How do you make hydrangeas blue?

To encourage blue hydrangea flowers, grow the plant in soil that has a pH of 5.2-5.5. If your soil is more alkaline, you can lower the pH by applying Soil Acidifier at the rate specified on the package. Soil pH can also be lowered (more gradually) by applying an acidic organic mulch, such as pine needles or pine bark.

What additive turns hydrangeas blue?

To turn new hydrangeas blue, use 1¼ cups of Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier. Or to transform established hydrangeas into blue beauties, apply 2½ cups of Organic Soil Acidifier. Spread evenly around the hydrangea out to its drip line, or the widest reaching branches. Then, water well.

Can you make hydrangeas turn blue?

So if you plant a lovely blue lacecap or mophead hydrangea in the garden, and your soil is neural to acidic, it will produce blue flowers year after year. So, to make sure your hydrangea stays really blue add Vitax Hydrangea Colourant, a powder containing aluminium that you can mix with the compost.

Will vinegar turn hydrangeas blue?

There is one more trick up the apple cider vinegar sleeve: You can actually change the color of hydrangea flowers from pink to blue. Hydrangea flowers will be pink in alkaline soil, but change to blue in acidic soil. So, mix up some apple cider vinegar and water, and give all the acid-loving plants a treat.

Does baking soda make hydrangeas blue?

Will it Make my Hydrangeas Flowers Change Color? Baking soda is one of the recognised ways to change the color of hydrangeas. This is because baking soda is at the high end of the alkalinity scale. It will alter the pH level in the soil and therefore change the bloom color.

How do you turn green hydrangeas blue?

A high pH makes the soil more alkaline, which will color the hydrangea blooms pink. A low pH makes the soil more acidic, which turns the hydrangea blooms blue. You can change the color of some varieties of hydrangea by adding aluminum sulfate to make the flowers more blue, or by adding dolomite to make them pink.

How do I make my hydrangeas blue naturally?

Mix ¼ oz aluminum sulfate with a gallon of water and soak the soil surrounding your hydrangeas in the spring, as soon as the plant begins to grow. You’ll have to maintain that acidity throughout the growing season, so reapply in 4 weeks and again in 8 weeks.

How do I turn my blue hydrangea purple?

Generally speaking, acidic soil, with a pH lower than 6.0, yields blue or lavender-blue hydrangea blooms. Alkaline soil, with a pH above 7.0, promotes pinks and reds. With a pH between 6 and 7, the blooms turn purple or bluish-pink. To lower your pH, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate to your soil.

How do I make my hydrangea purple?

Alkaline soil, with a pH above 7.0, promotes pinks and reds. With a pH between 6 and 7, the blooms turn purple or bluish-pink. To lower your pH, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate to your soil. To raise the pH, use ground lime.

Do pine needles make hydrangeas blue?

Acid-Loving Shrubs Gardenias need a monthly application of an acidic fertilizer. You can replace it with a layer of pine needles smoothed around the base of the shrub. Gardeners use an acidic fertilizer to turn hydrangea’s flowers blue. Try using pine needle mulch under the hydrangeas instead.

How do I add aluminum sulfate to my hydrangeas?

Hydrangeas are the exception. Mix about 1 lb (2 cups) of aluminum sulfate per 5 gallons of water and then apply the solution around the drip line of the plant. Apply enough of the solution per plant to just saturate the soil. Repeat the application on a monthly basis as long as your soil pH is greater than 5.0.

What can I put on my Hydrangea to make it blue?

Aluminum Sulfate. Aluminum is the mineral that affects color of the hydrangea the most — even an acidic soil without aluminum in it won’t turn a hydrangea deep blue. Aluminum sulfate is harsh on plants and roots and is best applied only after the hydrangea has been growing for a couple of years.

How do you make hydrangeas more acidic?

To make the soil more acidic (to change flowers to blue, or to make your blue Hydrangeas more vibrant), you can mix ¼ ounce of aluminum sulfate per 1-gallon of water to treat the soil 2-3 times per year. If using aluminum sulfate, be sure to water your plant thoroughly and make sure that your Hydrangea is not newly planted.

Why are my hydrangeas turning blue?

Some varieties of Hydrangea have naturally occurring blue hues in their blooms. But if planted in soil that is too alkaline, your Hydrangea will lose its blue color. However, there are also plenty of Hydrangeas that are pink and naturally turn blue in certain soil conditions, or vice-versa.

What color do hydhydrangeas come in?

Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) can range from deep blue to pale pink or white, depending on the variety and also the pH and aluminum levels of the soil.