Question From: South Lyon, Michigan, United States
Q: I have hydrangeas on the west side of our sunroom, they have been there 12 years. they grow beautiful foliage, but hardly ever bloom. they take a great deal of heat, so I supplement with a soaker hose. this year, only late in the season did they offer any kind of bloom. I keep the soils acidic, especially with my leftover coffee grounds (boxwood, evergreen and the like). I have tried years when I cut them totally down, and some years when I leave the old growth, with similar results.
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A: Victor, Much depends on the kind of Hydrangea you're growing. If they are Mopheads (blue flowers) they flower on last year's wood. Prune them in fall or spring and you cut off the flower buds. The bad news is the stone wall heats up in winter and if it gets warm enough the buds will swell and the tender morsels die. If your can cover them in burlap you will have a better chance of getting flowers. Good Luck and Happy Yardening, Nancy.
