previous
  • Dwarf Citrus Trees
    Dwarf Citrus Trees
  • Lawn Alternatives
    Lawn Alternatives
  • Fragrant Plants for Pathways
    Fragrant Plants for Pathways
  • Comfortable Alfresco Dining
    Comfortable Alfresco Dining
  • Mulch for a Healthy Garden
    Mulch for a Healthy Garden
  • Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
    Fast-Growing Trees for Impatient Gardeners
  • Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
    Slideshow: Beautiful Clematis
  • Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
    Garden Confidential: A Plant Walks into a Bar
  • Plants that Spark!
    Plants that Spark!
  • Elephant's Ears
    Elephant's Ears
  • Pretty in Pink
    Pretty in Pink
  • 6 Tips for Weed Control
    6 Tips for Weed Control
  • Containers as Focal Points
    Containers as Focal Points
  • Designing with Curved Terraces
    Designing with Curved Terraces
  • NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
    NEW Video Series: There's a Better Way
  • Make a Succulent Topiary
    Make a Succulent Topiary
  • Building a Compost Bin
    Building a Compost Bin
  • Stylish Shady Containers
    Stylish Shady Containers
  • Thoughts From a Foreign Field
    Thoughts From a Foreign Field
  • Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
    Indeterminate or Determinate Tomatoes?
  • In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
    In Pursuit of the Perfect Potting Shed
  • Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
    Plant an Easy-to-Water Strawberry Jar
  • Save Money by Growing Your Own
    Save Money by Growing Your Own
  • Colorful Selections for Shade
    Colorful Selections for Shade
  • Homegrown / Homemade
    Homegrown / Homemade
next

Winter care for hydrangeas

Q: A nasty frost in April turned the buds black on my Hydrangea macrophylla. There was a lot of new growth in spring, but not one flower this summer. What can I do to ensure spectacular blooms for next summer?

Mary Bentz, Bethesda, MD

A burlap shelter will protect hydrangea buds from frost. A burlap shelter will protect hydrangea buds from frost. Photo/Illustration: Christine Erikson

A: Keith Davitt, horticulturist and author in Brooklyn, New York, replies: Although there is said to be a cultivar— ‘All Summer Beauty’—that blooms on new wood, nearly all H. macrophylla varieties bloom on last year’s wood. If the nascent flower buds were damaged in the spring by frost, that is likely the cause of their failure to bloom. However, with proper care this season, next year’s blooms should be spectacular.

Occasional applications of compost forked into the soil will give your hydrangeas an excellent environment for root development. A year-round mulch will also help maintain moisture and evenness of ground temperature. Cut out old wood at the base and any weak or spindly branches at their point of origin. Use a balanced fertilizer high in nitrogen during the active growing season, then taper off the nitrogen and provide only phosphorus and potassium toward bloom time.

As winter approaches, mound up fir branches, straw, or whatever you can find, or build a cylindrical shelter from stakes and burlap to keep in place until all danger of frost has past. This extra protection will prevent or diminish winterkill and assure you of beautiful blossoms next summer. 

From Fine Gardening 58, pp. 14

Plants mentioned in this Q&A: