Hydrangeas, green leafy bushes with large pom-pom like flowers, are exploding this summer.
Garden experts say it's thanks to a warm winter followed by a wet spring.
Charlie Nardozzi, host of "The Connecticut Garden Journal," said “hydrangeas that normally have buds that'll die in the winter survived really nicely this year.”
Then those buds were given an added boost by a lot of rain.
“‘Hydra’ means water of course, and so that's what [hydrangeas] like. They like real wet conditions,” Nardozzi said.
If next year’s weather conditions aren’t so ideal for hydrangeas, Nardozzi recommends protecting these water-loving plants by laying down compost and wood chip mulch to help keep moisture in the soil.
Additionally, where a hydrangea is planted could impact vitality. Nardozzi said most hydrangeas prefer to be planted where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade.
“It is more critical that you keep them well watered if they're in full sun because they wilt really easily,” Nardozzi said.
Choosing which hydrangea to plant
There are more than 600 varieties of hydrangeas and Nardozzi said gardeners should consider a few different kinds for their own yards.
Blue mophead hydrangeas, called macrophylla, are very popular and great for the eye, but Nardozzi said they are useless for bees and butterflies because this non-native variety is usually pollen sterile.
To attract pollinators, Nardozzi said to plant native hydrangeas arborescens, like the white Annabelle.
But the neat thing about blue mophead hydrangeas is, gardeners can change the blooms to pink, if they want to take the time to make the soil less acidic and more alkaline.
Nardozzi said putting down lime over a couple of years so that the soil pH is 7 should produce pink blooms, but other varieties change colors, too.
“The panicle hydrangea start out white often and then they kind of slowly fade during the summer and into the fall to like a burgundy or a rust color,” Nardozzi said. “Selecting different varieties or different types of hydrangeas, you can have color from June right into the fall.”
