Endless Summer Hydrangea

105 Comments

1. Mellisa - January 14, 2007 at 5:47 pm

   Winter protection

   I have two Endless Summer hydrangas and live in Vermont, how do you suggest preparing them for the cold winter months?

   Endless summer hydrangea is hardy to zone 4. It blooms on old and new wood so if you have a winter dieback, and you have to prune the plant close to the ground, it will still bloom on the new growth next season. To protect it in the winter you can mulch it with pine bark, leaves. One elaborate way is to trim the blooms and foliage and tie the stalks together and then slip a plastic collar (made from a nursery pot) over the plant and fill it will mulch. Wrap the tied stems with landscape fabric. This will keep the crown and stems snug and cozy for the winter.

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2. Lynn S - January 14, 2007 at 5:49 pm

   Leaf spot
   I have 5 new hydrangia (endless summer) plants I purchased from a nursery this summer 2005. They seem to be doing fine, blooming ok but they leaves have brown spots on them, it looks like rust. Any ideas what that might be? Thank you.

   The brown spots are caused by a fungus , it is more an aesthetic problem and there is nothing much you can do about this time of year. Fungicides would be ineffective now. Overheat watering, moisture on the leaves, close plantings, high humidity can contribute to the problem. Water at ground level and be sure to remove any infected leaves in the fall as the fungus will winterover and reinfect next year.

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3. Susan - January 16, 2007 at 8:43 pm

   Hydrangea not blooming
   I purchased an Endless Summer hydrangea last summer. It bloomed beautifully last year, wintered well, and has really nice foliage this year, but no blooms. It gets plenty of sun and water, and I haven’t fertilized it (so no over-fertilization). Any thoughts?

   You can over-fertilize and not realize it. If your plant is growing at the edge of a lawn and you fertilize the lawn it will also fertilize your hydrangea because the roots extend far as the plant is tall. Lawn food is high in nitrogen. Another factor that can affect blooming is a severe dry spell or drought in the previous year, especially if its growing in a sunny spot. Hydrangeas do best in full sun in the morning with afternoon shade

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4. Dawna - January 16, 2007 at 8:50 pm

   I have a nikko blue and know it is suppose to bloom on old wood. Mine never has. It puts on 10″ of new grown and then blooms. It also put up new shoots out of the ground then bloom on the new shoots. I have lived in many states and it is the same everywhere i have lived.. . . what gives? Dawna

   You may have ‘Endless Summer’ or ‘All Summer Beauty’ hydrangea that blooms on old and new wood and produces blue flowers in acid soil.

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5. Tina Miletich - January 16, 2007 at 8:58 pm

   Pruning
   I have 5 Endless Summer Hydrangeas plants on the side of my house which is partial to full sun. Now that we are going into the winter months here in Chicago Il, I dont know if we ned to cut them all down, to have full bloom and healthy stems for next Spring,,??

   Since they bloom on old and new wood, ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangeas can be pruned after blooming, in spring and fall. It is best to prune them in the spring in case you have some winter dieback which you will need to prune away.

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6. Chris - February 13, 2007 at 7:59 am

   Can Endless Summer Hydrangas live in large pots?

   Yes, but in colder climates protect the roots from freezing or store the pots in the garage for the winter.

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7. Barbara Cummings - June 12, 2007 at 6:54 pm

   Rust
   Hi, I live in Ohio and we are in zone 5 and I have 2 endless summer hydrangea’s. At this time we are going thru a drought in our state but all most all my flowers look ok but the hydrangea’s I bought early this spring. Now I have rust on the leaves. It bloomed fine, except the ht. didn’t grow at all, is there some type of chemical to put on the plants to get rid of the rust, or should I remove the leaves? Is there any way to produce more flowers, as since this was there first season, I still have a few flowers, but was wondering if there was a method on how to produce more. I followed the planting instructions to the “T” so I know they are planted in the right place. If anyone could help I would appreciate I don’t want to lose them thanks. Barbara C.

   Rust is caused by a fungus which can happen when there is extreme dryness or humidity. When a plant gets a fungus it is a response to stressful conditions such as too dry or too wet soil, compacted soil, too much shade, too much nitrogen fertilizer or transplant shock. Best thing to do is to remove and destroy any infected leaves. Keep you plant watered but avoid overhead watering or getting the leaves wet, this will spread the fungus. You can spray with a wettable sulfur -follow manufacturer directions (don’t spray if temps are over 80F) and when the plant is in bloom. Endless Summer hydrangea blooms on old and new wood, so when your plant is well enough to produce more growth, then it should also produce flowers.

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8. Barbara Cummings - June 17, 2007 at 7:49 pm

   Thanks for the great information on my rust problems for my endless summer hydrangeas. The problem with one is the rust is on most of all of the leaves. I can’t spray anything on them in Ohio it’s in the high 80’s and going to be 91 degrees this week. We are in the middle of a drought. If I remove the rusted leaves I may not have any leaves left on 1 plant, I wouldn’t mind if it came back next year, or should I move it, right now it is facing east under an overhang. The tag when I bought it said shade part sun, and that’s where they both are planted. The other one is at the other end of the overhang in front of the house and now it looks good, after removing rusted leaves. Should I move it, or will it die, I really don’t want to lose it. Thanks Barb C

   For starters spray both plants with a fungicide (Neem oil) when the weather cools down, it will work as a preventative and help control the spread. Its best to apply at dusk avoiding the hot sun. You will have to remove the infected leaves even if you end up with bare stems but with good care some new growth should emerge from the stems. When watering, be sure not to get the leaves wet as that will spread the disease quickly. You may consider moving the plant in the fall to another location so that it gets more air circulation.

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9. Jan Bay - June 18, 2007 at 6:49 pm

   Color on hydrangea
   I just planted my endless summer hydrangea around Mother’s Day. It gets morning sun & afternoon shade after about 3 pm. I am keeping it well watered daily or every other day. I live in Missouri & we have been dry the past three weeks or so. My question is this: It had beautiful blue blooms to start, now they are turning white. Are you supposed to fertilize at all during the growning season? Or only to start once in the spring? My soil is very clay-like. I’d like to keep the blooms blue. What do I need to give the plant to keep blue blooms? I love this plant & don’t want to kill it! Thanks! JB

   When the flowers mature they will fade to a lighter color. Deadheading the spent flowers will encourage continued blooms. Be sure your soil drains well. To maintain the blue color you need to have a soil ph of 5.2-5.5. If you Endless summer hydrangea is changing to a lavender-pink color then the ph is higher than 5.5. To lower the ph you need to add aluminum sulfate, elemental sulfur, copperas or cottonseed meal. Here is one way I found. Mix 1 tablespoon of aluminum sulfate to 1 gal of warm water and mix. Water the plant one hour before applying the solution. Slowly pour half of the solution on the soil around your hydrangea, wait a few minutes for it to drain and then pour the rest. If you don’t have acid soil you will have to do this from early spring before bud break throughout growing season, applying the solution every 35-40 days. There are other soil acidifiers available and should be used according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Too much aluminum sulfate can kill the plant. You should have the soil ph tested to see what adjustment need to be done. It may be easier to control the ph if the plant was grown in a container. A lot of work to keep a blue plant.

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10. Jennifer - July 15, 2007 at 8:14 pm

    Cut off blooms
    I have one Endless Summer Hydrangea that I planted in the spring. It bloomed beautifully and still has the blooms attached, but almost all the stems are lying on the ground. It is almost as if the blooms are too heavy for the stems. Should I deadhead the blooms which are pretty much past? I live in Mass and the weather has been hot, but the plant gets plenty of water.

    Yes, cut off the dead blooms and some of the fresh ones for your vase (if you want).
    Cut above the new growth or you will sacrifice additional flowers.
    Endless summer blooms on both old and new wood so you don’t have to worry about lightly pruning the plant during the growing season. You may still get more flowers this year. Don’t prune past August, you don’t want to stimulate new growth that will not have time to harden for the winter. Heavy pruning should be done in early spring before growth starts. Pruning will help keep the plant bushier and produce stronger stems.

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11. jeanne - July 16, 2007 at 7:48 pm

    Planting Hydrangea
    I bought 3 baby endless summer hydrangea’s this spring. I planted one directly in the soil and it died within a few weeks. I planted the other two in pots and they are doing well. One is in a larger pot 15 inches and the other in a smaller pot. I’ve read now that the root system is vigorous and I’m afraid at least the smaller pot may be too small for much continued growth. I eventually want to plant them in the ground. Could you please provide guidance about the best way and time to go about this. I live in southern South Dakota – Zone 4. Thanks!

    You can plant your hydrangea anytime during the growing season but spring & fall is the best time, when temperatures are cooler and there is less heat and water stress on the plant. Don’t plant in the hottest part of summer-if you do keep the plant moist. Be sure to plant 45-60 days before the first expected frost to give the plant some time to get established.
    Planting hydrangea
    Choose a location with morning sun and afternoon shade.
    Plant in moist, well-drained soil. Amend poor soils with compost.
    Dig a hole 2x the size of the rootball and add compost/peat moss and plant at the same soil level as grown in the container.
    Don’t plant under a tree as there will be competition for moisture.

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12. Gwendolen - July 23, 2007 at 9:41 pm

    Chlorosis
    I have about 10 Endless summer plants. 4 of them are doing well. The others have no blooms and have turned a very sickly bright green color on the leaves. In spots they are almost white on the foliage. They also have not grown any since spring. Very small around 12 inches tall. I live in Alabama zone 7. I would appreciate any help for these poor plants.

    The bright green color on new growth can indicate a chlorosis from alkaline soil. which can be treated with chelated iron (Ironite) or adding sulfur to the soil. It sounds like they are getting too much sun and the white foliage (which will turn brown) is an indicator of sunscald. Because you live in a warmer climate (Ala) your hydrangea may need more shade to grow well. blockquote>

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13. M. Pullen - July 26, 2007 at 1:55 pm

    Planting hydrangea
    Our new Endless Summer Hydrangia died less than 10 days after planting. It looked a littly droopy just before we left for vacation, so watered it thoroughly. Two days later when we returned, it looked like cooked spinach, and did not surivive. Could it have been over watered? Some friends said it did not have enough water. It was planted in a filtered sunlight (not direct) area on the north side of our home. We have had this same problem with each hydrangia we try – in various locations in our yard – all end up irreversably wilted. What are we doing wrong?

    You might consider the soil and planting procedures. Hydrangeas need rich, well-drained evenly, moist soil. If you have clay soil it will retain a lot of moisture but does not drain freely. Adding organic materials such as peat moss, compost will improve the soil. Good soil preparation is the key to successful growth. When planting make the hole larger than the root ball, 2x is sufficient and add orgainic material. Plant at the same level or slightly higher as grown in the container. Before planting check the roots are they white and healthy? Then gently loosen the roots before placing in the ground. Backfill the soil and be sure not to compact the soil. Water in the plant which will fill in any loose soil. Add 2 inches of mulch over the plants. I suspect that your hydrangeas died from root rot caused by too much water or underwatering (if you have sandy soil). Not knowing which type of soil you have and how much you watered, its difficult to determine but I hope some of this will help.

