Feeding Hydrangeas To Achieve Color?

The color of hydrangea flowers will naturally fade over time, but planting the shrub in direct sunlight can speed up this process. Fertilizer and soil amendments are powerful tools that can change the color of bigleaf or mountain hydrangea types. Hydrangeas only need fertilizer a few times a year, so use this guide to help you choose the best fertilizer for hydrangea plants. The best fertilizer should contain a blend of nutrients to encourage healthy root and branch development while boosting the color, size, and quantity of flower heads.

To naturally fertilize hydrangeas, a combination of sulfur, compost, and peat moss has proven to be a successful hydrangea fertilizer. Depending on the color of the blooms you want, choose a formula higher in phosphorous to keep the pink and enhance the color. If you prefer blue, use a low phosphorous and high potassium formula that. For other types of hydrangeas, use a general purpose fertilizer at recommended rates on the package. Incorporate dry fertilizer into top 2″ – 3″ of soil and water thoroughly.

The best fertilizer for hydrangeas is a slow-release product that provides essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to the plants. Granular fertilizer is preferred for its gradual and slow release, and liquid fertilizer moves through the soil profile very fast. Phosphorus is the middle number in a complete fertilizer, promoting root growth and flower production. To change the color of hydrangea flowers, add small amounts of sulfur or lime to the fertilizer. Treat hydrangeas with sulfur, a soil acidifier, and other organic or time-release products.