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hydrangea pinky winky

utlockdowngardenerutlockdowngardener Posts: 23
in Problem solving
I bought a young dying hydrangea pinky winky in autumn with the hope of bringing it back to life. It is just 3 dry stems with no new buds. Anything I can do to help it along or should I give up?
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Keep it watered but not drowning.   Is it still in its pot or planted out?   Either way, maybe a tonic of liquid tomato feed or seaweed would help.

    I find the paniculata types are much later to bud up than their mop head and lace cap cousins so be patient for another month or two.
    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
  • utlockdowngardenerutlockdowngardener Posts: 23
    It is in a pot. I will wait for a few months to see if there is any life. Thank you.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited March 2021
    You could try potting it on a size in some fresh compost so the roots can grow a bit more and have nutrients to feed new growth up top.  Make sure you soak the root ball well then tease the outer roots with your fingers and water well after re-potting.   Keep it in a sunny, sheltered spot.
    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
  • utlockdowngardenerutlockdowngardener Posts: 23
    Ok will try that - some tasks for the day, thank you!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Hope it works.  Lovely hydrangea tho dreadful name!
    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
  • luis_prluis_pr Posts: 123
    edited March 2021
    It is a deciduous plant over here in Texas and leafs out in early-mid Spring. It is extremely winter hardy and sun tolerant but likes that the soil be kept as evenly moist as you can. In the winter, since it lacks foliage, one can reduce waterings to once a week or once every two weeks depending on local rains. It develops "invisible" flower buds near the ends of the stems in late Spring (but varies depending on one's location, actual weather, etc.). The flower buds then open in mid-to-late summer and, at first, resemble tiny broccoli heads, which get bigger and take a panicle or triangular shape. The blooms' sepals start white and change colors as they age. Aging blooms turn a shade of pink afterwards but not all sepals in a bloom do so at the same time so, you get a two tone color effect on a single bloom with white at the top and a shade of pink below the white as the blooms age. Spent blooms turn brown and they remain attached to the plant for quite a long time. The peduncle of paniculatas is thicker to support larger weights so the blooms may drop as late as a year after the flower buds originally open. However, you can deadhead at any time but, I would be careful of near the end of Spring. Compared to other paniculatas, Pinky Winky produces blooms and stems that resist flopping much better than other paniculatas. Some stores have replaced it with Zinfin Doll because ZD is similar but the ZD blooms are thicker, not as lacy, and have a prettier shade of pink (alas, this is a matter of personal taste); however, Pinky Winky flops less once established. Like other paniculatas, Pinky Winky can get quite large in some places (almost 2.5 meters tall and wide planted on the ground but, it may take 5-10 years to get there). Some blooms can be almost 40 cms long. Pinky Winky likes acidic, well draining soils but, like other paniculatas, tolerates some alkalinity, up to a point. The leaves should be dark green in acidic soils. In alkaline soils, they can be a lighter shade of green. If they turn yellow-ish but the leaf veins remain dark green, that would be a signal to acidify the soil some more. If grown in pots, I would amend the potting soil using some product like garden sulfur, greensand, iron-chelated liquid compounds, aluminum sulfate, etc), applied regularly according to the product label. Do not exceed the amount of product too, too much as Pinky Winky has very small, shallow roots that might get burned if you apply too much sulfur containing product. It can be grown in full sun in places where the sun is not intense during the summer months although Texas is an exception as the leaves suffer with our harsh sun so I keep all paniculatas in dappled sun or morning sun only (afternoon shade and evening shade). It is not a fertilizer hungry plant when planted in the ground but does require fertilizing when actively growing. I usually use fertilizers like cottonseed meal, or a layer of composted manure or organic compost. I typically maintain a layer of 5-10 cm or organic mulch, all year around, up to the drip line.

    @Obelixx - you may be interested in this story: The name Pinky Winky was given to the plant by the breeder. The breeder came from Belgium and dedicated the shrub to his son who is a big fan of the cartoon Teletubbies (yes, the British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC) and, from that, the name Pinky Winky was born.


  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited March 2021
    @luis_pr I know.  I was living in Belgium when this plant was introduced and had gone thru Teletubbies with my own daughter.   BBC TV is part of the cable TV offering in Belgium which has at least one national channel from all the EU countries.

    Belgium is well known for its breeding of new hydrangeas and hamamelis, amongst other things.
    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
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Makes you wonder if the commercial arm of the BBC had words with them for using the name 😂 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited March 2021
    Tinky Winky in teletubbies tho and he was purple, as I recall.
    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
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Purple is the nearest to a pink you'd get from that dayglo horror of a programme 😉
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
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