If you want your hydrangeas to bloom big in the heat of Texas, you are not alone.
The good news is that you can easily grow big blooming hydrangeas.
So, do hydrangeas grow in Texas heat?
YES!
So, let me share my experience of growing beautiful hydrangeas with minimum effort.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Do Hydrangeas Grow in Texas?
The idea is that hydrangeas love water.
The hot and dry climate of Texas dries out the hydrangeas. The question is, how to deal with this problem?
Let me share a step-by-step guide to dealing with these challenges.
Overview: Hydrangeas will grow in Texas but under certain conditions. Heat-tolerant varieties like oakleaf and limelight hydrangeas do well in Texas heat. For big blooming hydrangeas in Texas, you must provide them with morning sun, afternoon shade, well-draining and evenly moist soil, and light fertilization. Mulching in spring will help conserve soil moisture and prevents the ground from heating up too much in the summer.
We are going to grow hydrangeas in Texas in just three simple steps.
Step 1: Select a suitable variety.
Some varieties of hydrangeas grow well in Texas. These are:
- Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia):
- Limelight Hydrangeas
Let’s take a look at each of them in detail.
Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia):
Oakleaf hydrangeas (native to the southeastern United States) are heat tolerant and grow well in dry conditions.
This is why I love them in Texas.
This drought-tolerant hydrangea shrub still requires proper care. So, here’s how it is done.
Tips For Success:
First, you must find a place that receives morning sun and shade in the afternoon. This is important to protect them from the hot midday sun.
Found it? Perfect!
Now plant your oakleaf hydrangea there. Now let’s move on to the next step.
The next important thing is watering.
Regular watering of hydrangeas is needed for proper growth. Oakleaf hydrangeas love moist soil to deal with the Texas heat.
You should water deeply to establish healthy roots. This step is crucial!
The next step is to mulch in early spring.
Mulch (any material spread over the surface of the soil) retains moisture in the soil.
To deal with the rising temperatures in Texas (spring), mulching will conserve moisture in the soil.
Plus, it will also regulate the soil temperature. So, apply 6-8 inches of mulch around the base of your oak leaf hydrangea.
When it comes to mulch, you have two options.
- Organic mulch (made from bark, straw, grass clippings, and shredded leaves)
- Inorganic mulch (made from gravel or plastic)
Now let me introduce limelight hydrangeas to you.
Limelight Hydrangeas:
This beautiful bold conical lime green shrub is heat and drought resistant, making it perfect for the heat of Texas.
This is a popular variety of Hydrangea Paniculata (Panicle Hydrangea) because panicle hydrangeas love the sun.
So, here are some tips to successfully grow limelight hydrangeas in the heat of Texas.
Tips For Success:
In the warm climate of Texas, I recommend you select a spot with partial sun in the morning (not the afternoon).
The hot afternoon sun (in summer) can dry out the blooms.
So, plant your limelight hydrangea in a spot that gets morning sun and shade from the afternoon sun.
The next tip I have for you is to water your limelight hydrangeas regularly.
This step will determine how well your hydrangeas grow as they prefer evenly moist soil.
As I mentioned earlier, applying 6-8 inches of mulch around the base of your limelight hydrangea (in spring) is a good idea.
So, here’s the summary.
| Tips to successfully grow hydrangeas in Texas: | Details: |
|---|---|
| 1. Plant them properly | It is best to plant them (in the summer heat of Texas) at a spot with partial sun. So, plant them at a place that receives morning sun and shade in the afternoon. |
| 2. Mulch your hydrangeas | Mulch (a protective layer for soil) prevents the ground from heating up too much in the summer. It also retains the moisture in the soil. |
| 3. Water, water, and water | Watering your hydrangeas properly is the key to defeating the Texas heat. So, you have to maintain moist soil with regular watering. |
| 4. Prune them at the right time | – Oakleaf hydrangeas should be pruned in summer (after flowering) as flowers appear on old growth. – Panicle hydrangeas (limelight hydrangea) should be pruned in late winter (before spring growth). The flowers appear on new growth. |
This takes us straight to the next step.
