To encourage healthy growth, fertilize your oakleaf hydrangea each spring with a general-purpose garden fertilizer and top dress with fresh compost. Unlike mophead-style hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangeas won’t change their flower color based on soil acidity, so there’s no need to monitor or alter the pH of your soil.
Oakleaf hydrangeas produce flower buds the year before they bloom. Keep pruning to a minimum to maximize the floral display.Remove only the damaged and wayward branches each year as needed. This helps control the plant’s size while encouraging it to bloom.
Are oak leaf hydrangeas acid loving?
Soil – Oakleaf hydrangea prefers moist, organic, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.0 – 6.5. Drought tolerant once established, it does appreciate water during very dry conditions. Good drainage is important.
Do oakleaf hydrangeas need a lot of water?
These deciduous shrubs should ideally grow where they get direct sunlight in the morning and shade in the afternoon. Watering: Moist soil is key for sustained success when your oakleaf hydrangeas are first taking root in your garden, but the species is drought-tolerant once established.
Should I fertilize my oak leaf hydrangea? – Related Questions
What is the best fertilizer for oakleaf hydrangeas?
Use a 10-10-10 granular fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer at a rate of 1.5 ounces for every 10 feet. Broadcast the fertilizer around the oak leaf hydrangea once in the spring and once in the summer.
Should you deadhead oakleaf hydrangeas?
You should deadhead throughout the blooming season to keep your hydrangeas looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place.
Is Miracle Grow good for hydrangeas?
What Kind of Soil to Use for Hydrangeas. To grow hydrangeas in planting beds, focus on improving the native soil. One simple way to do that is to combine equal parts existing soil and Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil.
Do you cut back oakleaf hydrangea in the fall?
Pruning Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangea blooms on old wood, so prune it back (although it rarely needs it) in summer just after it blossoms to avoid cutting off next year’s flowers.
How do you winterize oakleaf hydrangeas?
The simplest method is to mound shredded leaves or bark mulch around the base of the plant to about 12 inches or so. Put the mulch mound in place in late fall after the ground freezes, and uncover plants in spring when temperatures begin to stay above freezing.
Where is the best place to plant an oakleaf hydrangea?
Oakleaf Hydrangea Care
This shrub will do best when planted in a slightly acidic, rich, well-draining soil in full sun or part shade. It thrives in moist soil; a thick layer of mulch over the root zone will help retain soil moisture.
Is oakleaf hydrangea drought tolerant?
The oakleaf hydrangea came from the shore banks of the sandy streams of the southeastern US and is more drought tolerant than any of the other hydrangeas. It prefers medium moisture, but when established, will hold up to dry weather. These plants do not require annual pruning, but it can improve their performance.
Do oakleaf hydrangeas prefer sun or shade?
Oakleaf hydrangeas bloom best where summers are hot but prefer some afternoon shade. It its more northern range it can be planted in full sun. The greater the sun exposure the more prolific are the blooms and you’ll get the most spectacular fall color.
Do hydrangeas need water everyday?
The hydrangea should be watered thoroughly at least 3 times a week. Always water the plant all the way around the container, not just in one place. Water should come out the bottom of the pot. Never let it sit in water which will cause the roots to rot away.
Should I water hydrangeas morning or night?
Hydrangeas need more water than most garden plants and will begin to wilt quickly without it. To ensure that Hydrangeas thrive, water deeply two to three times a week in the summer. Be sure to water in the morning or evening so that water does not evaporate as quickly as it would during the heat of the day.
Are Epsom salts good for hydrangeas?
The short answer is yes it will – Epsom Salts is Magnesium sulfate and Sulfur is the mineral that we apply to the soil to lower the pH. You will also be applying Magnesium which should help enhance the color of your foliage since Magnesium is needed for chlorophyll production.
Do hydrangeas like coffee grounds?
If you’re growing hydrangeas, use coffee grounds to affect their color. Coffee grounds add extra acidity to the soil around hydrangeas. On a chemical level, this increased acidity makes it easier for the plant to absorb naturally occurring aluminum in the dirt. The effect is pretty blue clusters of flowers.
