To turn pink-flowering hydrangeas blue, you can dilute vinegar in water and pour it around the base of your plants. If you live in an area with alkaline soil, you will need to reduce the pH of your soil. Mix one cup of white vinegar with one gallon of water and water the hydrangea plant regularly with this solution. Adding vinegar lowers the soil pH, resulting in blue blooms.
Apple cider vinegar is an effective natural way to care for hydrangeas. Its acidity adjusts the soil pH, creating an environment that’s perfect for their growth. To start “blueing”, most hydrangeas need a pH level of 5.5 or lower. To make your soil more acidic, dilute 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into about 1 gallon of water.
The best apple cider vinegar to use on plants is organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, labeled “with the mother”. Diluted apple cider vinegar has been known to acidify garden soil, which in turn will turn your hydrangeas blue. Vinegar can also help keep your potted plants healthier by mixing two spoons of apple cider vinegar with three liters of water and spraying them.
However, vinegar won’t kill hydrangeas. Undiluted vinegar can be used as a natural weed killer to kill certain plants and grasses, but hydrangeas are not immune to vinegar. Some colleagues use a gentle approach of adding apple cider vinegar to the water every couple of weeks, which works but is not a biological solution.
In summary, vinegar can be an effective and natural way to care for hydrangeas by adjusting the soil pH and reducing the pH. However, it’s important to note that vinegar won’t kill hydrangeas, and some colleagues use a gentle approach of adding vinegar to the water every couple of weeks.
📹 10 Amazing Ways to Use Vinegar in your garden plants | What happens to plants when you add vinegar
10 Amazing Ways to Use Vinegar in your garden plants | What happens to plants when you add vinegar Hello friends! welcome to …
Do hydrangeas like coffee grounds?
To change the color of hydrangeas, start by adding coffee grounds to the soil around them in late fall. Work the grounds into the soil to eliminate any off-putting smell and do this two to three times per year. It will take time to turn hydrangeas blue, especially for new baby hydrangeas that may not bloom for a couple of years. Start adding coffee grounds months before the blooming season begins, ideally in late fall. Repeat the process with your regular fertilizing schedule. With a little caffeine and patience, your hydrangeas should reward your efforts with bold blue globes in the spring.
Is baking soda good for hydrangeas?
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is generally considered harmful to hydrangeas due to its potential to prevent fungal disease and kill weeds. However, the risks of overuse are too high to consider it effective. Common beliefs about hydrangeas changing color or boosting growth have no scientific basis. Despite these claims, hydrangeas are known for their unique ability to change color, which can be achieved by adjusting the soil and adjusting the species. This makes hydrangeas a true rainbow of colors, from captivating blue to bright pinks and purples.
Does baking soda help hydrangeas?
Baking soda, a household item popular in gardening and home cleaning, does not improve hydrangea flowering due to its lack of essential nutrients. Gardeners often use home remedies like baking soda or Epsom salt to boost their plants, but this often leads to disappointment. Impatient gardeners often seek quick fixes and household items with miraculous effects, such as baking soda. However, the science and testing of baking soda on hydrangeas does not always reveal the desired results. To determine if baking soda is beneficial or detrimental to hydrangeas, it is essential to understand its potential benefits and limitations.
What is the best food for hydrangeas?
Organic, slow-release fertilizers for roses and hydrangeas are suitable for increasing the size and quantity of their blooms. Rose fertilizers, such as 15-10-10 or 10-5-5, provide the necessary nutrients for healthy growth, while hydrangeas require balanced fertilizers with a 10-10-10 ratio for healthy growth.
Growers often ask if they need to purchase different types of fertilizer for multiple hydrangea types. The answer is no, as the same type of fertilizer can be used for all types. However, adjustments may be needed if enhancing or changing the color of specific hydrangea blooms.
However, some types of fertilizer can cause harm, and Natalie Carmolli of Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs advises against using acidic fertilizers.
Do hydrangeas like apple cider vinegar?
Acid-loving plants like hydrangeas can be treated with apple cider vinegar and water. This vinegar, made from fermented apple juice, contains vitamins and minerals but is particularly beneficial for acid-loving plants like blueberries, cranberries, azaleas, northern bayberries, and rhododendrons. Its 5% acidic content makes it a great treatment for these plants, as well as some trees like conifers and pecans that prefer acidic soil. The vinegar’s potent acidity can dissolve pearls, making it a great addition to any garden. Proper storage and use of vinegar can help maintain the health and beauty of these plants.
What is the best homemade fertilizer for hydrangeas?
The use of homemade compost as a source of slow-release nutrients has been demonstrated to be beneficial for the cultivation of hydrangeas. The resulting solution can be applied to the soil, irrigated thoroughly, or brewed into compost tea, which can be repeated for a period of 2 to 3 weeks.
How much vinegar do you add to water for hydrangeas?
