It can be disappointing when a blue hydrangea turns pink, but there are ways to counteract the colour change, and by following the simple tip gardening tip your hydrangeas can have a gloriously blue shade
The flowers are known for their vibrant colour(Image: Getty)
Garden enthusiasts can keep their blue hydrangeas dazzlingly blue with a straightforward tip, say the pros. You might have snagged a blue hydrangea only to see it turn pink the following year, a shift caused by your soil’s pH level, as per the wisdom of gardening buffs.
Luckily, there’s a way to thwart this color swap, and it involves a minor adjustment in how you water them. While some green thumbs might just use a hose or watering can, the kind of water you use and even your location can significantly influence their growth.
This is particularly true for blue hydrangeas, which can yield blooms of varying colors based on their care. Tap water, notably in regions with hard water, tends to be alkaline and can prompt blue hydrangeas to change to pink.
READ MORE: Doctor claims Trump is showing ‘telltale sign’ of specific type of dementia in his right legREAD MORE: Donald Trump dementia fears spike after ‘symptom’ spotted in President’s suit
Conversely, rainwater is inherently more acidic, aiding in the production of blue flowers in hydrangeas, reports the Express. The German plant substrate quality assurance group Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e. V.(GGS) advises using only rainwater.
Experts recommend ‘exclusively’ using one thing to water them(Image: Getty)
For “special care” of hydrangeas, GGS suggests placing them in a “shaded or partially shaded spot to maintain the blue flower color” since intense sunlight can result in a more vivid blue.
“Water regularly and use exclusively rainwater with a low calcium content,” they continue, noting that “water with a high level of calcium content will increase the soil pH level in the medium term”.
“As a result, aluminium ions will no longer be available to the plants and consequently not reach the flowers.”
The advice also includes using a specific hydrangea fertilizer that helps “maintain the soil’s acidity and also contain aluminium sulphate.”
For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), you can gather rainwater “from the roofs of homes, garages, greenhouses and other garden structures as long as they have gutters and a down pipe that enters the drain at ground level”, as stated on their website.
This water can then be stored in a water butt for use on your plants.
In addition, if you’re on the hunt for another easy tip to make your hydrangeas pop with color, Susan Conforte McNeill, an avid gardener and the brains behind Susan Said What, has revealed a clever trick using an item you might not have considered.
For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.