The secret to getting that gorgeous sapphire color is in the soil.
Here’s how to bring out the blues in your flowers.
With just a bit of effort, you’re free to fill your garden with rich bluehydrangeas.
‘Brestenberg’ is a variety of bigleaf hydrangea that produces huge clusters of blue flowers when planted in acidic soil.Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
Its easy to turn pink hydrangeas into blue ones, for instance, by adjusting the pH.
Soil Matters
Acidic soil helps thehydrangeaabsorb aluminum, which changes the flowers pigments to blue and purple.
Bigleaf hydrangeas aretoxic.Keep the plant away from small children or pets.
Deadhead Endless Summer hydrangeas when the flowers start to wilt; as long as you do, the plant will keep blooming all season.Credit: King Au
Choose the Right Kind of Hydrangea
Only the flowers of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) can change color.
Measure the Soil pH
Although doing this may sound like complicated chemistry, it’s not.
All soil has a pH value that measures its acidity or alkalinity.
When soil pH gets closer to neutral, bigleaf hydrangea flowers will look purplish.Credit: Alise O’Brien Photography
The pH scale is from 0 to 14; 7 is neutral.
Use a soil test kit to determine your soil’s current pH levels.
For pink flowers, the plants need neutral to alkaline soils (pH 6.5 and higher).
Your soil test results will help you figure out what to do next.
you’ve got the option to do that in a variety of ways.
Organic acidifiers include sulfur and sulfate.
There are also easy-to-use soil additives made specifically for hydrangeas.
These all-natural products make the soil more acidic (for blue hydrangeas) or alkaline (for pink).
Add the pelletedmixture to the soilwhen you plant your hydrangea.
Still, somehydrangeas gifted in potsand replanted may not do as well.
Ensure the hydrangea you choose for your garden suitsyour climate.
In very cold temperatures, hydrangeas willneed protectionduring the winter months.
Blue hydrangeas are the perfect gift to give when an apology is needed or you’re asking for forgiveness.
They symbolize regret and remorse.
General care for hydrangeas.
Oregon State University Extension Service.
How to Change the Color of Hydrangeas.
Mississippi State University Extension.
North Carolina State University Extension.
