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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on May 28, 2015 13:06:21 GMT -5
I've just bought 5 hydrangeas for myself and 5 for my father. At this time I'm not sure where I'm going to plant them all (yes, I got carried away by the 60% off sale combined with my love of hydrangeas and bought them without figuring out the best place for them).
What I'm thinking I'll do is either heel them in or better yet put them in container pots until I clear a good space for them in the garden.
Assuming that I'll have to adjust the pH of the soil in the container pots, what's the best way to do it?
I've read the thread on the tester strips but don't think I'll go that route. There's a Michigan State University facility on the other side of the county where I think I'll get soil tested, when I decide where to plant the hydrangeas permanently. In the meantime, I assume I should change the soil pH in the containers. Then when the plants are transplanted, they'll have at least the root ball plus extra soil for their new home.
Questions:
How large an area surrounding each plant's root ball should be allowed for changing the soil pH? A 2 foot diameter? 3 feet diameter?
Is lime the best to use? Assuming there are suggested measurements on the bag, how long do I want before retesting it to determine if it's sufficient? I know I can just wait to see what color the blooms are, and that's an acceptable option.
Anything else I should know about adapting the pH? I've never done this before.
(I do grow peonies with beautiful blooms and healthy foliage but have never even checked for soil pH in their area.)
Thanks for any suggestions.
BTW, these are the new beauties that will grace my garden:
Little Quick Fire: www.waysidegardens.com/little-quick-fire-hydrangea/p/36437/ Firelight: www.waysidegardens.com/fire-light-hydrangea/p/34951/ Zinfin Doll: www.waysidegardens.com/zinfin-doll-hardy-hydrangea/p/36996/ Strawberry Sundae: www.waysidegardens.com/strawberry-sundae-hydrangea/p/36242/ Next Generation Wedding Ring: www.waysidegardens.com/next-generation-wedding-ring-hydrangea/p/30568/
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Post by brownrexx on May 28, 2015 13:37:02 GMT -5
I know almost nothing about hydrangeas except that acid soil makes them blue and alkaline soil makes them pink. I do not know if this is related to a specific variety or not but lime is what people add to make them pink (alkaline soil) and sulfur or aluminum sulfate is used to make them blue (acidic soil).
If you want blue blooms, Espoma makes a product which is organic and is called soil acidifier. It is sulfur and is safer that adding aluminum sulfate. I add this periodically to my garden to lower the pH.
I have absolutely no idea of how much to use for hydrangeas but it is probably on the bag.
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Post by claude on May 28, 2015 21:08:12 GMT -5
I just found this great article today. Hydrangeashydrangeas.com. How to change the colors, take cuttings ..it was a great newsletter! So, go there it will answer all of your questions and more.
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on May 29, 2015 6:56:37 GMT -5
hydrangeashydrangeas.com/
Keep in mind that it is not all Hydrangeas that will have either pink, or blue blossoms, you need the right cultivar. What causes those the Hydrangea macrophylla blossoms to change color is not necessarily the soils pH but is the available, or not available, aluminum in the soil. Generally a low soil pH makes the aluminum more readily available which leads people to think soil pH is the deciding factor.
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Post by brownrexx on May 29, 2015 7:31:04 GMT -5
Generally a low soil pH makes the aluminum more readily available which leads people to think soil pH is the deciding factor. This is true but I would rather lower the pH than add aluminum to my soil.
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Post by claude on May 29, 2015 7:46:22 GMT -5
Me too brownrex
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on May 30, 2015 6:02:49 GMT -5
It is not too likely that anyone would need to add Aluminum to the soil since changing the pH of the soil, more acidic, would be enough to make the Aluminum already in the soil more available.
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Post by brownrexx on May 30, 2015 8:54:22 GMT -5
It is not too likely that anyone would need to add Aluminum to the soil
Actually it is likely that they might do it since they sell aluminum sulfate for changing hydrangea colors. Some people just do not know any better like we do!
It's like adding calcium to the soil to prevent or cure BER when all you have to do is make what's already there more available or wait until the tomato plant is mature enough to utilize it.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Jun 27, 2015 10:00:37 GMT -5
Thanks for all the answers and advice. In the end, given the ongoing battle with volunteers trying to take over the yard, I decided to just heel in the hydrangeas, enjoy whatever colors are produced, and deal with the pH issue later. Since it's a matter of color, not health (as I understand the issue), it's not worth addressing at this point.
Two of the hydrangeas weren't very healthy on arrival, and as nearly as I can tell passed away while waiting to be planted. Both were the Zinfin Doll, which came from a nursery in Michigan. Perhaps it was their long journey from Michigan to Wayside gardens and back to Michigan again. Next time I'll just buy locally - I might have even gotten a better deal at Lowe's. At least I could tell if they were alive.
The others are holding their own. These, however, were not established plants; their branches weren't more than about 1/4" in diameter, the tops had been cut off probably to root others, as new growth began from the tops shortly after arrival.
I was somewhat hesitant to buy from Wayside, knowing about the Chapter 11, but I've had good luck with their plants in the past. I think this is the last time though. It's the first time 2 of the plants have been in a terminal stage, and I don't intend to deal with that again.
But thanks to everyone who contributed experience and advice on the pH issue; you helped me make the probably best decision to just deal with the issue later while the garden is still trying to become a wild field.....first things first.
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