Mine has just now recovered from the ice. Got rid of the mushy leaves from the freeze and they are now full and green again. Fingers crossed it will bloom but so far no signs, just glad it survived. I was wanting to add my aluminum nitrate to encourage blue blooms but was a little afraid of stressing the poor things out since I just got my leaves back.

My Oakleaf Hy just started to bloom, the Endless Summer (what's left of it after the construction guys beat it up) started blooming earlier this week, and the others (varigated lacecaps - not sure what kind though) have buds on them, but no blooms yet. They are kept on the North side of the house and get lots of shade, and kept relatively moist.

I recently got two more through a mail order catalog, and planted them on the South side, where the get only afternoon shade are growing, although very slowly. They were tiny little things when I got them, so I might be expecting too much to see blooms this year.

Has anyone ever tried "Asprin Water" as a fertilizer? I was reading a magazine article about it and was curious what experiences REAL people have had, if any.

Courtney

I picked up what I thought was Nikko Blue Hydrangea last fall, babied it as a pot plant in the house all winter, and finally planted it out about three weeks ago, just as buds were starting to form. I added a five gallon bucket of peat moss to the soil as I backfilled to keep it acid because I have it planted between Climbing Westerland and Oklahoma rose, and I need a purple to blue color for that spot.

So of course, those buds are starting to open and, dang it, it looks like they're that urky pink! Not even purple-ly pink, just pink. (frown) I'm going to leave it for now, but if it's really not Nikko, it's going to be moved to the other side of the house and replaced with something that will reliably bloom in blue. Does anyone know if Nikko starts out pinkish and colors uplater?

My PeeGee Hydrangeas won't be blooming this year, as they're little more than rooted cuttings, but they are growing well.

Sammy, if you need a RoS, just drop me an email; I have probably twenty 1 to 2 foot plants sitting in a bucket in the kitchen waiting to be planted out.

Littledog, thanks for the offer. I have plenty of hydrangeas, but not blooms. I guess the rest of you are still waiting also, so I won't cut my sticks for awhile.

I wanted to switch to the Endless Summer ones, but it takes them so long to get the growth that mine have. I just hate to start all over. I still have not seen a good display on my Lacecap hydrangeas. After waiting patiently for a few years for them to get large, we had the bad weather breaks last year and this year.

tmelrose, I wonder if there is a difference between aluminum nitrate and aluminum sulfate. That is what I am preparing to use.

bizzydiggin, I hope yours bloom. Good luck.

My Nikko Blue is just covered in blooms that are opening now. They are going to be the purply pink color because I just did not get around to getting them their acid food this year. I even had a Question Mark butterfly nectaring on them today! Didn't know they used hydrangea.

My oakleaf is covered in blooms, too. My lacecap is not going to bloom this year again. If it doesn't bloom next year, out it is coming. The first 3 years it did great, but this year, for the 2nd year in a row - nada.

Susan

Do you know if there's anything I can give mine to blue it up this late? The flowers are just starting to open, and yup; they're pink. :^(

I love hydrangeas. A few years ago I found one at Lowes that had a red bloom on it. I couldn't wait to get it home and plant it. I could just visualize this big bush in front of my house. Either I didn't read the tag, or it didn't give the size, but the plant has never gotten over 2 feet tall. I didn't even know there were draft hydrangeas. I was very disappointed. Guess I will try to get another one.

My mopheads are blooming, this year pink because I did not treat them. I was just glad they have blooms on them since last year there were no blooms at all. The lace caps have not produced blooms but I keep looking, they did not bloom last yr either. The drought and the late freezes have caused some problems. I did plant a Pink Diamond tree hydrangea this yr and it is taking off like crazy. Probably will not get blooms this year but it is pretty just the same. I also planted a climbing h. and it took off great guns for awhile but is kind of slow right now. I think it may be water logged! I dont think I will get any blooms on it either this year but hopefully and the garden gods are kind I will have a lovely hydrangea area next yr.

From talking with other gardeners in my area, no ones hydrangea bloomed last yr. So it is not the gardeners fault for that. I will just hang in there and hope for the best.

Steffie

Sammy - I mistyped I'm actually trying aluminum sulfate (not nitrate) to try and blue up my nikko.

Littledog - my nikko started out pinkish/purplish too. Their color depends on the acidity of your soil. I'm going to apply aluminum sulfate to my flowerbed dilluted with water to try and blue them up. From what I've read sometimes it takes a little while for the color to change (maybe even not this season??) I've read a more natural way to change their color is to add coffee grounds around them.

Ooh, Pink Diamond is gorgeous, Steffie! You're going to love it.

I don't know about adding acid fertilizer now, but you could try to give your hydrangea a dose of aluminum sulfate (dissolved in water) and see if it helps. It certainly won't hurt it.

Coffee grounds don't do that much good was the last I heard about them. They probably will help build up your soil over time, and help make it more friable (if you add quite a bit). Otherwise, as a soil acidifier, it doesn't work that well.

I've been concentrating on my native plants and getting things planted that I purchased for the butterfly garden this year, and I haven't really paid much attention to my other ornamentals - they've kind of been left on their own.

But you should SEE my Clematis 'Jackmanii'! OMG OMG OMG! It is SOOOOO heavy with blooms that it is hanging off the deck! I've never seem it bloom so heavy. You can't even see the green from the vine! It's been a good year for clematis.

Today I planted more tropical milkweed seeds ('Silky Red', 'Apollo Orange', 'Silky Gold', and regular), and got my fennel and parsley in the ground. Also planted my little viola sororias and some plantain (for the Variegated Frits and the Buckeyes, respectively). I ALREADY have Variegated Fritillary caterpillars on my violas! A girl sent me some from Pennsylvania, altho they are native in Oklahoma, too. I just couldn't find any in the market.

These butterflies (the Variegated Frits) make THE most beautiful chrysalises you ever saw. I'll attach a link so you can see. Scroll down the page for images of the Variegated Fritillary caterpillars and chrysalis. It looks like some kind of cloysine creation.

I have sulphur cats, Question Mark eggs on my Hops vine (does anybody want hops this fall for beermaking? Cause I won't use them); black swallowtail eggs on my Rue, and my Hackberry Emperor cat that should be pupating soon. My Nessus sphinx cats should also be going underground to pupate as well. They are beautiful little moths - furry brown with two white stripes on their tail.

Oh, gardening is fun, but I'm worn out today!

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Caterpillar/Chrysalis Images

My Oakleaf hydrangeas are starting to bloom.

On a crazy spring moment I bought 2 7 gallon "blushing Bride" Endless summer hydrangeas. They are covered in blooms and have been for 3 weeks or so. I wonder how they will do while I take care of them rather than the nursery?

Imp

I know a lot of people who grow them, Imp, and just love them cause they bloom all the time, on old and new growth, unlike the older H. macrophylla cultivars which bloom on last year's growth alone. So, you don't have the pruning issues that you do with most hydrangeas. Even the oakleaf hydrangea will not produce on new growth, unless it is lateral growth from a stem produced last year.

I think you'll really like it. I'd like to get one myself, except that I am turning my garden over to natives and butterfly plants.

Susan

If I may ask, where did you find Blushing Bride?

I found "Blushing Bride" at GardenWorks in Norman on Robinson. I also saw some at K & K on Sooner Rd just south of 134th Street.

Wish I could figure out how to post a pic (I have been having difficulty even logging in). They are quite a sight. I am hoping they will stay until the oakleafs fully open.