Comments on: Uncovered my ‘Endless Summer’ hydrangea

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:35:47 +0000

I have one Endless Summer, which I planted near the foundation of my house in late spring 2010. I wasn’t sure if we had acidic soil or not, and quite quickly the bright blue blossoms the plant had when I brought it home from the garden center turned that sort of indeterminate blue/pink color. I figured this meant my soil was not that acidic. But, the next round of blossoms (in late August) were bright blue, not at all pink… basically, the “ideal” color, and they stayed that way for about 3 weeks before wilting. So, I’m not sure what to think about my soil.

But in any case, I just wanted to mention that foundations can leech lime, making the soil in the area less acidic. This may be what is happening in your case, Kathy. (Also, the soil near foundations is often a sandy fill, which can make a difference.)

Here in New Hampshire, I have just covered my plant with a thick mulch of dried leaves. Fingers crossed that this plant makes it through the winter alright… we get a very hard freeze here, so I know the plant is definitely going to freeze, but I hope somehow the mulch helps.

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:29:33 +0000

Supposedly leaving the stems on over the winter offers them a bit more protection. Cut the dead stems back once new growth has started and you can see where the live growth begins.

By: Sharon in Wisconsin

Sharon in Wisconsin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:43:45 +0000

I agree they all don’t bloom. But I have one that is 5 years old and it was beautiful this year. It gets quite a bit of sun though. It was almost 4ft tall and wide with a fair amount of blooms. Mid season and late. Others I have in more shade , not so good.. You truely have to love them to keep them. I just keep moving them around to find where they like to show off.

By: Sharon in Wisconsin

Sharon in Wisconsin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:33:05 +0000

So I live in Wisconsin. Do I prune my Endless Summers or not? Won’t they just freeze anyway, if I don’t?

By: Debby

Debby — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:13:28 +0000

We planted several Endless Summer Hydrangeas 5 years ago when we built our house. They’re along the front of the house facing north. They get morning sun and that’s about all. Every year they’ve gotten bigger and produced more and more blooms. Last year they were about 3½ ft high with beautiful pink and blue huge blooms on the same plant. This year they’ve reached about waist high but the blooms are much more sparse. I think it was due to some of our weather early spring. The foliage is full and healthy looking…hoping to get more blooms as the summer progresses. We live in Iowa with temps down to 0 to -10. I’ve never done anything to protect them in the winter. Also, I don’t prune them–even leave the flower heads over winter. Then when new growth starts, I remove the obvious dead stems. I’m a non-gardener and the Endless Summer Hydrangea have done exceedingly well under my benign neglect.

By: Heather's Garden

Heather's Garden — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:25:01 +0000

I’m not exactly in a cold climate in a zone 6b, but my Endless Summer hydrangea is thriving. It’s in year 3 in my garden and has definitely moved on from sleep and creep to leap. Maybe it’s just not meant for harsh winters?
.-= Heather’s Garden´s last blog ..IT WAS A GLORIOUS DAY UNTIL… =-.

By: Bob Kob

Bob Kob — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:44:57 +0000

Has any one ever over winter their Endless Summer’s in
pots in the basment, and started them up about
March 1st under lights, and set them outside about
June 1st.

By: Linda Tareta

Linda Tareta — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:22:32 +0000

I have the endless summer hydrangea live in suburbs of chicago…have the same experience they bloomed 1st year but not since…what do you mean when you say “blooms on old wood”???have not heard that term before…I cut mine back in the fall to about 8 to 10 inches..they are now 2 feet or more and full, they get the morning sun till about 1:00 ish or little bit later…

By: Kathy Purdy

Kathy Purdy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:51:29 +0000

You don’t say what kind of hydrangea they are, or what kind of winter they go through. If they are a hydrangea that blooms on old wood and the winter kills off the old wood, you won’t get blooms.

By: cindy

cindy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:56:21 +0000

Can anyone give me an answer. Both my mom and I have hydrangeas that have bloomed only once, the first year. We’ve had them for 4-5 years. They produce folliage, but no blooms. We don’t trim them. They get morning sun. The folliage is beautiful. But no blooms.