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14. Ginger - August 11, 2007 at 4:04 pm

    Not blooming
    I am in Ohio where we had a late spring freeze and are now in the midst of a heat wave & drought conditions. I planted my Endless Summer hydrangea last year and it had lovely blooms several times during the summer.
    This year I have healthy green stems & leaves, but not a single bloom. I water it if it seems to be wilting from the heat.
    Do you have any thoughts on why it isn’t blooming and what I should do to ensure blooms next year? Thanks for your help!

    Endless summer hydrange needs 3 yrs to get established. It looks great the first year when you buy it because growers force the plant with fertilizers and perfect growing conditions so that it looks lush and “bloomy’. Unfortunately the second season doesn’t always perform as well. You might review the site that it is growing in. Does it get full AM and part PM sun?Not enough sun will reduce flowering and the hot weather doesn’t help. The late spring freeze killed the flower buds but the new growth should also produce flowers. Here are some other suggestions to keep in mind for next year. Feed it in spring with a slow-release fertilizer higher in phosphorus (middle #) in the spring. Don’t prune in the fall or early spring until you see leaves sprouting partway down the stems then cut away dead wood above the green growth. This fall,just as the ground freezes, mulch the plant mounding leaves a foot high around the crown of the plant and remove around March.

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15. Kay Densmore - September 19, 2007 at 10:54 am

    Mulching
    My neighbor just planted Endless Summer. She has a bout 5″ or more of mulch close to the plant, what is the proper amount of mulch to use after planting? Should the blossoms be cut after just planting, to encourage root growth? Should any root starter or fertilizer be used at planting?

    Mulching is not required but it helps keep the roots evenly moist and insulates them during the winter. The mulch should be placed away from the plant more on the perimeter. Mulching too close to the plant can invite disease problems. About 3 inches of mulch should be sufficient additional mulch can be added for winter protection. You can leave the flowers as they will not interfere with new root growth. A root starter will help new root growth. Do not use any fertilizer after August 1st. as this would promote new leaf growth that will not have enough time to harden off.

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16. Diana - November 14, 2007 at 11:59 am

    Transplant hydrangea
    My mom lives in Central Illinois and wants to know if she can transplant her hydrangeas into pots for the winter. She wants to relocate the plants to a different area in her yard next spring.

    Best time to transplant hydrangeas is in early spring before new growth starts or in the fall when the plant is dormant. You can still move it to the other area in the yard . IF you need to pot them up- keep the plants in a dormant stage and store in garage but make sure the roots don’t freeze.

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17. Lynne - April 30, 2008 at 9:39 am

    Transplanting hydrangea
    I live in Ontario and have a beautiful Endless Summer that is about 3 years old. We are moving in May and I would like to take it with me. How safe is it to tansplant at this time of year? Any suggestions on safe transplanting if you think it would be fine to take with us?
    Thanks Lynne

    It’s better to transplant when the plant is dormant. Spring is a good time to transplant hydrangeas before new growth starts. Since your plant is 3 years old it has an established root system and will go into transplant shock after being moved. The older the plant the more difficult the adjustment will be. If new growth has already started then moving it will be very risky. The plant is using a lot of energy to produce new leaves and disturbing the roots will make it twice as difficult to recover. I’m not sure if it would be worth the effort as you may loose the plant anyway. If you choose to dig it up , get as much of the root ball as possible and plant in the largest container you have or wrap the soil and roots in plastic tarp or burlap and keep moist. It will be heavy. Replant as soon as possible at the same soil level it was growing and water it with a root starter to promote new root growth. Baby the newly planted shrub during the growing season-make sure it has well drained soil and enough moisture.

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18. kathleen - May 15, 2008 at 11:25 pm

    I bought an E.S. hydrangea earlier this spring and replanted it in a pot and added some fertilizer. The soil is moist but well-drained and the plant gets afternoon sun. The temps where I live have mostly been in the high 70s to low 80s during the day, but they are still pretty cool at night (in the 40s) The blooms were a beautiful blue, but now they are fading and even turning green. Some look wilted. The leaves still look fine. What can I do to revive the flowers? Thanks.

    Hi Kathleen
    The blooms have gone through their blooming cycle and are starting to fade. There’s nothing you can do to revive the flowers. If they are wilting due to lack of moisture then they should perk up after watering, if not then it may be getting to much water. They may last a bit longer in morning sun instead of afternoon. If the plant is under any stress such as not enough water, too much sun or transplanting(root disturbance), the first reaction is exhibited by the flowers, either wilting or falling off. Endless summer hyydrangea should continue to produce more flowers throughout the season.

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19. Louise Brink - June 17, 2008 at 5:12 pm

    Powdery Mildew
    I purchased 2 Endless Blooming hydrangeas and planted them under a tree where they get a little morning sun and rest of day is shade. I realize I need to transplant them so they can get more morning sun but they have mold on the leaves. Can I spray with a fungus spray or will just transplanting fix the problem. They really look sick. They have a couple small blooms on them. Please let me know as I don’t want to lose them.

    Hi Louise
    It sounds like you have powdery mildew on your hydrangea. It would be a good idea to spray the plant to stop further spread. Go to powdery mildew for a home treatment recipe.

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20. Barb M - July 5, 2008 at 10:16 pm

    Winter dieback
    I have 2 Endless Summer Hydrangea, 3 years old. My plants get about 3 hours of full morning sun – and up till 1pm they get filtered sunlight then full shade.
    They never get any new growth on last years wood. They start over from the ground up each year. I end up pruning the old wood off once the new growth is about 6 inches or so tall. They grow to about 10 or 12 inches high and bloom nicely. Blue blooms and nice healthy green leaves. I’d like to see them grow taller and grow back from old wood. What can I do? Do they need a little more sunshine? I am in Central Nebraska very near zones 4b and 5a.

    HI Barb
    It sounds like the plants gets adequate light. From what you’ve told me, the previous years growth dies back in the winter, which can happen given the sporadic changes in temperature. What you can try is to protect the plant by making a mound of leaves about a foot high around the crown in the fall just as the ground freezes. See above 1st question for more mulching ideas. Remove it in the spring. Fertilize in spring and side dress the root zone with compost to boost the growth. It takes about 3 years to really get well established.

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21. Sandy Christo - July 7, 2008 at 10:05 am

    Large and small blooms
    I have 8 E.S. plants. They have been established for 3 years. I fertilize with Holly-tone and prune deadheads and stocks in the spring. The problem is some plants have lots of blooms while others have a few. I have really large and really small blooms on the same plant and the stems are very limp. They get plenty of water, which I understand they love. I would appreciate any advice.

    Hi Sandy
    A mix of large and small blooms on a younger plant is common. The large flowers are produced by the terminal buds and small blooms can come from the lateral bud (lower on the stem). To strengthen the stems and keep from bending over-prune the plant back by 1/2 next spring.

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22. Karen Guerard - July 9, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Flopping stems
    I live in Connecticut and planted 5 Endless Summer Hydangea plants last summer. They are all doing terrific with many blooms. I have not pruned them since they were planted. I have found that when they first start their growth in the spring and begin to develop their blooms, the plant has a nice full shape with height. After one month, the branches seem to sag bringing alot of the blooms to lay on the ground creating a flatter looking plant. I am not sure if I need to prune to create a full plant that maintains its height or if there is a different solution. If prunning is the answer, what is the correct way to prune and when do I prune in my area. I do not want to interrupt blooms for the next season.

    Hi Karen
    Sometimes heavy rains or high nutrients in the soil from lawn fertilizer can cause the stems to grow fast but not strong enough to hold the blooms, for now try supporting them with a peony hoop or stake them up. You can also cut them back by 1/2 now (July)and still get some flowers. Don’t prune later mid-than Aug as they need time to harden off for the coming winter.
    You can prune your plant up to 1/2 next spring or this fall after they are done blooming. A spring pruning is sometimes better because it will cut out any winter kill. Pruning will produce stronger and bushier plants. ES hydrangea bloom on old and new wood .

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23. Kathy Skagen - July 10, 2008 at 9:01 am

    Flowers turn green
    I have a 3 yr old Endless Summer hydrangea. It is doing well in a pot on covered porch and gets morning sun. My problem is that the flowers are green. I know they turn green as the bloom ages but these start out green and stay green. The first year they were blue and started to turn pink. I fertilized with acid fertilizer for hydrangeas and the flowers turned green. I searched all over for an answer and was told maybe the water ph is competing with the fertilizer and making it neutral. So I stopped fertilizer last year and the flowers turned pink. I decided to fertilize with just regular fertilizer for blooming flowers this year and my flowers are green again. The obvious answer is don’t fertilize but since the plant is in a pot, doesn’t it need some nutrients? I sure would appreciate some advice. Thanks!

    Kathy
    After some research, the only thing I found was that “Occasionally hydrangeas that are normally pink or blue will bloom green in some years. No one seems to know what causes this, but often it occurs for only one or 2 years and then the blooms return to their normal color. Using a fertilizer that contains trace elements may hasten the returns to a normal color.”

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24. Karin Duncan - July 16, 2008 at 5:49 am

    Anthractnose on hydrangea
    I live in Virginia and recently had some landscaping done (June 2) in a fairly shady area of our yard. I have 6 new E.S. hydrangea which I love. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some brown spots on the blooms which look just like the photo of anthracnose on the “diseases of hydrangea” website. I have been picking off the affected petals, but there are more of them everyday. The landscape designer suggested using 3336, but the nursery guy advised against it suggesting that the plants would then require it all the time. He recommended instead to remove the brown petals. The leaves look healthy. there are a few spots/holes, but not many. I had started doing some overhead watering, but stopped when I found the brown spots. Could you please give me your advice? Thanks!
    Karin

    Hi Karin
    Overhead watering helps spread the fungal disease. Anthractnose likes hot, wet, overcast weather with temperatures of 75-90F and heavily fertilized plants. It spreads by splashing water, rain, dew, and heavy fog. There is nothing you can do at this time to elliminate the fungus. Remove any infected petals and leaves to keep them from infecting the rest of the plant. The fungus may stop spreading if weather conditions improve. You can spray with a fungicide to keep it from spreading to the rest of the plant but the best way to control the disease is preventative spraying before the disease shows up. Hydrangea macrophylla (ES) are more susceptible to anthracnose and depending on weather conditions, may show up every year.

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25. amy - July 16, 2008 at 5:24 pm

    HYDRANGEA WHITE WAVE,
    my hydrangea white wave (white lacecap) looks all wilted and practically dead, it was just planted 2 days ago, do you think it’s the heat?

    Hi Amy
    Transplant shock (disturbing the roots) and the heat are a major factor. Try to give it shade and keep it moist -not wet. If it had flowers, you may as well cut them off as they will not recover. You can try to give it a dose of a root stimulator and mulch around the perimeter of the plant to keep the roots cool.”White wave ” is hardy in zones 6-9.

