May is an exciting time in the garden. Everything is waking up, putting out new foliage, even blooming – depending on the plants. For your hydrangeas, this is a vital time when active growth begins to accelerate. What you do for them now will affect their flowering later in the summer and their overall health for the rest of the year.
Hydrangea care in May is all about promoting rapid, healthy growth and supporting plants as they enter the new growing season. Keep in mind that different types of hydrangeas have slightly different needs, but all can benefit from these care tips.
Here’s what you need to do this month to set your hydrangeas up for a summer full of stunning blooms.
1. Do a spring feed
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Hydrangeas grow best in rich soil, so hopefully you added compost when you planted them. However, this nutrient boost won’t last forever, and your plants will appreciate a spring top-up. May is a great time to fertilize hydrangeas because your bushes are about to enter a period of furious growth.
A balanced, slow release organic fertilizer such as that from Tractor Supply is a good choice to feed your hydrangeas in the spring. Choose a product designed for flowering shrubs or use a general purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer.
Apply the product as directed (usually around the drip line, not the base of the plant) and water well.
2. Prune out dead wood
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If you know anything about pruning hydrangeasyou know there are two categories based on how they bloom: those that bloom on old wood and those that bloom on new wood. This means they should be pruned at different times of the year.
As it turns out, May isn’t the ideal time of year to do heavy pruning either type of hydrangea. However, this is a good time to tidy up your plants.
Before new growth completely hides them, find and cut away pieces of dead or damaged wood. Dead wood is brittle, hollow and lacks new green growth. Cut them at the base with sharp, clean scissors. These approved pruners from Felco make quick work of this spring work.
3. Start a watering routine
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As your hydrangea comes out inaction and puts out new growth at a rapid rate, it needs more water. Hydrangeas have fairly shallow roots that dry out quickly. Regular, consistent moisture helps prevent dry roots and supports healthy new growth.
Hydrangeas need about an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, more during hot, dry periods and if grow hydrangeas in containers. Deep watering is best, so plan to soak your bushes once or twice a week if it hasn’t rained. If you are growing a hydrangea in a container, it can benefit from daily watering.
Hydrangea watering it can be a difficult balance. Signs You’re Overwatering includes soil that is often soggy and leaves the leaves yellowing. Can you tell if your plants are not getting enough water if their leaves start to droop or there is total wilting of the entire plant.
Water hydrangeas in the morning and at the base of the plants to avoid moisture remaining on the leaves, which can cause disease.
4. Customize flower color
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This is a May assignment for you large leaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla). This is the genre hydrangea that can change color with flowers that turn pink or blue depending on soil pH. THE pH of your soil affects aluminum availability, which in turn affects flower color.
For blue hydrangea flowersyou need more acidic soil. Pink hydrangea flowers grow in alkaline soil. To acidify your soil, you need to add aluminum sulfate or another acidifying product such as this organic soil acidifier from Espoma.
For alkaline soil, you can add garden lime. Your local garden center should have the right products or you can get garden limes from Jobe’s on Amazon. Follow the instructions for whichever you choose.
The month of May, just before the flowers bloom, is a good time in most places to make them soil amendments. But keep in mind that it may take some time for the changes to appear.
5. Renew the Mulch
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If you haven’t already, this is a good time to review and refresh mulch around hydrangeas as needed. Hydrangeas are susceptible to drying out quickly and mulch is important to retain moisture in the soil. Mulch also regulates temperature, keeping the roots cool on the hottest days of summer.
Ideally, your hydrangeas should have 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm) of mulch around them. Bark, chopped leaves and pine needles are good choices. This organic mulch from Miracle-Gro at Lowe’s it is a good choice. Check current coating levels and remove any material that appears rotten.
Apply new mulch around each bush, but leave some bare space right around the stems. Too much mulch This closure can promote moisture retention which can lead to rot.
6. Watch for pests and diseases
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If you don’t notice any signs common hydrangea diseases or pests by mid-summer, they can be very difficult to manage. Start regularly inspecting your shrubs in May for signs of issues that you can address early and effectively.
Possible pests include; aphids, spider mite, Japanese beetlesand tetragram plant bug. Remove these pests mechanically if you can, either by removing them or by using a strong stream of water. Using insecticides during flowering periods is not ideal for hydrangeas. By catching pests now, you can avoid having to use these harsher products that can damage flowers.
Many of the possible hydrangea diseases are fungal infections. powdery mildew is the most common and looks like a white or light gray powdery substance on the leaves.
If the infestation is minimal, you can remove the affected leaves and take steps to improve air flow. Remove a few stems if the plant is thick and full. Avoid overhead watering to avoid this problem. Leaves and stems that get wet are more susceptible to disease.
Consider May the setting month for hydrangeas. Good care now will lead to healthier plants later and bigger, more abundant blooms in the summer. May is a good time for a lot of this care, but if you’re on the edge of it hardiness zones for hydrangeasyou may need to adjust the timing earlier or later.
Most importantly, it’s important to put in the effort spring hydrangea care now to ensure your bushes are healthy throughout the growing season.
