What should I do with my Endless Sumer Hydrageas now?

[TheAttachedMama]

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping that everyone can help me learn how to be a good hydrangea Gardner. I am just learning so please bear with me.

I live in central Ohio.

I planted four endless summer Hydrageas last spring. I have done nothing to them except water and mulch them until now. (No fertilization, no trimming or cutting back, etc.) I know that they are several varieties of Endless Summer Hydrageas, but I didn't label them. <blush> I know one is blushing bride. The other three I don't remember. (But they were pink & blue when I planted them.)

Now, they have some new leafy growth coming back. They also have some dead looking wood. Should I cut back the dead looking wood? Or will they bloom on the dead wood? (I will try to post a picture of what they look like if that is helpful.)

Also, should I fertilize them now or wait a bit? I have some holly tone fertlizer, should I use that? Or is something better?

Thanks in advance. Also, let me know if there is any needed information that I didn't provide.

[cynthia_h]

There are two articles on basic care of hydrangeas on [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/hydrangea/]the front page[/url] of The Helpful Gardener. (Yes, there's more here than the forum itself. )

Maybe they can get you started?

Best wishes.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[luis_pr]

I suggest pruning the dried out stems in mid-to-late May. It is common for some of these stems to suddenly leaf out late (especially in the case of newly planted hydrangeas) so it is best to do this chore later this month. If you do not want to wait, you could then prune the stems in 1" or 2" increments until you either "hit green" or get all the way down to the crown.

If planted in a location where they can reach their mature size without getting cramped, hydrangeas would not need to be pruned.

Hydrangeas do not respond to fertilizers like roses do. Assuming your soil is not defficient in some minerals, you could skip fertilizing and nothing bad would happen. But a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of compost, composted manure or cottonseed meal would be fine in June. That is it; no need to repeat fertilizers again for the whole year. During the rest of the growing season, you can (optionally) add some coffee grounds, liquid seaweed or liquid fish. Stop fertilizing by the end of Juy in order to make sure that the plants go dormant at the appropriate time.

Here is more information for when you have time:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/hydrang ... ngea-care/

Does that help you, TheAttachedMama?
Luis