Hydrangea never flowered
I planted a hydrangea last summer. I didn't prune it after July and left it alone in the spring. It grew some nice leaves but didn't get very big and never flowered. I had planned on leaving it alone this year and hoping for the best next summer. Any tips to get this thing to flower next year?
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luis_pr
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 824
- Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:31 am
- Location: Hurst, TX USA Zone 7b/8a
Here are some suggestions on random sequence....
Make sure that the hydrangea is hardy to your location by checking the plant label or by looking for information about it online.
Maintain the soil moist as constantly as possible and keep it well mulched with 3-4". In other words, prevent periods of dryness, followed by moist periods, followed by another dry period, etc. If this coming winter is dry and the soil has not frozen, water it every once or two weeks.
Do not overdo fertilizers because too much can result in green leaves and no blooms. Keep in mind the possibility of spillover from lawn fertilizer, which is very high in nitrogen.
Transplant it if it is in dense shade.
Watch out for pests like squirrels, bunnies and deer. They are hydrangoholics and love to eat the flower buds.
Fertilize before July-ish so the plant is not in "growth" mode when early frosts come in the fall; these frosts can damage or kill flower buds. If you stop all fertilizers by the end of June, the plant should be able to go dormant on its own and be prepared for winter on time.
Observe in Spring if you are or are not getting flower buds. They are invisible now but should become visible around the time your shrub normally blooms. If you are getting buds but no blooms, either a pest is eating them, late frosts are killing them or a moisture problem is causing the shrub to abort the flower buds.
Does that help you, AbbyNY?
Luis
Make sure that the hydrangea is hardy to your location by checking the plant label or by looking for information about it online.
Maintain the soil moist as constantly as possible and keep it well mulched with 3-4". In other words, prevent periods of dryness, followed by moist periods, followed by another dry period, etc. If this coming winter is dry and the soil has not frozen, water it every once or two weeks.
Do not overdo fertilizers because too much can result in green leaves and no blooms. Keep in mind the possibility of spillover from lawn fertilizer, which is very high in nitrogen.
Transplant it if it is in dense shade.
Watch out for pests like squirrels, bunnies and deer. They are hydrangoholics and love to eat the flower buds.
Fertilize before July-ish so the plant is not in "growth" mode when early frosts come in the fall; these frosts can damage or kill flower buds. If you stop all fertilizers by the end of June, the plant should be able to go dormant on its own and be prepared for winter on time.
Observe in Spring if you are or are not getting flower buds. They are invisible now but should become visible around the time your shrub normally blooms. If you are getting buds but no blooms, either a pest is eating them, late frosts are killing them or a moisture problem is causing the shrub to abort the flower buds.
Does that help you, AbbyNY?
Luis