That hydrangea is sooo pretty! I’ve never heard of that one. Hydrangeas are truly our favorite plant, there are so many varieties. The stems are gorgeous!!! Hope to see it bloom in your garden this summmer! 💚💚💚💚💚💚
Thanks. I really like it. Not many are hardy here. We have had an extended few weeks of extreme cold. I hope the hydrangeas are keeping warm enough under the snow. We’ve gotten most of the snow after the cold started. I’m anxious to see what survived out there.
😊 People are always telling me to use a shovel. I do occasionally start with one, but I usually wind up with a trowel. With this hard clay and working around plants and water lines, etc I just prefer to be more hands on.
Started subscribing to your channel! I am from Winnipeg and a first time gardener. Our home is just newly built in a new development, hence our backyard is really pure clay. We moved in just last winter.... the following spring I tried to rake in around 2 inches of topsoil, some clay buster (some packs I bought from a supplier), and peat moss but I didn't have enough strength to till them in deeply into the clay so I ended up just raking them on top of the clay. By 1st week of June, I planted some daikon radish seeds and artichoke seeds (which I read can be good for breaking up clay) and most seeds grew throughout the summer, but as their leaves were unsightly, I chopped them up and left them to mulch on topsoil last weekend. Now, I feel the summer temperature is starting to drop to mid 20s. Then today, I found some panicle hydrangeas (Limelight and Firelight) on sale and bought 8 of them on impulse (as I wanted to grow them as a hedge). They will get delivered by end of this week (Around Sep 2, Friday). Do you think it's OK to plant them at this time (end of summer) on the same area where I grew/chopped radish & artichokes?
Welcome to the channel. It is better to plant them than try to hold them over winter in pots. They will not survive in your winter temperatures in pots. Hydrangeas like lots of water so the clay probably isn’t a huge problem as long as it isn’t an area that has standing water any time of the year. If you can’t turn the soil, how will you dig the holes deep enough? With soil that heavy you should likely try digging a trench for the hedge and amend the native soil with compost and clay buster. The larger (width) area you can get the better the roots will be able to settle in before they are breaking into the clay. Use a good quality mulch of wood chips, grass clippings, or shredded leaves every year and it will help improve the soil as it breaks down. Shrubs are fine to plant in the fall as long as they have around 6 weeks before the ground freezes. They may shock and lose their leaves, but the roots should still be settling in under ground. Hydrangeas can take a while to break dormancy in our climate. Don’t panic if you have dead stems in spring, just cut them back to the live wood and they will branch out and grow. That’s a really long answer, hopefully it is more helpful than confusing 😊. Good luck and enjoy your hydrangeas. It sounds like you’ve been doing all good things for your soil so far.
I was glad you went on to explain your soil was loamy... I was thinking how nice your soil looked right before you said how much it was like clay. So, good job improving your soil. And thanks for this video. We're in a valley, so half of our property is zone 3, where the other half is zone 5. So zone 3 videos like this are very helpful for me.
Thanks for that great comment. I started doing this channel because I felt there was very little info for those of us gardening in zone 3. It’s good to hear I’m reaching my intended audience. Zone 3-5 is a big difference.
Finally found a channel that is also in zone 3, so many videos out there but they are all in warmer zones. Also loamy/clay soil is also what I have but more clay tho, trying so many things out, and lost a lot of trees and now I am really trying to plant and keep them.
Prairie Plantgirl thank you :) I am near Grande Prairie, AB and I think zone wise is same? I know we are 3. So far some trees did well, and my lilac sat first didn’t looked good at all, but they are coming back:)
Yes I’m zone 3 even though I’m in Southern SK. We had a real up and down winter with deep freezes (-38) and complete thaws (every month I believe). Very strange to get that warm over winter here. It looks like I had a lot of frost heave and have lost some more tender things as a result. I’m still waiting to see what buds out as it’s been a drawn out spring.
😀 I do have a very nice shovel. I’m just always worried about digging into sprinkler lines and bulbs. I make the job harder, but I like using a trowel. I sling a lot of gravel with my shovel just to make sure it doesn’t feel left out 😀.