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26. Kim - August 13, 2008 at 8:20 pm

    Dormancy
    I have a hydrangea plant that is about 3 years old. It looks very healthy but has only produced one sad little flower….and it is just coming on! I expect that it is located in an area that is too shaded. I’d like to move it but am afraid. Your sight references spring or fall when dormant. Dumb question…how do I know it is dormant? THANKS!

    HI Kim
    When the leaves have dropped off the plant then the plant is dormant and you can transplant it. If the plant has leaves and is transplanted, it will struggle (wilt) because the damaged roots cannot provide enough moisture to maintain the leaves especially in hot weather. When there are no leaves to feed, the plant can focus on rebuilding a good root structure for next years growth.

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27. Ray - October 14, 2008 at 7:55 am

    Winter protection in a pot
    I was given a Blue Summer Hydrangea, in a double pot. It’s been trimmed down to about 15″ & there is new growth. I would like to know what I can do to overwinter the pot. It is on my 22nd floor balcony facing north-east in Southern Ontario, where temps are supposed to fall to 14C/6C in the next couple of days. Can I leave the pot outside for the winter? What can I do to protect the roots during our -20C winter?

    Hi Ray
    Endless summer hydrangea is hardy in zone 4 minimum temperatures of -25 to -30F which converts to max. minus 34.4C which mean it can be left outdoors for the winter. Being in a container, it should get extra protection- wrap the outside with some type of insulation and add mulch to protect the roots. It would also be a good idea to wrap the stems with burlap or landscape fabric after the leaves fall off to protect the buds from freezing winds and winter dieback.

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28. Ray - October 20, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    Winterize hydrangea in a container
    Good to know I can leave the plant outside. I wrapped the whole thing, pot & plant with bubble wrap, but am wondering if that’s over-kill??? Just having read your other section on hydrangea care, should I bubble-wrap just the pot, & cover the actual plant with something else? I’ve also completely covered my hostas with the wrap- is there something else I should be doing for them as well?
    Thanks!

    Hi Ray
    Sorry, I didn’t make myself clear. The insulation should be done later in the season after a hard frost when your hydrangea drops all its leaves). Leave the bubble wrap on the pot but the stems need to breathe and yet be protected from freezing winter winds that can kill off next years flower buds. Hosta is much hardier, mulch the top of the soil after the plant completely dies back same as hydrangea.
    To winterize hydrangea in a container. In November after a hard freeze, tie the stems together with twine, then slip a plastic rose collar over the plant and fill it with pine mulch, leaves or straw to cover the crown. Another way is to wrap the stems with hardware cloth or chicken wire and fill it with pine bark and then wrap the outside with permeable landscape cloth or burlap. If your winter is not as severe -a burlap/landscape cloth wrap around the stems may be sufficient. The insulation should be able to “breathe†and maintain an even temperature. If a plant is wrapped in plastic it can get too hot in the winter sun and then freeze when night temperatures drop.

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29. Alyssa - November 18, 2008 at 1:15 pm

    Winter protection
    Great information here, thanks! I do have a question, though. I have four endless summer hydrangeas on the N side of my house where they get part sun, mostly shade. They bloom profusely but don’t seem to grow much in size. I’ve had them for 3 years and this past summer the plants were the biggest they’ve been, but they don’t seem to be approaching 3 feet at all. Each winter the branches and buds have died, which I’m assuming has a lot to do with the size. Will the plant ever reach it’s maximum if the branches keep dying back each winter or does the root growth take care of the size somehow? Also, I just bought burlap and stakes to shield the plants and I planned on filling each cylinder with some mulched oak leaves. Is this going to be ok for the plants? Do I need to worry about mold on the leaves harming the plant over the winter? Thank you so much for any help you can give me.

    Hi Alyssa
    It sounds as if your Endless Summer hydrangea dies back during the winter. Winter protection is a good idea. The less dieback you have the larger your plant will grow the following season because it doesn’t have to start from “square one”.
    To protect it in the winter Wait until all the leaves drop off before you winterize your hydrangea or trim the blooms and foliage and any old dead canes. Tie the stalks together and then slip a plastic collar (made from a large nursery pot ) and fill it will mulch (pine bark, leaves). For taller plants wrap the tied stems with mesh hardware cloth, secure in place then with landscape fabric for wind protection. For shorter plants, tie the stems together and slip a plastic rose collar over the stems, be sure the top is open for air circulation. This will keep the crown and stems snug and cozy for the winter especially when exposed to west winds. You might also fertilize (10-10-10) in early spring to stimulate new growth.

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30. Heidi Jellison - April 29, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    Blushing Bride hydrangea
    I live in Nashville. I bought 3 Blushing Bride hydrangeas last spring. They were beautiful. This spring, two of them have started to grow back, and the third only has some new growth at the base, that’s it. My other Endless Summer’s are starting to get flower heads and are growing back almost to the full amount of growth from last year. But, this one seems so far behind the others. Is it too early to tell if it won’t come back this year, or should I wait awhile longer to see what happens? Also, do I need to prune back old wood on the Endless Summer and Blushing Bride? And if so, when do I do that?

    Hi Heidi
    Blushing bride is a cultivar of Endless Summer which bloom on old and new wood. They can be pruned and still bloom the same season. The first year wintering-over is the hardest and sounds like one of your plants is slow to get going. As long as it has new growth coming from the base of the plant it should come back. Give the plant a dose of fertilizer to help it along. When the plant gets a good flush of new growth, prune any stems that have died back from the winter.

    Reply
31. Brian - May 18, 2009 at 9:41 am

    Someone PLEASE HELP ME! I planted a Endless Summer Hydrangea late last month (April) and its planted at the edge of my back yard. On a sunny day, it gets sun for most of the day. Or at least a good half of the day. I had bought a bag of good potting soil and it had some fertilizer already mixed into it. I don’t remember exactly what kind of soil it was as I have already thrown the bag away. I put that soil in first and then planted my hydrangea. I also added 1 tablespoon of Fast Acting Sulfur so that I would get blue flowers on it instead of pink flowers. Before I planted it, there was nothing wrong with it. It looked very much healthy. After about 1-2 weeks or so, some of the leaves started to turn this almost dark purplish color. And about another week later or so, some of the leaves started getting almost grayish/silver/light brownish spots on them. I have NOT added any additional fertilizer to it. I made sure to water it good after I was done planting it. I also try to water it every other day that it doesn’t rain. The leaves that are changing color are the ones that are more on top and out in the open. I looked at some of the leaves that are closer to the ground and more shaded and those are still perfectly green. They weren’t changing color. I had gone to a garden center and brought in a leaf with me and spoke to someone there. They didn’t seem to think it was diseased or anything like that. They told me to just make sure it gets enough water. Some of the blooms/flowers on it have also turned brown on it. Been thinking about maybe deadheading but not sure yet. I would like an answer to this ASAP as I DON’T want it to die on me. My parents bought this hydrangea for me and they told me it wasn’t cheap. They paid somewhere between 25-35 dollars for it. So, any help at all would be very much appreciated. Thanks much!

    It’s probably in transplant shock and the roots are not happy. Be careful not to overwater. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. It may also be getting too much sun right now, so if yu can give the plant some shade so that it can adjust to the light exposure.

    Reply
32. Andrew - May 22, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    I live in southern CA. (near LA, zone 10-11) and want to put 3 ES plants in my yard. The best place for them is mostly shady and gets a few hours of sun. However, it is AFTERNOON sun and not morning sun as recommended. Will that really matter? Does the general warmth and sunniness of southern CA help in this respect? Thanks for all the helpful advice..

    HI Andrew
    Endless summer hydrangea is hardy in zone 4-9. Being in zone 10-11 will put a strain on the plant for heat tolerance. It may get too hot for the plant in summer. Afternoon sun is much hotter than morning sun- it will make a difference.

    Reply
33. Maureen - May 25, 2009 at 9:04 am

    I live in zone 4 and have just planted an ES Hydrangea in the ground. My question concerns winter protection. It is planted close to and on the north side of the house. During the winter, there is often an accumulation of snow that has turned to ice in that or close to that spot. This snow/ice accumulation disappears some time after the snow elsewhere on the property. Is tying the stems, mulching and/or a burlap wrap sufficient protection?
    Thanks

    Hi Maureen
    Wrapping your hydrangea in burlap should provide some winter protection. Heavy accumulation of ice and snow can also cause damage

    .

    Reply
34. Laura - May 26, 2009 at 6:00 am

    Hi-
    I live in NH and have a ton of deer in my yard. I have lots of lilacs and just planted an ES hydrangea. My question is will the deer eat this?? They have never touched my lilac’s in the past but my husband bought me a red one, and they keep eating it!

    Thanks,
    Laura

    Lilacs are seldom damaged by deer and hydrangea can occasionally be eaten. They are not their favorite food but if they are hungry enough, they will eat whatever is available. If it becomes a problem, try spraying the shrubs with a deer repellant. It’s better to spray for deer before they taste the plants.

    Reply
35. Kristen - June 4, 2009 at 7:26 am

    I have 4 Endless Summer Hydrangeas. They are planted along a fence, they get sun and shade. They were planted on Mother’s Day. All did well until a few days ago. I did spray some weed kiler on some poison ivy and I thought I ws careful not to get the spray on the Hydrangeas. Three are doing well, but one (the one that was closest to the Poison Ivy) has drooping leaves, still green, no spots, just drooping, it even has a bloom starting on it with no signs of dying. I watered it thinking that it may not have enough water because it is planted where the ground starts to slope downward. It is slightly under a limb of a Dogwood Tree but still seems to get good sun. Can anyone provide some tips for me to try and see if I can bring this plant back?

    Hi Kristen
    Your hydrangea may have some chemical drift from the weed killer. It might also wilt because its taking a little longer to adjust to the new environment. Keep the soil moist not wet and mulch around the plant to maintain even moisture. Try a slow drip watering so that the water can soak in instead of running down the slope.

    Reply
36. Ray - June 4, 2009 at 9:36 am

    My Hydrangea shows no signs of rejuvenating! All the stems are green when I lightly scratched them, yet there are no new shoots/buds. The older buds are still brown & I am beginning to despair at ever seeing my plant in bloom! Temperatures here in Mississauga, Ontario are around 18C during the day & 9C at night. It gets morning & evening sunlight for about 45mins to an hour every day, with plenty of rain in the past couple of weeks. I have also fertilised the pot every 2-3wks in the past 2mths after repotting in fresh soil. Please HELP! What else should I be doing to get my plant thriving??

    Hi Ray
    Your hydrangea buds may have had some winter kill. No need to fertilize when there are no leaves emerging. The buds should be swelling and leafing out. Make sure that your plant is not too wet-soggy soil will cause root rot. If the roots are healthy, they may send out new growth closer to the base of the plant. I guess it’s wait and see.

