When to Fertilize Hydrangea Bushes and Shrubs

When you decide to plant a hydrangea in your yard, it means that you are ready to take care of it. One of them is about when and how to fertilize your hydrangea bushes. Giving fertilizer is important especially to make your hydrangea flower.

When and How to Give Fertilizer to Hydrangea

If you have hydrangeas with most hydrangea bushes, you are able to fertilize them in spring. You have to give time this dose of hydrangea fertilizer for early in the season, when you find that the plants are leafing out. To give plants an early season boost, you are able to add a shovel or two of compost around the base of plants.

You are also able to use a straight nursery-type fertilizer. The formulation can be 10- 10- 10. Usually, it needs two applications: one in early spring and another in early summer. You are able to follow the instructions on the packet about how much to apply and how to apply the fertilizer. Usually, after applying fertilizer, you want to water it or you are able to manage the time of application so that it can happen before a soaking spring rain.

Another option is to feed your hydrangea with a fertilizer which is labeled as a bloom booster. This kind of fertilizer contains higher phosphorus. Also, it may have a formulation like 15- 30- 15. A fertilizer which contains higher phosphorus like this will help encourage plants to form more flower buds. This is a good fertilizer to use when the first flush of flowering has completed.

If you live in a warmer region, you are able to give fertilizer to your hydrangea a second time during the growing season in July. However, never add any hydrangea fertilizer that encourages growth after August. It applies for all regions, warm and cold.

If you feed hydrangea too late in summer, you will find that your hydrangea plants produce lush, tender growth that comes on strong when hydrangeas should be preparing to go dormant for winter. This new growth will make the plants more susceptible to greater damage because of cold winter temperatures.

When you apply fertilizer to your hydrangea, make sure that you follow the instructions carefully so that you will get the best results. If you give too much fertilizer to your hydrangea plants, fertilizer burn will happen. In this condition, you will see that the leaves are scorched.

If you choose to apply fertilizer which is slow-release type, you have to lightly cover it with soil. By doing it, it will activate the fertilizer. If you are able to apply good care to your hydrangea plants, you will be able to have luxurious foliage and glorious blooms.

Hydrangea Fertilizer for Changing The Color of Flowers

In the market, you are able to find a crop of new specialized hydrangea soil additives for changing the flower color of hydrangea. Sometimes, these products are sold as hydrangea fertilizer. These fertilizers can change the color of the flowers by changing the soil pH. It can be effective for big leaves or French hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), lacecap hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla normalis) and Hydrangea serrata.

If you use hydrangea fertilizers or soil additives which contain sulfur, it will lower soil pH. Then, it will make the soil more acidic and then change flowers to blue and purple shades.

If you want to have a pink color of your hydrangea, you are able to find soil lime or dolomitic lime. These products are usually sold as soil additives and usually they are displayed with fertilizers. In the packet, it may show a photo of a pink hydrangea flower.

It is important for you to know that white hydrangeas will not change the color.

To Fertilize Hydrangeas Organically

If you want to fertilize your hydrangea plants organically, you are able to use commercial manure on the soil around hydrangeas. A lot of gardeners use it and there are reports that they get excellent results after using composted manure. If you want to use this fertilizer, you are able to apply it yearly around the base of the hydrangea. Same as chemical fertilizers, you have to make sure that you do not apply this fertilizer next to the trunk or stems which emerge from the ground.

Some Best Fertilizer For Hydrangeas

There are a lot of fertilizers that you can find in the market. You may be confused which fertilizer to choose for your hydrangea. Here, we have some best fertilizers that may be a recommendation for you.

• JR Peters Fertilizer – Jack Classic Fertilizer

Aluminum sulfate is contained in this fertilizer. With this ingredient, your hydrangea will be able to change the blue color or blue hydrangea. You are able to add a solution of 1/2 oz (1 tablespoon) aluminum sulfate per gallon of water. You have to apply this fertilizer to plants which are two to three years old during the growing season.

• Bonide Fertilizer – Bailey’s Color Me Pink

This fertilizer comes with a blue scoop. So, you will be able to measure easily the amount of fertilizer which is needed for the application. Then, you can apply the fertilizer and scatter around the bush. You do not have to mix the hydrangea fertilizer with any other ingredients. You just have to scatter them on the surrounding ground. This fertilizer is formulated to change your Hydrangeas to pink color. This fertilizer contains an active ingredient of 90% calcium carbonate.

• Miracle-Gro Miracid Fertilizer

This fertilizer is created as plant food or fertilizer for acid-loving plants including hydrangeas. It is formulated with 30- 10- 10 ratio fertilizer. The ingredients of this fertilizer are Nitrogen 30% (ammoniacal Nitrogen 3% and Urea Nitrogen 27%), Soluble Potash 10% and Phosphate 10%. They are derived from Phosphate, Nitrogen, Boron Acid, Potash, Iron, Sodium, Manganese and Zinc. To make this fertilizer work, you are able to feed the roots for fast and beautiful results. The ingredients of this fertilizer also have a task to feed the leaves. This fertilizer is safe and it will not burn the plant.

Well you can read more recommended fertilizer for your lovely hydrangea so they will grow excelent.