Hydrangea help

Hi everyone. I’m new here so apologies if I’ve posted this in the wrong section.

I’m hoping someone could help me with my hydrangeas. I’ve had them for a couple of years. They are planted in raised beds in my garden and generally get full sun.

The last few years, they have produced very little blooms. They look incredibly healthy but are just so leafy. I’ve fed them with growmore liquid fertiliser this year every 2 weeks and theyre struggling again to produce flowers. Wondering where I’m going wrong

I’ve attached photos of them. Thanks in advance.

 

When do you prune them?

 

They do look healthy, but I'm wondering if the fact they're in full sun might affect the flowering. I know some varieties prefer it, but the majority do like at least some shade.

 

I think we pruned them early spring.

 

I guess so. It’s only the past 2 years we’ve had issues though and they’ve been in the same place for several years.

 

We have had some extremes of weather though. A lot depends on where you live.
I the South West it has been extremely dry, then very wet, and we haven't had much rain to speak of since April. My hydrangeas have needed me to water them much more than usual.

 

Yeah, I’ve been giving them plenty of water. During this really hot weather, I’ve been watering them daily. It’s just so strange because the look so healthy, just lack of flowers ☹️

 

Stop using Growmore, it is encouraging leafy growth due to the ratio of nitrogen in it. A tomato feed is better to encourage flowering as it contains more potassium. It also depends on the variety and when you pruned them. Hydrangea macrophyllas flower on old wood so if you pruned them in spring they won’t flower until next year. This link explains pruning for different varieties:

https://www.thespruce.com/growing-hydrangeas-1402684

 

Hi

I have a feeling it’s the high nitrogen feed as it makes plants make a lot of green growth, raised beds will naturally lose nutrients quicker due to rain etc which will wash away nutrients during the autumn winter.
What compost was used to fill the raised beds ?

Depending on the variety? ie paniculata are pruned late winter very early spring as they flower on this years growth

Macrophylia varieties flower on old wood and only require light pruning with the old flower buds removed nothing else if possible as the more you cut the less flowers you will have

vitax make a hydrangea food which is the way forward



Spruce

 

Thanks for all your replies guys. Much appreciated.

 

It's possible that you could have pruned off this years flowers when pruning in spring, as they flower on last years wood. It just depends how haard you pruned them
RHS advice is

How to prune hydrangeas
Deadheading

• Although the blooms on mophead hydrangeas can, in mild areas, be removed as soon as they have faded, it is best to leave them on the plant over winter to provide some frost protection for the tender growth below.
  Remove the dead flowerheads in early spring, cutting back the stem to the first strong, healthy pair of buds down from the faded bloom
  
• 
  
• Lacecaps are hardier, and the faded flowerheads can be cut back after flowering to the second pair of leaves below the head in order to prevent seeds developing, which saps energy from the plant

Pruning established mopheads and lacecaps

• Cut out one or two of the oldest stems at the base to encourage the production of new, replacement growth that will produce more flowers
• Overgrown or poorly shaped plants can be entirely renovated by cutting off all the stems at the base. However, this will remove all the flowers for that summer. The new stems won’t bloom until the following year

I don't know where you are in the country or what your soil is like, here in Devon mine don't get watered unless wilting badly, by which I mean not picking up overnight. Only the greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers get watered every day.