Hi there, This is my first season as a grower in Calgary. Without thinking twice i bought 5 shrubs of young pink big leaves hydrangeas and planted them in front of our new house in September. So far they are doing fine. Slightly changing colors toward colder weather. I water them every other day. My big concern is upcoming first frost and winter. I like them so much, I want to give them safe covering so they come back next spring. Please give my some tips how to keep my hydrangeas nice and warm. What kind of materials can I use to protect them from frost bites? Not too many materials are left in the garden centers at this point, unfortunately. Any suggestions will be very appreciated. Thank you!
What did the tag say about hardiness for those hydrangea? I believe most big leaf hydrangeas are not hardy in your area. If you have them in a sheltered microclimate maybe they may be fine, but you may lose the flower buds. To protect them try making a large chicken wired cage around them and fill it with fall leaves. Don’t do this until you are getting consistently cold weather and they have gone dormant. I believe you are also having a very warm October as we are. Some of my hardy hydrangeas still appear to have green leaves fresh flowers. Also continue to water them until freeze up. Dry frozen soil is a plant killer. It shouldn’t be soggy wet, but there should be moisture in the soil. If you have the tag from these plants check the hardiness zone they are recommended for. Good luck.
I'm from Manitoba and i was planning to plant a blue hydrangea near the front door... the previous plant didnt survive the winter. The spot is very windy and recieves fast chilly and snowy winds in winter. Can you please tell me the name of the hydrangea hybrid in your video? Also, what brand is this plant?
I don’t know of a single blue flowered hydrangea that will grow in MB. The hardiest they get is to zone 5 at the coldest. You need to find a smooth leafed or panniculata hydrangea. These bloom in shades of white, cream, and May take on a green or pink/red tinge as they age. I would be more concerned with finding a healthy, well rooted plant that is appropriate for your growing region, than the brand. Hydrangeas need a lot of consistant watering through spring, summer, autumn and I keep mine covered with snow over winter.
Hi, I just found you channel and was wondering do I need to winterize my Vanilla Strawberry & Limelight Hydrangea that I planted this year. I am in zone 3b Edmonton, Alberta. I keep hearing conflicting things about them, what is the best thing to do for them. I planted them June 24th 2021, they are planted along the back of our fence in the backyard our back yard faces north, but they get a lot of sun once the sun comes over the house and then sets in the evening, not that really matters for winter, just giving you an idea of where they are planted. They did very well this year with blooming and everything, I just want to make sure they do well over winter. Any help if I should be covering them or anything like that for winter protection. Thanks so much :)
I find the first winter to be the hardest on new shrubs in our climate. It is always a good idea to make sure your shrubs (and other perennials) are getting regular moisture until the ground freezes. They don’t need as much as when they are in full growth in summer heat, but the roots are still actively growing and require moisture. Very dry or very wet frozen soil is the best way to kill a plant. After the watering is handled and the ground has frozen I like to add a thick layer of mulch (compost, shredded leaves, wood clippings, etc) over the root area of the shrub. I always try to get this done with first year shrubs. I don’t worry about mulching heavily after that first winter, but I do find it greatly increases the survival rate of first year shrubs. I hope this helps you as you move into the winter season.
@@PrairiePlantgirl ... Thanks so much for you info, I will do that when it gets a little colder. Looking forward to planting more Hydrangeas next year, they are so beautiful. I'm going to check out the one you talked about in this video. Wishing you a Happy Fall.
There are lots of great companies selling quality seeds. McKenzie, mums, veseys , ttseeds, Atlantic pepper seeds, heritage harvest seeds, prairie originals, and many more. Just look for the growing zone of the plants you want to purchase to make sure they are plants that will survive in zone three (perennials) or mature in the growing days for your area (annuals).
