Certain hydrangea varieties have a unique ability to change colour from pink to blue. A gardening expert shares how a natural ingredient can help turn your blooms blue without expensive products.
Anyone who wants to turn their pink hydrangeas blue needs to use gardener’s 1 natural item(Image: Dario Pena via Getty Images)
Hydrangeas rank among the most loved flowering shrubs thanks to their stunning blooms and adaptable character. One of their most distinctive features is their colour-changing ability, particularly their transformation from pink to captivating shades of blue.
While many hydrangea varieties display pink, blue, or purple flowers, only macrophylla or serrata hydrangeas can actually be altered in colour. According to gardener Mel, who runs the blog Little Terraced House, you can transform your pink hydrangeas to blue using a “surprisingly simple trick” involving just one basic kitchen staple, rather than splashing out on pricey “special pellets” available online.
She said: “For a quick, cheap and easy fix, you just need apple cider vinegar.”
The colour of your hydrangea blooms hinges on the pH level of the soil they’re planted in.
What colour blooms your hydrangeas will deliver depends on the pH level of the soil (Image: Pakin Songmor via Getty Images)
If the soil is more acidic (pH less than six), you’ll get bluer blooms, while a more alkaline soil (pH greater than seven) usually yields pinkish flowers.
To ensure blue blossoms from your hydrangeas, you need to make certain your soil is on the acidic side. Apple cider vinegar can help boost acidity levels, according to Mel.
For this technique, she advised: “Mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with 10 litres of water (an average watering can’s worth) and direct the solution at the base of the hydrangea, avoiding the leaves.
“Do this every fortnight and the colour will gradually shift. You can manage the ‘blueing’ by reducing or stopping the vinegar when they reach the desired shade.”
Gardening experts at Gardenia also endorse this domestic trick for turning hydrangea blooms blue. They said: “Vinegar, particularly white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, can decrease the pH when applied to the soil, making it more acidic. This can stimulate blue blooms in hydrangeas.”
However, they cautioned gardeners to use this method judiciously. They added: “It’s important to use it sparingly, as excessive acidity can harm the plants.”
They also highlighted that coffee grounds can “contribute to turning hydrangeas blue”.
They clarified that when mixed into the soil, coffee grounds release nitrogen, which can reduce the soil pH, “promoting blue colouration”.
Comments are closed.