AboutTom Alonzo Expertise I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.
Experience I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.
Expert: Tom Alonzo Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: Hydranga booms
Question I planted 4 hydrangeas about 3 years ago. Each year the foliage looks lush but I have not gotten a single bloom. Is there some trick?
Answer Hi Mary,
Thanx for your question. There could be several reasons you're not getting blooms.
1. Are the hydrangeas too shaded? They like at least 6 hours of sunlight per day especially in the cooler north where they can tolerate sun all day long.
2. What are you feeding the plant? If you fertilizer is high in nitrogen, you will get all green and little or no blooms. Use Miracid or other fertilizers rated for flowering shrubs. Hydrangeas enjoy slightly acidic soil like azaleas and rhodendrons. Feed the same kind of fertilizer.
3. Make sure the hydrange has well-drained soil but that it is neither bone dry or soggy.
