Comments on: Endless Summer and Forever and Ever Hydrangeas: Growing Tips for Cold Climates

By: What Happens to Plants After an Untimely Freeze Part 2 — Cold Climate Gardening

What Happens to Plants After an Untimely Freeze Part 2 — Cold Climate Gardening — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:47:11 +0000

[...] is barely discernible as a slight shine and darker color. The Forever&Ever hydrangeas are a special form of Hydrangea macrophylla. The leaves put out new growth early, but that growth is frost sensitive. In our cold climate, the [...]

By: Carol

Carol — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:19:56 +0000

Sorry I took so long to reply – haven’t been following the posts – all I did was set the box over the plant ( with bottom & top open) & dump in the mulch you can get at any greenhouse – cedar, I believe. Once you put the box on & fill it, there’s no problem with it coming off – for extra insurance you can just be sure the flaps at the bottom face out & throw some extra mulch on top of that. In spring, be very gradual at removing the mulch, as you don’t want the new growth to freeze. I’ve not had any problems, so I’m sure it should work for you.

By: Wanda

Wanda — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:55:59 +0000

Hi Carol, just read your article. I have been searching for information on how to keep my Quick Fire alive through the winter. I live in southern Saskatchewan Zone 3A. Just wondering what you used for mulch. Also how did you secure the cardboard box to the ground, did you have an internal frame to support the cardboard box? I just bought the shrubs this year so any additional information would be appreciated. Thanks bye for now—-Wanda

By: Endless Summer hydrangea blooming well this year — Cold Climate Gardening

Endless Summer hydrangea blooming well this year — Cold Climate Gardening — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:18:16 +0000

[...] I mentioned earlier this year, I covered the shrub with fallen leaves in late autumn. I made sure they filled the center of the [...]

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:44:12 +0000

Limelight and pinky winky do VERY well in zone 6

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:41:33 +0000

Any mophead in a climate that freezes must be covered for the cold months, and not uncovered until there is no risk of frost. Mulch, straw, or oak leaves are good choices to cover them with. I have heard maple leaves are a bad choice though. You can use a box or chicken wire or a trash can with the bottom cut out to keep the hydrangea covered in the mulch / straw / oak leaves. This protects the wood and flower buds from dying from the frost.

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:37:18 +0000

All 3 of those (pinky winky, annabelle, and quickfire are beautiful, but they are all the more hardy varieties. If you love those limelight is really nice too! I am in zone 6, attempting to grow the mophead varieties, such as endless summer, and seem to have done well since I covered them in mulch surrounded by a chicken wire cage this past late fall / winter into the spring when all chances of frost were gone. They are blooming beautifully, and I am so so excited!!

By: Uncovered my ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangea — Cold Climate Gardening

Uncovered my ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangea — Cold Climate Gardening — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:38:33 +0000

[...] ‘Endless Summer’ and ‘Forever&Ever’ hydrangeas. I had discovered that dumping a bunch of dry leaves over them in the fall was sufficient to protect them from the erratic spring freezes that we have. The old branches help [...]

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:11:35 +0000

Thank you for sharing your tips, Carol. I imagine you have to stockpile the boxes to make sure you have ones that are big enough. Do you use fertilizer? If so, what kind?

By: Carol

Carol — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:01:52 +0000

I planted 3 hydrangeas on the East side of the house (slab – no floor heat) 2 years ago – I love all of them & they all survived the long stretch of minus 40 degree weather last winter. In fact they are all leafing to about 2 feet up – I pop a cardboard box around them in late fall & fill with mulch, then remove it gradually in the spring. Its easy todo – no heavy work involved. I’m in zone 2B – 3A (Alberta); the hydrangeas I have are Pinky Winky, Annabelle, & my favorite – Quick Fire.