Tips for getting your Endless Summer hydrangeas to bloom
Question: I have several Endless Summer hydrangeas, most of which have failed to bloom these last few years. This year buds and flowers began appearing in October just in time for frost. What is up with this?
A: Repeat blooming hydrangeas do not always perform as we would like here in the north. The first set of flower buds develop on stems from the previous summer. This is often referred to as old wood. Unfortunately, the old wood usually dies back to the ground during our winters so there are no early blooms for us. The new growth is supposed to flower later in the summer, but this is not always the case. Next spring fertilize the shrubs. I have found good results encouraging blooms with one application of Milorganite in the spring. Research found when microorganisms release the nutrients from the Milorganite pellets, some of the phosphorous that promotes flowering and potassium — which is good for disease resistance and hardiness — bound to the soil are made available to the plant. Plus Milorganite contains non-leaching phosphorous. Make sure the soil is kept evenly moist, not soggy wet, throughout the growing season. Many gardeners have found this helps promote flowering on their repeat blooming hydrangeas. Otherwise consider replacing it with a more reliable bloomer like one of the panicle hydrangeas or another summer flowering shrub.
Q: I am a frequent user of Milwaukee County’s Oak Leaf Trail and noticed numerous plants popping up through the asphalt. How can this happen?
A: Plants are amazing organisms. Seeds need warmth and moisture to sprout. Weathering can cause cracks to develop in asphalt. A fine crack in the asphalt is all some seeds need to slip through to the stone and soil below. The added warmth from the asphalt heated by the sun and any moisture that enters the crack allows some seeds to sprout. Once the seed has sprouted, some seedlings are able to exert enough force to push through the fine opening in the asphalt. You often see this with plants and even trees growing out of stones and boulders.
Q: We have lots of trees popping up all over our yard and would like to know how to get prevent new ones from growing and get rid of those already present.
A: Seeds dropping to the ground from your trees and blowing into your landscape from nearby areas result in tree seedlings sprouting in the lawn and garden beds. There is no easy solution. A dense healthy lawn mown at three inches or taller will help minimize the problem. Regular mowing will help manage those that do sprout in the lawn. Hand pulling or digging seedlings is the best method of control. Do this when the seedlings are small and the soil is moist to make it a bit easier. Herbicides that can kill the seedlings have the potential to damage the other plants growing in the garden. Sprouts that develop from tree roots not seeds should be cut just below the soil surface where they arise from the root. Do not apply herbicides to these as it can move through the roots and damage or kill the tree.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tips for getting your Endless Summer hydrangeas to bloom in Wisconsin
