Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Why are my blue hydrangea flowers turning green?

i planted my hydrangea in a pot and the flowers were bright blue when i started by over the past month or so they've turned green. i've given it miracle grow but nothing seems to help. it gets mostly morning and early afternoon sun. we've had a lot of rain, so the soil has been pretty wet. any suggestions??????

Why are my blue hydrangea flowers turning green?
The flower colors are dependant on the pH level of the soil. More blue color is an acidic soil (add tomato waste from your kitchen to help) or more pink color is an alkaline soil (I think its egg shells from the kitchen).


-PJ





From the first website listed:


Color Me Hydrangea:





They say a leopard can't change his spots. But, a Hydrangea can change it's colors. Some varieties will change flower colors, depending upon the soil condition.


The amount of the micro-nutrient aluminum available for uptake by the plant results in the color changes. The pH level influences the ability of the plant to intake and use this micro-nutrient. In acidic soils high in aluminum, the flowers are blue. The higher the acidity(and aluminum), the bluer the flower. Neutral soils with less aluminum are white. Alkaline soils result in pink blooms.


To change flower colors:


*Add lime of the soil to reduce acidity


*Add Aluminum sulfate to increase acidity.


No Blooms? The most common cause is winter damage. A frost will kill the buds. Too much shade and poor soil conditions can also result in no blooms.
Reply:To turn your hydrangeas back to blue, you'll need to add Aluminum Sulfate to the soil. You can find it at your local garden center, just read the directions on the back of the package.

irene

No comments:

Post a Comment