About This Episode
A reader has a major problem with their hydrangeas.
Plus, why Grumpy loves Lantana.
Question Of The Week
“My hydrangeas will not leaf out on the old wood.
All new growth comes from the bottom.
Is this because we had a warm spell in early spring, followed by a sudden freeze?”
Grumpy’s response:Yes, exactamundo.
This is what happens when you get those warm spells, and it’s towards the end of winter.
And it may stay mild for a week or 10 days, and then the plants get fooled.
They start breaking dormancy.
Sap starts running to the top.
You might even see green buds coming out.
So it’s not your fault.
It happens every year to lots of people.
Your plant will grow back from the roots and eventually look like it did before.
So just cut off all the dead stuff.
One way that you might get around this problem is if you would plant a re-blooming pop in.
It’s also a tender perennial in zones 8 and farther South.
It will come back.
In colder areas, it acts just like an annual.
About Ask Grumpy
Ask Grumpyis a podcast featuring Steve Bender, also known asSouthern LivingsGrumpy Gardener.
Be sure to followAsk GrumpyonApplePodcasts,Spotify, or wherever you listen so you don’t miss an episode.
