Hydrangeas planted in containers on a shady deck were blue last summer, but are pink this year. Although we added aluminum sulfate to the plants earlier this spring, we added it too late for the first blooms to be blue.
Over the years I planted hydrangeas in the ground without any success. The plants always eventually died after struggling during the long hot, dry summers and heavy clay soils in north Texas. Then I discovered hydrangeas kept in large containers on the shady deck and porch not only survived, but bloomed!
P I N K H Y D R A N G E A S
I N C O N T A I N E R S
O N A S H A D Y D E C K
These Nantucket Blue® plants were new last summer, stayed on the open deck over the winter, went dormant, and sprouted new growth with flower buds this spring. The tag on the plants indicated the plants are hardy -20° to -30°.
The plants are covered with blooms and continue to add new buds. But, last summer they had blue blooms, not pink.
This is a photo of the hydrangeas a year ago on the covered porch in the same location.
While blue is my favorite hydrangea color, we are enjoying the pink blooms this summer. The colors range from soft pinks, bright pinks, lavender-tinged pinks, and a few peachy pink blooms.
The lesson learned is to add the aluminum sulfate before the plants begin sprouting new growth.
To my delight, two of the newest buds have pale blue petals. Evidently, the aluminum sulfate is affecting the newest buds.
Nantucket Blue® hydrangeas will set new flowers throughout the summer and blooms on new growth as well as old stems. Therefore, we will continue to add aluminum sulfate to coax the newest blooms to be blue.
We plan to transplant the hydrangeas into larger containers before winter to allow the plants to grow larger. And, late next winter just as the dormant plants begin to sprout new green growth, we will add aluminum sulfate before the flower buds appear so the blooms will be blue, not pink.
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See Tips to Get Hydrangeas to Bloom for 5 important factors.
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