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Re: [SG] What about hydrangeas?

Nancy,

You're welcome - glad if I could help.  From what you say, I bet you've got
H. macrophylla spp.  These do tend to bloom mostly at the tips of the
canes, although I do get side branching with bloom on some of mine - not
all canes (this may not be the correct term, but to me, they are more canes
than stems since they die out after a year or so and are replaced by new
ones from the crown).  No, they don't bloom *all* along the stem, it's
mostly at the top, but, as I say, with mine, it's not only at the very tip.

I think your "pruning" was more in the dead heading category and that yours
are the kind that  bloom on old wood. So, if you want to do any heavy
pruning, do it immediately after bloom.  OTOH, with your long season (aided
by El Nino), the plants may act differently and have more than one flush of
bloom a "season".   I simply don't have any experience in your climate -
surely there is someone on this list who has experience growing Hydrangea
in zone 9!!  If you're out there - speak up!!!

Actually, I live in Potomac, too.  We are zone 7, but the colder part of
it.  Zone 6 is not very many miles away and some gardens may have a zone 6
microclimate.

Enjoy your blooms!!  Mine are in fade mode as fall swiftly descends.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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Nancy Acton  said (with snipping):

> Mine has the classic hydrangea look, in blue.
>
>
> Hmmm... I don't know what species I have (inherited plant from
> previous owner of house). You mean they bloom ALONG the whole stem
> instead of just at the tip? I guess I must not have observed it very
> closely, but I thought they form flowers at the top of each vertical
> stem branch, but not along the length of the stem... I will try to
> take a closer look.
>
> I guess I didn't prune very hard, I just cut off all the dead flower
> heads from the previous year without really reducing the size of the
> plant. Perhaps I was just lucky...
>
> > As to the second flush of bloom....I simply dunno.  None of mine
> have ever
> > done this for me - wouldn't mind if they did :-)  Wonder if it has
> anything
> > to do with the fact that you're in a mild climate area?  Anybody else
>
> I'm not complaining either! :-) Just thought it was strange. Made me
> wonder if there is something I could do to encourage this behavior
> more. There are just a few new flower heads, definitely not a full
> flush of bloom. It certainly could be related to my climate area (zone
> 9), especially because of the imfamous El Nino effects.
>
> > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>
> Thanks, Marge, for your help. I will try to see if I see buds on my
> existing stems. And at least if I ever acquire a new plant, I'll know
> what to get from your descriptions of the different species!
>
> Are you along the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic coast of Maryland? My
> family lives in Potomac, MD, just northwest of D.C., and I didn't
> think they were in zone 7...
>
> And to Clyde: My hydrangeas grow next to the house between a wall and
> the AC compressor unit. They are definitely in mostly if not full
> shade. Actually I didn't care for them either when I first got the
> house and saw them in the garden. But after seeing their show this
> spring, I'm a definite convert! They made great cut flowers for
> indoors that lasted quite a while, too.
>
> --nancy acton
> ==
> Nancy Acton  (madoka@yahoo.com)
> Northern CA, USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 16
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