How to Grow Endless Summer Hydrangeas

This post contains tips for growing Endless Summer Hydrangeas. 

Okay I promise I’m not age 70 going into early retirement but Gardening is becoming my happy place! I’d use being a new home owner as an excuse but even living in the city I was into urban and container gardening for my kitchen. 

Our new home is white with black shutters and I envisioned planting Endless Summer Hydrangeas all around our property. Last year I got started with eight hydrangea bushes and I wanted to share with you everything I’ve learned. 

What to Order or Buy

You’ll first want to know your planting zone. Living in PA, I made an ode to my New England roots and purchased two types of Endless Summer Hydrangeas. Endless Summer Hydrangeas are known for their large and colorful blooms and leaves. 

The Endless Summer variety can also withstand cold temps. While PA isn’t as cold as New England, we still get all four seasons of weather including freezing temps. 

The two varieties I ordered were the Original and Bloomstruck. 

The original is the classic colored hydrangea of light blue and the Bloomstruck has large purple colored blooms and deep green leaves. Both are great choices of hydrangeas!

The Difference between Hydrangea Sizes 

Hydrangeas are sold in 1 gallon, 2, gallon, 3 gallon and 5 gallon. One of my biggest questions when ordering my plants was “why the different sizes?”.

After reading many articles and watching a lot of youtube on hydrangeas, I determined that the larger the plant the more you “buy time”. Larger plants are older and more established. I wanted blooms right away so I went with the 3 gallon plants. 

I am hoping they grow into a large hydrangea “wall” as the shrubs grow larger together. Of course I left enough space in between. Keep reading for planting tips!

Planting Hydrangeas 

First things first, you want to plant your endless summer hydrangeas in the spring or in the fall. Morning time is best. 

So at 6 am I set out and started digging. I enlisted my daughter to help me. Dig a hole two times the size of the plant. You’ll want the plant to be underground right after the rootball is in. It’s important to plant in morning when it’s not too hot. Now is also the time to use your fertilizer and water the plant thoroughly. 

Covering with mulch helps keep the root system cool. 

Best Time of Year to Plant Hydrangeas

Plant your Endless Summer Hydrangeas in the early spring or fall. You will want the last frost to have occurred in the spring and plant early enough before the summer heat. 

Types of Hydrangeas

French Hydrangea 

Mophead hydrangea 

Lacecap hydrangea 

Endless summer hydrangea

Peegee hydrangea 

Blue hydrangea 

Pink hydrangea 

Blushing Bride

How to Control Hydrangea Color

Did you know you can actually turn pink hydrangeas blue and blue hydrangeas pink?! It has nothing to do with the plant, it has to do with the soil. 

Looking for blue hydrangeas (like me!), add some aluminum sulfate to your soil. This can be found at any garden center. You can even add it as you’re planting your plant. Mix 1/4 cup with water and soak your plant. 

I don’t know about you but I feel like Hydrangeas start very blue from Maine to New England and as you go down the coast to the Jersey Shore they are more a shade of pink. No facts to that statement, just an avid Northeastern Beach Goer observation.