Summer Crush Hydrangea, a deciduous shrub native to North America, can grow in full sun or partial shade depending on the climate. In cooler areas, it can handle full sun well, but in hotter regions, it may be too much for it, leading to stress and potentially damaging the plant.
To care for your Summer Crush hydrangea, choose a spot with dappled sunlight or morning sun and afternoon shade, and ensure your hydrangeas are sheltered from frosty winds. The best planting spots typically receive full direct sunlight in the morning and shade in the afternoon, allowing the leaves to soak up hours of direct sunlight. When not getting direct sunlight, the plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 and is potted in a 5″ pot.
The plant grows to 3-4 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, with opposite, ovate to lanceolate leaves that are 6-8 inches long. To plant, choose a location with well-drained soil and at least six hours of sunlight each day. Prepare the planting bed by tilling the soil to a depth of 12 inches.
The Endless Summer Summer Crush hydrangea enjoys full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained, fertile soil. Keep the soil moist but not saturated, and keep the plant in the shadiest part of your property. In USDA zones 4-6, bigleaf hydrangeas can take full sun, especially if mulched and/or given regular irrigation. In USDA zones 7-9, a bit of sun is needed.
📹 Let’s Plant 🌺 Summer Crush Hydrangea 🌺- Compact & Likes Sun // From Campbell’s Freedom Farm
There are some hydrangeas that can handle the sun and Summer Crush can handle it. But unlike the big bulky hydrangeas this …
Can summer crush hydrangea grow in shade?
Hydrangeas prefer morning sun and partial afternoon shade, but farther south, they can handle less sun. To plant, dig a hole as deep as the pot and about 1 1/2 the width, add acid-loving fertilizer, place the hydrangea in the hole, pack tightly, and add quality planting mix. Mulch is also essential. Hydrangeas need plenty of water, especially during summer, as they may wilt in the afternoon sun but should recover when it cools down.
What pairs well with summer crush hydrangea?
To add color to your landscape, consider using a combination of different plants. For instance, you can pair Summer Crush ® with purple BloomStruck ® Hydrangeas and mixed colored perennials for a visually appealing walkway. Mass planting, a popular design technique, can create a stunning impact of bold color and make garden care easier. This technique is particularly useful for creating hydrangea hedges along fences or foundations, or in large areas that require special attention but still require easy space.
Another way to achieve a similar impact is by planting different shades of pink together. To achieve this, ensure that surrounding plants are neutral tones that match both shades of pink, such as the base green color or a plant with silver leaves. The color wheel can also be a helpful tool in this process. Overall, incorporating different colors and plants can create a visually appealing and functional landscape.
What pairs well with Summer Crush Hydrangea?
To add color to your landscape, consider using a combination of different plants. For instance, you can pair Summer Crush ® with purple BloomStruck ® Hydrangeas and mixed colored perennials for a visually appealing walkway. Mass planting, a popular design technique, can create a stunning impact of bold color and make garden care easier. This technique is particularly useful for creating hydrangea hedges along fences or foundations, or in large areas that require special attention but still require easy space.
Another way to achieve a similar impact is by planting different shades of pink together. To achieve this, ensure that surrounding plants are neutral tones that match both shades of pink, such as the base green color or a plant with silver leaves. The color wheel can also be a helpful tool in this process. Overall, incorporating different colors and plants can create a visually appealing and functional landscape.
Where is the best place to plant summer crush hydrangeas?
Summer Crush is a versatile plant suitable for container culture, garden, or foundation planting. It thrives in evenly moist soil with sun in the morning and early afternoon, and can be grown in full sun with adequate moisture. It is remontant, forming flower buds on both old and new wood in autumn and spring. Depending on the amount of snow and cold in winter, fall-formed buds may be lost, but new buds will emerge in early summer.
