Share on ThriftyFunThis page contains the following solutions. Have something to add? Please share your solution!
Keep hydrangea bloom colors bright for months of enjoyment. I have some wonderful hydrangeas that would bloom for several weeks then the blooms would dry on the branch and the colors would fade. But several years back I came up with an idea that prolongs my hydrangea blooms for months.
What I did was buy some transparent florist's spray paint and lightly sprayed the blooms after they dried on the branch. And, because the florist's paint is transparent they continued to look like they were in full bloom with a very real looking color all the way through September.
You can buy a can of florist's spray paint at any craft store (for under $5) where they sell dried or silk flowers. (It comes in a spray can or a pump spray.) Don't be tempted to use regular spray paint as the blooms won't look real. If you can't find the florist's spray paint that's made especially for dried, silk and real flowers then you can simply buy a clear spray paint that has an Ultra Violet filter in it. This clear U.V. paint won't actually color your hydrangea blooms, but it will stop the colors from fading quickly.
You can make spraying your dried hydrangea heads easier by masking them off. Simply make a template out of a paper plate: Cut a slit from the outside to the center of the plate, (like you are cutting out a tiny sliver of pie) then cut a small hole in the center of the paper plate that's about an inch round. Then you simply tuck the flower's head into the front of the paper plate and it will protect the rest of the bush from being sprayed with color. If you don't have a paper plate a simple piece of printer paper or junk mail will also do the trick. I guarantee if you spray your hydrangea flowers lightly with transparent florist paint, you'll get months of enjoyment from them while they continue to look "Just Like New" even though they may have finished blooming weeks ago and they look "totally" real!
By Cyinda from near Seattle
Ask a QuestionHere are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community or ask a new question.
My hydrangea is getting white stuff on the leaves. What is this and how do I get rid of it?
They could be newly bugs or spider mites. Use insecticidal soap.
I have seen this on several plants in our organic garden. Normally I'll see these small white flies on the leaves.
Can you post a photo of what you are seeing?
It might help figure it out.
It could be powdery mildew, bugs...
Suggestion check out this post: homeguides.sfgate.com/
Will the red hydrangeas (Red Beauty) stay red? Does the type of soil affect them?
Sorry no one answered your question in a timely manner but perhaps and answer will help someone else with the same question.
It seems that if you have the "red" hydrangea you can add lime to keep it looking red. Here is a link that explains how to do this plus other useful information.
I have fallen in love with hydrangeas this spring. I live in Indiana, zone 5. I bought 2 bigleafs from a store around Mother's Day that were big and beautiful! I am having a hard time keeping them that way. I kept them in the pot because I was told to wait to transplant them until they go dormant in the fall to keep them from shock. They do not get direct sun. I have no room on the "morning sun" side of my house, so they are on my shaded porch. Sometimes I put them in the yard for afternoon sun. My pink bigleafs are doing well. My blue ones are drooping and I have tried putting them in direct sun for a while, watering them more, etc. It's just been a game, which is quite odd seeing as they are 2 feet away from my other one that's doing well. The blue one has some brown leaves, droopy leaves, soft leaves, and maybe one or two that are okay. One I pruned off completely because it had totally fallen over droopingly. I'm confused. The woman at the store told me to water them daily, but then I read that I shouldn't if the soil is moist 2" deep. So I haven't watered them much because they feel pretty moist. Our weather has been crazy! It's basically rained 2 weeks straight with little sun. Help!
I had a problem similar to yours. I finally took my plant out of the pot and changed the dirt. When I had the plant out of the pot I checked the roots of the plant. I found out that my plant had some ant eggs attached to the root. I cleaned the roots and replanted the plant. It is dong great now.
What is the life cycle of the hydrangea? Do they have spores? If so, where? Also, what organisms usually help with pollination?
By Barrie R
They have flowers from early spring to late fall. They are originally from Asia, but have been introduced to other countries as well. They do not have spores. Some are bushes, but other types are small trees. Various types of bees and fly's pollinate them.
I have a quickfire hydrangea on which I didn't take the dead flowers off of this fall. Should those be cut off before spring so the new flowers will bloom? There are lots of them.
By Peggy C
Yes, just cut off the flowers from last summer and you will be good to go.
I have two hydrangea plants. One I believe is called a Lucy or Lacy and that is the one that is infected. The other one, we don't know what the name is, but it has a light blue flower turning to like a pink. So far that plant doesn't seem to be affected.
The blossoms on the infected plant have turned black and fallen off and now the leaves are doing the same thing. It looks like it is really dried out and feels the same. The leaves are black and shriveled. Can this plant come back or should I remove it?
By Frank
Sounds like you have an infestation of white flies and the black is called sooty mold caused by the tiny white flies on the back. I use bleach and Murphy's oil soap and spray them 2 times a week till gone. Even in South GA heat that seems to be the best for the pest plaguing the shrubs in the humid heat. powdery mildew will also cause similar and that should take care of it too.
You could cut it back to just above the ground, if you don't want to wait for the big part to recuperate and spray but if you do burn or haul off the limbs immediately so you don't re-infest.
I have a Big Daddy and Endless Summer variety hydrangeas (both currently in pots) and understand that they do well in morning sun. I left them out in the area that I wanted to plant and they both withered by 2pm, but regained after watering. The garden faces the NE direction. Would the plants do better if planted in the ground?
Hardiness Zone: 7a
By 24eva from VA
You can leave them where they are. Hydrangeas need a lot of water. Even in indoor settings, potted hydrangeas need to be heavily watered at least once a day. Since your babies are outside (at the hottest part of the day) they just need extra water, probably twice daily or even three times until you get them planted in the ground. Hope this helps!
Why do some leaves on my hydrangea turn brown?
By lahib
How often do I water the blue mop head hydrangea?
By Henrietta from Lafayette, LA
I am trying to save a hydrangea received as gift from a funeral. The hydrangea was sitting by a vent where air conditioning was blowing. When I picked it up from funeral home, the pink blooms were wilted as well as the leaves. However, the new leaves were not damaged. I watered it with room temperature water so I would not further damage the plant. Some of the bigger leaves are so wilted they a brittle like a leaf that has fallen from a tree. What do I do with the brittle leaves and the blooms that have been damaged. I live in Kentucky and am keeping this inside until all threats of frost have passed. Thanks for your input.
By Jane from London, KY
Share on ThriftyFunCheck out these photos. Click at right to share your own photo in this page.
Photo Description
This is my first hydrangea plant/bush. For the first 2 years it was a lovely green without blooms. After 2+ years and getting the soil correct and protecting it from insects it bloomed. Although it is only 2 feet, I love it as if it were 6 feet tall!
Photo Location
This hydrangea located in my yard that gets part sun in York S.C.
Photo Description
My oakleaf hydrangea still in the winter season with beautiful wood standing like a soldier at attention looking toward the sky. A few days ago the leaves of this beautiful stunning bush begin to sprout, it indicates that spring is on the way and that the beautiful fragrant blossoms of this oakleaf hydrangea bush will be filled with white pure glory that God created.
Photo Location
My backyard
This is a limelight hydrangea. In the earlier part of the summer, it is a lime green and then turns to a pink as it gets closer to fall. It is very easy to care for and always blooms for zone 5 where most hydrangeas do not.
