Hi everyone.

Just wanted to share my results since there are so many blue vs. pink questions...

Had always read the cautionary tales re: "use no more than 2 tbs aluminum sulphate per 2 gal water, and then stop using it altogether once buds form." Followed this CW last 2 years and ES,Nikko & unidentified mophead that started life as dark purple at the grocery store all seemed to get PINKER. Found a 2 year old email from someone on this forum (I regret I cannot recall from whom to give proper credit)and this year used my own version of advice he gave:

All hydrangeas are in pots - one is a 30 gal that rolls around fine on a small castered platform 15" x 15". It has to so I can move unsightly plant from front to back porch for the winter!

1. Started watering beginning of Feb w/3.5 - 4 tbs of A/S per 2 gal of water.

2. Have contiued to do that EVERY time I water

3. Add 1 tbs of 3-3-3 Iron & Soil Acidifier granules around base of plant once a month - instead of once only in the spring as in prior years.

Big ES bloomed first - started pink, and is now a lavender mixed w/pale blue - sometimes on the same flower. Small ES (offshoot of big one) is completely pale blue, unidentified mophead is a deep purple once again and the Nikko is 1/2 pink 1/2 blue.

I have to assume the blooms would have been less pink to start with if I'd remembered to up the A/S dosage when watering over the winter. All the plants have even more blooms than last year, and that's after really cold weather we don't usually get.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents - hope someone may find it useful.

Happy Gardening!