"Yngver" wrote in message
...
This spring I bought a small hydrangea (4 inch pot) that was labeled as a
new
variety designed to stay small. Or something like that. It said it was
only
hardy to zone 7 (I'm zone 5b). It's been sitting in a pot on the patio all
summer. The blooms are now starting to fade so I'm wondering what to do
with
it. Will it survive being wintered indoors, or do all hydrangeas need a
period
of dormancy? This is not a florist's hydrangea, unless the labeling was
deceptive.

There is no difference between a "florists" hydrangea and any other except
for initial growing conditions - they are essentially the same plants. Woody
plants originating from temperate climates seldom make good long-term
houseplants. The growing conditions they prefer are just too hard to
duplicate indoors - too warm, too dry and yes, they need a period of
dormancy. And regardless of how big this little guy is intended to get, a 4"
pot is not gonna be satisfactory for much longer.

It really needs to be planted outdoors. Many folks successfully grow
hydrangeas in colder climates - you just need to provide adequate winter
protection. There are lots of excellent Internet sites that will provide
very thorough details on how to go about this. Just do a Google search on
"hydrangeas, overwintering".

pam - gardengal