Thinking about why hydrangeas do not bloom can be frustrating for any home gardener. Hydrangea is one of the most anticipated flowers in the summer, and having a flowerless flower is frustrating.
Jenny Standard of Proven Winners, one of the leading florist and herbaceous brands in the US, ‘I always know it’s July because people start calling us and asking why hydrangeas don’t bloom.
The causes vary according to the hydrangea species themselves, from ignorance of how to care for hydrangeas or how to cut hydrangeas to hunter deer, some climatic factors and more. To help you get to the bottom of your hydrangea woes, we have compiled the advice of top gardeners below.
Why doesn’t my hydrangeas grow?
Two Common Causes of Hydrangeas Not Growing Before you go into the details of your investigation, make sure that one of the two issues is not your fault.
The standard says, ‘There is no such thing as a hydrangea that loves shade.’
Hydranas can work well in semi-sun but requires at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight and another 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight per day.
The second most common cause is when hydrangeas do not grow. Many people want instant gratification for the garden, and that is not going to happen. It takes many years to reach maturity, ‘says Standard. Like hydrangea, it can take 2-5 years to germinate after planting.
If your hydrangea has received a lot of sun and at least a few years, now is the time to take a closer look at why it is not growing.
Why different types of hydrangeas do not bloom.
Panicle hydrangeas, just like certified winners (Opens in new tab) Bobo Hyrengaya, a flower on a new tree
(Image Credit Certified Winners)
The next step in finding out why your hydrangeas do not bloom is to find out what type of hydrangeas you have.
Different types of hydrangeas are susceptible to different environmental conditions. Knowing your type will not only help you figure out what will happen to your hydrangeas this year, but will also help you stay healthy next year. Also consider what to plant in hydrangeas. Knowing how to mix different plants successfully is an important part of learning how to grow hydrangeas. And, of course, co-planting can be beneficial for every plant in the mix.
There are six common types of hydrangeas:
- Large leaf
- Panicle
- Soft
- Exit
- Mountain
- Oklef
Each of these species is divided into three categories. Flowers on old wood, flowers on new wood, Or Flowers blooming on both, Also known as Remontant hydrangeas. Knowing which type you are on is the first step in identifying the problem as hydrangeas are exposed to a variety of variables.
Hydrangeas blooming on old wood
A Gatsby Moon Oakleaf hydrangea
(Image Credit Debt Certified Winner)
Hydranas that grow on old wood include Mountain, Okleff, exit And Large leaf Species. These hydrangeas bloom last year. This may be due to the fact that this year’s lack of flowers is what happened to the plant last year.
The most common causes of hydrangeas not growing are:
Climate
If you live in a cold climate, your plants may be damaged by frost. Hydrangeas often suffer from temperature fluctuations during the spring. For example, if you have a heat wave one day, it will snow after a few days.
‘There are many factors that negatively affect hydrangea, which grows only on old wood,’ said Natalie Carmoli. Spring Plant Kids, Grand Haven, Michigan, Flower Grove. First of all, the weather. After these hydrangeas have finished flowering, they will produce buds for next year’s flowering. All winter seedlings have good and strong protective cover. But if you have warmth in late winter or early spring, the outer layer will start to soften, so the bud can come out. If you experience another cold snap or severe frost, those buds will now freeze and die. It means there is no flower. ‘
To prevent this in the future, cover the hydrangeas during any spring frost.
Trimming
The old wooden hydrangeas should not be cut, because they will cut new shoots. If you cut your hydrangeas last year, they will not bloom this year. Leave them this year and look forward to next year’s flowers.
Improper circumcision does not bring any flower to this type [of hydrangea]” Carmoli says. ‘Do not be discouraged if you have doubts!’
Deer
Another reason hydrangeas do not grow is because deer eat them. This affects all species of hydrangeas, and can be even more difficult to control, but there are some things you can do each year to keep deer out of your bush.
‘At the beginning of each season,’ Carmoli says, ‘you can try to apply deer spray before showing off your diet. Deer are generally experienced creatures, and they like to avoid all seasons if you can teach them in advance to avoid hydrangeas. That being said, when deer are really hungry, there is no telling what kind of law might be broken. ‘
Hydrangeas blooming on new wood
(Image Credit Certified Winners)
Hydranas Panicle and Smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood. They will bloom in the growth of this year, which means that even if they are damaged, there is a chance that they will bloom this year with a little TLC. Panicle hydrangeas are considered to be one of the easiest to grow because they grow faster and grow faster than other species.
Still, like the old wood hydrangeas, the new wood hydrangeas are susceptible to fluctuations in temperature in the spring, which can damage the sprouts and produce few flowers or bloom more than the average year. They can also be eaten by deer, and learning how to cut hydrangeas ensures that they bloom every year.
However, if your Panicle or other new wood hydrangea does not bloom, you will not get enough light, says Carmoli. Panicle hydrangeas bloom well when exposed to the sun for 4 hours a day.
That, or is still very young. Give new hydrangeas three years to develop a strong root system that will help encourage flowering. There is a word for sleep (one year), creep (two years), jumping (three years), to make it work better when it comes to planting roots, ” she says.
Reproduction of hydrangeas
(Image Credit Princess Spring Field Kindergarten)
The re-blossoming hydrangeas bloom on old and new trees, and include the famous big-leaf species pictured above.
“Remontant hydrangeas grow on both old and new wood, so even if the old wood grows, the new buds created at the same time will still grow,” says Carmelli. That flowering may be delayed, but only as long as the deer are not touched or circumcised [they can still bloom]. Remember, some re-blossoms bloom on a new tree faster than others. Our dance series Biggle Hydrangeas was a loaf of bread that blooms again before the usual flowering. ‘
Although they can tolerate some shade, overgrowth can also affect the flowers.
Can you make a hydrangea flower that does not grow this year?
Again, whether or not your hydrangea will grow this year will depend on the type. If it is an old wooden hydrangea, unless it is a little late for it to germinate, you should wait until next year’s flowering.
‘Making Hydrangea bloom well is a long game,’ says Carmoli. “You can help by making sure there is no stress due to lack of water – deep water 2-3 times a week rather than a small amount. Add one day if warm.
She suggests adding 2-3 inches of mulch around the plants to keep the roots cool and moist and to keep your hydrangeas in the sun for at least five hours a day.
Finally, she says, ‘In early spring, be careful not to cover the soft buds with tin or light straw and practice cutting properly for the best flowering display.’
What to feed hydrangeas to make them grow
A good bush fertilizer designed for roses or shrubs will help your entire hydrangea grow stronger. But there is nothing that you can eat, especially forcing new shoots, ” said Carmoli. Make fertilizer in early spring and fertilize again in late spring according to the general guidelines. Do not fertilize after July, otherwise your plant will fall into a new leaf (not extra flowers) that will not have time to harden when it falls asleep in the fall. ‘