Hydrangeas living in pots?

20 years ago

Howdy all,

In Central Texas, Zone 8ish, I hope to use the east side of my house for hydrangea beds. Due to our highly alkaline soils, I'm expecting them to be pink.

My thought is to add a couple of large pots, filled with acidic soils, so that there will also be blue hydrangeas.

Do these plants like/dislike pots? Do they go totally dormant in our mild winters or will I have to install some drip irrigation? (otherwise, I'll forget about them in December...)

We have both high heat and humidity in the summer. This location will shade from noon on, so they won't have to endure vicious sun. Tell me they are OK limited light exposur, pretty please.

Many Thanks!

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Comments (3)

yellowgirl
20 years ago
Rockyn,

Sounds like a plan to me. Certain cultivars like pots more than others. Try to pot one of the smaller cultivars or Endless Summer which can be kept inbounds with pruning and will put on a longer show in your longer season. Use BIG pots from the start, no need to gradually increase pot size. The bigger the better.

In zone 8ish, they should go dormant in winter. They kind-of do in my zone 9. Still....in hot summer climates, it wouldn't hurt to have that irrigation just the same. It will come in very handy in summer when you will be watering almost every day (at least for the first season or two until they are well established) and for supplemental watering after that. These are thirsty plants and look their best when kept evenly moist (not wet) and well drained.

They should do very well in that prime east facing location that you have for them. Perfect light conditions for macrophyllas.

I'd say 'Good luck' but I don't think you will need it. Sounds like you have a great plan.....yg
rockyn
Original Author
20 years ago
Wow, fabulous response, yellowgirl.

Thanks for going to such detail. I believe you have answered all my questions. Though I am sorry to hear that these are so thirsty... I will keep that in mind when deciding on amendments to the soil.

This is a very flat area, drainage might be something of an issue. I bet I can drill holes in the pots and sneak a drip hose in thru the back.

Well, off to the Mexican pottery place to see what kind of good deals they have....

Thanks again! May all your plantings flourish!
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phiddie
20 years ago
I put my potted plants mostly in plastic pots or line the clay pots with heavy duty plastic bags with the bottoms cut out, here in Tucson the clay pots dry out much too fast, and although I have been lining my pots like this for sometime the local guru stated in his column last month to do just that. I rec'd a lacecap from my daughter three years ago for Mothers Day and figured it would be a one time plant, but potted it up and last year had nine blooms and this year thirteen, it still has the outer blossoms intact and it is now July 12, am about ready to deadhead them and leave everything else as is, Its in a 15" pot but will move it to a much larger pot this fall. I do cover it or pull it into the carport/garage if I think it might freeze and pull it back out during the day. It gets morning sun up til about ten and then dappled shade the rest of the day. I would love to try a mophead but fear the hot winds we have would play havoc with them. But then again I didn't think the lacecap would do so well either.