•  Flowers
•  Brian Athens

 

You can find hydrangeas in different varieties and colors. So, most likely than not, there is a hydrangea for everyone. Like every other flowering plant, even the hydrangea will grow well if it gets the right nutrients from fertilizers, water, and the sun.

 

Hence, it is quintessential to pick the best feed for hydrangeas. Be it white, blue, or pink; your plant will most definitely blossom if you feed them right.

 

Hydrangeas prefer soil, which is light and drains well. If you have soil with a clay texture, you can add some compost or gypsum.

 

But how do you find the right mix of fertilizer for your hydrangeas? Well, you have nothing to worry about. We researched and shortlisted the seven best fertilizers for hydrangeas based on NPK ratio, ease of application, cost, etc.

 

Let’s have a look at them!

 

 

Table of Contents

• Hydrangea Fertilizer Comparison Table
• Top Seven Picks For Hydrangea Fertilizers
  1. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Miracid Plant Food
  2. Jobe’s Organics 9364 Fertilizer
  3. Espoma HT18 Holly Tone
  4. Hydrangea Fertilizers by EZ-Gro
  5. J R Peters Inc 59324 Jacks Classic
  6. Earth 703P Organic Acid Fertilizer
  7. Bonide Bailey’s Color Me Blue Hydrangeas Pellets
• How Do I Know What Type Of Hydrangea I Have?
• How Do You Care For Newly Planted Hydrangeas?
• Things To Look Out For Before Buying Hydrangea Fertilizer
• Hydrangea Fertilizer Q&A
• Final Verdict

 

Let’s Compare These Plant Foods for Hydrangeas

Product	Components (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium)	Type	Usage Frequency	Buy Now
Scotts Company Miracle-Gro 1750011 Water Soluble Miracid Acid-Loving Plant Food, 1-Pound (3)	30-10-10 NPK	Granular	Every 2 weeks	Check price on Amazon
Jobe’s Organics 9364 Fertilizer – 6 lb	Sulfur and Gypsum	Granular	2-3 times a year	Check price on Amazon
Espoma HT18 Holly Tone – 18 lb	4-3-4 NPK*	Liquid	In spring and late fall	Check price on Amazon
Hydrangea Fertilizers by E Z-GRO – 1 qt	21-7-7 NPK* With added Aluminum Sulfate and Micronutrients	Liquid	2-1/2 oz every 2 weeks in 1st month after planting. Later, once a month	Check price on Amazon
J R Peters Inc 59324 Jacks Classic – 1.5 lb	7-3-3 NPK* with added aluminum sulfate	Granular	Every 2 weeks	Check price on Amazon
Dr. Earth 703P Organic Acid Fertilizer – 4 lb	4-5-4 NPK* Pro-biotic material 7 strains of beneficial soil microbes 8 strains of ecto and endo mycorrhizae	Granular	Once midseason For container plants – every 6 weeks	Check price on Amazon
Bonide (BND56428) – Bailey’s Color Me Blue Pellets – 2.75 lb	With 90% elemental sulfur	Pellets	Add to soil during planting	Check price on Amazon

 

Hydrangea Fertilizers: Seven Plant Foods to Choose From

 

Did You Know – The Many Varieties of Hydrangeas

Some of the popular varieties of hydrangeas include the following:

	Bigleaf Hydrangeas Also called the French hydrangeas, it is the most prevalent hydrangea found in the US. There are three kinds of French hydrangeas: Mophead Hydrangeas – Blue, purple, or pink in color Lacecap Hydrangeas–Blue or purple in color Mountain Hydrangeas – Pink in color
	Panicle Hydrangeas They start white, but eventually turn pink.
	Smooth Hydrangeas They are white, but age to light green hue.
	Oakleaf Hydrangeas These are color changing hydrangeas that go from orange to red to mahogany.

 

Hydrangeas Planting & Care Guide

1. To plant hydrangeas, first, you need the right spot in your home that receives around 2 hours of sunlight in the morning and shade thereafter.
2. Next is to test the pH of the soil and have a mix of clay soil and gypsum or well-drained loamy soil.
3. Now add the needed fertilizer and plant your hydrangeas at a sufficient distance from each other to let them bloom.

 

Learn here how to care for hydrangeas along with general care tips that may help:

1. Make sure your soil is well-drained and acidic. If the soil is alkaline, use a fertilizer that can make up for it.
2. It is ideal to use the best fertilizer for hydrangeas in spring seasons onset and spread it across the drip line. But you should be specific about the best time to fertilize hydrangeas you have in your garden as different plant foods have different appropriate timings.
3. Ensure they are exposed to adequate sunlight as well as get enough shade.
4. Water them regularly to keep the soil moist, but do not overwater.
5. They require very little pruning time-to-time. Prune at the right time to avoid removing the buds.

 

If your home garden has fruit bearing trees, you might be interested in best fertilizers for fruit trees and compost tea brewers.

