Newbie to hydrangeas, need advice for how to care for them!

Hi all,
I bought 2 hydrangeas yesterday, they appear very healthy and are called "Merritt's Supreme" which I gather is a mophead, hydrangea macrophylla.

I've lurked the plant files and hydrangea forum. But I think I need some really basic step by step advice for keeping these healthy and alive.

I put one in a large washtub and the other in a clawfoot bathtub. These are both on a northfacing covered porch but will get some sunlight during the day. The soil in the tubs is fresh potting soil mixed with about 1/3 bagged compost. Not sure of the pH but I guess time will tell if the color of the blooms changes from pink to blue or violet. Any color result is fine with me!

What else do I need to know about these beautiful plants?

In your climate they won't like your hot summer sun, so you'll need to put them somewhere that they only get morning sun. Also be aware that if you plant them in the root zone of a thirsty tree they may struggle a bit, I've had the best luck if I can find a shady spot that's not right under a tree. Or are you planning to keep them in containers? If so you don't need to worry about the trees but you will still need to pay attention to the afternoon sun. The other thing to know is that they bloom on old wood, so don't prune them in the fall/winter or else you'll be cutting off next year's blooms...if they need to be pruned the best thing is to do it right after they flower.

Hi ecrane,
Thanks for your reply.
I plan to keep them in the containers if they do well there. The porch covering should keep them out of the midday sun, and I positioned them so that they would get the minimum morning and afternoon sun. House faces north and is about 50 feet long. They are smack in the middle of the porch.

I see hydrangeas growing in local people's front yards, with more sun that I should be giving them. So I hope that my position will be good. If I moved them to the back of the porch, totally away from any direct sun, what would happen? Do they need at least some sun?

They do need at least some sun to bloom well, but if you have an area of bright shade but it gets no direct sun that might be OK too--but if it's deep shade all day long you may not get as many blooms. If you see people growing them in more sun than where you're going to have them, then you should be fine (as long as they're the same species of hydrangea of course...some species are more sun tolerant than the macrophyllas). But the good news is since they're in pots you can move them around if it seems like they're not happy where they are and eventually you'll find the right spot for them!

LOL well the large tub is moveable for sure. But the clawfoot bathtub is HEAVY and I don't think I can persuade my husband to move it ever again not one inch! We filled it about halfway with rocks.....LOL oh but it sure looks pretty with the hydrangea in it. Makes you think of bubbles in the bath!

I tried a couple of hydrangeas planted in my yard on the north side of the house--both failed because I couldn't keep them well enough watered during the long, hot, dry summer. For my third try (I really do love hydrangeas) I put a Nikko Blue in a large pot on the east end of my covered front porch (which faces south). I can do a much better job of making sure it gets enough water this way. This will be it's second summer and it's already put on lots of nice healthy leaves so I guess it's happy there. It did put on four blooms last summer. Hopefully, yours will be happy where they are too. I've had a much easier time keeping it alive on my porch so I think you are doing the smart thing. BTW, love that bathtub idea--bet it looks great! If your hydrangea blooms this summer, post a picture--I'd love to see it.

Yep I too have lost the re-blooming hydrangeas - due to the intense heat and couldnt keep them properly hydrated.

But got some on sale - $6. each - so we are going to try this gain but they really cannot handles the intense heat and sun of this southern afternoon - so should be planted in the morning sun - only.

was advised they do better in the ground and can get 5 to 8 feet tall with proper care.

guess we will both see . . . (smile!)

We had a gorgeous hydrangea bush when we moved in. But when a dead tree was removed, the bush completely FRIED in the sun and died out.

Oh how sad Momster! I hate to lose any plants but especially one that's established. I lost a beautiful 3-year-old dogwood just this last winter. Can't figure out what killed it though.

We tried moving it, but it just finished it off, unfortunately.