Step 2: Plant Your Hydrangea Properly
It would be best if you planted your hydrangeas during spring or fall.
This will give them enough time to prepare for the upcoming hot days. You should know that hydrangeas perform well in fertile and well-draining soils.
Now, let’s talk about how to plant your hydrangea.
First, dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Then, remove the hydrangea from the pot (container).
Place the plant in the hole and cover it with soil. Then, water the plant till the soil is moist.
Apply 2-3 inches of shredded bark or compost mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
Simple!
Here’s the summary.
- Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide.
- Remove the plant from the pot and loosen the roots of the plant so that it adapts to the new soil.
- Place the plant in the hole and cover it with soil.
- Water it till the soil is moist.
- Apply 2-3 inches of shredded bark or compost mulch to retain moisture.
This takes us straight to the next step.
Step 3: Fertilize Them Properly
I want you to think about fertilizer as a supplement.
You will only need this supplement if your soil lacks something. Therefore, a soil test is the best way to determine what your soil needs.
You can easily determine the right fertilizer for your hydrangeas with the soil test results.
Since oakleaf and limelight hydrangeas do well in Texas, let’s look at them.
Oakleaf and Panicle hydrangeas do best with two applications. The first one should be in early spring using a slow-release granular fertilizer.
The second dose, right before your hydrangeas bloom in late spring or early summer, will help them to develop strong and vibrant blooms.
At this stage, a fertilizer high in phosphorus will be ideal as phosphorus leads to bigger blooms.
That’s exactly what we want.
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This is how you can grow hydrangeas in Texas.
Related Questions About Hydrangeas:
Now, let’s look at some frequently asked questions about growing hydrangeas in Texas.
Is Texas too hot for hydrangeas?
As mentioned earlier, Texas is too hot for many varieties, such as smooth and bigleaf hydrangeas.
However, oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas do well in Texas due to their heat and drought tolerance.
But, you must properly care for them according to the earlier steps. These include watering them at the right time (regularly), planting them properly, and mulching them.
.
Are hydrangeas hard to grow in Texas?
Growing hydrangeas in Texas is not difficult if you follow the above guidelines.
However, if you think hydrangeas will grow independently without help, you are mistaken.
If you keep the soil moist by watering them properly, you can defeat the heat of Texas.
But you have to be patient. If you want to experience the beauty of hydrangeas in your garden, you must learn from your fellow gardeners in Texas.
.
Why is my hydrangea not blooming?
Let me share the three popular reasons why your hydrangea may not bloom.
1. Excess nitrogen.
If hydrangeas are fed more nitrogen than potassium, they may skip flowering to grow more foliage.
So, you have to fertilize your hydrangeas properly.
2. Less water.
As we discussed earlier, your soil should be moist. So, it would be best if you watered your hydrangeas properly.
If the leaves wilt in the day’s heat, they need more water.
3. Improper pruning.
Hydrangeas bloom on either old wood or new wood.
Old wood refers to the growth from the previous season. New wood refers to the growth from the current season.
You should prune panicle (limelight) hydrangeas before flower buds are formed. They bloom on the current season’s stems (new wood).
If I talk about oakleaf hydrangeas, they should be pruned after the flowers fade in summer as they bloom on old wood.
You will have beautiful blooms if you prune your hydrangeas at the right time.
.
Wrapping Up:
So, do hydrangeas grow in Texas?
Yes!
Some heat-tolerant varieties of hydrangeas (oakleaf and limelight) grow well in Texas.
For best results, you must provide morning sun, afternoon shade, evenly moist soil, and well-draining soil.
It would help if you also mulched in the spring to conserve moisture and protect your hydrangeas from the summer heat of Texas.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. Just remember:
“Hydrangeas eat less and drink MORE”. This is the key to success.
Best of luck!
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