Hydrangeas - the proper care

Those that know me well know that Hydrangea is really my favorite plant and flower.  I find nothing as elegant and understated.  I prefer the classic varieties and stay away from macrophyllas, because they just look fake to me.

Hydrangeas seem to be a plant where you just kind of let it go, but that is far from the truth.  My husband spends hours layer pruning our paniculatas so they push spring growth to his desired shape.  Pruning is a science as well as an art.  As is gardening really.

I had an interesting conversation with a master gardener yesterday who was asking my opinions on a plant I was installing at her friends house.  It was a gro-low sumac.  For me, a "landscaper," something I use all the time when I want a big pillow of greenery.  But to her, something less known.  It reminded me that although someone might be an expert, we are always still learning.  We are experts at what we are most comfortable with, what we prefer and what we are exposed to most often.

So I thought why not put out some tips for caring for my favorite plants.  To some it might be old information, a refresher and to some it may be completely new.  But at least I'm going to try to use this fantastic technology to continue to educate as often as I can.

Pruning hydrangeas
To know when to prune your hydrangea....here's a handy guide:

Hydrangea macrophylla (Blushing Bride, Endless Summer, Light-O-Day): Prune in late summer, as soon as the flowers fade, but never after September. Remove weaker stems from the base of the plant, being careful to retain several stems of old wood, which will produce buds for next year's flowers.

Hydrangea arborescens Grandiflora (Annabelle, Bella Anna, Incrediball): Cut to the ground in late winter or early spring.

Hydrangea paniculata Grandiflora (Tardive, Limelight, Pink Diamond, Unique): Simply remove spent flowers and thin or cut back last year's growth in late winter or early spring.

Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea): Remove dead wood at the base of the plant in early spring.

Hydrangea anomala petiolaris (climbing hydrangea): Unruly vines can be shortened in summer. Otherwise, pruning is seldom necessary.

When to plant, really.

You know every spring I hear myself telling my customers, "I've never seen so much rain!" or "they are predicting snow" or pick a springtime woe for your landscape and we've had it.

This year I can honestly say that we have never experienced a spring like this one.  Some major stand out moments:

- I have tulips in raised beds that did not bloom because the temperature of the soil did not fall below the recommended 62 degrees F for a long period of time.

- We began mowing grass, because it needed it, 4-5 weeks early.

- I have seen grub activity (or animals feeding on grubs) as early as the first week in April.

- Our wholesale nursery started releasing material as ready to plant in March, which is 3 weeks early.

Because this winter and spring has been so unpredictable, I offer a cautionary word to those who are thinking about planting annuals, herbs and vegetables sooner than later.  Normally our last day of frost does not go past May 15th.  I would stick to that date.  With conditions precarious at best, it seems best to wait.

If you are excited and anxious what you can do instead is try starting seeds inside.  It can be done in something as inexpensive as an egg carton!  You can start some vegetables as well as some annuals, and this activity is great for teaching children about biology on a small accessible level.  Just remember to wait until after May 15th to bring them outside.

My favorites to start from seed:

Vegetables
Zucchini
Squash
Cucumbers
All herbs

Annual flowers
Zinnia
Alyssum
Cosmos
Marigolds

Check out this great article on growing annuals from seeds:
http://www.gardeners.com/Growing-Annual-Flowers-from-Seed/5663,default,pg.html