I have 8 hydrangeas in my yard. Three get about 6 hours of morning sun a day. They do the best and flower the best. Two receive sun most of the day. They grow well but require the most watering and are the most exposed to winter damage. Three get filtered sun under an ash tree with an hour or two of full sun in the morning and late afternoon. I water them all deeply and generously every week (several times a week when it is 30C or hotter). If you are experimenting with hydrangeas for the first time in a cold climate I would go for a space with morning sun (NE, E) and winter protection. Mulch them well, adding extra mulch after freeze up for the first winter or two. I hope that helps.
@Prairie Plantgirl i am in Winnipeg and I planted two incrediball hydrangeas in full sun (watering deeply everyday right now in this heat!). I have two little quick fire panicle hydrangeas and 3 firelight tidbit hydrangeas I was thinking about planting on the north side of a gazebo where they would receive a bit of morning sun and then a bit evening sun. I didn’t know if this was too shady. I also have a limelight and a zinfin doll I need to plant. I went a little crazy with hydrangeas this year. Any advice will help!
I really feel a full North exposure is too little sun. Hydrangeas can take shade and like the coolness of shade in our prairie heat, but they need sun to produce those flowers and grow well. The north side of a structure is generally under four hours of quality sunshine a day. We have a short growing season so they don’t get as much time with sun on their leaves here as they might further south.
I don’t use anything specific to break it up. I just add a bit of good organic soil when I plant and keep a layer of wood mulch on top. The mulch breaks down and worms pull it into the soil. There is no magic quick fix for clay. Just steady additions of organic matter. Clay is full of nutrients so it is not all bad. Some parts of my yard are still terrible after twelve years, some are drastically improved.
That hydrangea is sooo pretty! I’ve never heard of that one. Hydrangeas are truly our favorite plant, there are so many varieties. The stems are gorgeous!!! Hope to see it bloom in your garden this summmer! 💚💚💚💚💚💚
Thanks. I really like it. Not many are hardy here. We have had an extended few weeks of extreme cold. I hope the hydrangeas are keeping warm enough under the snow. We’ve gotten most of the snow after the cold started. I’m anxious to see what survived out there.
Damn sis use a shovel lol. I lost one hydrangea this winter and 3 more are struggling but I’m hopeful. 🤞 nice to see a zone 3 Chanel. Cheers
😊 People are always telling me to use a shovel. I do occasionally start with one, but I usually wind up with a trowel. With this hard clay and working around plants and water lines, etc I just prefer to be more hands on.
Started subscribing to your channel! I am from Winnipeg and a first time gardener. Our home is just newly built in a new development, hence our backyard is really pure clay. We moved in just last winter.... the following spring I tried to rake in around 2 inches of topsoil, some clay buster (some packs I bought from a supplier), and peat moss but I didn't have enough strength to till them in deeply into the clay so I ended up just raking them on top of the clay. By 1st week of June, I planted some daikon radish seeds and artichoke seeds (which I read can be good for breaking up clay) and most seeds grew throughout the summer, but as their leaves were unsightly, I chopped them up and left them to mulch on topsoil last weekend. Now, I feel the summer temperature is starting to drop to mid 20s. Then today, I found some panicle hydrangeas (Limelight and Firelight) on sale and bought 8 of them on impulse (as I wanted to grow them as a hedge). They will get delivered by end of this week (Around Sep 2, Friday). Do you think it's OK to plant them at this time (end of summer) on the same area where I grew/chopped radish & artichokes?
Welcome to the channel. It is better to plant them than try to hold them over winter in pots. They will not survive in your winter temperatures in pots. Hydrangeas like lots of water so the clay probably isn’t a huge problem as long as it isn’t an area that has standing water any time of the year. If you can’t turn the soil, how will you dig the holes deep enough? With soil that heavy you should likely try digging a trench for the hedge and amend the native soil with compost and clay buster. The larger (width) area you can get the better the roots will be able to settle in before they are breaking into the clay. Use a good quality mulch of wood chips, grass clippings, or shredded leaves every year and it will help improve the soil as it breaks down. Shrubs are fine to plant in the fall as long as they have around 6 weeks before the ground freezes. They may shock and lose their leaves, but the roots should still be settling in under ground. Hydrangeas can take a while to break dormancy in our climate. Don’t panic if you have dead stems in spring, just cut them back to the live wood and they will branch out and grow. That’s a really long answer, hopefully it is more helpful than confusing 😊. Good luck and enjoy your hydrangeas. It sounds like you’ve been doing all good things for your soil so far.
