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For the past two summers my hydrangea bush has not flowered. Last summer I had only 2 flowers. I have noticed that some other neighbors are having the same issue. Is there a problem going on in this area (Niantic) that is causing this? If not is there something I can do to get them to bloom again? Karen
Answer
Hi Karen,
This past winter we had 70 degree weather
in February. When that happened, the flower
buds began to swell (grow) on the hydrangeas.
Then the weather turned very cold which then
killed all the flower buds. The same thing
happened in the winter of 2015 when we had
a cold that killed the flower buds on all the
hydrangeas. As a side note, there were no
peaches in Connecticut this year for the same
reason and in some northern areas of CT there
were no apples.
This year, when all the leaves fall off the
hydrangea, put three or four tall stakes around your hydrangea and wrap several
layers of burlap around the outside of the stakes. Fill the enclosed area with dried
leaves to insulate the shrub in winter. Do not wrap before the leaves fall off because
the leaves are still photosynthesizing (making food for the roots for next year).
Remove the burlap and leaves around the middle of April or once you start seeing
the new leaves emerge from the stems, whichever comes first. This will help your
hydrangeas get through the winter months and bloom again next year. Good Luck.
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About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