    Reply
37. Daisy - June 5, 2009 at 7:19 pm

    Transplant shock
    Hello,
    I planted 3 Hydrangea plants 5 days ago and one of the plants is starting to wilt. The plants have gotten plenty of sun and water. Zone 5, and weather is about 65 to 70 degrees. The plant started wilting today and got worse as the day went on. Is there anything I can do to save it?
    Please help!

    Hi Daisy
    Your hydrangea is suffering from transplant shock, wilting is one of their symptoms. Until the roots are established, wilting may increase as the summer gets hotter. Be sure to keep the soil moist but not soggy (wet). Soil that is too wet can promote root rot. To check for soil moisture stick you finger about 4″ into the soil -if its wet- wait to water, if dry, water at the soil line and then check the soil the next day. To deter leaf spot disease, avoid watering the leaves. Best time to water is in the morning. Adding a couple inches of mulch will also help retain even soil moisture. You can also water your plants with a root stimulant to help promote faster root growth.

    Reply
    1. Kristen - June 8, 2009 at 5:07 am

       Just a note. It rained Friday night and the droopy hydrangea looks great. I guess it just needed more water than I was giving it.

       Good to hear its improving. The overcast day will also give it some time to recoup.

       Reply
38. TiAnna - June 9, 2009 at 8:45 pm

    Botrytis
    I recently moved to a place where I have three lovely Hydrangas growing on the east side of my home. They are lovely, productive; and, my landlord tells me the plants have never looked “so good” with other tenants. Problem: the blossoms of one of the plants are turning brown. The color and blossoms are large(or small), full bodied and amonst the beautiful color…the blossoms are turning brown. I thoroughly water every other day…when the weather is rather warm…3-4 days, depending on the weather. I live in the Sacramento Valley; and can only find information on leaves tuning brown. Suggestions? Thanks,

    Hi TiAnna
    The flowers and buds on your hydrangea may be infected with botrytis, a fungal disease also known as grey mold. It attacks all plant parts and is a results of rain, standing water, overhead watering or dew at temperatures between 32-84 degrees. Try to avoid any overhead watering that is usually the culprit. You can treat it with a fungicide before blooming to reduce the infection. Botrytis will winter over in the soil and on plant debris, so be sure to remove and destroy any infected plant parts.

    Reply
39. Donna - July 18, 2009 at 8:10 am

    I bought 2 endless summer hydrangeas at the beginning of July that were full of pink blooms. I know that July isn’t the best time for transplanting, but neede d to do so because of the long stretch of time that I would be at home to water them. The blooms have lost their color and have turned dark. The leaves and stems seem to be fine.

    Is this because of the transplanting? Should I deadhead the blooms? Will new blooms come before the end of the season? Thanks for your advice!

    Hi Donna
    When a plant is stressed because of transplanting the first thing to go are the flowers. It’s hard enough for the roots to maintain the leaves. Deadhead the blooms and once the plant gets acclimated and sends out new growth, it may bloom again this year. If not look for flowers next year.

    Reply
40. Michelle - July 28, 2009 at 11:17 am

    My endless summer hydrangeas are 4 years old and healthy with lots of large blooms. However, they have grown far larger than anticipated and I’d like to move to a larger/open spot. Can they be moved? If so, when is the best time to move in order to avoid shock to root system? Spring, fall?

    Hi Michelle
    You can move them in the fall when they are dormant (drop their leaves) or early spring.

    Reply
41. birgit - August 4, 2009 at 5:44 am

    I live in Southern Ontario and planted an Endless Summer hydrangea in the spring. It was absolutely beautiful and seemed healthy until one day last week. I came into the garden and the leaves and flowers were lying wilted on the ground. I assumed it needed water which I gave it but now the majority of the plant is brown and wilted. Has it died or will it come back?

    Hi Birgit
    I’m not sure what happened to your hydrangea. The period after transplanting is very critical for the plants survival. They need to be pampered and stress free. It may have been overwatered or underwatered, planted too deep or in poorly drained soil. Has the weather been hot lately? At any rate the roots are not strong enough to support the plant, therefore causing the wilting. It’s too early to tell if your hydrangea will survive.

    Reply
42. Jessica - August 18, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    ES hydrangea growing pains
    I planted 2 endless summer hydrangeas this summer. 2 weeks after planting, one had the back half of the leaves wilt and brown, I plucked off the leaves and have been keeping a careful eye on it. I did notice some spider mites and sprayed for them. The plant still has some bloom starts and has new growth that looks good. Well, over a month later my other hydrangea has done the same thing (still has a pretty bloom and a good number of starts), only the leaves are wilting all over it. Is it shock? fungus? over watering? or something else? When I bought them they had a rust color on some of the older leaves, but the new leaves were nice and green…
    I water every 3 days or so, soaking at the base.
    I used a root-stimulator when I planted them, but now that it is August and the weather is cooler I’ve been hesitant to use it again.
    I live in zone 4, they do get some afternoon sun, probably 2 hours or so and they get some morning sun as well.

    Hi Jessica
    Until the hydrangea is totally established, it will have some “growing pains” and struggle. They can take up to 3 years to acclilmate and grow well. New healthy growth is a good sign. Hot afternoon sun is not the best location for it, but it may adjust once the roots are established. Do not feed with a balanced fertilizer after mid-Aug, you really don’t want to stimulate new leaf growth. On the other hand, you can use the root-stimulant every two weeks up thru September to encourage more root growth. A root stimulant only feeds the roots and doesn’t promote leaf growth. Check the label as to dosage and number times of application

    Reply
43. David - October 24, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    Pruning
    I live in southern Rhode Island and have 3 thriving “endless summers” that are growing faster than I anticipated. All have huge blue flowers that fade to a lavendar color after several weeks. They are 3 years old and at least 4 ft high. A number of the stems now droop with very large flowers at their ends. I would like to cut them back , but I am afraid of doing harm. Can I cut the stems back at least a foot in the spring and help shape the plant without damaging or killing? Also should I add acidity to the soil to prolong the blue color of the flowers or is this normal.
    (date: 10/22/09)

    Hi David
    Because it blooms both on new and old wood, you can cut back your Endless summer hydrangea even by 1/2. The best time to do this is when the plant is dormant-late winter. I believe the soil on the east coast has a tendency to be acidic (low ph) which causes your flowers to naturally bloom a blue color. If they have been blooming blue in the past few years, then it is normal and you don’t need to change the ph of the soil.

    Reply
44. Brenda - November 14, 2009 at 2:13 pm

    My endless summer’s blooms have turned rusty, small and there are brown spots on the leaves. I’ve seen the comments on brown spots but not any on the blooms losing color and turning rusty.

    Hi Brenda
    Have the blooms been around for a while?

    Reply
45. Emily - March 18, 2010 at 7:57 am

    E.S. hydrangea not blooming
    I live in Upstate SC and purchased 2 endless summer hydrangeas in 2006. The plants grow back pretty each year, but have never bloomed. The plants receive morning sun and afternoon shade. What am I doing wrong?

    Hi Emily
    Either they are not getting enough sun or too much loving care such as fertilizer. The common complaint about E.S. hydrangea is that it doesn’t bloom well. One trick that a nurseryman told me is to water it less often so that plant is slightly stressed. This will encourage it to start blooming. Now this doesn’t mean that you should dry it out. If it isn’t blooming on old wood- treat it like a herbaceous perennial and cut it down to 6″ and that may encourage it to bloom on the new growth.

    Reply
46. gary - May 6, 2010 at 6:55 am

    Winter protection
    i live in central michigan, and have grown rhododendrons, azaleas and hydrangeas for many years. i use 2×2 stakes a foot or so taller than the various plants at each corner, then staple weed fabric block (black) to the stakes. this keeps the dessicating westerly winds from drying out the plants in the cold michigan winter. specifically for my all summer beauty hydrangeas, i leave the protection on the plant until all danger of frost is past. i also add a top cover of the same material which i staple across the top of the plant any time the temperature gets down to frost levels. this top cover does a very good job of protecting the new growth and flower buds from frost-kill. when the days and nights are nice enough i just leave the top cover off. my hydrangeas get a great head start this way. once weather stabilises in the spring i take down the frame and store for next winter.

    Thank you for the tired and proven plant tip!

    Reply
47. alyson hall - May 28, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    I have an endless summer hydrangea and it’s in a large pot. It started blooming this spring and I added Dr. Iron to it so that the blooms would be more blue. Lately, it has been wilting a lot. I don’t know if it’s the iron, the heat or if it’s root bound. We water it every morning, but it stays wilted most of the day. It also has flowers all over it, but they are not really getting larger. I’m not sure if I should transplant it or what to do.

    Hi Alyson
    If the soil is wet and the plant is wilted, it is an indication of root damage (root rot). They can’t take up water to the leaves. Allow the soil to dry, you can try to repot in fresh fast draining soil . For now, keep the plant in a shaded area until it perks up.

    Reply
48. Amy Pearson - June 14, 2010 at 10:48 am

    Transplant hydrangea
    I live in Eastern MA and about 4 weeks ago I transplanted 2 large hydrangea bushes from my mother’s house in NJ. They are approximately 10 years old but I don’t know the specific variety (large leaves and big round purple flowers). They were thriving in NJ but because of overcrowding my mother decided to thin her garden and offered us the hydrangeas. The bushes were out of the ground for about 6 hours (the roots were kept moist)but we planted them as soon as we arrived home. They r
    eceive a few hours of morning sun and a few hours of afternoon sun (a large tree at the other end of our yard shades them during the hottest part of the day) and we watered them plenty. However, both bushes wilted and all of the blooms shriveled up. They look dead but I hope they will come back next year as there is still green growth sprouting. Can I cut back all of the stems now and just hope for rebirth next year? And at what point on the stem should I cut them? Also, what can I do to help these beautiful bushes come back healthier next year?

    Hi Amy
    Yes, you can trim your hydrangea bush. I would trim 1/3 of the stems which should help the plants recover. Also water your plants with a root stimulant or plant starter to help promote faster root growth. Add about 2 inches of mulch around the plant to maintain even soil moisture. New green growth is a good sign that the plants are recovering. You can feed your hydrangeas with an acid fertilizer next spring when buds start to swell.

    Reply
49. Nicky - June 14, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    Transplant shock
    I live in Ontario and I just bought an endless summer hydrangea for my front yard. I planted it yesterday with lots of good quality soil and compost. I fertilized and mulched it and yet the plant is heavily wilting. The flowers, stems and leaves have all drooped in less than 24 hours. I don’t have any shady spots in the front or backyard and I was told by the seller than full sun would be okay. What should I do other than water it?

    Hi Nicky
    Your E.S. hydrangea is in transplant shock. It should be planted in a location with morning sun and afternoon shade. It will take longer for this plant to recuperate in full sun especially in early summer when the sun is hot and temperatures are higher. Provide some type of shade such as an umbrella during mid-day until the roots can support the leaves. Keep the plants moist but don’t overwater and mulch around the plant to maintain even moisture. Try a transplant root starter(4-16-8) that will help with root development.

