Endless Summer Problems

18 years ago

I seldom have time to read these gardening forums, but wanted to share something I was told by our local nursery today. I'm looking for Hydrangea's and was just loving the beautiful Endless Summer variety but she said they have them but are not selling them and are trying to return the ones they have. All of them, according to her, have beautiful blooms the first year, but nobody at the nursery could get them to bloom again after the first year. They even called other nurseries to ask about their experiences and are getting the same information from them. This is a reputable place in the suburbs of Chicago, and they are very customer-centric, so this has been disturbing for them to have to deal with.

For those of you who have been successful with this variety, thats great, but I thought I would post this for anyone considering buying it or having problems with theirs now.

Featured Answer

Greg Schaumburg

10 years ago

thanks for sharing these experiences...i planted 9 for a photo shoot in 2010 in prepared garden beds of varying, but productive soils. From the container, they performed well though were very water-needy. Kept them well watered for the year. Year two, sporadic to little blooms, lost a third of them. Year three, little to no blooms, an am down to one survivor. In the time i've had them, i tried fertilizing some years, not fertilizing, pruning at various times, and not pruning. All I find of value for this plant is its foliage. It seems to do best being left alone, but won't flower anymore. I won't recommend for clients beyond container use or without the disclaimer that they're a thirsty plant that only shows up year one. If that disclaimer works then all is well! Love that foliage though!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (15)

susanilz5
18 years ago
I'm not an expert by any means. I do live in the Chicago suburbs. I planted 3 Endless summer. The first year they bloomed well. The 2nd year nothing, they died by the 3rd year.
amac
18 years ago
Hi! I just want to chime in here.... I had 4 Endless Summers planted in June 2007. I had heard about them not blooming in the 2nd year - so I was prepared to go without this season..... BUT all 4 of them now have lots of buds on them. I am so happy! I also just planted 5 Blushing Brides about 3 weeks ago. They all have buds as well. I hope this helps.....

P.S. I have not done anything to them except add a small amount of aluminum sulfate to the soil around the base of the 4 Endless summers. I have not watered them this year either.
Related Professionals
Annapolis Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Charlotte Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Danbury Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Gloucester Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Newburyport Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Rutland Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Chula Vista Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Pueblo Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Morgan City Landscape Contractors · Philadelphia Landscape Contractors · Houston Landscape Contractors · Lincoln Landscape Contractors · Portsmouth Landscape Contractors · Scranton Landscape Contractors · Las Vegas Design-Build Firms
hokierustywilliamsbu
18 years ago
2 years ago planted 6--all lived last year but little bloom--this year however WOW--maybe they need a year or two to adapt....
mehearty
18 years ago
That's very interesting that a nursery had that problem. I know a lot of people have been very disappointed with the lack of flowers on ES. In my own very limited experience, my ES is in it's 2nd year and is loaded with buds right now. She came through a very snowy winter hardy to the tips. In fact, as the the snow was melting, I saw a little green leaf under the snow coming from ES. =-O My Nikkos die to the ground every year but somehow manage to bloom for me. Their bloom color is heavenly and makes ES's bloom color look all washed out & boring. Still, it's a keeper IMO.
ostrich
18 years ago
I have 3 ES which I planted about 3 years ago. They have been doing extremely well in my location. I have no complaint, though it does not necessarily live up to the hype that the company has created....
icyveins
18 years ago
My Blushing Bride is in its second year and is covered in blooms... I've noticed that BB tends to get better feedback than the standard ES but I don't have an ES to compare it to! I have heard from many people that their ES didn't bloom the second year but went crazy the third... so I second the opinion that they need time to "adapt"!
ditas
18 years ago
Ditto Icyveins! - I am in the mind to retract my initial comment last season ... 'disappointed' ... as George (Ego45) explains to us 'newbies to Hs' that they need time, expending energies on roots, establishing in their new homes - blossoms will come on their own w/o the bloom boosting hormones that breeders douse on them (certainly to lure us, right George? - this is how I understood post on another "ES did not bloom..." thread)!

My 3rd season ESs at this point, are sporting tons - every terminal is punctuated by a broccoli cluster! I'm curious to see how the blossom sizes open up & how their slim looking canes handle them. I still hold same initial comment on thinness of canes in comparison to F&E and BB ... hoping that they eventually toughen/thicken with age.
mareda
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you all for your replies!

I'm so glad many of you seem to be doing well with yours. They're beautiful plants. I see none of you from my area, however. I'm in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. It wasn't just my nursery. The people at my nursery checked with other nurseries in the area and they were all having problems.

Maybe Endless Summers don't like the windy city? ;-)
nude_gardener
18 years ago
who knows maybe it is because i walk naked:-) around my Endless Summer but they are the most beautiful hydrangeas anyone can grow, gorgeous exceptionally attractive sooooo blue and last year they did very well and this year they are loaded with ready to bloom , there are some already blooming.

i counted one of them has 53 and another one has 44 blooms. don't you think it is good enough.

***** who knows? maybe more of us have to take some cloths off:-)
mehearty
18 years ago
Hopefully you don't have any roses with large, sharp thorns. =-O
nude_gardener
18 years ago
no roses my dear friend, otherwise I would be in deep, deep problem :-)
phillip_in_alabama
18 years ago
I had the exact problem. My ES didn't bloom well during the first two years. This year, its third, it is covered with blooms.
nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
10 years ago
Agree with Gregory...have 5 ES purchased summer 2005...disappointing duds!!! my experience is NOT unique...seen many many comments from colder zone gardeners with the same poor performance...
Mary G (SE Mich zone 5)
10 years ago
I completely agree with the last two posts - gorgeous healthy foliage with very few blooms - I dug three out last year and replaced with Bobo's - what an improvement.