I just found your channel. You answered so many questions about my hydrangea. I’m going to try to give it a try again Thanks 🌸
I’m so glad you found this helpful. Let me know how it works out.
Prairie Plantgirl I definitely will, I cannot wait to start planting.
I was glad you went on to explain your soil was loamy... I was thinking how nice your soil looked right before you said how much it was like clay. So, good job improving your soil. And thanks for this video. We're in a valley, so half of our property is zone 3, where the other half is zone 5. So zone 3 videos like this are very helpful for me.
Thanks for that great comment. I started doing this channel because I felt there was very little info for those of us gardening in zone 3. It’s good to hear I’m reaching my intended audience. Zone 3-5 is a big difference.
Finally found a channel that is also in zone 3, so many videos out there but they are all in warmer zones. Also loamy/clay soil is also what I have but more clay tho, trying so many things out, and lost a lot of trees and now I am really trying to plant and keep them.
That heavy clay and zone 3 weather are a tough combination. Welcome to the channel.
Prairie Plantgirl thank you :)
I am near Grande Prairie, AB and I think zone wise is same? I know we are 3. So far some trees did well, and my lilac sat first didn’t looked good at all, but they are coming back:)
Yes I’m zone 3 even though I’m in Southern SK. We had a real up and down winter with deep freezes (-38) and complete thaws (every month I believe). Very strange to get that warm over winter here. It looks like I had a lot of frost heave and have lost some more tender things as a result. I’m still waiting to see what buds out as it’s been a drawn out spring.
Helpful tips thank you. I need to buy you a shovel to dig your hole. Lol. Can’t wait to see more vids.
😀 I do have a very nice shovel. I’m just always worried about digging into sprinkler lines and bulbs. I make the job harder, but I like using a trowel. I sling a lot of gravel with my shovel just to make sure it doesn’t feel left out 😀.
Hi there,
This is my first season as a grower in Calgary.
Without thinking twice i bought 5 shrubs of young pink big leaves hydrangeas and planted them in front of our new house in September.
So far they are doing fine. Slightly changing colors toward colder weather. I water them every other day.
My big concern is upcoming first frost and winter.
I like them so much, I want to give them safe covering so they come back next spring.
Please give my some tips how to keep my hydrangeas nice and warm. What kind of materials can I use to protect them from frost bites? Not too many materials are left in the garden centers at this point, unfortunately.
Any suggestions will be very appreciated. Thank you!
What did the tag say about hardiness for those hydrangea? I believe most big leaf hydrangeas are not hardy in your area. If you have them in a sheltered microclimate maybe they may be fine, but you may lose the flower buds. To protect them try making a large chicken wired cage around them and fill it with fall leaves. Don’t do this until you are getting consistently cold weather and they have gone dormant. I believe you are also having a very warm October as we are. Some of my hardy hydrangeas still appear to have green leaves fresh flowers. Also continue to water them until freeze up. Dry frozen soil is a plant killer. It shouldn’t be soggy wet, but there should be moisture in the soil. If you have the tag from these plants check the hardiness zone they are recommended for. Good luck.
I'm from Manitoba and i was planning to plant a blue hydrangea near the front door... the previous plant didnt survive the winter. The spot is very windy and recieves fast chilly and snowy winds in winter.
Can you please tell me the name of the hydrangea hybrid in your video? Also, what brand is this plant?
I don’t know of a single blue flowered hydrangea that will grow in MB. The hardiest they get is to zone 5 at the coldest. You need to find a smooth leafed or panniculata hydrangea. These bloom in shades of white, cream, and May take on a green or pink/red tinge as they age. I would be more concerned with finding a healthy, well rooted plant that is appropriate for your growing region, than the brand. Hydrangeas need a lot of consistant watering through spring, summer, autumn and I keep mine covered with snow over winter.
