What to do with your florist Hydrangea

This is a typical florist Hydrangea,  Shooting Star Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Hanabi' (or 'Fuji Waterfalls'). It is a lacecap. I figured it would look good in the house and then could be put outside for next year. I did some research and found out that unfortunately you cannot just plant these florist hydrangeas outside once they have finished blooming as a houseplant. The plants do not have a good root system and cannot take the shock of being transplanted outside without adequate roots and in cold weather.

First you should pot it up in good potting soil in a larger pot, at least a 3-gallon pot. Remove the stakes that are holding the stems up. Then keep it in the garage or a shed, preferably with some light, until the temperatures warm up, probably through the middle of April. Once it is warmer, move it outside in a sheltered, shady position. Let the root system develop in the pot. Plant in the garden in a sheltered location in the fall.


© 2009 Lisa J. Miner        Webmaster@CherokeeRoseGC.com