23+ Soil For Hydrangea

In neutral soil hydrangeas take up less aluminum and the flowers are pink.

Soil for hydrangea. They feel slick and sticky when wet. The acidity of the soil or ph level can affect bloom color in bigleaf hydrangea varieties with blue flowers resulting from acidic soils and pink flowers growing in alkaline soils. Use a good quality potting soil with organic matter not ordinary garden soil. For gardeners growing an acid loving plant like blue hydrangea or azalea learning how to make soil acidic is important to its overall health. Hydrangeas will produce blue or purple flowers in acidic soil where more aluminum is present. Clay and silt hold moisture well but resist water infiltration especially when they are dry. The lower the ph the bluer the flowers.

Amending the soil with compost prior to planting is helpful. If you don t already live in an area where the soil is acidic making soil acidic will involve adding products that lower the soil ph. Most hydrangeas thrive in rich porous somewhat moist soils. Add compost to enrich poor soil. Add aluminum sulfate or sulfur to increase acidity. While they can be grown in a wide range of soils hydrangeas typically prefer rich moist soil that drains easily. This hydrangea tolerates dry soil better than the others.

Leave some room below the rim of the pot so you can water. These items can boost the nutrient levels within the soil and help it retain moisture. You can find many organic fertilizers such as bark compost and leaves. Gently firm the soil around the roots to eliminate air pockets. The best soil for hydrangeas is a rich well drained moist soil all the time. Clay and silt soils are made of very small particles. Often puddles form on clay or silt soils and they easily become compacted.

This is especially true for the bigleaf hydrangeas. If you have clay like soil you might want to add some shredded leaves or compost to your soil. They prefer full sun in the morning with some afternoon shade. However many will grow and bloom in partial shade. Water thoroughly after planting. The water level requirements are a bit tricky insofar as they require moist soil at all times but not wet. As a result of these moisture requirements they thrive in areas that receive morning sunlight and then afternoon shade.

Hydrangea planting should be performed in spring once the threat of frost has passed. But panicle hydrangea soil can also be droughty.