@@PrairiePlantgirl Thanks for the information!
Hi, I just found you channel and was wondering do I need to winterize my Vanilla Strawberry & Limelight Hydrangea that I planted this year. I am in zone 3b Edmonton, Alberta. I keep hearing conflicting things about them, what is the best thing to do for them. I planted them June 24th 2021, they are planted along the back of our fence in the backyard our back yard faces north, but they get a lot of sun once the sun comes over the house and then sets in the evening, not that really matters for winter, just giving you an idea of where they are planted. They did very well this year with blooming and everything, I just want to make sure they do well over winter. Any help if I should be covering them or anything like that for winter protection. Thanks so much :)
I find the first winter to be the hardest on new shrubs in our climate. It is always a good idea to make sure your shrubs (and other perennials) are getting regular moisture until the ground freezes. They don’t need as much as when they are in full growth in summer heat, but the roots are still actively growing and require moisture. Very dry or very wet frozen soil is the best way to kill a plant. After the watering is handled and the ground has frozen I like to add a thick layer of mulch (compost, shredded leaves, wood clippings, etc) over the root area of the shrub. I always try to get this done with first year shrubs. I don’t worry about mulching heavily after that first winter, but I do find it greatly increases the survival rate of first year shrubs. I hope this helps you as you move into the winter season.
@@PrairiePlantgirl ... Thanks so much for you info, I will do that when it gets a little colder. Looking forward to planting more Hydrangeas next year, they are so beautiful. I'm going to check out the one you talked about in this video. Wishing you a Happy Fall.
So glad to find ur channel as I’m planning for my garden for the spring🙌🙌
Welcome to the channel. I’m glad you are finding it helpful.
Please advice of a good company to buy seeds for zone 3 .
Thanks
There are lots of great companies selling quality seeds. McKenzie, mums, veseys , ttseeds, Atlantic pepper seeds, heritage harvest seeds, prairie originals, and many more. Just look for the growing zone of the plants you want to purchase to make sure they are plants that will survive in zone three (perennials) or mature in the growing days for your area (annuals).
Are these in sun or shade? NESW? Trying to figure out what area of yard to plant them in.
I have 8 hydrangeas in my yard. Three get about 6 hours of morning sun a day. They do the best and flower the best. Two receive sun most of the day. They grow well but require the most watering and are the most exposed to winter damage. Three get filtered sun under an ash tree with an hour or two of full sun in the morning and late afternoon. I water them all deeply and generously every week (several times a week when it is 30C or hotter). If you are experimenting with hydrangeas for the first time in a cold climate I would go for a space with morning sun (NE, E) and winter protection. Mulch them well, adding extra mulch after freeze up for the first winter or two. I hope that helps.
@Prairie Plantgirl i am in Winnipeg and I planted two incrediball hydrangeas in full sun (watering deeply everyday right now in this heat!). I have two little quick fire panicle hydrangeas and 3 firelight tidbit hydrangeas I was thinking about planting on the north side of a gazebo where they would receive a bit of morning sun and then a bit evening sun. I didn’t know if this was too shady.
I also have a limelight and a zinfin doll I need to plant. I went a little crazy with hydrangeas this year. Any advice will help!
I really feel a full North exposure is too little sun. Hydrangeas can take shade and like the coolness of shade in our prairie heat, but they need sun to produce those flowers and grow well. The north side of a structure is generally under four hours of quality sunshine a day. We have a short growing season so they don’t get as much time with sun on their leaves here as they might further south.
What did you put in your clay soil? Any specific brand? Thanks!
I don’t use anything specific to break it up. I just add a bit of good organic soil when I plant and keep a layer of wood mulch on top. The mulch breaks down and worms pull it into the soil. There is no magic quick fix for clay. Just steady additions of organic matter. Clay is full of nutrients so it is not all bad. Some parts of my yard are still terrible after twelve years, some are drastically improved.