Hydrangea color dull

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joelcoqui Roslyn, United States May 10, 2011

I have several species of Hydrangeas including lacecap. I have feed it lime over the years but they still dont change color. The color isnt vibrant either. They stay a very drab blue lavender color. I really want them in that bright reddish pink color like when they are sold in bloom at the nurserys. Any advice?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 10, 2011

They change color based on soil pH. They will be blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil. Since yours are a bluish-lavender it sounds like your soil is just slightly on the acidic side of neutral. If you stop adding lime, the soil will drift back to being more acidic and they'll stay blue but it'll probably be a nicer blue than what they're giving you now. If you want them pink, your pH isn't high enough yet so you'll need to add more lime than you've been adding. Since your soil is naturally acidic though you're going to have to keep after it to keep it on the alkaline side.

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joelcoqui Roslyn, United States May 10, 2011

I add lime every year. They remain a dull blue. Maybe its just the species?/ I really want them a bright pink.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 10, 2011

Do you know which species you have? There are a few that don't change color with pH but most of those have naturally pink or white flowers, not blue. The most commonly available hydrangeas that can have blue flowers are the macrophyllas, and those are the ones that will change color with soil pH. So I think your soil is just naturally really acidic, and you're not adding enough lime to get the pH high enough for your flowers to be pink.

If you've really got your heart set on pink flowers then your best bet might be to grow them in pots--it'll be a lot easier to control the pH there. In the garden, your soil naturally wants to be acidic so it's going to be a constant battle to make it alkaline and keep it there. If you keep them in the garden bed, you're going to need to add more lime than you have been (or else add the lime at a different time of year--could be you're adding it too long before bloom which gives the soil pH time to drift back down before they bloom?)

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joelcoqui Roslyn, United States May 10, 2011

Thank you so much. I will add extra lime and well see what happens.

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