To alter the hue of a hydrangea, a solution of one cup of apple cider vinegar and 10 liters of water should be applied directly to the base of the plant, taking care to avoid contact with the leaves. This process should be repeated every couple of weeks, with the quantity of vinegar used adjusted according to preference. It is important to exercise caution when using vinegar, as excessive application may potentially harm the plant’s roots.
What is the best liquid feed for hydrangeas?
Vitax Ltd Liquid Hydrangea Feed Concentrate 1 is a potash-based feed designed for use in peat-free composts, free-draining growing media, and soil with varying pH levels. It is ideal for hydrangeas, which are vigorous growers, and is formulated to support their growth in all soil types. This feed is particularly suitable for plants grown in pots or containers, as well as those grown in garden beds. It contains potash to encourage abundant blooms and is recommended for weekly use during spring and summer.
What can I put on hydrangeas to make them bloom?
To achieve bigger hydrangea blooms, use a “bloom booster” fertilizer with a high level of phosphate, like osmocote. However, too much fertilizer can hinder blooms. Additional plant food can be used throughout the growing season, but too much nitrogen in spring may reduce flowering. Deadheading is a process where spent flowers are removed from hydrangeas when they fade to make way for new, fuller blooms.
If planted in the right location and given ample space, the only trimming needed is to remove deadwood and dried blooms. Early removal may encourage a second flush of blooms, as hydrangeas that flower on new wood may sometimes flower again.
How do I naturally acidify my hydrangeas?
To acidify the soil and induce a blue hue in hydrangeas, a solution of aluminum sulfate (¼ oz) in water (1 gallon) should be applied to the soil surrounding the plant in the spring, coinciding with the onset of plant growth.
How do I force hydrangeas to bloom?
To ensure your hydrangeas continue to bloom, it’s essential to maintain the right conditions, such as providing more sunlight or shade, reconsidering your watering schedule, and pruning appropriately. Bloomless hydrangeas aren’t necessarily unhealthy, but they may not produce as many flowers as they once did due to extreme heat, drought, or excessive sun exposure. To address these common issues, consider adjusting your watering schedule, pruning, and adjusting your hydrangea’s watering schedule. By following these tips, you can ensure your hydrangeas continue to produce beautiful, lush blooms.
📹 Use Vinegar In Your Garden And Watch What Happens
Did you know that you can use vinegar in your garden too? That’s right! Whether you have white vinegar or want to maximize your …
👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼Vinegar is great for your shower walls, & shower sprayer head. Spray the walls and let it sit overnight, rinse next day, all junk comes right off. 👉🏼👉🏼Take a bread bag, or a baggie, and add vinegar to the bottom of it, and tie the bag to your shower head overnight and all the build-up comes off. Add enough vinegar to soak the shower head size you have. Can use an old toothbrush for little extra Sparkle. Both eork👍
This is terrific! thank you. I just ‘discovered’ white vinegar for the toilet bowl. I live in Phoenix and our water is very hard. There was quite a lot of mineral build-up in the bowl that no store-bought product would remove. I got tired of buying the stuff! So I went looking online for DIY toilet bowl cleaners. White vinegar was one of the top suggestions. I am thrilled with how it worked! build-up is literally gone, after the first use! By the second user, it is ALL gone!!! The toilet bowl looks brand new and its from the 80’s!! whoo hoo! its the little things that make me smile!!!
I’m really glad I came across this article! LOTS of good info that’ll be very helpful AND affordable. I’ve got a couple Hydrangeas and got something from the store to make the soil acidic so the flowers would be blue instead of pink. Instead, my plant didn’t even bloom that year! I’m going to try this and see what happens. Any time I can use something that’s not chemicals, I prefer it and will be trying it! Thank you for the info! People like me depend on people like you to help us be efficient and save money. Can’t wait to try it out!!
I have birds, so I have used vinegar as my mainstay for cleaning, disinfecting, and laundry for 30 years. Vinegar is a great product on its own, but mixed with baking soda down the drains once a month keeps pipes open. Mixed into paste with cream of tartar powder, it can clean baked on grease from oven glass
Vinegar is acidic which is why it helps in many applications however use caution as well. If it is too strong it can etch deeper into your metal surfaces or cement, if you put an egg in a cup of vinegar for a day or two it will soften the shell ! We use this demo in the dental field to visualize how strong acid in the mouth can soften enamel.
Never ever soak your garden tools in vinegar. Yes it will remove the rust, but it will also discolor and pit the steel. Following the instructions here by following the the vinegar by just wiping dry is a sure fire way to be buying new garden tools not making them look like new. Vinegar is an acid. It eats not only the rust but the good metal as well. If you do want to use this method, neutralize the vinegar with baking soda before rinsing with very hot water and then trying completely. It is much better to remove the rust with a stif brass bristle brush and some oil and a bit of elbow grease, or better yet clean them up before you but them away in the first place. Rinse the dirt off with the garden hose then plunge the blade of the shovel, trowel, clippers etc. into a bucket of sand filled with oil. It will keep the rust off though you will have to clean them off next time you use them….but hey, no rust!
