Hydrangeas bloom on old wood, so if you’re not seeing flowers, it could be due to a few reasons:
- Incorrect pruning: You need to prune them immediately after flowering, or better yet, not at all, since last year’s wood produces this year’s blooms.
- Weather damage: The freeze/thaw cycle in spring might be killing the new buds as it warms up.
- Pests: Something might be eating the buds.
I began covering my hydrangeas in the spring when the weather looked bad, and wow, the difference in the number of blooms is incredible!
What do you use to cover them?
Frost cloth, which you can usually find at a hardware store.
Or, if you’re looking to save money, a thrifted sheet or blanket works too.
Old sheets work well, but never use anything plastic.
I use an old bed sheet specifically for this purpose. One year, I went all out and added a bunch of dry leaves before covering them with the sheet. I tied the whole thing down, creating a well-insulated white ball for the winter. It worked amazingly well!
It’s similar to thin interfacing you can find at a fabric store. If the widths work for you, you might be able to get a bolt for cheap and cut it to fit.
Don’t underestimate the damage cold winds can cause, even if the temperatures aren’t super low. While I don’t love covering winter plants, sometimes it’s necessary.
You could also consider using an anti-desiccant like Wilt-Pruf. Spraying it a couple of times during the winter can help protect tender plant tips.
It’s definitely the weather affecting them. Hydrangea macrophylla is highly sought after, but unfortunately, it’s a challenging garden plant for many. It only flowers well with warm late winters or when grown near a coastline to avoid harsh temperature drops.
It could also be due to a lack of sunlight. It’s hard to determine the conditions from these pictures, but hydrangeas won’t bloom if they aren’t getting enough light, even if the plant appears healthy otherwise.
I’m pretty sure Endless Summer hydrangeas bloom on new wood.