Hydrangeas

Lynn.d.millet

I bought this pink lace hydrangea but it appears to be losing its flowers. It’s still in its original pot so can anyone please advise what I can do to keep it alive.

Inglezinho

I think it's just finished flowering. Cut the stems that have flowered back by about half, then plant in a half-shady position in the garden. They like a constant supply of moisture and are not very happy in pots. They are perfectly hardy, but may need some tidying up during winter. Good luck - Ian.

Lynn.d.millet

Thank you Ian for your advice & so quickly too!

Lyn

It’s usual in the U.K. to leave those flower heads on as a protection from winter frosts until end of March at least. If you cut the off now you risk the new growth getting frosted.
It needs to be in the ground, I have them in full sun and shade, so anywhere you like to put it, just give it a lot of water when it’s newly planted.
They are usually late flowering shrubs, my flowers on my lace caps are not fully out yet so I suspect yours is just not happy in a pot and pushed  in a corner.
im sure it will be fine once it’s out in the open ground.
this one is in full sun all day long. 

Jacquimcmahon

Wow Lyn what a stunning blue.  I have several different ones in large pots. I can confirm they are thirsty plants especially in flower. If you do plan on keeping it in a pot it needs to be large and deep and put a pot saucer underneath I have found they prefer to soak up the water from below rather than be watered from above.

also when you buy them in full flower they have probably been forced. When it reverts back to its normal conditions it will probably flower later in the year, so as said above yours has probably finished flowering simply because it was forced to flower early.

Bijdezee

I always lead the spent heads on too, we gwt some nasty cold winds etc so I think it's better they get some protection. The spent flowers on some varieties can be very attractive. 

@Lyn. That's a wonderful example. What an intense blue! Do you feed it with colour promoting feed? 

AnniD

It's difficult to tell from the photo, but l suspect that it has rapidly outgrown the pot and as Jacqui says it was probably forced on to flower early. As Lyn says, they are happier in the ground but due to space restrictions l have 2 in large pots. 
My advice would be , if you can't plant it in the ground, to repot it.
@Lyn, that colour is stunning ! 

Lynn.d.millet

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and have to agree that Lyn’s blue hydrangeas are an amazing colour! I am a novice gardener, but very keen, and now that I have found and joined this forum, I will be asking a few questions on other plants I am unsure about too. Many thanks again!

Fairygirl

Bear in mind too @Lynn.d.millet that if it's staying in a container, it'll need a very big one, and it'll need a soil based compost, not just some multi purpose. That doesn't have enough guts in it to sustain a shrub for very long 
As Lyn says, they'll cope with sun if they have enough moisture, but in pots it's better to give them some shade, and leave the heads on till next spring for protection.

Lyn

Thank you it is indeed a beautiful colour, that’s out acid soil, nothing more.
there are about 50 odd here, varying from dark blue to dirty mauve depending on how long they’ve been in the ground, 😀 the white ones stay white. All grown from cuttings. My dad was a big fan and would collect bits from wherever he went. 

Lyn

These are from cuttings planted out about 4/5 years ago,  I put these outside on the road verge, a landmark for people to find us😀


This is a lace cap see how they love to spread themselves out, he’s 8’ tall and 15’ wide.