Thursday, August 18, 2011

Calling all experts . . .

. . . hydrangea experts.

This is my hydrangea bush (tree?).  I've had it for many years and it always grows to be big and strong.

It produces many flower buds.  I wait anxiously for those buds to bloom.  I picture cutting and drying and arranging those gorgeous big blooms.  I'm even standing by patiently with a clippers in my hand, ready to pounce and cut those babies as soon as they are ready!  But the problem is - they are never ready!


The darn things just won't flower completely!


You can see that only a couple buds on those potentially big flowers actually produce a bloom!  They have looked this way for a couple of weeks.  

If I cut them will they finish flowering?  

Are they getting too much sun (they are on the north side of the house).  Too little sun?

Too much water?  Not enough water?

Do they need different dirt?  Any fertilizer?

And what the heck is going on with the fuzzies on the end?

It is such a conundrum each and every year.  Those fake hydrangeas from Hobby Lobby are looking better every year!  NOT!

So hydrangea experts . . . can you give me any hydrangea growing tips? 


****And now here is a tip for all of you chalk paint users . . . ****

I've never seen anyone paint anything black.  Or in Annie Sloan speak - 'graphite'.

It is not a true black.  More of an dark grey.  Thus, the 'graphite' name I guess.


(oh yeah, don't I have a pretty workshop?)

This photo shows the paint after the clear wax and a little buffing.  Not black.  'Graphite'.


I'm not saying I don't like it.  I do.  I just wanted you to know that it wasn't black.


Now, tell me what to do about my hydrangeas please.  Oh, and you could send me some of yours if you want!  lol


10 comments:

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

I don't know anything about the flowers..they are just "too late bloomers"..heehee..couldn't stop myself..

Love the chair!

peggy gatto said...

Love hydrangeas!
thank you!

Daphne Nicole & Lynda Cade said...

Sorry your hydrangeas aren't blooming out! Wish I could give you some good advice, but I'm not really very good at taking care of plants, mine don't seem to make it very long! Good luck to you.... and hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!
hugs~~~ Daphne

BECKY said...

I am no expert, but I think yours is one of the other kinds of hydrangeas~~lace cap variety maybe??? They don't get big and poofy. They are more delicate and only bloom petite flowers around the edges. They are beautiful!

And so is your chair!!
Hugs to you, Con'
Have a fab weekend!
Becky

Unknown said...

i believe they are the "butterfly" hydrangeas which means that the way they are blooming is exactly how they should. no expert...but that's my 2 cents!

The Old Parsonage said...

Hmmm...can't help you with the hydrangea dilema - mine don't bloom at all some years - not sure why.

Leann

Donna said...

You have one of several varieties. Yours might be the panicle type. I used to have several of the oak leaf type. Check the web and read up on it all!

Lee Weber said...

I have no idea about hydrangeas- love them though! I hope to plant them here once we get some gardens designed- the place is devoid of landscaping. ugh.

Black- yeah, I just painted the wainscoting and trim in our bedroom black. When the paint was wet, is didn't seem black enough. Now that it's dry- it's black and I love it. But it's regular paint- not chalk paint.

Debbi Thinks Deep said...

Hi! I'm a florist, not a botanist, but I think it's safe to say you have a lace cap hydrangea as suggested by Becky. Lace caps only bloom around the edge and have those little teaser buds in the middle, just like your photograph. How frustrating is that!?

About those other hydrangea problems: they bloom on last years wood. If you trim them below this years growth, it will affect your blossoms next year. Did that make sense? The stems growth from this year will produce next years flowers. That's definitely oversimplfied information, but I can't show you what I mean.
I didn't trim mine last year, and they are HUGE and covered with gorgeous flowers this year . . . I HAVE to trim them back this year . . . next year I will have very few flowers. If I trimmed them only modestly, it would not disrupt the bloom nextyear nearly so much.

Another reason that hydrangeas may not bloom {not lace-cap, the apparently incomplete bloom IS the whole thing} is that they do need a little sun to bloom. If they are in total shade, it will adversely affect flower production. I have two hydrangeas, side by side, the one that gets a little bit of sunshine blooms beautifully. It shades the other, which this year had two flowers, total.

I hope this helps!
:)
~Debbi

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

I agree with Debbi.... a lace cap hydrangea.... I had them at my old house.... and was sooo disappointed. I wanted the big fluffy blooms too. So, when we moved I planted LOTS of them.... and somehow....I'll never figure out why.... I ended up with a lace cap in the bunch. Hmmm.... and this year was my worst year for the big 'ol blooms. Two of my plants had ZERO blooms. DRATS.

Good to know about the graphite....It looks pretty though.

Warm blessings,
Spencer