We moved last year into our current house. There are two hydrangeas about ten feet apart on the southwest side of the house next to the cement foundation. Last year one bloomed nicely and the second one bloomed late, mid August. This year the first one bloomed nicely all summer. The second one has not bloomed. I have been feeding them Rapid Gro the same as all of the other plants around the house biweekly. Everything is doing nicely except for that one hydrangea.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks,
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rainbowgardener
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I'm guessing that even though they are only 10' apart, the sun comes later to one of them? I have two flower beds at opposite sides of my front lawn, identical except that one gets a fair amount of shade from a big lilac near it and one does not. Amazing the difference in time and quantity of blooms!
If that's the case, the only thing to do would be to move the not blooming one. (I'm not quite sure whether that would be the one with more or less sun exposure. Southwestern side could get a lot of direct hot afternoon sun, which hydrangeas don't particularly like. So depending on your climate, the one doing better could get more protection from that.)
If that's the case, the only thing to do would be to move the not blooming one. (I'm not quite sure whether that would be the one with more or less sun exposure. Southwestern side could get a lot of direct hot afternoon sun, which hydrangeas don't particularly like. So depending on your climate, the one doing better could get more protection from that.)
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luis_pr
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Hydrangeas do not need that much fertilizer, Cagey59. One fertilizer application in June will do fine for the whole year where you live. It is possible that Rapid Gro has increased the amount of nitrogen a tad too much and is keeping the second shrub in growth mode. Lawn fertilizers like Rapid Gro tend to do that.
Before trying to move it, I would try to keep soil nitrogen levels lower by using another fertilizer on the hydrangeas and applying it only once a year in June. Also, feel free to apply "weak" fertilizers like coffee grounds during the growing seasons but only thru the end of July. Applying them by that time makes sure that the plant will go dormant as scheduled in the Fall and that early frosts will not zap any new growth. As alternate fertilizers, you can try compost, composted manure or cottonseed meal; a general-purpose slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote can also be used.
While sun exposure might cause a hydrangea not to bloom, it would have to be in dense shade for it not to bloom. My sister had a neighbor who grew a mophead on the front lawn such that it got sun early in the morning and very little sun afterwards... and yet it was always blooming well. Surprised me every time I saw that!
Go here for more information:
https://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/fertilize.html
Luis
Before trying to move it, I would try to keep soil nitrogen levels lower by using another fertilizer on the hydrangeas and applying it only once a year in June. Also, feel free to apply "weak" fertilizers like coffee grounds during the growing seasons but only thru the end of July. Applying them by that time makes sure that the plant will go dormant as scheduled in the Fall and that early frosts will not zap any new growth. As alternate fertilizers, you can try compost, composted manure or cottonseed meal; a general-purpose slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote can also be used.
While sun exposure might cause a hydrangea not to bloom, it would have to be in dense shade for it not to bloom. My sister had a neighbor who grew a mophead on the front lawn such that it got sun early in the morning and very little sun afterwards... and yet it was always blooming well. Surprised me every time I saw that!
Go here for more information:
https://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/fertilize.html
Luis