 

Things Hydrangea Lovers Should Know Before Buying A Fertilizer

NPK Ratio: NPK is the ratio of the three vital nutrients – Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium in the fertilizer. The ideal NPK ratio would depend on the soil where you are planting the hydrangeas. However, it should primarily make up for the deficiencies in the soil and be in between 12-4-8 to 10-10-10.

 

Soil and pH: Your white hydrangeas will only yield white flowers, but if you modify the pH level in the soil using the best fertilizer for white hydrangea, you will see some changes. The higher the changes in pH, the greater would be color changes.

 

1. When pH is seven – Colored hydrangeas will yield pink or deep pink flowers.
2. When pH is more than seven – Colored hydrangeas will yield clear or light pink flowers.
3. When pH is around six – Colored hydrangeas will yield dark pink, purple, or slightly red flowers.
4. When pH is less than six – Colored hydrangeas will yield blue flowers.

 

Usage frequency: It is variable and different for different fertilizers. Some fertilizers will have to be reapplied every two months, while others require reapplication two times a year. Alternatively, some fertilizers need frequent reapplication, like once every two weeks. So, depending upon your time & schedule, select the ones that are best suited.

 

Type of hydrangea: If it is a smooth hydrangea, it will need fertilizer only in winters, whereas a plant with big leaves will require more frequent reapplication, especially in the initial six months of the year. The oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas will need reapplication in only June and April.

 

Application method: If it is a water-soluble fertilizer, you will have to mix water and spray it in the soil. When you use spike fertilizers, you can directly seep the spikes into the soil. If it is a granule fertilizer, you will have to mix it with the soil for application. Choose what’s convenient for you!

 

Quantity: If you have too many plants, then opt for bigger pack sizes. They will also be cheaper. Smaller ones are cheaper, but you may have to reorder them over and over again.

 

Ease of application: Using the fertilizer should not be an arduous task. So, pick the fertilizer that is easy to use. Typically, the ones available in pre-mixed quantities that are ready to use can be the best picks.

 

Price: You should pick the fertilizer that is ideal for hydrangeas and caters to the soil needs without exceeding your budget. To save money, you can invest in bigger packages.
 

Related: Hydrangea Lifespan

 

Hydrangea Fertilizers Q&A

Well, here we have got all your queries covered. Starting from ‘‘Is cow manure good for hydrangeas’ to ‘‘When is the best time to feed hydrangeas?’’ Sit back and read on!

 

Ques 1. How often to fertilize hydrangeas?

Ans. It goes without saying every fertilizer is different. However, regardless of the chosen fertilizer, you must fertilize it every other month, at the beginning of March.

 

Further, you must be aware when your area has summer and spring. So, if you live in a warmer region that barely receives spring, or if you live in a cooler region, where there is scarcely any summer, or if you live in a country that has no specific seasons, then you must fertilize your plants every other month.

 

However, certain fertilizers clearly specify the frequency and quantity, so use accordingly.

 

Ques 2. When is the best time to fertilize hydrangeas?

Ans. It is ideal to use nothing but the best fertilizer for hydrangeas in the spring season, right on the onset.

Knowing the right time to fertilize hydrangeas is important to ensure that your chosen fertilizer acts well. If you happen to over-fertilize or fertilize at the wrong time, it may burn the plant or leaves.

 

Ques 3. Are coffee grounds good for hydrangeas?

Ans. Yes, coffee grounds are great for hydrangeas. They have high nitrogen content and work great for foliar growth. They also boost the soil acidity and make it easy for the plant to absorb aluminum from the soil, resulting in blue blooms.

 

Ques 4. Will vinegar turn hydrangeas blue?

Ans. Yes, the acidity of the vinegar may turn your pink hydrangeas blue and help prevent the blue hydrangeas from turning pink.

 

Ques 5. How do I increase hydrangea blooms?

Ans. Prune the hydrangeas well, give them the requisite amount of fertilizer, sunlight and water, and your hydrangeas will bloom well.

 

Ques 6. Is chicken manure good for hydrangeas?

Ans. Often home planters ask us, is chicken manure good for hydrangeas? Well, the answer is not that simple. Though manure tends to be a good plant food for hydrangeas, it has its drawbacks, especially poultry manure. It tends to increase the soil’s pH level, which can intervene with the hydrangeas’ nutrients.

 

Ques 7. Is cow manure good for hydrangeas?

Ans. This is another very common question. Well, if cow manure is composted, then it can help the hydrangeas thrive.

 

What Is The Best Fertilizer For Hydrangeas? – Our Verdict

According to us, the overall finest pick for hydrangea fertilizer is by Miracle-Gro; of course, it is none other than the Water Soluble Miracid. It gives a good kick to the growth rate of your hydrangea plant and further ensures a healthy bloom throughout.

 

This list also includes other very good fertilizers for hydrangeas as per different needs. Be careful with how and how much you use the chosen fertilizer, and you can be ensured of a blossoming and a blooming garden.