Why didn’t my hydrangea bloom?

Hydrangeas are great shrubs for Victoria, BC. They have large showy blooms and are generally low maintenance. If your hydrangea didn’t bloom, not to worry, we have a solution for you.

Incorrect pruning

Pruning requirements of hydrangeas vary by variety, so if it’s a new variety that hasn’t bloomed, you may be pruning incorrectly. Some varieties, like bigleaf hydrangeas and climbing hydrangeas should only be pruned in late summer because they blossom on last year’s growth. Other varieties like smooth hydrangeas and panicle hydrangeas should only be pruned in late winter because they only bloom on new growth. Make sure you check the tag on your hydrangea plant to make sure you are pruning correctly.

Too much or too little sunlight

Most varieties of hydrangeas grow best in partial sun, but again the ideal amount of sunlight will depend on the variety. You can try to tell if too much sunlight is the reason your hydrangea isn’t blooming if the leaves and petals look scorched, or if it’s losing its petals. If the hydrangea is producing long and spindly growth it is not getting enough sunlight. Solve this by transplanting to a more suitable area.

Inadequate watering

Watering needs of hydrangeas is less dependent on variety but depends more on how established the hydrangea is. Growing hydrangeas should be watered frequently (about 3x a week) in well-draining soil, and once the hydrangea is established it only needs deep watering about once a week. Overwatered hydrangeas leaves go brown and will feel a bit mushy. Underwatered hydrangeas leaves will wilt.

Weather conditions

Some hydrangea varieties don’t do well over the winter, so damage from frost and snow or even heavy rainfall can prevent spring blossoming and might even kill the plant. To prevent this from happening, you can protect your hydrangea plant with burlap over the winter.

Using the wrong fertilizer

Fertilizers with high nitrogen content should not be used on hydrangeas, this will result in a lot of leafy growth and no flowers. Hydrangeas should be fertilized with a hydrangea specific fertilizer.