There are so many varieties of Hydrangeas.
The Blue hydrangeas require more acidity in their soil than their pink counterparts.
To change the pH of your soil, you can use amendments such as Death Wish Coffee Grounds (on Amazon), Pine needles, and compost to make it more acidic.
However, this process can be slow, and it can take several months for the soil to change pH levels. The good news is you can speed up this process with the Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier.
Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier Fertilizer
- It’s organic
- It’s safe to use
- Ideal for houseplants
Before you start planting your hydrangeas, you might want to make the soil acidic, and here are 4 simple ways to do it:
1. Vinegar
If your hydrangeas are experiencing trouble blooming, you may have tried using vinegar on the soil.
Vinegar can cause damage, but there are several other benefits of vinegar for plants.
In addition to its acidifying effect, it also acts as a herbicide. If you want to grow beautiful hydrangeas, you must keep the pH level of your soil at 5.5 or below.
To use vinegar on your hydrangeas, make sure that you use a high-quality brand such as . The product should not be too strong and should not cause any harm to the plant.
For the most dramatic results, use one to four tablespoons of vinegar per 5 liters of water.
After you’ve added the vinegar, spray the base of the plant with it. The amount of vinegar you use will depend on the pH of your soil.
Another option for acidifying the soil is to add baking soda or vinegar. Baking soda has a low pH, making it perfect for plants. However, when used as a fertilizer, this method will only affect the plant’s roots.
Instead of using baking soda, you can apply a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to the soil around your hydrangeas.
If you don’t want to use vinegar, you can also mix it with some water.
The addition of coffee grounds to the soil can also increase the pH of your hydrangeas. The increased acidity makes it easier for plants to absorb aluminum, which results in blue clusters of flowers.
A pH test kit will tell you how acidic your soil is. Your pH level should be between 5.2 and 5.5 to ensure healthy hydrangeas.
You can even use aluminum sulfate or garden sulfur to increase its acidity level.
One of the most common mistakes beginners make when growing hydrangeas is to force them into a pH range where they won’t grow properly.
A high pH will kill your plants and make them appear unhealthy. You don’t want to be that person.
Just remember that proper pH levels are essential for a healthy, beautiful garden.
If you don’t want to ruin your garden, make sure you start your plants in pots and make them tolerant of their surroundings.
2. Premade soil acidifiers
Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier Fertilizer
- It’s organic
- It’s safe to use
- Ideal for houseplants
If you want to grow hydrangeas in your garden, you need to get the right soil for them. Hydrangeas are a light acidic plant that prefers well-drained soil.
Heavy clay type soils need more organic matter to increase drainage.
It is also important to raise the phosphorus level of the soil. You can use the right soil amendments by conducting a soil test.
To increase soil acidity, you can purchase liquid fertilizers or granular fertilizers. Liquid fertilizers come as concentrates that you can dilute with water and apply to the soil around the plant.
Liquid fertilizers work quickly, delivering nutrients to the roots.
You can spray liquid fertilizers around the base of the plant or sprinkle them on the foliage. Granule fertilizers can be mixed with water and sprinkled around the base of the plant.
Some of the time-release formulas contain polymers, delivering nutrients over a long period of time.
Soil acidifiers are best used for hydrangeas and other plants that prefer a low pH. These products contain sulfur, a natural mineral that helps plants grow. Sulfur promotes dark green color and helps turn hydrangeas blue.
A good premade soil acidifier is a combination of sulfur and calcium. Make sure to test your soil pH before applying soil acidifiers.
If you have trouble determining the right pH level for your Hydrangeas, you can purchase premade soil acidifiers.
The pre-made formulas contain N-P-K nutrients and sulfur-based additives. The combination of sulfur and gypsum is safer than traditional aluminum sulfate. It can be applied to soils with acid-loving plants in spring.
Hydrangeas require slightly acidic soil to thrive. A premade hydrangea fertilizer can be applied to the soil every two weeks.
This product is effective for most acid-loving plants, but it can be a little expensive.
But if you plan to buy a premade fertilizer for your hydrangeas, you should do so now. It will save you money over time.
3. Liquid feeds
It’s very important to provide a balance of nutrients and minerals in your hydrangea’s soil.
This can be achieved by adding organic matter to your garden, such as manure and well-rotted compost. You can make compost tea by steeping the compost in water for a few days.
Then strain the tea through burlap or mesh and pour it directly under your hydrangea.
If you have a rocky, alkaline soil, you can use a plant food that is specially formulated for alkaline soil.
This product is specifically designed to improve the health of acid-loving plants, and it also stimulates leaf growth and bloom development.
Using a soil acidifier like Jobe’s Organics is not necessary if your hydrangeas are grown in containers. It contains all-natural sulfur to make alkaline soil more acidic for hydrangeas. This product is safe for children and pets.
If you don’t want to use a soil acidifier, you can buy a high-quality organic fertilizer like Jobe’s Organics.
This fertilizer has the benefit of being verified by OMRI as an organic gardening product and is available in a convenient six-pound bag. It helps the soil to acquire the correct pH and is easy to apply.
This product is also a great way to improve the soil quality and drainage.
Another good way to treat pink hydrangeas is with soluble iron foliar feeds. This method can be applied to the soil surface and will be dissolved by rainfall and watering.
The results will take a few weeks before you see the results.
And don’t forget to add the fertilizer to the soil every week or two. If you don’t like the flowers of your hydrangeas the color will be a problem but it’s worth trying.
It’s important to remember that a high pH level prevents hydrangeas from absorbing the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. For this reason, it is essential to add some acidic-pH-based fertilizer to the soil where your hydrangeas are growing.
You can buy a kit for soil testing, which you can use to find out the proper pH level in your garden. After you’ve got the right soil pH level, it’s time to adjust the feeding schedule accordingly.
4. Coffee grounds
Many people wonder if adding coffee grounds to the soil will make their hydrangeas bloom blue.
Adding coffee grounds will change the pH of your soil, but it is not immediate as the effects of commercial soil acidifiers.
Commercial soil amendments are often made from sulfur or fish meal. This article will explain the benefits of coffee grounds and how they can benefit your hydrangeas.
Adding coffee grounds to your hydrangeas’ soil is easy, and it won’t affect your plants negatively. It will change the pH of the soil, so you’ll need to add it on a regular basis.
Coffee grounds contain organic matter that helps your plants grow and retain moisture. This will make the soil drain better as well. However, if you want to have more blooms, add more coffee grounds to the soil.
When added to the soil, coffee grounds will affect the pH level of the soil, reducing the pH value and boosting the plant’s growth.
Acidic soil will produce blue flowers, while alkaline soil produces pink blooms. In addition, coffee grounds contain calcium that helps hydrangeas absorb water.
A balanced pH level will produce vibrant pink flowers. However, it’s important to use the right amount of coffee grounds for your hydrangeas.
Although the effect of coffee grounds on hydrangeas may be immediate, you should start adding coffee grounds to your hydrangea’s soil several months before flowering begins.
Once the plants have gotten a handle on the added coffee grounds, you should continue your typical fertilization schedule.
Your hydrangeas should reward you with the largest, bluest globes. Your neighbors will be jealous!
Conclusion
Coffee grounds are considered waste, but they are highly nutritious.
Aside from nitrogen, they are also rich in various micronutrients and minerals.
When they are added to the soil, they increase the pH level and affect the growth of cultivated plants.
When hydrangeas are grown in highly acidic soil, they will change color.
Coffee grounds are an excellent way to achieve this effect and do your hydrangeas a favor by increasing the pH level of your soil.