Avoid Planting Hydrangeas In One Common Area In Your Yard To Ensure They Flourish

Is there anything more spectacular than a flourishing hydrangea shrub that's in full bloom? Hydrangeas really are the stars of the garden when they exhibit their stunningly large flowers that will last in a vase for weeks, if you decide to cut them and bring them indoors. They're also relatively easy to grow as long as you provide them with the right conditions -– plenty of water, afternoon shade, and some food to fuel their growth. As these plants need protection from the harsh sun later in the day, it would be perfectly reasonable for you to think about planting them under the larger trees in your yard. However, this is one mistake everyone makes when planting hydrangeas that you definitely want to avoid. You'll find there are some good reasons for this, mainly around the competition for water and nutrients.

It's true that hydrangeas grow much better if they get morning sun and afternoon shade, because if they're exposed to the harsher rays in the latter part of the day, they're prone to wilting and that's not a happy sight to see. They will quickly recoup their upright composure once watered, but you do want to avoid exposing your treasured plants to any unnecessary stress, if at all possible. So, it's best to find the ideal spot in your garden, where your hydrangeas get just the right amount of sunlight and protection, while avoiding the shady spots under your trees at the same time.

Essentially, your lovely hydrangeas have both high water and nutrient needs to allow them to put on their magnificent display. Unfortunately, large trees with their massive roots, are really good at soaking up all the moisture and absorbing all the available nutrients in the soil, before the more diminutive roots of the hydrangeas have any chance of doing the same. This creates a highly competitive environment where your hydrangeas are basically going to come off as the losers. Even if you apply copious amounts of water, the tree roots will most likely soak it all up as quickly as you can add it. Plus, you don't want to over fertilize to compensate because this can cause problems as well, like a concentration of salt build-up in the soil.

So, how do you find the best spot in your garden to plant hydrangeas? One thing you can do is observe your yard for a few days to see which areas are bathed in sunshine in the morning and which spots are exposed to the scorching afternoon sun. If the areas that are sunny early in the day offer cooling shade later, then these will provide the perfect location for your plants. You could even consider planting hydrangeas next to your house or the fence, if these structures offer some shade protection for your lovely shrubs, as long as you're aware of how much space hydrangeas need in the garden.