White vinegar is great for cleaning litter boxes also. I just over the bottom of the empty litter box with 2-3 inches of water then add about 1 cup of vinegar. Let it sit for several hours, use a brush for any spots that are still there then dump it out and rinse. I just let mine air dry, works great.
I know there’s a whole camp that loves vinegar. I’m not a fan but I found clover mites this year all over my plants so… maybe I’ll give it a try. Incidentally, away from plants — for getting rid of bugs and weeds in paving — you can spread regular iodized salt alone and that will do the trick. Just buy a few boxes of Morton’s salt and spread liberally. It works even after it rains. I get about 6 boxes and go around the entire outside of my house in the spring and never have a crawling bug problem inside at all. And I have used it to get rid of weeds in the sidewalk, too. Vinegar may help but salt alone will do the trick with one application. Keep salt AWAY from plants you want, though. Salt kills plants. But it’s totally non-toxic and is safe around animals and children.
I have used apple cider vinegar in a glass (for killing fruit flies), then top with plastic wrap, secure it with a rubber band. Put a small hole in the top & set it where ever they seem to hang out. You will be amazed how well it works. I remember reading years ago that ants do not like coffee grounds. So when I see them around my windows, I just sprinkle the grounds around the sill.
Nice article. As for vinegar used for weed killing, you don’t really need to mix it with other things. Vinegar itself is more than enough. Personally I use consentrated vinegar (35%) blended with water. Even blended down to 7% (as in kitchen vinegar) it’s effective, but I recommend a mixture of 1:3. It kills everything. The cheapest weed killer you can use.
NEVER EVER cut your flowers with secateurs: you pinch off the canals through which the flower is fed. Instead, diagonally cut them with a sharp knife, thus leaving the “veins” of the plant open and enlargening the surface through which it can absorb its nutrients. This keeps your flowers well much longer. Take this advice from a Dutchman, we know our flower stuff.
Thanks for the article. I learned about using vinegar a few years ago, to kill weeds and vines. I live in a heavily forested area with some seriously bad vines. I cut them to the ground and then douse them with 9% vinegar. Product description Our Hill Country Fare Extra Strength Distilled White Vinegar contains 9% acidity. This product is great for pickling, salads and marinades! Preparation instructions For Pickling, Salads & Marinades Ingredients White Distilled Vinegar (Diluted with Water to 9% Acidity).
Vinegar is great for Stomach Pain as well. 1 or 2 shotglass full, mix with a little water 1/2 n 1/2. Takes the pain away with a minute or 2. Its a yeast infection in your stomach if this works… Especially after eating sugars or starches. Crones disease?… Colitis.. i suspect this is the problem for these ailments… just try it… youll know,
Thank you for sharing . Your article on using vinegar . To get rid of bugs . And use on flowers and veggies. My Sister-In-law . Was saying yesterday . She has ants in her house . Now I can be able to tell her . To stir up equal parts of vinegar and water . And spray around in her house . Have a wonderful day .
Here in Canada weed killers are banned. The companies that used to make them now sell “environmentally friendly ” products .. it’s vinegar! At 15$ a bottle 🤣 Cleaning strength vinegar from your grocery store is 4$ lmao. I use it all the time on weeds, even kills the dreaded crab grass growing between patio stones
White Vinegar is my go to for battery leaks with a alkaline battery. Next someone else’s tooth brush.(I have several for this use, they leave them around in hotels in huge boxes.) Alkaline battery gunk is neutralized as you scrub it off with her tooth brush. Then wash with distilled water…… lol yeah ok……… Then the corrosion from the ALKALINE won’t continue to cause issues. Allow to dry thoroughly. Car batteries are acid completely different. Else you are chasing your tail, you must neutralise. Well you don’t have to. The old corrosion will start premature fuba. :O
I went to a Chinese resturant I had at that time a sun room in my house many friends loved my plants of my balcony to the kitchen as well .So one day I notice the owner of the resturant put the beer only to her plant. Her plants were beautiful ! Only beer no strong drinks, my plants looked better !!!
I used vinegar and Dawn soap to clean out black hair dye form my parents cream carpet when I was 17 years old. Worked like a charm. I use it as a spider and insect repellent. I use it in the laundry to get rid of that heavy water smell from the towels…works great on my hubby disgusting wet basketball clothes too. I also use it on my counter and table tops.
The chemicals in vinegar can damage pladtic spray bottles. I learned this because I bought a bottle, ised it eith a vinegar mixture, and then it didn’t take long to stop working. I returned it to Home Fepot and the lady asked if I used it eith vinegar, and she said this is what can happen with spray bottled used with vinegar.
