| I love hydrangeas and would like to know if I can sucessfully grow them in my area. Do you have any helpful hints for me? |
| The common garden hydrangea (H. macrophylla) will not survive your cold winters, but the Peegee Hydrangea (H. paniculata 'Grandiflora' will grow into a large shrub with 5 inch long green leaves that turn bronzy in the fall, and 10-15 inch long flower clusters that start out white and fade to a pinky bronze. Plant in rich, porous soil (amend with compost or peat moss to retain just the right amount of moisture), and mulch the root zone to help suppress weeds. Hydrangeas are fast growing shrubs. Prune the flowering stems back to the ground each year to make room for new stems that will produce flowers. |