The author, responsible for product development at Bailey Nurseries, has had a Summer Crush in their yard for six winters and has consistently bloomed each year. They have tested it in containers and found it to be a great plant in a pot. The author believes that breeders have made significant strides in improving the species and creating varieties suitable for northerners. They recommend using either BloomStruck or Summer Crush for consistent hardiness and bloom when speaking to garden clubs and master gardener groups.
Why are my summer crush hydrangeas not flowering?
The most common reason a hydrangea doesn’t flower is incorrect fertilizer, which is higher in phosphorous than nitrogen. High nitrogen fertilizer will grow foliage at the expense of flowers. Pruning at the wrong time, especially in early spring, is also a potential cause. Other factors include insufficient sun and water, and sometimes patience. To ensure your hydrangea is full of flower buds and flowers, consult a hydrangea planting and care guide. It’s essential to be patient and ensure your hydrangea is properly cared for to ensure its growth.
How often do you water summer crush hydrangeas?
The hydrangeas are experiencing stress due to their new home and need to be watered regularly. To help them retain moisture, add mulch at the base where the stems meet the soil. Watering in the morning helps them stay hydrated for the day. Avoid overwatering, as it can cause blooms to droop. Before adding water, double-check the soil to ensure it is truly dry. If the soil is dry, give it a soak. Hydrangeas may naturally droop in the afternoon heat but recover as temperatures drop.
If you see it in the late afternoon, wait until the following evening or morning to water again, only if they are still drooping. Overwatering can harm the hydrangeas. If you have any other questions, please let us know. In the meantime, add mulch and soak with water only when the soil starts to dry.
Do you cut back summer crush hydrangea?
Summer Crush hydrangea requires minimal pruning, except for stems that didn’t survive winter. Deadheading after the first flush of blooms in spring or early summer can encourage a second round of flowers later in summer. Leave late summer blooms in place until the following spring to avoid accidentally removing next spring’s buds. Summer Crush hydrangea is patent-protected and cannot be propagated.
It is ideal for planting in containers, with a pot at least 15-18 inches wide and drainage holes. Fill the container partway with fresh potting mix with slow-release fertilizer, place the hydrangea an inch below the top, fill in around the plant, and water well.
How often should I water summer crush hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas require regular watering, especially during dry weather, to ensure their growth and health. They prefer a heavy watering once a week, but may need more frequent watering during dry or hot weather. The soil should be moist but not wet, with watering at the base in the morning to allow the hydrangea to absorb moisture before the heat of the day. Mulch can help conserve moisture. Hydrangeas need protection from the afternoon sun, and the farther south you live, the more shade you should provide.
Blooms occur at the ends of the branches, either on new shoots or side shoots from overwintered stems. Late freezes can kill off the first bloom if stems aren’t adequately protected. In warmer climates, hydrangeas have two waves of blooming.
Should I deadhead my Summer Crush Hydrangea?
The practice of deadheading not only facilitates the emergence of new flowers, which may exhibit striking ball blooms and vibrant autumn colors, but also encourages the plant’s overall health and growth.
How big do summer crush hydrangeas grow?
The cultivar, which is projected to be modest in size, reached 2 to 2. 5 ft in height and width at maturity. However, new growth was significant, with the first flower buds observed in mid-June. These buds were born on new stems emerging from the basal crown, and the inflorescence developed from this growth. The flower buds over-winter within the plant’s basal crown, just below the surface, and emerge to become the July blossoms. Only a minimal number of stem buds survived, and all plants showed similar behavior.
📹 Why We Love Summer Crush® Hydrangea
In this episode of Garden Gab™, Ryan explains why we’re crushing so hard on Summer Crush® Hydrangea, the colorful, compact …
Bought 3 of the same and planted this summer on partial sun/shade in Denver. They all look super healthy, getting sufficient water and light. But only one has flowers (and lots of lovely flowers, btw). Questions: I) What’s up with the 2 plants not flowering, all 3 are planted generally in the same area? Same light, soil, water. II) How to maximize flowering next seasons with pruning? article says it flowers on old and new bloom (?). Should/may I not trim my hydrangeas?