Wednesday, July 08, 2015

Hydrangea update

A couple of you asked about the hydrangeas. If you remember, I took cuttings from the hydrangea on the north side of the house a couple of years ago, rooted them, and then planted the new plants against the front of the house last year. They replaced some tired old roses and camellia bushes.

The board is Bertie's "ladder" which he uses to get into the garage where his kibble and bed are.

They made it through the winter just fine and have grown significantly (except for the one on the far right in the photo below; I don't know why it's still so small). And the flowers are bigger than those on the parent plant.

A wider view. The edges and underside of the deck need to be painted. You can see the parent plant around the corner on the right.

This fall, when the leaves have dropped, I'll trim them back a little just to even them up and I'm hopeful that they'll come back with thicker and more even growth next spring.

7 comments:

  1. Wow! Beyond my expectations. Like the idea of Bertie passing
    through the blooms to reach his bed and dinner.

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  2. here the hydrangeas only bloom on old stalks ...not sure about yours

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  3. Ah summertime on that deck of yours!

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  4. My favorite flowers! We are growing them in Maine and they made it mostly unscathed, through this tough winter. Now, you have given me the inspiration: cuttings!

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  5. Gorgeous! You are amazing with gardening, Walt. Just amazing.
    (I don't know how I missed this post this morning?)

    Your terrace looks so inviting!

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  6. sheila, inelegant, but effective.

    melinda, I'm not sure, either!

    evelyn, it's nice when it's warm.

    bill, check out the method on the internet, and good luck!

    judy, I don't show you my failures... and there are plenty. ;)

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  7. I'd leave them alone Walt. They don't need to be the same size. Mophead hydrangeas bloom on old wood. If you prune in the fall, you will be cutting off next year's blooms!

    "FIRST, it's important to know that mophead hydrangeas do not have to be pruned back - ever - unless they are very old. Removing dead stems is the only pruning that must be done for the health of the plant, and these can be removed at any time. Dead blooms can also be removed at any time".
    Prune these hydrangeas only in the summer BEFORE August (to be safe). Some experts believe these hydrangeas may be pruned even into August, but this might be risky. The hydrangeas may already have set their bloom buds for the next year."

    http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

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