Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Advice for hydrangea.

mooota1514mooota1514 Posts: 74
edited May 2019 in Problem solving
Hi I received this hydrangea as a gift about 6 years ago.( sorry I can't remember the name)

The problem I have with it is it never seems to thrive or look it's best or get any bigger. ( it always stays about 1 1/2 foot tall)

I have got it situated on my banking at the back of my house which gets full sunlight all day. ( my soil is poor on the banking)

What advice can you give me so I get a thriving plant over the summer months.


Posts

  • mooota1514mooota1514 Posts: 74
    Eglantyne said:
    I would move it to a cool, partially shady spot.  They don't like hot, dry locations.  Work in some organic matter like compost etc, and give it a good water.
    Thanks for your help for advice do you think I should put it in a large pot. ( would that help)
  • mooota1514mooota1514 Posts: 74
    Eglantyne said:
    I’m not sure what kind of Hydrangea that is but they typically grow quite large.  Personally if you have room in your garden to plant it, that’s what I’d do.  Ok thanks for your helpful advice.
  • mooota1514mooota1514 Posts: 74
    Ok thanks for your helpful advice.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Agree about better soil and partial shade and a good drink.   Only pot it if you have a huge pot to support the root system and will remember to feed and water regularly.

    What colour were the flowers and what shape the flower head?

    I ask because mopheads and lace caps flower on wood produced the previous season so if you're pruning that off every year or it's getting frozen to death you'll never get any flowers.

    Paniculatas have bigger, cone shaped heads of flowers and produce them on new season's wood but need moisture and good soil to do well.


    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • dave125dave125 Posts: 178
    Don't wish to hijack and hopefully the info will help the OP.
    I planted two small Hydrangea three years ago both about 1 foot tall only. The lace-cap has flourised and flowers profusely more than doubling in size. The mop-head planted nearby (same light and soil type) has hardly grown and only produces a few flowers. My question is, is there a dwarf variety of mop-head, mine were gifts so I don't really know what I planted.
    Luv Dave.
  • mooota1514mooota1514 Posts: 74
    edited May 2019
    I wonder if my hydrangea is this one because "Doris" Rings a bell.

    And the flowers are like in little clusters.

    https://signaturehydrangeas.co.uk/hydrangea-macrophylla-doris-h-180-p.asp
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If it is, you've been cutting off the flowering stems and their buds.   Give it a good drink and a soak, move it to somewhere more suitable ie semi shade, rich soil and shelter from cold winds.  Do not prune it except to remove any dead stems back to the base.   Keep it watered all thru summer and give it some rose or tomato feed to encourage it.

    Treated well it should flower next year and then it's best to leave the flower heads on all thru winter.  They look attractive as they go over, fab in frost, and protect the new shoots form frosts and then you remove them in late winter, early spring.

    Check out these two links for cultivation and pruning info.  Scroll down to the mophead bits.

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=122

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=516 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • mooota1514mooota1514 Posts: 74
    edited May 2019
    Thanks very much to everyone for their excellent advice as usual. 😉
Sign In or Register to comment.