How to Get Hydrangeas to Bloom With Flowers
If your hydrangeas aren't blooming there could be a number of reasons for it. Before the problem can be sorted out, however, you must find out what species of hydrangea you have-old growth or new growth bloomers. With that information in hand the hydrangeas blooming problem can be easily be solved Hydrangeas produce beautiful blooms, with a little sleuthing you can get yours to bloom too. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Find out if the hydrangeas are the type that bloom off of old wood-growth from previous years. Hard winters can damage old growth, causing it to die back. If this is the case, there will be no flowers during the current growing season. Protect old-wood growth by building a chicken wire cage around the plant and filling it with leaves and pine needles to help insulate the plant during the winter months.
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Don't over-prune hydrangeas that bloom off of old growth in early summer or late winter because the plant will die back even further, resulting in no buds to put forth blooms. Prune in the spring when the buds can be seen.
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Plant hydrangeas in shade but not too much shade. If the plant is producing beautiful leaves but no flowers then it's getting too much shade. Transplant to another location.
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To much fertilizer and water or not enough fertilizer and water will cause the plant to not flower. Fertilize in early spring and early autumn using a time-release formula. A time release fertilizer mix of 10-10-10 or 16-16-16 works well.
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Transplant non-blooming hydrangeas to sides of buildings or northern and eastern slopes for better protection during the winter months. Also plant under evergreen trees, which will offer good protection.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't know if your hydrangeas are old wood bloomers or new growth bloomers check to see if the plastic information tag is still attached to the plant. If not, go to the nursery you purchased them from and ask if they can tell what type they sell there.
New growth blooming hydrangeas produce blooms off of the current season's new stems. As long as you don't prune these new canes out the buds on them should produce blooms.
Cut the blooms from newly purchased pots of hydrangeas. Growers force plants to bloom so people will buy the plant. This causes the plant to over produce too much foliage which the roots can't support yet. Bring your new purchase home, enjoy the blooms for a few days and then cut them off to give the roots a chance to grow. The plant will produce blooms in following years.
