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I have a beautiful potted hydrangea that I received from the florist but don’t know how to care for it. Can I plant it outdoors? Any suggestions??

Potted florist Hydrangea are grown in a controlled environment in the greenhouse to produce big, showy flowers. This forcing process produces weakened plants that may not survive outdoors. Because they are weak and not as hardy as the nursery cultivars, planting outdoors is not recommended . They can be grown in a container and kept outdoors in dappled shade during the summer months but need to be brought indoors in a frost-free place for the winter.
One of the biggest problem maintaining florist hydrangea is watering. Don’t allow the soil to dried out. They like evenly moist soil but cannot tolerate wet feet. When the flowers droop and wilt, there is a tendency to water because the plant looks dry and lack of water may be the reason why it is drooping; but if the soil is still wet and flowers are drooping then it has had too much water and has root damage. When watering a hydrangea , remove the decorative cover, fill a saucer with water and let the plant stand in it for up to 45 min. then drain. Watering from the top is not recommended. Keep the plant in bright indirect light and temperatures of 50-60 degrees at night to prolong blooming . Florist hydrangeas are considered short-term gift plants to be enjoyed and discarded.

‘Endless Summer ‘ Hydrangea is part of a small group of Hydrangea macrophylla that is known to be dependable for winter hardiness (zone 4-9 (-25 to -30F) and repeat blooming. It was discovered in St. Paul, Minnesotta, by Vern Black an employee of Bailey Nursery. After several years of trial testing, it was confirmed that wintered plants that died back to the ground still set buds and produced flowers the same season; proving that it bloomed on new as well as old wood. This is an unusual characteristic for H. macrophylla because it blooms only on old wood. This new plant was referred to as remontant or everblooming hydrangea because it had the ability to form flower buds in the tips of new growth, allowing repeat flowering throughout the growing season.

‘Endless Summer’ Bailmer grows to 3-5 feet high and wide and the color depends on the soil ph .
Since its introduction, similar cultivars of remontant Hydrangeas were discovered such as: ‘Penny Mac’, ‘All Summer Beauty’, ‘Blushing Bride’. ‘Dooley’, ‘David Ramsey’, ‘Decatur Blue’, ‘Mini Penny’, and ‘Oak Hill’. New and improved cultivars are constantly being tested and evaluated. Look for more varieties in the future.

Planting hydrangea & care

-Choose a location with morning sun and afternoon shade.
-Plant in moist, well-drained soil. Amend poor soils with organic material.
-Dig a hole 2x the size of the rootball, mix in compost/peat moss. Before planting check the roots are they white and healthy? Gently loosen the roots before placing in the ground and plant at the same soil level as grown in the container. Backfill the soil and be sure not to compact the soil. Water the plant which will fill in any loose soil and add 2 inches of mulch over the plants.
-Don’t plant under a tree as there will be competition for light and moisture.

Hydrangea care info

Rosemary officinalis is a member of the mint family and a native of the Mediterranean whose history trails back to 2500 years. The needle like, gray green foliage with antifungal and antibacterial properties has a pungent, resinous smell that was considered a cure for many ailments. A brush against the plant releases fragrant, aromatic oils that invigorate the senses.
A tender perennial shrub, rosemary will not tolerate temperatures lower than 10F. It can winter over on the West coast growing up to 6ft. tall but in Northern climates it can only be grown in a container.

Care
Outdoors: Rosemary tolerates poor soil with good drainage and full sun to light shade.
Indoors: Place it in bright sunny window and keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Allow the water to drain freely and let it dry between watering. Brown needles indicate over-watering. In the spring around May 1 repot in fresh soil and set it outside. Slowly acclimate it to the outdoors by keeping it in protected semi shade for 1-2 weeks and then set it on a sunny porch or sink the pot into the ground for the summer. To maintain a compact shape, trim up to 1/2 of any leggy winter growth in the spring. Rosemary needs very little fertilizer during the growing season.

Propagation
Seed germination is very slow; therefore propagation from cuttings in the spring is the preferred method. :
To make new plants, take 4-6 cuttings, strip off lower leaves, dip in rooting hormone and insert in soilless mix. Cover the cuttings with a plastic bag (away from direct sun) to increase humidity. Rooting should take 4-6 weeks. Water rooting is another quick way to propagate rosemary. I have found that cuttings placed in colored blue or green glass root faster than clear glass. Rooting started after 2 weeks.

Wintering Rosemary
The dry indoor air is difficult for Rosemary to endure therefore allow the plant to remain outdoors for as long as possible and bring it inside around end of October. Keep it in a cool (45 degrees is ideal) well ventilated room with a south or west sunny location. Water less in the winter keeping it on the dry side. Try not to get the leaves wet and provide good air circulation to avoid powdery mildew. With a little luck it should make it through the winter, if not you can always purchase a new one in the spring.

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