I buried my hydrangea bush last fall
 

I uncovered my hydrangea bush and planted it upright this year and I
have leaves on the stems now. I live in zone 5 and the plant dies
back to the ground in the winter and since blossoms form on last years
branches I never got blooms. I buried it in a foot of soil over the
winter and have hopes of getting those nice blue blooms that were on
the plant when I bought it years ago. Has anybody tried this and
succeeded?

Lori

I learned that even though my hydrangea looks like it dies back, it
hasn't. I was trimming back the 'deadwood' making it look neater in the
winter. Turns out it only appeared to have died back. One year I did not
trim it back, and all the dead looking branches leafed out and I got
lots of blooms. Can't say this is true for yours as I don't know what
kind I have. It has big blue blossom heads though.

Found out this was true on sour-grape Penstemon also. Don't cut back!

I am in a warmer zone but it does get really cold here. 18-24 degrees in
the winter. So lots of stuff does die back and does look neater after a
trim.

Sterling in Atlanta

Kayla wrote:

I uncovered my hydrangea bush and planted it upright this year and I
have leaves on the stems now. I live in zone 5 and the plant dies
back to the ground in the winter and since blossoms form on last years
branches I never got blooms. I buried it in a foot of soil over the
winter and have hopes of getting those nice blue blooms that were on
the plant when I bought it years ago. Has anybody tried this and
succeeded?

Lori

"Kayla" wrote in message
...
I uncovered my hydrangea bush and planted it upright this year and I
have leaves on the stems now. I live in zone 5 and the plant dies
back to the ground in the winter and since blossoms form on last years
branches I never got blooms. I buried it in a foot of soil over the
winter and have hopes of getting those nice blue blooms that were on
the plant when I bought it years ago. Has anybody tried this and
succeeded?

Instead of using soil, try wrapping the plant in burlap, or better yet, make
a cage out of wire fencing and put that over the shrub. Fill the cage with
leaves for some winter protection.

Which hydrangea is it? Nikko Blue is notorious for dying back to the ground
here in Wisconsin zone 5. And, being that it blooms on old wood, it rarely
flowers. In my experience (twice), they eventually succumbed to winter's
cold and died. The good news ... there is a newer hydrangea out with blue
flowers that seems to do well here, Endless Summer. It blooms on both old
and new wood. However, I've heard that it still needs soil amendment to
acidify the soil here where we have rather alkaline soil (pH 7-8)/

Suzy, Zone 5, Wisconsin


"Kayla" wrote in message
...
I uncovered my hydrangea bush and planted it upright this year and I
have leaves on the stems now. I live in zone 5 and the plant dies
back to the ground in the winter and since blossoms form on last years
branches I never got blooms. I buried it in a foot of soil over the
winter and have hopes of getting those nice blue blooms that were on
the plant when I bought it years ago. Has anybody tried this and
succeeded?

Lori

I'll try that. The only reason I buried it was because I had dug it
up to move it but now that it has been planted in a new location I'll
protect it. The temperatures here in winter get to about -20 to -30
degrees farenheit at times so needless to say I don't get flowers.

Lori


On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 01:51:24 GMT, "Vox Humana"
wrote:


"Kayla" wrote in message
.. .
I uncovered my hydrangea bush and planted it upright this year and I
have leaves on the stems now. I live in zone 5 and the plant dies
back to the ground in the winter and since blossoms form on last years
branches I never got blooms. I buried it in a foot of soil over the
winter and have hopes of getting those nice blue blooms that were on
the plant when I bought it years ago. Has anybody tried this and
succeeded?

Instead of using soil, try wrapping the plant in burlap, or better yet, make
a cage out of wire fencing and put that over the shrub. Fill the cage with
leaves for some winter protection.

Nikko Blue. I'll get Endless Summer if I see it. I love hydrangeas
and it gets discouraging to not have any blooms.

Lori


On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 04:45:49 GMT, "Suzy O" wrote:

Which hydrangea is it? Nikko Blue is notorious for dying back to the ground
here in Wisconsin zone 5. And, being that it blooms on old wood, it rarely
flowers. In my experience (twice), they eventually succumbed to winter's
cold and died. The good news ... there is a newer hydrangea out with blue
flowers that seems to do well here, Endless Summer. It blooms on both old
and new wood. However, I've heard that it still needs soil amendment to
acidify the soil here where we have rather alkaline soil (pH 7-8)/

Suzy, Zone 5, Wisconsin


"Kayla" wrote in message
.. .
I uncovered my hydrangea bush and planted it upright this year and I
have leaves on the stems now. I live in zone 5 and the plant dies
back to the ground in the winter and since blossoms form on last years
branches I never got blooms. I buried it in a foot of soil over the
winter and have hopes of getting those nice blue blooms that were on
the plant when I bought it years ago. Has anybody tried this and
succeeded?

Lori

"Kayla" wrote in message
...
Nikko Blue. I'll get Endless Summer if I see it. I love hydrangeas
and it gets discouraging to not have any blooms.

Lori

"Endless Summer" isn't the only hydrangea that blooms on new growth. If you
live in an area that routinely gets to -30F, then you should check with
local nurseries (not places like Wal-Mart or Home Depot) and see what they
have available. There are other types of hydrangeas besides the large
leafed ones. You might look at the oak leaf and paniculata hydrangeas.
Also, there are many great viburnums that have large hydrangea-type flowers,
some with wonderful fragrance that have some winter interest.

If you live in an area that routinely gets to -30F!!!!!

Oh I am in pain just thinking about that!!!!!


Vox Humana wrote:
"Kayla" wrote in message
...

Nikko Blue. I'll get Endless Summer if I see it. I love hydrangeas
and it gets discouraging to not have any blooms.

Lori


"Endless Summer" isn't the only hydrangea that blooms on new growth. If you
live in an area that routinely gets to -30F, then you should check with
local nurseries (not places like Wal-Mart or Home Depot) and see what they
have available. There are other types of hydrangeas besides the large
leafed ones. You might look at the oak leaf and paniculata hydrangeas.
Also, there are many great viburnums that have large hydrangea-type flowers,
some with wonderful fragrance that have some winter interest.