Non-blooming Hydrangeas

To continue on from yesterday, I had transplanted 6 Hydrangeas from the cemetery over three years time. Plus I had a large Hydrangea which had been given to me about 6-8 years ago, which had a few blossoms on it from year to year, but no outstanding shows. Also I had planted about six Hydrangeas about 20 years ago. I think I might have had one blossom in total from those plants, so I let my daughter take them three years ago when she moved into a new house. She had blossoms the next year? Go figure!! These are the other hydrangeas I have that I refer to as my non-blooming Hydrangeas, because that's just what they are.


Not one blossom on any of these five plants!


A few of them have gotten overcrowded so that I will thin out around a few of the smaller ones.


But the two large ones are getting new homes,



as I make way for more edibles around the gardens.



Since several gardeners have asked why Hydrangeas don't always bloom, or don't come out the color you are looking for, I will look to my new, trusting reference book, "10,000 Garden Questions, Answered by 20 Experts", Fourth Edition, Marjorie J. Dietz, Editor, Originally compiled by F. F. Rockwell,1982, by The Literary Guild of America, Inc. (pages 371-374)

Hydrangeas do best in full sun, although they will stand slight shade. Oakleaf Hydrangea need partial shade.To make it bloom the following year, protect them from winter injury bu covering them in the fall with a bushel basket or leaves held in place with chicken wire or something similar. I do nothing for my copious blooming two in the front) Don't cut back the canes in spring any more than is necessary to remove injured tips. Too much shade, poor soil, overfertilization, improper pruning, and winter injury can be causes of non blooming plants. Flower buds are formed in the fall, and if the winter is severe they may be killed even though the plant is not injured. You should prune only in late July after blooming.

Hydrangeas can be propagated by cuttings.

Blue flowers can be induced by Potassium Alum (common alum)(pH 5.5); pink flowers by lime (pH 6.8 to 7.o). The required amount of lime should be deeply and thoroughly mixed with the soil. It is best to lift the plants in the fall, shake off as much soil as possible, and replant them in the specially prepared lime soil.