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It occurred to me today as I was filling up yet another wheelbarrow full of mulch that I have been sharing some other gardening news on Instagram, but haven’t yet shared it on here.
My hydrangeas are back, and they’re basically the prettiest things I own. Even prettier than Charlie, but that’s because she jumped my fence this morning and I’m mad at her, so she looks like trouble to me instead (kind of like when she climbed on my roof).
All of the pine straw seems to be working its magic on making all of them bluer than last year’s blooms (which I still loved), but I couldn’t be happier. Green ones are my favorite color of hydrangea, but I haven’t tried planting any of those yet. The blue ones still kick ass, though:
Also, little known fact: if you post a picture of blue hydrangeas, purple hydrangeas, or pink hydrangeas on Instagram, people will immediately tell you how to make them not that color. Add sulfur! Add egg shells! Add coffee grounds! Add your toenail clippings! Ok, that last one was fake and also gross, but you get the point. It’s kind of like everyone telling you why you’re so sleepy on Thanksgiving, but instead of there being one reason you’re in a food coma, there are six different ways to get there.
I think at this point, I am 110% covered on how to bring out a certain color on hydrangeas, but what I haven’t tried yet is propagating them. I intend to do that next (because who wouldn’t want even more pictures to share of more hydrangeas and get even more advice about how to make them blue?), so I’m still taking advice on that front. Especially after my history of killing anything that grows from a seedling.
There are other flowers blooming all over my yard, so there is a lot of color going on everywhere.
Ahem… not a lot of weeding going on, though.
But, for this weekend, I think I’ll just stare a little longer at these beauties and remind myself what past work on this backyard as blossomed into; maybe that will get me to finish the beds faster!
P.S. I meant to have the floating shelves play-by-play in the laundry room ready this week, but they wound up needing another coat before I could be done… and I suck at Google Sketchup. So, next week it is.
Hydrangeas are my all time favorites! I only have 2 … so far. I, too, want the Limelight as well as some climbing ones (have to build something for them to climb on first) and a white one (or three) and an old.fashioned paniculata! Hmmm…maybe a climbing one on your neighbor’s fence? !?
I used to work in a green house where Hydrangeas were their biggest crop! Cut off a pair/set of leaves just above the set below. Dip the cut end in some rooting powder, shove into some good quality, wet potting soil and keep the leaves misted till roots develop. Good luck!
That’s pretty much exactly the plan I have in my head! Let’s hope it works :)
Hydrangea propagation:
1. Cut stem, be sure there are some “buds” on the stem.
2. Stick in ground.
3. Water
Or you can cut some leafy stems and stick your Celtic bouquet in a pretty vase till they sprout roots -then plant…
My $.02 on color: acid= blue, alkaline= pink
(Or is that the other way around?) I use Epsom salted water to deepen the blues. Mine also like some sand in the soil.
You’ve got it right. Acid helps it turn blue. Haven’t heard of the Epsom salt idea, but since it’s a sulfate, it would add acid. Pine straw is free and has been all over my yard for years, so the soil seems to have plenty of acid to bring out the blue!
Thanks for the ideas on propagation! I’ve got the root growth stuff so I’m going to see how quickly they sprout roots.