    Reply
50. Susan Arnold - June 14, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    Transplant shock
    I live in California and I planted my pink hydrangea several months ago. Was doing really well, so I planted another one next to it. The leaves are very thick, and dark green in color and the one that I planted last the leaves are drying up and look crispy brown on the edges. What’s wrong?

    Hi Susan
    Brown crisp edges indicate drought stress or salt burn (too much fertilizer). My guess would be not enough water. The first hydrangea may have had cooler weather and more moisture when planted providing better conditions for the plant to acclimate. The later plant may be getting more sun and heat making it more difficult to adjust. It should eventually recover.

    Reply
51. Darren - June 15, 2010 at 8:08 am

    I live in Cleveland Ohio and have 5 beatiful endless summer with blooms everywhere planted on the south side of our house in the front yard (about 10′ from home. These were in the same bed as two large trees which had to be removed 10 days ago due to a storm (the trees were pretty thin and dying anyway). My concern is that we are starting into the heat of the summer and now these plants are going from all day partial shade to partial shade in the morning and almost 3-5 hours of full sun in the afternoon. I will certainly water them but am I better off trying to move them now or wait until later in the fall or next spring? They seem to be doing fine so far. Thanks again for the great advice

    Hi Darren
    See how they respond to more sum. Hopefully, they have had enough time to establish a healthy root system. ES hydrangea will tolerate 3-5 hrs of sun, they prefer am and pm sun. Provide plenty of water and mulch around the plant to maintain even moisture. If you need to transplant them do so in late fall or early spring.

    Reply
52. Lani - June 25, 2010 at 7:00 am

    The information on this page is very informative!
    I have a similar issue to a recent post. I transplanted my roughly 15 year old Nikko from the back yard to the front at exactly the same point of my yard with very similar weatherlike protection and plants. Same lighting obv different soil. Unfortuneately I did this in the past few weeks, as a different front plant was removed and we needed to replace it. Of course my hydrangea is now in shock but severely?! The leaves are still green on the lower edges but mostly wilted on some parts and yes brown crunchy in others. At the top of the stems the plant is bent over with about 3″ overhang that just droops right down and has little life (when you touch the stem it is firm until the overhang then the 3″ is pretty much limp). My question is do I prune it at or around the bend of the stem? Closer to the base to stimulate new growth? Or none of the above as it’s late June and I’ve probably killed it?
    When it was in the backyard I never had any problems with it it was very happy there. It’s a very beautiful bush and I would love to revive it, I’m just not sure if there’s any hope for it now.
    P.S. I did put bonemeal in with the dirt when first transplanted, unfortunately it didn’t get root fertilizer until this past week. It has been almost three weeks since transplanting.
    Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

    Hi Lani
    I would cut off up to 1/3 of the stems, it will stimulate new growth and give the roots time to recover.

    Reply
53. Roxi - June 29, 2010 at 10:15 am

    Too much sun
    I have two endless summer hydrangea bushes planted, which gets southern sun all day long. I water them all the time as they tend to wilt with the extreme heat. I have had these plants 3 years, so their blooms are plentiful. However, I was thinking of transplanting them to location with less sun to eleviate this problem. I live in southern Jersey, so the summers can be very hot & humid. Your thoughts: Will these plants continue to be water hogs if I keep them in current location? Or should I move them to spot w/less sun?

    Hi Roxi
    Southern sun is a lot of sun for the hydrangea. They will continue to require more water in summer. A morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.

    Reply
54. flowerfun - July 2, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    powdery mildew/botrytis
    I have four blue endless summers and they are absolitely beautiful! have had them 4/5 years and they bloomed this summer a solid bank of blue then suddenly it looked like it had frosted on them. the tops and edges of most of the blooms turned browwn. thet are dying and the plants are coming back out and are in the process of being full of blooms again. was it the horrific heat so soon on the new flowers the problem?

    Hi
    You don’t mention what kind of weather you had. It sounds like you had a case of powdery mildew and botrytis. Powdery mildew is caused by warm day temperatures, cool nights and high humidity, also plants growing in the shade with little air circulation. Hydrangeas seem to be susceptible to it. The flower buds on your hydrangea may have been infected with botrytis, a fungal disease also known as grey mold. It attacks all plant parts and is a results of rain, standing water, overhead watering or dew at temperatures between 32-84 degrees.

    Reply
55. Angela Martin - July 2, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    Limp hydrangea
    I planted my endless summer hydrangea in sept.2006.no matter how much i water it it goes limp very quickly. I have plenty of blooms on it and it is next to a blushing bride hydrangea that is doing great. help! thanks

    Hi Angela
    It’s possible that your ES hydrangea is in too much sun. The grow best in AM sun and afternoon shade.

    Reply
56. Gurdeep R - July 3, 2010 at 5:14 pm

    Color change
    Hello,
    I’m new to gardening. I recently purchased two pots of Blue Endless Summer Hydrangeas from the local farm. They were in pots for 2 weeks mostly in shade. I watered them everyday and they were fine. In the third week, I had the landscaper plant them in the front of the house facing East. I don’t know how to test the pH level of the soil but our soil is also covered with decorative brown stones. The landscaper dug a deep hole and planted the pots. We live in Central NJ and I believe it’s zone 6. The problem I’m now facing is that the flowers are not bright blue as they were in pots – they have turned to somewhat pinkish to dull color. Most of the leaves and flowers have turned brown at different spots. If I remove browned flowers (I did remove some), then there will hardly be any flowers left. The landscaper is good at grass cutting but doesn’t have much experience with flowers so now I’m in a limbo as to how to take care of this expensive variety. Please help ! I can also put up a picture if your website allows to upload pics. Thanks !

    Hi Gurdeep
    Your blue Endless Summer hydrangea is changing color because the soil is not acid enough. You will have to treat the soil with aluminum sulfate in order to lower the ph of the soil which will eventually turn your hydrangea blue again. see above comments on color change..
    ES hydrangea blooms on new wood, so if you remove the old flowers you should still get flowers from any new growth on the shrub. At this point, I would focus on getting the roots established and healthy so that they can produce new growth, then worry about the flowers. Eventually, you might want to replace the brown stones with wood mulch (pine). Stones when they break down will add calcium to the soil raising the ph, whereas an evergreen mulch is more acidic when it breaks down helping to keep the ph lower. It won’t make a significant difference but will help.

    Reply
57. Dawn - July 5, 2010 at 10:11 am

    Hello,
    I have an endless summer in a sunny location and I want to move it to a shady spot, and I purchased an incrediball hydrangea to plant in it’s place. I have been reading about incrediball for a year so when I saw it at my local nursery I snapped it up. I know I shouldn’t move the endless summer until fall when it goes dormant however since I jumped the gun on the incrediball will it be ok in the pot until fall? Or should I risk moving the endless summer to the shadier location and plant the incrediball? Thanks so much for your help.

    Hi Dawn
    If you can wait until the weather cools down a bit before you transplant.

    Reply
58. Dawn - July 5, 2010 at 2:27 pm

    Too much sun
    I forgot to mention that my endless summer has been in the ground for 3 years and it get sun from AM to about 4pm in it’s current location. Because it gets too much sun it’s growth is stunted in comparison to my other endless summer hydrangeas ( I have 2 planted in morning sun and afternoon shade that are doing great).

    Hi Dawn
    It’s a good idea to move it to a shadier spot so that it won’t struggle year after year.

    Reply
    1. Dawn - July 6, 2010 at 11:09 am

       Sure will, I could loose both plants in this heat. Just finished watering my endless summer which is suffering in this 104 degree heat, I’m in PA zone 6

       hopefully, the weather will cool down.

       Reply
59. Emily - July 7, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    Root Hydrangea cuttings
    How can I root the endless summer to get more plants instead of buying new each year?

    Hi Emily
    Hydrangeas are pretty easy to root. see http://hortchat.com/info/propagate-hydrangea-from-cuttings

    Reply
60. Brian - July 13, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    Not blooming
    I have a question regarding my Endless Summer Hydrangea. I left a post on here last year too. Anyway, I planted my hydrangea last year and it had plenty of blooms on it then. Granted they eventually started turning brown on me but it still had blooms. Now, this year so far, it has no blooms what so ever. It has plenty of nice green leaves on it and it grew to 2-3 times the size it was last year. Just no blooms on it. I did some very very minor trimming of it early spring. My Mom has a ES Hydrangea and I THINK she planted it the same year as I did. I seen hers just last month and hers had blooms on it already. Hers is planted at the corner of her house in the back yard. Mine is planted in my back yard near the edge of my property. Mine has other flowers planted around it and some of them have grown very tall. I think its getting a little more shade then it did last year from the surrounding flowers but is still getting plenty of sun. I’ve been waiting patiently for it to flower but starting to fear that I may not see blooms at all this year. I have not given it any kind of fertilizer or anything this year. Just water when it needs it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks much.

    Hi Brian
    Endless summer hydrange needs 3 yrs to get established. It looks great the first year when you buy it because growers force the plant with fertilizers and perfect growing conditions so that it looks lush and “bloomy’. Unfortunately the second season doesn’t always perform as well.
    There are several reason why hydrangea will not bloom two possibilities are: too much shade-all grow in partial shade but too much will reduce or eliminate bloom. ES hyrangea likes AM sun 4-6 hrs. Too much fertilizer-too much nitrogen will promote healthy green leaves at the expense of flowers. Is it possible that the hydrangea was inadvertedly fertilized if/when you feed the lawn? Pruning would not made a difference in your case as they bloom on new wood.

    Reply
61. Brian - July 14, 2010 at 9:31 am

    I did fertilize my yard back in May. So there is a chance that some of that fertilizer found its way into my flower bed and accidentally fed my hydrangea. I guess I will just wait and see what happens this year. If I don’t get any blooms this year, then hopefully next year. Thanks.

    Reply
62. Karen - August 13, 2010 at 11:51 am

    Hello: I am in northern NJ (Z5 I believe) and planted 2 ES hydrangeas in early June on the northeast facing (front) of the house. They have plenty of space around them as they’re the only thing on each side of the steps, in front of the foundation. Added compost to the soil and topped with a thin layer of cedar mulch.

    They seemed to be doing fine until this summer’s unusual heat wave came. They were getting full sun until about noon – 12:30. Since they began wilting we started watering every evening, with a wand, taking care not to wet the leaves. (Overall we are about 5″ short of usual rainfall this season.) The stems began flopping so we created a support. Things were fine until a week ago when I noticed new leaves were emerging in a funny shape – pinched at the top, and deformed. One plant has had a leaf with a big hole in it for a few weeks but I had been thinking it was just leaf scorch. The blooms are fading and some are brown & crunchy at the edges (but again, I’d been thinking just scorch).

