Everyone has seen these bright blue hydrangea flowers and probably fallen head over heels in love with them. The disappointment for the hobby gardener is all the greater when he finds that the plant he has purchased suddenly changes its color or no longer produces blue at all. Or the opposite case: blue hydrangeas appear even though the inflorescences were originally pink. But don't despair, because with the next blossom you can influence which of the two colors you will see. It seems really practical to provide some variety every now and then without having to replant the entire garden. Today we'll explain to you what you need if you want to change the color of your hydrangeas and how exactly you do it!
So you have a shrubwith blue flowersbought and the hydrangea loses color, you can either accept this or dye it again. As already mentioned, the original color of the blue hydrangea is actually pink. So it isnotThese are white varieties that have been recolored using dyes, as is the case with many cut flowers. But how does it work then? How to change the color of hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas change color due to different soil conditions
If you change the properties of the soil, this will cause hydrangeas to change color. So “dyeing” is actually not the right word, because no new dye is added to it. The pink base is influenced by several things:
- how strong the original pink tone of the flowers is
- how high the aluminum content is
- the pH value of the soil
- the water hardness when you water
For this reason, the hydrangea flowers can change color even though you didn't want them to. Something in the soil could have simply changed naturally. By counteracting this, you can also change the color of your hydrangeas again.
Evoke blue hydrangeas
Who hisDye hydrangea bluewould like to change the properties of the soil (or maintain them if theFlowers have always been bluewere). The garden soil is usually neutral. But what does the plant need for a blue tint?
- the pH of the soil must be acidic
- the plant needs aluminum
How do you achieve this?
There are various means at your disposal to create acidic soil and thus influence the hydrangea colors. On the one hand, it is recommended to use special rhododendron soil. This type of plant likes it sour, which is why the soil is tailored precisely to these needs (hydrangea soil is also suitable). Organic fertilizers such as compost, peat or mature livestock manure also create an acidic environment, which you can support with fertilizers containing sulfur. If it is also important to you to color the hydrangeas using home remedies, you can water the hydrangeas with vinegar that has been diluted with irrigation water. The goal is a pH value between 4 and 5, which you should measure regularly.
You havethe correct pH valueachieved, you should take care of giving the plants the necessary aluminum so that the hydrangeas can change color. For this you can either buy so-called hydrangea blue or aluminum sulfate. Fertilizer that is high in potassium but lower in phosphorus is also suitable. Administer aluminum sulfate in the form of a solution made from one liter of water and two tablespoons of aluminum powder. How to use hydrangea blue correctly is noted on the packaging. You can also buy alum powder. However, make sure that it is potassium aluminum alum (from the pharmacy), because the term “alum” is now also used for other products.
How do the flowers turn pink?
What conditions must be met if you want to dye hydrangeas pink? In principle, the plant needs the exact opposite of what it needs for the blue flowers, namely:
- the pH value of the soil must be basic
- the plant has to absorb less aluminum (which is achieved by the alkaline soil)
How do you achieve this?
The soil must therefore have a higher pH value to avoid blue discoloration. He becomes alkaline by giving him, for exampleAdminister lime. Repeat this process several times a year and check the pH value regularly. Once this is “6”, the soil is sufficiently alkaline to promote pink blooms.
Notice: But make sure that the plant does not suffer from a nutrient deficiency. Iron deficiency in particular is not uncommon and leads to yellow leaves. Prevent this with the help of fertilizer that is specifically designed for hydrangeas and contains additional iron. It is enough to fertilize the bush twice a year.
Can you change the color of hydrangeas from white to another?
Would you like to change the color of white hydrangeas? A substance called delphinidin, which is naturally present in the plant, is responsible for the color of the pink/blue flowers. This is exactly what can be achieved through theacidity in the soilinfluence. However, white hydrangeas do not have this basic substance, which is why a color change, as described above, occurs herenotis possible.
Produce red flowers
Was your plant red when you bought it and now would you like to have that color back or would you like to try to keep it? If you want to color the hydrangeas red, proceed in exactly the same way as if you wanted to create a pink color. The red tone is basically a precursor to pink and requires a more alkaline to neutral soil. However, keep in mind that a strong red can never be achieved, but rather the color will always be more pink.
