Expert: Long Island Gardener - 3/5/2007

Question

-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----It is a macrophylia, pink in color. I think my zone is 5, live in the desert of Fernley, NV. Planned to put it in a big pot by the front door for morning sun and afternoon shade after it started to warm up at night
I bought a potted hydrangea, first time, didn't realize how much they needed to be watered. The flowers need to be cut off and I'm not sure where to cut - because I would like to put them outside in the spring. Is it right below each flower or further down the stem?
-----Answer-----
Potted Hydrangeas are under-potted to help force the flowers, Darlene.  These are not terribly thirsty plants - unless the roots have too little soil, and then you have to do whatever you can.

The flowers can be cut off right above the last leaves on the stem.  If you cut a little short, it's ok.  The plant will recover.  This is not the worst it's been thru.

If this one has a label anywhere identifying the name of the hybrid, please let me know.  Different Hydrangeas have different hardiness.  Some cannot take much cold.  Just warning you.

I also need to know where you live.  Do you know what your Zone is?  Or just your zipcode?  Nearest city?

Meantime, when the ground is not frozen, get your Hydrangea planted as soon as possible.  It would be even better to go out and buy a bigger pot and re-pot this in a mixture of Peat and Humus and Sand.  Lots of work, but worth it.  The sooner you can get the stranglehold off the roots, the better your Hydrangea will be.

Don't fertilize.  Just water for now.  Room temperature.

Keep me posted. And thanks for writing!

Answer
You're perfectly right, Darleen -- This Hydrangea is the one that grows all over Nantucket Island; it will grow beautifully in Zone 5.  It is too cold to put this in the ground for at least another 2 months.  Follow those easy directions and you will enjoy this sun-loving, long-lived shrub probably the rest of your life.

But right now, this poor plant has been squeezed mercilessly to force big, flashy flowers out of season on short stems.  It is running on empty.  It needs kindness and rest ... and a nice new pot of fresh soil.

Growing this in a pot and leaving it in the pot during winter may be tricky.  The roots tend to freeze and then you have only a skeleton of a Hydrangea.   The pot has to be treated to resist cracking under thaws and freezes as well.    Depending on the size of the pot, it would have to be protected further during winter to guard the roots from a solid freeze.  If you are interested in going there, let me know.

Meantime, let me know if you have any other questions about your recovering Hydrangea.  Beautiful plant, good choice, stunning pink color.