    Now I am worried it is either anthracnose or blight. How do you tell the difference? Were we overwatering? Did tying them up create the problem? We will be getting rid of the bad leaves and all the mulch this weekend, but can they be saved? Should I try spraying, and if so what’s the best choice? Should I cut the blooms back also, or will I then lose next season’s flowers?
    Might they have been contaminated right from the nursery?
    Very sad… they were looking so pretty!

    Hi Karen
    It is better to water the plants in the morning so that they have time to dry out during the day. Tying up the plants would not create a problem. It might have a leaf blight which would cause brown spots on the leaves. This late in the season, hydrangeas have done most of their growth and any type of disease should not kill them. Sanitation is important and will help for next year. E.S. summer hydrangea blooms on old and new wood, therefore you can cut off the browned blooms and it will not affect next year’s flowers. For info on anthracnose or blight see.. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1212/

    Reply
63. Carina - August 23, 2010 at 3:22 am

    When to plant
    I am thinking of planting some Hydrangea Endless Summer in my garden and was wondering when it is best to plant them, should I wait until spring or can I do it in the autumn and they will survive over winter? Thanks

    Hi Carina
    You can plant them now (late summer/autumn), so that they will have time to establish a roots system before winter.

    Reply
64. Mark - March 24, 2011 at 2:24 pm

    Pruning Endless Summer hydrangea
    I accidently cut back some endless summer hydrangeas this past week its the end of March here in Northern Idaho and after I cut them back I realized that there were little buds on some of the stems I cut off and now I read that these bloom on old growth are these plants gonna be ok even though I cut them back?

    Hi Mark
    Endless summer hydrangea blooms on both new and old wood. therefore, even if you cut off some of the old wood with bloom potential, you should still get it to bloom from the new growth.

    Reply
    1. Mark - March 24, 2011 at 3:50 pm

       Great news thanks for the info

       Reply
65. Jan - May 3, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    It is early May in Indianapolis. I have 1 quickfire hydrangea and 3 blushing bride hydrangeas. The quickfire came back beautifully. But the blushing brides show no growth on the old wood. There is good solid growth, however, at the base of the plant. Should I prune back the old wood? We had an unseasonably cold winter in the area.

    Hi Jan
    It sounds like your hydrangea had some winter dieback but wait a little bit longer before you prune anything. It may still sprout new growth.

    Reply
66. Maredeth - May 4, 2011 at 11:29 am

    Prune winter damage
    The old growth on my Endless Summer seems to be dead from winter kill. These stems look brown and the bark is peeling. There is new growth comming from the base of the plant. Can I cut the old growth down until I see some green without any ill result? It is May here in IN.

    Hi Maredeth
    You can cut the old growth down if you are sure they are dead. I would wait a bit longer to see if any stem will bud out. On the other hand it will not hurt the plant if you cut the winter damaged stems and encourage the base growth. Some cut their ES hydrangea down to the ground and get great growth and bloom throughout the season. ES hydrangea is supposed to bloom on both old and new wood but some have had mixed results.

    Reply
67. mary - May 5, 2011 at 6:43 am

    my hydrangea have a lot of small blooms,and they are opening up and have no color to them. they are green blooms, a couple had a hint of pink but its gone and they are green. Did I over fertilize? the plant are about five years old.

    Hi Mary
    Is it an Endless summer hydrangea? The flowers usually start with a green color. It may be the fertilizer or soil ph.
    “Occasionally hydrangeas that are normally pink or blue will bloom green in some years. No one seems to know what causes this, but often it occurs for only one or two years and then the blooms return to their normal color. Using a fertilizer that contains trace elements may hasten the return to a normal color.” ref: hydrangeashydrangeas.com

    Reply
68. Gurdeep R - May 9, 2011 at 9:59 am

    Fertilize hydrangea
    Hello,
    Thank you so much for helping me out last year. I was able to revive my ES Hydrangea based on info from your website and further internet research. I live in Central NJ. My plant has green leaves all over again and I’m waiting for the flowers to bloom. Can you pls tell me when the first bloom comes up and should I have fertilized in Feb/March/April ? What is the fertilization process for this plant ?
    Thanks.

    Hi Gurdeep
    The first blooms will show up when the plant puts on enough green growth. Fertilize hydrangea in early spring as new growth emerges with a 10-10-10 granular scattered around base of the plant and outward and 6 wks. later after blooming to encourage healthy growth. Follow manufacturers application recommendation. Do not fertilize after Aug. 1st.

    Reply
69. Pamela M - May 30, 2011 at 11:05 am

    My Endless Summer Hydrangea are about 6 years old, and for the first time ever, the flower heads are tiny. In previous years, they were easily 8 – 12″ in diameter – this year they are more like 4″ across. The shrubs otherwise look healthy, and these tiny blooms are plentiful. What would cause this change? Thank you!

    Hi Pamela
    Have you been pruning the plant? The large flowers are produced by the terminal buds and small blooms can come from the lateral buds (lower on the stem).

    Reply
70. becky - June 1, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    Transplant shock
    I have just bought 5 endless summer hydrangeas and plant them in a raised bed around south side of my garage. One on the west side get no morning sun but get afternoon sun , a few get alot more sun in the morning and one hardly gets any direct sun. The soil was a heavy clay but I dug the hole 2 to 3 times bigger then add a bag of topsoil to fill them in .They were doing ok some wilting but would recover, nursery told me to add root stimulator, so I did that. Now after about two weeks they were wilted this morning ,the soil felt some what damp but watered anyways, usually they recover but were still wilted in the afternoon.The one on the west side wilts alot more it’s the one that get afternoon sun. I was also wondering if the heavy soil is still holding to much dampness in even though I dug the hole bigger then used a bag of topsoil to fill it in? Would mulching help?

    HI Becky
    Its the soil and location that can be the problem as well as transplant shock. Hydrangeas need well drained soil. One bag of top soil is not going to help with clay soil. Adding peat moss, compost or cotton burr will help improve the soil drainage. Also planting slightly above the soil line can help keep the roots from being water logged. In cases of heavy clay soil, planting in a raised bed is a good idea. Too much sun exposure will also stress the plant and cause it to wilt especially with hot afternoon sun. It takes at least one season for hydrangea to establish a good root system. At this time, there are not enough roots to support all the leaves and any stress will cause them to wilt. The root stimulant should help. Mulching around the plants will help maintain even moisture and soil temperature.
    Here are some tips for planting hydrangea:
    -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. 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.

    Reply
71. Jason - June 2, 2011 at 6:30 am

    I think I have beginners luck! I planted 6 endless summers last summer (in July), watered every other day, and they are doing amazing this year. Plants look like they have all added about 6″ of growth and have several flowers on the way. I even planted them in a spot the gets NO morning sun and all afternoon sun (the harsh kind). I think it may help the I put in a watering system that I can put on during the later afternoon of those hot days (its all under the mulch). Within two hrs. of watering the plant (if it looks stressed)it comes back and looks like a million bucks. My mother (who is a plant expert) has no idea why they are doing so well seeing that I have killed nearly every other plant I have ever put in the ground.

    Reply
72. Danna - June 4, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    North Texas gal who fell in love with Hydrangeas while living in Philly. Now back in Dallas, I bought a good sized ES hydrangea about May 1, 2011. Left it in the pot until my hubby planted it on May 21. Planted in a shrub area in front of my South Facing house. It gets morning sun and by about 1 it’s in the shade for the rest of the day. It did really well for the first week or so. Now, for about a week, we’ve had 95+ degree days. I water it almost daily with about 1 gal of H20. Leaves seem fine. Blooms are browning. Seems that there are some new, non-brown small blooms. There are many blooms from the ground through the crown. Questions: Should I deadhead the brownish blooms? There is a chance that my hubby did not dig a hole wide enough, should I pull it up and make the whole bigger and add something to help drainage? Am I over/under watering (it is hot here!)? Thank you for all of your help!

    Hi Danna
    Your plant is in transplant shock and will need time to adjust. Sometimes it can take up to two years to get a good established root system.
    You should remove the brown blooms. Hydrangea do need well drained soil to grow well. If you have clay soil then you will need to amend the soil. I would be more concerned about your hydrangea tolerating the Texas heat. It will struggle in the hot weather and will require more water. Put about 2 inches of mulch around the plants to maintain moisture and keep the soil cooler.

    Reply
73. Molly - June 6, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    I planted one small Endless Summer Original around three weeks ago. I know it shouldn’t have afternoon sun but it was the only place I had for it at the moment I figured I’d give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised that it was doing great! It did wilt slightly in the heat of the day but it seemed that if I gave it it a good gallon of water a day in the evening (in Nebraska, zone 5, with hot summer days) it would have minimal wilt and lots of new blooms. I went out of town this past weekend and had someone water it for me. They didn’t give it as much water as I have been doing (only just wet the mulch and did not water at all today)and it was uncharacteristically hot the past two days as well (100 deg.). Not only was it very wilted, but much of each bloom was brown and singed. My questions are:

    — Would the burning have happened had it had more water?

    –The blooms aren’t completely singed and they, along with the stems, have perked up over the last two hours with a good watering. Do I remove all of the singed blooms even though parts of the blooms are still alive?

    –If I do remove them, where do I cut on the plant to ensure repeat blooming?

    –Should I do anything at all? Was all of this inevitable the first very hot day of summer?
    Thanks!!

    Hi Molly
    1. The burning might have happened anyway in hot weather. Hot summer days will stress the plant and cause it to wilt.
    2. You can remove or trim the brown parts of the flowers. Or you can remove the whole flower-cut underneath the flower head or up to a set of leaves. New growth will form at the nodes. ES hydrangea blooms on old and new growth so you may get some more flowers this year. Being a newly planted shrub, it may concentrate on establishing new roots and growth before it starts to bloom again.

    Reply
74. Pratik - June 6, 2011 at 6:12 pm

    Hi,

    I live in Pittsburgh PA. I planted a new Endless Summery Hydrangea a month ago. Two weeks after planting, it had nice blue new flower and two existing blue flowers. It receives almost an entire day of sun except 1 t0 2 hours of shade around 3-5 p.m. The leaves are nice and big and new leaves are coming too.

    Now the new flower is wilting every 2nd or 3rd day. If I water it with 5-6 gallons of water; the flower gets fine. 2 to 3 leaves have the brown/purple spots and edges. It also has a new very small green flower developing.

    Should I plan on moving the plant or is the location Ok for my climate and location?
    Thanks!
    Pratik

    Hi Pratik
    ES hydrangea should tolerate full sun exposure in cooler climates but may need some shade in hotter areas. Being newly transplanted it is still adjusting to the environment and growing new roots. It can take up to 2 years for a shrub to acclimate. I don’t know what climate you are in.

    Reply
75. brett - June 7, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    i purchaced some miniature hydrangeas this year and some of the leaves are wilting and turning crisp and there are some brown spots on the stems the plant is starting to flower i tried acid every 3 weeks no signs of improvment.

    Hi Brett
    Most likely it is suffering from transplant shock. Why are you feeding it acid? What miniature hydrangea is it?

