Mophead and lacecap hydrangeas, or “bigleaf” hydrangeas, don’t do as well in colder regions unless you take measures to protect them from frost. Look for the “Endless Summer” mop-head variety at your local nursery - it’s a type of mophead hydrangea that blooms more than once over the summer. This type of hydrangea produces large balls of pink or blue blossoms that deepen in color over the course of the season. The oakleaf hydrangea grows well in places with very hot summers without too much moisture. It is hardy through zone 4b/5a. This type of hydrangea has white blossoms. Annabelle hydrangeas are more cold hardy than mophead or oakleaf hydrangeas, can still grow in zone 3. This type of hydrangea has white blossoms that turn light green later in the season. Peegee hydrangeas can grow hardy even further north than Annabelles - all the way up to zone 3a. They are also able to grow in southern zones. They have white blossoms.
Check the instructions that came with your particular hydrangea variety. Some hydrangeas can be planted closer together, while others may need to be planted at least 10 feet (3. 0 m) apart. [6] X Research source
Planting hydrangeas too deeply can cause the roots to fail. If not planted deep enough, your hydrangeas could fall over in heavy rain or strong wind.
Bigleaf hydrangea varieties should be pruned after the blossoms have faded in the late summer. Pee Gee Hydrangea (H. paniculata), also known as Panicle, are best pruned in late winter or early spring or fall. This variety blooms on the current season’s wood, so go easy on pruning. Don’t cut to the ground unless your bush is getting too big. Annabelle Hydrangea (H. arborescens) can be lightly pruned in the summer after the spring bloom, or cut down to the ground in late winter. Oakleaf and other hydrangeas that bloom on the current season’s wood should be pruned while the plant is still dormant, in late winter or early spring, before the blooms emerge. [7] X Research source
Wait until your plant has been in the garden at least two years before attempting color change. To change flowers from pink to blue, lower the soil’s pH by adding sulfur or peat moss. To change flowers from blue to pink (which is more difficult than changing from pink to blue), add limestone to the soil to raise the soil’s pH. White hydrangea blossoms don’t change color. Gently mix in soil amendments into the first few inches of soil around your plant’s roots.
Hang them upside down. Tape or pin the stems to the top of a doorway in a dry, dark room. Let them hang until they completely dry, then remove them and arrange them in a vase. Dry them in water. Place the stems in a vase filled with a few inches of water. Allow the flowers to slowly dry as the water evaporates. Use silica gel. Place the blossoms in a container and cover completely with silica gel. After a week or two, the flowers will be dry, their color perfectly preserved.
