Hydrangea question

Last year, I planted a Hydrangea and it began to wilt and wither immediately. I tried to nurse it back to health, but ended up losing it. I have very clay-like soil. So, my question is if I should amend the soil first, and whether it would be better in part shade or full sun? Thank you!

What kind of hydrangea did you plant? If it is a mop-head or lace-cap then you should have it in some shade during the hot time of the day. Oak-leaf and panicle types can take more sun and panicle types will bloom better with more sun than less sun.

Amending the soil is always a good idea but not necessary either since we probably have the worst red clay soil in the world and I often plant directly in it - the key is to water the plant in and keep it watered during the first two years to get it established. Oak-leaf hydrangeas do not like to sit in water though but don't want to be bone dry either - the key is to have good drainage.

Hi Kristy, IF I were you I would try to amend your soil as you go along, the same problem could turn up again and again with other plants / shrubs / tree's you may wish to plant while creating a garden, with better soil even in a bit of hot sun the plants will fair better but still require watering.

The bones of a good garden is to help the plants you grow by giving them the best start in situ as you can, the best way is to amend the soil the cheapest and best way you can.

Try to get hold of as much animal (HORSE) manure you can, there are lot's of stables where they are happy to let you take as much as you want FREE,But it must be well rotted, they have no use for it as it is on tap every day for them. As horses eat hay, oats and graze on pasture land there are no chemicals added and it's all natural. Most gardeners call this stuff gardeners gold, you can even hang a bag of manure in a barrel of water tied to the side and after about 6-8 weeks you have a free liquid feed, you just dilute the brownish liquid down till it looks like weak tea, too strong and you could burn the plants, Liquid Gold EH and free.

The manure should be free from smell, when you pick up a handful, it should crumble, odour free and light in weight. add as much as you can to your soil as when it is dug into your clay type earth it will allow air into the clay helping to break it up in time, it helps to hold onto moisture when the sun / heat dries the soil out like bricks and the plants cant breath or take in moisture at the roots, it also helps feed the roots with nutrients for strong growth and leaf colour with better flowering too.

What I normally do is first year, lay about 6 inches or more on top of the soil all over the bed you wish to plant into, then dig this into the clay soil, then place your plants on the bed where you want them to grow, then as you are ready to plant, add another small heap of the manure so that as you remove the soil while making the hole, dig thesmall heap into the soil you removed and make sure there are no large lumps of either clay or manure.
place some manure in the bottom of the hole and pop the plant into situe BUT, don't plant any deeper than the plant was growing in the pot as you can cause rot to set into the stems / branches.
I know that clay can stay cold and wet in winter but, the manure, because of the properties that it is made from will solve these problems allowing drainage when needed, warmth when needed and cool with free drainage when needed AND nutrients that clay cant hold onto at all. All in all you will find your soil easier to dig / manage and your plants will thank you by growing well and better.

Every spring IF you can manage, do the same again, until all your beds and borders are broken up from the clay and will turn into a nice area of growing soil. on the beds you have treated the year before, in either autumn or early spring you can just lay a thick 6 ??? inch thick layer across the beds treated the year before then allow the worms or frost to help it drop down into the soil or dig it in yourself, after a few years you will have a growing garden the envy of the neighbourhood.
Hope this will help you out a bit and you have a much easier time in your garden.
Best Regards. WeeNel.