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Hardiness Zone: 4b
Thanks,
Helenw from Ontario Canada
A: Hi Helen,
If you're growing Hydrangea Marcrophylla (French Hydrangea) you can turn it from pink to blue by lowering the pH level of your soil. The color is determined by the amount of aluminum available to the plant. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of aluminum sulfate to a gallon of water. Apply it 2 times, 2 weeks apart, for 4 to 6 months prior to blooming. You can also add coffee grounds, eggshells or ground-up citrus peel to the soil. You're shooting for a pH of 5-6.
On a similar note, blue hydrangeas can be changed to pink by adding 3-8 cups (depending on the size of the plant) of dolomic lime around the base of the hydrangea. Do this 2 or 3 times between the blooming seasons. As an alternative, you can also try a bit of superphosphate around the base of the plant. Shoot for a pH of 6.8-7.2.
The color change doesn't happen overnight so be patient. It can take as long as a year or two to see the results. The white varieties of hydrangeas (such as PeeGee, Silver Leaf, Hills of Snow, etc.) cannot be changed. They remain while regardless of tampering with the pH of the soil.
Good Luck!
Ellen
About The Author: Ellen Brown is our Green Living and Gardening Expert. Click here to ask Ellen a question! Ellen Brown is an environmental writer and photographer and the owner of Sustainable Media, an environmental media company that specializes in helping businesses and organizations promote eco-friendly products and services. Contact her on the web at http://www.sustainable-media.com
By
05/17/2006
Hydrnageas are one of the few plants that store aluminum. To turn pink/purple hydrangeas blue, add a small amount of aluminum to the soil. White hydrangeas cannot change colour.
By Jill from Iowa (Guest Post)
05/13/2006
I have also heard that burying pennies around the roots will help. (Obviously the copper.)
By Margie Minard (Guest Post)
05/12/2006
The blue comes from acid soil. I have heard that just putting your used coffee grounds under the bush every day will do the trick. It is very good for the soil, anyway.
By
05/12/2006
The color is determined by the "Ph" of the soil. your extension agent will test for you free. In my case(and with-out test) I had pale blue and added diluted lemmon juice got deep blue as result.Good luck.
jerryno1 Yorktown Va.
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