I live in Michigan (zone 5) and I'm just learning how to plant things in my yard. I love Hydrangea's and would love to grow some outside, any tips? sun or shade? best time to plant? Any advice on Tulips, Daylilies are appreciated also!
Does anybody know anything about Hydrangeas?
Thank you for referencing your hardiness zone, it really helps.
There's a huge amount of information out there about Hydrangeas... I'd look for a book by Dr. Micheal Dirr, I'm not sure of the title, but it's his look at Hydrangeas... very informative.
When you ask about Hydrangeas, there are at least four major species of Hydrangea grown in zone 5. Hydrangea arborescens, H. macrophylla, H. quercifolia, H. paniculata. Most prefer shady spots, but not all. Some are large, some bloom in the spring, others summer, still others fall... and each have differing care requirements. I'm hesitant to just 'throw it out there...'
In regard to the bulb plants, Plant them in October, (ideally), and plant deep enough. For Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths, plant them 8" deep! I swear in Michigan, the recommendation of 6" is too shallow. I too live in Michigan.
Good luck
I hope that this helps
Reply:u can find the neatest ones at bailey's nursery in Minnesota, they are the founders of the endless summer and the new blushing bride, I think there are care instructions on that site. They are only wholesale but u can find a retail center in ur neighboorhood or at naturehills.com. They ship nationwide!
Reply:Hydrangeas need at least partial shade. The blooms are also affected by the pH of the soil. Acid soils bring pink flowers and alkaline soil makes blue ones. It should be safe to plant them now, unless you're in a really northern zone. Otherwise, don't plant them till after the last frost in the spring. All bulb flowers should be planted in December, or November if it gets cold sooner where you are. Plant them about 4 inches deep, and don't worry about what direction the bulbs are pointed. Mother Nature will tell the plant how to come up. Otherwise, you can usually get mature plants in a garden store and plant them. You'll know when to plant them by when they show up in the stores, but they won't have the mature root structure of bulb planted ones, so they won't last as long.
Most of all, don't give up! You'll probably have a lot of failures in the beginning, but the end result is worth it!
Reply:Hydrangas need alot of water and not full sun but goodlight
Reply:Site Selection
Choosing the right place to plant your hydrangea is one of the most important steps in achieving a beautiful bloom. Hydrangeas are greatly affected by everything from the pH of the soil to how windy the site is.
When planting your hydrangea pick a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Hydrangeas seem to perform the best with full morning sun and cool afternoon shade. Planting hydrangea in a protected area that does not receive strong winds will also benefit the result. High winds tend to dry out the soft foliage causing extreme stress. Hydrangeas can grow in a large array of soil types, but to ensure the best performance plant in soil that is moist and rich in organic matter. The pH of the soil does not affect the growth habit however; it does affect the color of the bloom. A low ph, mean high acid levels, will cause the bloom to be a shade of blue. Conversely, a high pH, due to low acid levels, will cause the flowers to be a shade of pink. This may cause problems when selecting a color because the soil in the pot may be a different pH than the soil in your yard. This will cause the flower color to differ from the expected color.
When and How to Plant
Since hydrangeas bloom on new growth, the best time to plant them is early fall. To begin, prepare the bed by amending the soil with matured compost. Then dig the hole roughly 24 inches wider than the root ball. The hole should be large enough to allow the roots to be spread out. Remove the hydrangea from its pot and loosen the matter roots. Place the shrub in the hole so that the crown is even with the soil. Before backfilling the hole, fan the roots out around the hole. Backfill the hole firming gently to remove and air pockets and to provide support. Finish by watering thoroughly.
Care
To ensure a stronger bloom, we recommend fertilizing twice a year, in early spring and late fall, with a slow release fertilizer. However, fertilizing before they are established will inhibit growth. Be sure not to over fertilize. Over fertilizing will cause the shrub to focus its growth on the foliage and not on flowering, this will causing the leaves to be lush and green but have an absence of blooms. Hydrangeas tend to be relatively resistant to most pests and disease. Since hydrangeas bloom on new growth some light pruning is required. For more information on pruning, check out our Hydrangea Pruning Guide.
LOOK AT THIS LINK ALSO IT WOULD REALLY HELP YOU IT HAS MORE TIPS!!
http://www.springmeadownursery.com/prune...
