Hydrangea Annabelle

Escapetothegarden · June 2023

Good evening gardeners ☁️

I made a last minute buy at Homebase today. A hydrangea. It had a string around at the time which I didn’t think more on (thought maybe they were protecting it) but when I got home and cut the string I realised it flops really badly on one side ☹️☹️

I have attached a photo - would gratefully accept any advice on how to deal with this ☹️ (feeling a little bit upset at being conned…)

Thank you

(I have placed it into the black pot simply to keep in place…)

Poppypuss · June 2023

It looks fine to me, it just needs to go in the ground as soon as possible and well watered in. You can support it with a wide hoop for the first year but after that it should be robust enough to support itself.

Wild_Violet · June 2023

Hi, I think you will probably have to rig up a support system using canes and string or buy a ready-made plant support for it. It’ll get even more floppy when the large flowers appear. I have several “Strong Annabelles” which have slightly sturdier stems.

Is there any way you could take it back if it’s not going to work for you?

Escapetothegarden · June 2023

Poppypuss said:

It looks fine to me, it just needs to go in the ground as soon as possible and well watered in. You can support it with a wide hoop for the first year but after that it should be robust enough to support itself.

Thank you @Poppypuss I did look at a few supports online after your suggestion.

I haven’t bought a hydrangea before although I have seen it and wanted to try it in my garden (and I have a smaller one in my garden) - but it looks like a mature specimen? Should the stems be a bit studier at this stage? I saw the stems were ‘light’ but I thought maybe it was just the plant.

The hydrangea that I already have, is more compact but looks stronger 👀

Escapetothegarden · June 2023

Wild_Violet said:

Hi, I think you will probably have to rig up a support system using canes and string or buy a ready-made plant support for it. It’ll get even more floppy when the large flowers appear. I have several “Strong Annabelles” which have slightly sturdier stems.
Is there any way you could take it back if it’s not going to work for you?

@Wild_Violet

I haven’t really thought if it’s worth returning although I am reconsidering where to place it if it’s going to be fussy.

I bought it to go in my front garden - South-ish facing, and quite hot in the summer, although where I want to place it is near the turn of a bay window, so slightly sheltered, with other plants around it.

If I already need supports and if it’s going to be floppy I don’t really want it in my front garden perhaps, maybe I can place it in a sunnyish spot in my back, north-ish facing garden?

How about if I cut off a few of the worst offending stems, would that help? I can see flower buds forming otherwise I thought I should perhaps crop it a bit but in that case would new growth also be floppy?

Fairygirl · June 2023

It would normally have been pruned earlier in the year but has missed that as it's been on a shelf in a diy store

The pot is tiny so it will be struggling because of that. If you aren't putting it in the ground soon, then get it into a decent sized pot [mostly soil not just compost] and keep it in a shady spot and well watered over the next few months, then plant out in autumn.
I'm not sure your intended site will suit it though. They need consistently moist soil and some shade, especially through the middle of the day to thrive, so don't put it in the sunny part of the garden. You'll need to make sure it has plenty of room too , so don't let other planting crowd it.
If it was mine I'd cut it back, and let it establish for flowering next year, but if you don't want to do that, you'll need to support it, and hope it thrives.

Escapetothegarden · June 2023

Thanks very much @Fairygirl 💐

I will need to think of a suitable spot then ☹️ there is another potential spot but that area has slugs and it’s near a young amelanchier although there is room.

Should I cut it back after I have put it into the ground? Can I cut above a leaf pair?

What I didn’t quite understand is that the stems mainly appear woody, but there are green ones too. Have attached a photo.

There is this random stem coming up from the right, although most of the stems are older (the woody looking ones?) there is new growth from the bottom…

The other hydrangea I have doesn’t have green stems coming from the bottom… I haven’t done anything to that apart from cutting its dead flowers…

Thanks!

punkdoc · June 2023

As @Fairygirl says, they need reliably moist soil and some shade.

Fairygirl · June 2023

The green stems are just that - new green stems

I'm laughing slightly as your comment re the slugs. They don't just stay in one spot unfortunately, so they won't only be in the area you're seeing them - it depends on what other plants you grow that they like

Fortunately, hydrangeas aren't too troubled by them.
I would cut it back to an outward facing leaf joint, or just generally to a leaf joint, but you might find it's ok as it is if you have it planted into the right site. You can plant it and keep an eye on it over the next month or two, and then make a judgement, but it's less stressful for a fairly large shrub if it has less top to deal with while establishing

Loxley · June 2023

I would support it this year, and cut it almost to the base in late winter. (Leave a framework of stubs). This is normal treatment for Annabelle, it will flower on the new shoots that come up.

Loxley · June 2023

... it is probably lanky and floppy now because it was crammed in among other plants on a shelf, possibly with not enough light. After being cut back in winter, the new growth will be better adapted to your site, although "Annabelle" does have a tendency to flop... it has less tendency to do so on soils that are on the poor and dry side.

Hydrangea Annabelle

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