    Reply
76. Jack - June 7, 2011 at 10:43 pm

    Heat tolerance
    I purchased 3 All Summer Beauty Hydrangeas in the fall of 2009, so they are going on 2 years old. The ends of my house face Northwest and Southeast. When I purchased the hydrangeas, I thought they would be a good plant to put in the bed at the Northwest end of the house, because all I knew at the time was that they were considered “shade perennials”, and I figured that the northern-most side of the house is the shadiest. It was very hot and dry last year, and I had to water very often due to persistent wilting. Now, the wilting is starting again this year after they looked healthy this spring, as the heat has come very early this year for my area. It was during the ordeal last year that I began to wonder if I’ve planted them in the wrong spot. I realized after planting them that they don’t get any sun up until about 12:30-1 p.m., and then it suddenly beats down directly on them as the sun gets past the house and starts to shift to the west. There are a lot of trees that begin to give them filtered sun to mostly shade not long thereafter, from about 2:30-3 p.m. onward. The trees are mostly silver maple though, which don’t get very full, so some sun still gets through until evening, and on some plants more than others. I should also mention that they are close to the concrete foundation of my brick house, and I wonder if that could be causing them to get too much heat. There are no other large shrubs in the vicinity to shade the area around the foundation — it is a newly planted bed. I’m getting tired of having to water the hydrangeas every day or so, but don’t really have any where else in mind to transplant them to. Should I just give up on them and look for something else to plant? That would be a real bummer because I really like the pictures I’ve seen of the mature hydrangeas and they would really look good in that spot :>( Advice much appreciated.

    Hi Jack
    Ideal exposure is morning sun, but ES hydrangea should tolerate full sun. On the other hand, they are not too fond of high temperatures. You don’t indicate where you live. Is there a possibility that it is not heat tolerant where you live? It will struggle in southern states due to the heat.

    Reply
77. Jack - June 9, 2011 at 3:07 pm

    I’m in zone 6 in southern Ohio. Temperatures don’t normally get above 98 deg. F during the hottest part of the summer. At this time we are in the low-mid 90’s. Like I said it hardly ever gets this hot here this early in the season. Normal high temps for this time of year are around 82.

    Reply
78. Gloria - June 13, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    I believe the Endless Summer is a shame and would like to know who is getting paid to promote these plants. They are in every nursery and store in Minnesota yet ironically no one has them in their yards. They are the most difficult, fussy plants every developed and when you ask a master gardener about the plant they just laugh. We have all tried them in our yards and on one has succeeded. I thought after my first plant when they first came out died, I would try it again this year buying seven and received the same results. This time I am pulling them up and bringing them back to Lowes. You indicates give it three years. Really, with our short growing season who has time to wait three years. You can usually only return plants during a one year period.

    Sorry you had such a difficult time with Endless summer hydrangea. There have been mixed reviews on the shrub. I would think it is marginally hardy in Minnesotta. Eventhough they claim zone 4, I think its more like zone 5 for winter hardiness. Try an Annabelle hydrangea they are tough and hardy.

    Reply
79. Kathie - June 16, 2011 at 3:02 pm

    Not blooming
    I bought and planted 2 Endless Summers 5 years ago, at east side of our house, full sun til afternoon, but they have never bloomed. I will get a good size healthy bush, but no flowers… Live in SE Wisconsin. Have 3 Weigelas and they are doing fine, same side of house. Please help! Thank you..

    Hi Kathie
    There can be several reasons why your hydrangea isn’t blooming. My first guess is too much Nitrogen fertilizer will encourage lots of green growth at the expense of flower production.
    see the article http://hortchat.com/info/hydrangia-care

    Reply
80. mary - June 18, 2011 at 9:34 am

    Botrytis
    my endless summer hydrangeas blooms are turning black from the inside out. why? I planted 3.the 1 plant didn”t have many blooms butwhen it did bloom the flowers were small black on the inside. now another plants blooms are starting to turn black we live in Wi the plants get sun in the morning and partial sun in the evening Please help. marybearsfan34@sbc global.net

    HI Mary
    Hydrangea blooms will turn black in the center from botrytis (grey mold)-a fungal disease that is prevalent with rainy weather, standing water, overhead watering or dew at temperatures between 32-84 degrees. Try to avoid any overhead watering-that is usually the culprit. You can treat it with a fungicide before bloom to reduce the infection. Botrytis will winter over in the soil and on plant debris, so be sure to remove and destroy any infected plant parts.

    Reply
81. Kim - July 29, 2011 at 11:31 am

    Heat stress
    My ES hydrangea is getting afternoon sun, and in Missouri we are suffering extreme heat and drought right now(100+ each day). I have watered it every morning, but still by 1:00 it is wilting, and now it looks like Anthracnose is setting in. There are “bulls eye” spots on some leaves, but some leaves are just randomly brown and shriveled. If it’s so dry and wilting, why is it suffering from a fungus? The two don’t seem to go together. (I was doing some over-head watering, but will stop now.)

    Also, it bloomed well this spring, but only across the bottom half of the plant. Now there are a few blooms developing on some upper branches, but not many.

    Hi Kim
    When a plant is stressed, it becomes susceptible to all kinds of disease. The moisture on the leaves can make an ideal enviroment for a fungus eventhough it is dry. The browning leaves are the result of heat stress and sun scorch. Make sure you water at the base of the plant. Water deeply. To preserve and maintain even moisture add 2″ of mulch (compost, shredded bark) around the roots, staying away from the center stem.

    Reply
82. Lisa Kemp - July 29, 2011 at 6:54 pm

    When to plant
    I just bought an ES hydrangea which is in great shape and has a few pink blooms. The soil in my garden bed has recently been amended with compost and organic fertilizer by our landscaper. My questions are: should I wait to plant my hydrangea until the end of August when it’s hopefully cooler AND should I test the soil pH or add anything to make it more acidic given the other amendments already added? Lastly, if you encourage me to plant later please advise where to keep the plan alive until that time. thanks as I look forward to this blooming beauty becoming part of my landscape!

    Hi Lisa
    It’s always better to plant in cooler weather. The plant will not be as stressed from the heat. If you choose to wait, keep the shrub in semi shade-sun or in the area that you are planning to plant it. Make sure that the soil stays moist and does not dry out. Since you already bought the shrub, I would plant it in the ground on a cooler evening and early morning. Make sure you water it well and keep the plant moist. Hydrangea is not fussy about the soil ph unless you want to maintain bllue flowers, then the soil has to be more acidic. Alkaline soil will produce pink flowers. for planting instructions see: http://hortchat.com/info/endless-summer-hydrangea/comment-page-1#comment-3112

    Reply
83. Judy - July 30, 2011 at 7:15 am

    Where to cut off the flower
    My ES have been blooming just beautifully since late spring and are now colorless and spent. Should I deadhead the spent blooms and where do I make the cut on the stem?

    Hi Judy
    Cut under the flower head. Look at the stem, you should see new leaf growth emerging from the buds. If you cut off a set of leaves, that’s ok. It will send out growth from leaf nodes below. Cut above the buds. You can use the dried flowers for fall arranging.

    Reply
84. Ginger - July 31, 2011 at 11:35 am

    I just planted four new hydrangeas in June. They are both endless summer plants. They had magnificent blooms on them when we left for vacation 2 weeks ago. We had a girl water them, however it was very hot and humid and I do not think they were watered enough. The Blushing bride has no flowers on it and the others have only half the bloom while the other half is all dried. I am so sad. What do I do. The plants themselves still are in good shape and new blooms are beginning. Should I cut off the brown blooms. Is this natural that they die after a period of time?.

    Hi Ginger
    Yes, its natural. The blooms will turn brown after time. Sometimes the process speeds up from stressfull conditions. Cut off any unsightly blooms and look forward to the new ones.

    Reply
85. Tony - August 5, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    Propagate from cuttings
    Today is August 5 and I took cuttings from my hydrangea and put them in a vase.

    I live in Minnesota. I am pretty sure it will be too late to plant these outside?? if outside is not an option, can you overwinter them indoors?

    HI Tony
    See http://hortchat.com/info/propagate-hydrangea-from-cuttings. You can keep the cuttings indoors for the winter as houseplants.

    Reply
86. Lisa - August 6, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    I have two endless summer hydrangeas that were planted (side by side) by a professional landscaper in May 2008. We had a very wet spring here in upstate NY, followed by an extremely hot and dry July. While both plants have flowers that have dried and turned brown due to the heat, the leaves on one of the two plants have completely wilted and turned brown as well. The plant looks dead. Both plants received the same amount of light (morning shade and just moderate afternoon sun) and the same amount of water (from a sprinkler every other day) since they are side by side. Why is one plant dying while the other has new, healthy leaf growth? What could be wrong with the sick plant and is there any chance it will recover? There are a few signs of new leaf growth starting, but there’s no way it will ever leaf out enough to look healthy again this year.

    Hi Lisa
    Eventhough both plants are in the same environment, they are not the same plants. The sick plant was weaker and couldn’t tolerate the heat stress. This can happen with any plant. The best thing you can do for the weak hydrangea is to make sure it is getting enough moisture and mulch around the plant to keep the soil evenly moist. To stimulate new growth, give it a light dose of fertilizer now – no later than Aug.15. Since it is putting on new growth, there’s hope that it will slowly recover but may not be up to par with the other plant.

    Reply
87. jkziel - August 13, 2011 at 3:23 pm

    hello.

    I have 2 endless summer hydrangeas planted in my North facing front yard right next to my house, they are about 4-5 feet apart, flanking the front part of my house.

    They get the same amount of water…

    One gets more light than the other.

    The one with more light has robust foliage, but only 1 small bloom.

    The other one (with a bit less light), has less leafs, but lots of blooms.
    This is their 3rd summer in my yard and the only year that blooming and growth has been significantly different.
    We had a very on-and-off again spring, in fact if feels like we pretty much skipped spring all together, but have had a wetter summer than usual.
    I live in southeast Idaho.
    Any tips would be awesome.

    HI
    What about fertilizer and pruning? Is there a chance that the one with more light is getting fed more than the other? Is this the first time that they bloomed?

    Reply
88. jkziel - August 23, 2011 at 6:09 pm

    To answer the posted questions to my previous post.

    Fertilizer and pruning is consistent between both plants.

    Both plants have bloomed each year I’ve had them, this is the first year the one with a bit more light hasn’t bloomed much (just 1 lone bloom).

    Reply
89. ashley - September 12, 2011 at 11:52 am

    Pruning Blushing Bride Hydrangea
    Hello this is an EXCELLENT site. Thank you for your knowledge! My question is about my Blushing Bride Endless Summer Hydrangea. I live in charleston sc which is zone 8. I just purchased some and the saleslady mentioned that I should put them in the ground as soon as possible and that I should cut the stems all the way to the ground. I also got the same advice from a neighbor. I am confused because the instructions say not to prune them at all in the fall since it is a different type of hydrangea What is your suggestion? Thank you in advance for your answer.

