should I stake my hydrangea?

[klfolger]

So I got my first hydrangea 3 days ago at Wal-Mart... *pause for public flogging*.... In my defense, I knew nothing about them and the bloom clusters were just so pretty, AND it likes shade. Once I got home to started doing homework and realized this beauty will be with me friend years if I take care of it right.

My question is that all the branches are growing horizontal, and falling to the sides of the pot. Is this ok, or should I put a stake in the pot and try to train it to grow more vertical? I love the droopy look, but am more concerned with the well-being of my new patio baby!!

Thanks in advance fr any assistance! I'm going to attempt to attach a picture so y'all can see what I mean.

Kate

[luis_pr]

Some drooping happens, like when the blooms get wet and weigh even more than usual. But your stems look awfully small, as in 'I am so small that I cannot handle the weight of the blooms' so, I would actually deadhead the blooms and see if the stems straighten up. As they get older in future years, this may not be an issue.

Maybe even consider cutting off the stems and letting the shrub start the stems anew from scratch since I am not sure if they may recover and grow upwards. I would do this one stem at a time (as in cut one stem, wait until a new one takes it place, repeat, etc.... so you can enjoy the look and not sit looking at basically nothing).

This type of problem is common with Annabelle (yours is not Annabelle by the way) and some people use stakes to hold the stems or they place chiken wire around the shrub. What is the name of this hydrangea?

[klfolger]

She is a Mathilda Gutges, according to the stag that was on her.

By dead heading you mean to cut off the bloom right? And by cutting back the entire stalk/stem, how close to the dirt do I cut it? Should I stake and chicken wire the rest as I cut one by one ?

Thank you so much!!!
Kate

[luis_pr]

MG is a new baby capable of fantastic purples in the proper soil pH! I would treat it with TLC.

I would deadhead the flowers first and see if that allows the stems to rise on their own instead of being bent down. See the link below for information on deadheading (in the section titled "Pruning: Method One", locate "Removing Old Blooms").

https://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

If the stems do not rise up quickly/after several weeks after deadheading then I would try to stake them or use chicken wire to prop them up for a while.

If after several months of staking/propping the stems cannot hold their own and stay up, you may need to force the plant to develop new stems and prune the original ones.

The best time to cut would be when the plant is dormant (in late Fall or winter) or Spring. The worst time is near or in the summer. And when your plant is trying to become established in your garden (as yours is doing now).

In Winter 2014-2015, when the plant has gone dormant and the leaves dry out, I would prune a few of the original stems about 1/2" from the bottom and wait for the plant to generate replacements in Spring 2015 before pruning more. When the plant leafs out every Spring, it should usually generate leaves from existing stems and also develop new growth (I.e., new stems) from the base. Consider those new ones as the replacements for some of the bent ones.

Remember to keep it well watered, mulched and away from windy areas.

It is in a pot. Water and minerals will leech out thru the hole(s) at the bottom of the pot so you will need to water/fertilize often. Water it during the winter too but, not as frequently, since it is dormant.

Luis

[NatureHillsNursery]

Lovely Hydrangea! This is probably not the “right” answer, but I know how I’d feel if I just bought this beautiful plant and wanted to enjoy the blooms as I sat by it on my patio in the afternoons. I would stake it (as you don't want the stems to break), and then this fall I’d cut it way back (in hopes that the stems will come back stronger next year). In Hydrangeas I find it’s important to get the varieties that have strong stems (can save a lot of trouble), but if this is one of the weaker varieties you may just always have to fuss with it. Good luck!