I tried this one time. That’s all it took to never ever do it again! It killed my plants 😢 I use it as a weed killer, that about sums it up. I suppose it interferes with the current ph balanced in the soil which can make it too acidic and actually burn plants. The pH in our soil is perfect so that’s probably why it offed my plants when doing this.
Save a little money, use boiling water. Drive a stake into the ground next to the root, poor boiling water down the hole. Works especially well after several hot, dry days. Get rid of ants: mix a dish of borax and sugar. Wait for them to take it back to their nest and feed it to their queen. The entire nest will die. Put the bowl into a plastic strawberry box from the grocery store to prevent pets from eating it. The ants can get in, the pets can’t.
I love vinegar and it’s amazing for so many things, but I would NOT recommend using it on your plants. The best way to get rid of weeds, is boiling water straight from the kettle. Just don’t get it on your plants when it’s boiling. Unlike vinegar, baking soda, et al, which are still chemicals, water will not hurt your plants. Weeds are a fact of life, get out in your garden and pull some out. The summer is too beautiful to stay inside.
I notice that this comes along with a suggestion to use baking soda in your garden. Both are bad ideas. Here’s why: Vinegar has a PH of 2 (acidic). Baking soda has a PH or 8.3 (alkaline like soap). These are extremes. Almost nothing will grow in either PH 2 or PH 8.3. Now, let’s look at a state, say Ohio, which has a variety of soil, from sand or lime in the east at PH 5, to the most fertile soil in the world in the west at PH 7. Plants do well in soil that has a PH conducive to uptaking nutrients. Now, if you are growing hydrangeas or pine trees, eastern ohio is perfect at PH 5, but if you want to grow potatoes or corn, you want PH 7. If you saturate your PH 7 soil with vinegar, you are basically saying that you want to grow pine trees instead of pumpkins because you have changed your soil PH to 6, or 5 or 4. Conversely, if you have eastern Ohio soil you need to raise the PH, not lower it. And the best way to do that is to use the proper soil additive, which would be lime to raise PH or aluminum sulfate to lower it. Now, you could INTELLIGENTLY know which way you want to go, and on the temporary mode move the PH down with vinegar or up with baking soda, but those wash away, so as time goes on you’ve done little. If you just add one or the other, not having bought the $12 PH checker to know if it’s helping or hurting, you’re an idiot.
Good tips for cleaning and other household things but I would be very careful dumping either high ph or low ph products on my soil unless I knew from a soil test that the soil ph needed to be adjusted. Even then how do you calibrate??? Most homeowners go by the ‘if a little is good then a lot will be awesome’ theory of calibration and that never ends well. Also, NEVER put table salt in your soil. It’s a problem and not a solution so save it for your french fries.
Putting salt on weeds will kill your grass as well as weeds. It will be a few years before the dead brown spot on your lawn comes back to life! Those ants do no harm to the peonies. So why kill them? They are not the kind that damages homes. They dont even bite. Some ants bite like fire ants and carpenter ants bite but those little ones eating the sweet nectar on the buds do no harm. Leave them alone. The birds enjoy them.
DON’T KILL THE ANTS! As noted in several comments, below, ants are generally very beneficial for your yard and garden. And if you grow peonies, you must have ants for those flowers to properly bloom!!! If you have carpenter ants in your house – figure out where moisture is coming in – and solve that problem and then the carpenter ants will go away.
“might need to spray the weeds a few times”… because after a rain all that vinegar and salt have washed away, into the watershed. If everyone uses vinegar for all the things they see on youtube, freshwater locales will be as briny as oceans in a decade. Not saying use chemicals – if weeds bother you, dig the suckers out so they don’t come back the next year.
You’re giving bad advice on your articles. You don’t put sodium in your garden, for crying out loud. I can’t even watch those articles, they just popped up on my side bar. Salt, baking soda, vinegar, don’t use those in your garden! The logic is very simple here: what kills your weeds, kills your plants. Find out what kind of soil PH your plants thrive in and add the appropriate nutrients that you can find in a variety of delivery systems, whether it’s spray, or powders that are added to the soil through watering, etc. PH is very important, I learned about it when I took up hydroponics to grow cannabis and my fruit garden.
Instead of using a weaker culinary vinegar, for best results, use a 20% or 30% Horticultural vinegar to 2/3 water to start. You may need less vinegar or more. Experiment. Less is better to save money, especially if it’s effective. Try 1 pt vinegar to 5 pts water to see if it works. For heavier stems, 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water might be requires, so experiment. You must avoid splashes on people or pets, & avoid any skin contact by wearing chemical gloves & eye protection, at the very least, as you’ll want ro avoid an acid burn. You can try in a hand spray bottle first, to test the right proportions for the job, & then add by desired portions, directly into a sprayer tank for covering larger areas.