Those blue blooms just kept coming, clashing with her gloriousgolden euonymusand red plastic poinsettias.
She didn’t need to adjust her attitude; she merely needed to adjust her soil.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
What Makes Hydrangeas Blue Or Pink?
Credit:The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
In strongly acid soil (pH below 6), flowers turn blue.
In alkaline soil (pH above 7), flowers turn pink or even red.
Keep in mind thatselections varyin their sensitivity to pH.
What about white hydrangeas?
Sorry, they don’t play along.
Theystay whiteregardless of the soil pH.
Credit:Melina Hammer
Change Your Hydrangea’s Color
Okay, here’s the trick I promised you.
To make it more alkaline, do the same withground lime.
Be patient; results maytake monthsor not become evident until next year’s bloom.
Choose Your Hydrangea Color
These six hydrangeas are widely available and are some of our favorites.
Your soil’s pH may affect the hue.
But it can make you go nuts when the blooms wilt an hour after they go in water.
How can you stop this?
Here’s an idea from Elizabeth Dean of Wilkerson Mill Gardens, a fine mail-order source for hydrangeas.
Plunge the cut stems in cool water immediately after cutting.
Cut the stems to the lengths you want for your arrangement.
Hold the bottom 1 inch of the stems in the hot water for about 30 seconds.
Then transfer the stems to cool water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hydrangeas change colors based on the soil pH levels.
Use fertilizers or organic matter to alter a soil’s pH levels and change the color of hydrangea blooms.
Add fruit peels, lawn clipping, peat moss, or pine needles to make the soil more acidic.
For alkaline soil, add compost, lime, or baking soda.