%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;TULIPS TIPS
* What makes some tulips bloom year after year and others give out after just two or three seasons? Sometimes this is just a matter of the care you give the tulips, but often it is the type of tulip you planted. Certain types of tulips, such as species, Kaufmanniana, Viridiflora and Fosteriana are longer lived than others. Darwin Hybrids tend to be perennial.
* Do they bloom at different times? The bloom season is divided into very early, early, mid, or late. A tulip that blooms early should be in flower at the same time as an early daffodil. In our area, early is usually the last week of April or first week of May, but it can differ greatly from year to year.
* Where will tulips grow? Tulips grow in any well-drained soil. They prefer full sun to do their best, but you can often be successful in partial shade if you choose early bulbs. The amount of spring sun is the most important.
* When should I plant them? To provide adequate time for rooting, it is best to plant tulips in late September to mid-October. If you need to plant them a little later, plant them an inch or two deeper and mulch heavily.
* How deep do I need to plant tulips? Plant your tulips 6-10 inches deep. Basically, the deeper you plant your tulips, the hardier they will be. Plant all of the large bulbs such as tulips and daffodils deep enough that you could stack two more bulbs on top of them and still be just below the soil level. You can vary bloom time within a grouping of the same tulip by varying the depth several inches. Deeper bulbs will bloom a little later; shallower bulbs will bloom earlier.
* Do tulips need fertilizer when I plant them? Even though a true bulb has everything it needs to bloom, tulips profit from being fertilized when they are planted. Bulb food, an improvement on bone meal, works best when scratched into the surface of the soil after planting. Other good fertilizers for bulbs are Bachman's Garden Food 10-20-10 and Sustane, an organic product.
* How can I protect my tulips from rodents? Squirrels may be a problem, since they love tulip bulbs and love to dig where you have just planted. In fact, you might even look up and find the squirrel digging on the other end of the row where you're working! A few handfuls of sharp gravel in with the bulb often deter squirrels.
* Most gardeners have luck covering the area where tulips are planted until the ground freezes. Once tulips have made it through the few weeks when they smell like a fresh, tasty treat, squirrels leave them alone. You can cover a small grouping with a pot saucer or a board. Large areas can be covered with chicken wire.
* Spreading blood meal on the surface of the ground where you have planted tulips may confuse the squirrel's sense of smell and keep them from knowing where to dig. Squirrels are a problem, and you may have to experiment until you find what works for you.
* How should I care for my tulips after they bloom? Flower stems should be removed when the bloom has faded to encourage bulb development instead of seed development. Be sure to allow the leaves to grow until they naturally wither in June before you remove the foliage. Fertilize with Bachman’s garden food after flower heads are removed.
* What could cause my tulips not to bloom? There are several factors in tulips failing to bloom, and often it is caused by more than one thing. If it is the first season and the bulb fails to bloom, the most common reasons are squirrels eating the bulbs, soggy soil rotting the bulbs, too shallow planting, or planting too early in the fall. When planted too early, the flower stalk will start to emerge in late fall. The winter will then destroy the flower but won't kill the bulb, resulting in leaves and no blooms. If this isn't the first season and the tulips fail to bloom, the most common reasons are too little sun, removing last season's foliage before it naturally ripened, or the tulip has reached the end of its lifespan.
%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;DAYLILIES TIPS
please for daylilies tips check this link because all of it couldn"t fit here:
http://www.smithdaylilies.com/hintsandti...
GOOD LUCK!!!
Reply:You'll find everything here:
http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/faqs/hy...
Hope it helps you!
Reply:I happen to sell Hydrangeas in Michigan and i can tell you that there are some reletively new varieties that will produce blooms all summer instead of the single bloom of most hydrangeas. The Forever and Ever and the Endless Summer are probably the best varieties out there on the market. DO NOT listen to what mommanuke told you about the acidity in the soil because she has it backwards. Some varieties are not affected by the ph in the soil. Generally hydrangeas prefer moist, well drained soil in partial shade. Some varieties can tolerate full shade while others can tolerate full sun. Spring is the ideal time to plant, but you can plant them now. Water them daily, because you know how much rain we've gotten here this summer. Feel free to contact me if you have other questions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment