorosis.htm
https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07728.html
https://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/focus/chlorosis.html
Hydrangeas do get leaf spot diseases. Take a look here to see if you can id which one and we can go from there.
https://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1212/ANR-1212.pdf
Here's some helpful info on growing hydrangeas. You may not see alot of bloom the first year, especially with all this heat.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/hydrangea/2003/index.html
With rocky and clay soil adding lots of compost to the planting bed will help your plants alot. The organic matter will help retain moisture and improve the texture of the clay.
Newt