    Hi Ashley
    Blushing Bride hydrangea is pruned the same way as Endless Summer. Both bloom on new and old growth and can be pruned throughout the season. But the more of the stem you cut off the less flowers you will get. Best time to prune is right after bloom. Because your shrub is newly planted, I would not prune it at this time. Wait until spring, so that you can assess any winter damage to cut away. Pruning in mid-September is not recommended as it may promote some new tender growth which can be damaged in frost if it doesn’t get time enough to harden off.

    Reply
90. Patty - May 1, 2012 at 8:47 am

    I recently had some landscaping done by a reputable professional. He planted several ES hydrangeas in raised beds built with an amended soil mixture. My hydrangeas were beautiful for about 4 weeks, then I began to notice some leaves browning and shrivelling up. Then whole plants began to be discolored and now they have serious wilting occuring during the daytime. They recover from the wilt at night without additional watering. We have had an extremely wet spring with very cool nights and warmer days. The wilting began when daytime temps started climbing to mid 80’s. All the plants get full sun for about 4-6 hours a day and shaded the remainder of the day. In addition to my hydrangea problems, I also have disease symptoms on dwarf gardenias, Indian hawthorne and day lillies in the new beds. The county agent (who is a crop expert, not a landscaping expert) suggested that there is a fungus problem and told me to spray everything with daconil every seven days. I have been doing that for three weeks and don’t see any improvement…but nothing has completely died. The rain has slacked off but the temp is rising. I am in northern Louisiana so we can count on it getting much hotter. I have two other ES hydrangeas that I have had for years that are doing fine. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

    Reply
91. jenn - May 8, 2012 at 3:24 am

    Frost damage on new growth
    I have a endless summer hydrangea which has been beautiful every year. However this year we had warm weather early and it started growing and then we had several weeks of frost. The base has great green leaf coverage however the green leaves that were growing on the old wood are brown and look awful. Will it bloom this year? Should I leave it alone or cut it back? I don’t want to ruin it and I hope it still has a chance. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance. From Western Michigan

    Hi Jenn
    Fortunately, Endless summer hydrangea bloom on old and new wood. So if the growth was damaged on old wood you will still get flowers from any new growth this season. Eventhough they may be unsightly, let the leaves remain and don’t cut the stems back. You can remove the leaves, once they turn brown and dry up. In a month or so your hydrangea will fill in with new leaves and start to produce new blooms.

    Reply
92. Melissa - May 12, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    Hello I live in eastern Nebraska. I have a pink mopleaf hydrangea. I think. I am unsure what kind I have. It grows new leaves from the center of the plant. I have had it for three years now, and I have not had a flower on it since I purchased it. The first year, I think that I made a mistake and pruned it to the ground after it was done blooming. The second year, I did not prune it at all, and I coverd it up during the winter. This year, the leaves are growing fast. I called the place that I purchased it from, and asked them what to do. They asked me if I were feeding it any acid fertilizer, I said no. They said it needed this so that it would produce flowers. This is year, for the first time, I seeing little tiny green buds on top of the leaves. Are these new leaves from the acid fertilizer, or is this where I will actually see a flower? Please let me know. Thank you. I love this plant, I hope that it will finally produce flowers. Thank you.

    Hi Melissa
    The little green buds are the start of flowers. Congratulations!

    Reply
93. Brian - June 11, 2012 at 8:17 pm

    I am trying to propagate my endless summer hydrangea from a cutting that I took. I followed the directions given on (http://hortchat.com/info/propagate-hydrangea-from-cuttings) as best as I could. I think the only thing I may have done differently is, I am using Miracle-Grow Potting Soil instead of a mix of perlite and peat moss. But that is only because I do not have any perlite and peat moss. I planted this cutting in a small plastic container that formerly held a different plant I had purchased from a garden center. I started this planting on June 4th, 2012. And already, the cutting is starting to wilt. I am keeping this cutting inside my house where the temperature is 78 degrees or sometimes higher. The container is sitting on the bottom shelf of a computer cart that is next to a window. Half of the bottom shelf of that cart does get a little bit of sun light but the other half of the shelf is pretty well shaded. I am keeping the container in that shaded area of that shelf. I am also making sure that the soil does not dry out. I would like to know what I am doing wrong that is causing the cutting to wilt. I really would like this cutting to form a new hydrangea for me. Please help. Thanks.

    Hi Brian
    The cutting may need more humidity or moist air to keep it from wilting. To maintain or increase moisture/humidity place container in a plastic bag using a stick to make a mini greenhouse. Be sure that it doesn’t get too hot inside as that will cook the plant. If you can place the cutting outdoors in humid, shaded environment that it would also help. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work the first time.

    Reply
94. Brian - June 13, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    Thank you for the reply back. I have placed a clear plastic ziplock bag over the cutting and am using rubber bands to hold the plastic in place around the container. I looked at the cutting later the same day and it is no longer looking like its wilting. It does have some brown spots on it though but I think those appeared from it wilting. Once it takes root and starts growing, it will produce new leaves anyways. Thank you for the tip. I do appreciate it.

    You’re welcome. You will know when the plant has rooted, as soon as you see a bud swell at the growth tip.

    Reply
95. Rep - June 19, 2012 at 10:01 am

    I bought a Merritt supreme hydrangea a week ago and planted it in a pot in my covered patio. I live in southern California. It has several buds forming and some that were slowly opening up. The ones that were opening up started shriveling up and dying. Is there anything I can do to avoid the other buds from doing the same? The plant looks healthy except for 2 buds. Did the plant abort the buds bc of stress? Will the other ones forming survive?

    Blooms on old wood.

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96. Kim - June 23, 2012 at 8:38 am

    
    Watering newly planted hydrangea in hot weather
    I just planted two beautiful hydrangeas about three weeks ago that were covered with gorgeous blooms and were doing wonderfully but we just got a serious hot spell with temps close to 100 degrees for two days (I live in CT). I know hydrangeas will wilt a little in the heat, but in addition to wilting, the leaves on one of them have turned brown and I think they got singed from the sun. They are planted in a spot where the parts of the house block the sun at different times of the day, so they get morning shade, a little early afternoon sun, then shade again, but then late afternoon sun. I am thinking about moving them just a few feet over so that the late afternoon sun isn’t so hard on them, but I’m worried that moving them now will shock them. Since they’ve only been in the ground a few weeks they haven’t established themselves yet so does that make it better or worse when it comes to transplanting?

    Hi Kim
    Since they aren’t established plants, I would move them as soon as there is a cool spell. (If that ever happens). After transplanting, make sure it get enough moisture and mulch around the plant . You might also water with some transplant starter or root stimulant to help faster root growth.
    In hot weather (above 90F) and no rain you may have to water new plantings more often. Lay the nozzle of a hose at the base of the plant and allow water to trickle down slowly. Do this every other day for about 1-2 hours per plant. When it cools down and you have rain, then water 1-2 times a week. This will also depend on the type of soil you have. Clay soil retains moisture much longer than sandy soil.

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    1. Kim - June 28, 2012 at 2:16 pm

       Thanks so much for the information! I hear so many different things about hydrangeas and never know who to trust! My hydrangeas always perplex me a little every year because some of them do so well one year and the next they don’t do so well. Others I have haven’t produced flowers in a couple of years. Some got fried from a late frost. I have a whole row of hydrangeas that all did beautifully for a number of years, but then we lost some trees so now some are getting too much sun, while the others next to it are getting nice dappled sun, but just aren’t blooming this year. Every day I have to cover the ones that are receiving too much sun with a big beach umbrella to shade (along with the newer ones I planted that I spoke about above). Unfortunately, now I will have a big empty spot where they had been and not sure what to plant in their place. Any suggestions about what will look nice in a sunny spot (against a white pickit fence) right next to a row of hydrangeas in a shadier spot? My thumb is getting greener, but I still have A LOT to learn!!

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97. Felix - August 25, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    Hi,

    I had a landscaper install 25 what should have been hydrangeas endless summers. After they went in they bloomed beatifuly for maybe a month, but the blooms were so heavy the branches drooped and the plants became sort of flat and wide.

    I cut off all the bloomsp and cut back some of the branches, the plants now look pretty descent and upright again and I see a lot of new leaves and branches but no new blooms.

    It’s been about 4 weeks, within how long can I normally expect me blooms? They are on dripping so they get plenty off water and they got fertilizer. The plants good pretty good but just no blooms.

    What concerns me is that when I took a closer look some of them had small tags on then that said ‘Nikko Blue’. After reading up and looking at pictures it’s hard tot tell the difference I think while they are blooming. The lack of new blooms however has me worried I paid for endless summer and got Nikki blue. From my reading it seems Nikki blue isn’t that hardy and I am in the north east (Connecticut ). I know hydrangeas get mislabeled often, but i am concerned I may have gotten scammed by my landscaper, I wouldn’t put it past him given some other issues I had with him.

    Any advice ?

    Felix

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98. Cindy - August 31, 2012 at 4:20 pm

    Best time to prune hydrangea
    I have several shrubs of hydrangea 3 are enless summer other are unknown …when can i give thema healthy haircut since they are getting too large….I remember someone saying not to cut after September 1 is this true…….

    Hi Cindy
    See http://hortchat.com/info/hydrangia-care see When is the best time to cut back Hydrangeas?

    Reply
99. Joyce - May 10, 2013 at 8:53 am

    Help!! I planted an endless summer hydrangea four years ago and it bloomed beautifully for three years. Last year, it leafed out, but no blooms. This year I see no signs of growth whatsoever and the old branches are brown and dried. I can’t see any sign of new growth. Is there any hope or should I sorrowfully dig it up and dispose of it?

    Hi Joyce
    It should be leafed out by now. Your hydrangea may have “bit the dust”. Scratch the lower part of the stem and see if there is any green, if so give it a little more time, it may sprout from the roots. If not dig it up.

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100. Margaret - June 26, 2013 at 2:28 pm

     My endless summer hydrangeas have many blooms on them. They have looked wonderful with one bush starting to show flowers. Yesterday and today I found a dead stalk with the stems curling and the leaves all turned to a brown, almost mushy substance. One of the other bushes also looked the same. I cut off the bad parts but I am now afraid that this will continue. How do I stop it? My husband fertilized it with rapid grown a couple of days ago.

     what kind of weather have you had. What type of fertilizer was it?

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101. Betsy - July 10, 2015 at 6:58 am

     *HELP*
     My 9 year old Endless Summers (I have 9 of them) have for the last three years bloomed beautifully but the plants are about half the size of what they used to be.
     At first they were app. 3.4 feet tall and now they are thin!
     How can I get them to grow….I do not prune them.
     Thanks

     Hi Betsy
     Not knowing where you are located. What kind of summer have you had? It may be weather related. I would give your hydrageas a dose of fertilizer now and in the spring when new growth starts to bud. Fertilize around the drip line of your shrub. Don’t fertilize after Aug. 1. You don’t want to encourage new growth because it may not have enough time to harden before cold weather sets in.

     Reply