I have been so preoccupied with the fall leaves starting to change that I almost missed the changes in the hydrangia. My large hydrangea has blue flower balls in the spring and summer. I always notice it when it loses all it's leaves in the winter and has bare stems. The temptation is to cut them back but the problem is the flowers set on the tip and if they are pruned back they don't bloom as much. I've always noticed all of that but somehow either missed the blooms that remain in the fall turning to pink and purple before they turn brown and drop off. I am aware that ph affects the color of hydrangeas flowers and you can actually chan
ge a blue to pink or pink to blue by changing the ph, at least for some varieties. What I wasn't aware of though was that a blue could change to pink in the fall and although I've had this bush for over 20 years, I've never noticed that. I've only noticed the blooms that die and drop off. My question is whether this has happened every year and I just missed it with my preoccupation for looking upward to see the changes in the tall trees. The top picture was taken a few days ago, and the second one was taken a few months ago. I guess I'll have to wait for the summer of 2
007 to see if the soil ph has changed the bush so much that the next year blooms will be pink and lavender or if they are always pink and lavendar before turning brown and dropping off. We haven't had a frost yet but that is probably not too far off. I checked and the average first freezing temperature in my region is October 24. We are having such a mix of weather at the moment that some things are confused. New flowers and even blooms on trees, that normally begin in the spring, are having a second new beginning. As much as I enjoy the first frost, I'm not in a hurry for it because I'm enjoying a second spring of sorts. Also since the weather is cool enough for the most part to be pleasant and the intermittant warm afternoons are kind of nice too, I can enjoy the changes without being in a huge hurry for a frosty morning. I do so love change. That is one thing I love about where I live. We have constant change most of the time, even within the 4 seasons.
I have been so preoccupied with the fall leaves starting to change that I almost missed the changes in the hydrangia. My large hydrangea has blue flower balls in the spring and summer. I always notice it when it loses all it's leaves in the winter and has bare stems. The temptation is to cut them back but the problem is the flowers set on the tip and if they are pruned back they don't bloom as much. I've always noticed all of that but somehow either missed the blooms that remain in the fall turning to pink and purple before they turn brown and drop off. I am aware that ph affects the color of hydrangeas flowers and you can actually chan
ge a blue to pink or pink to blue by changing the ph, at least for some varieties. What I wasn't aware of though was that a blue could change to pink in the fall and although I've had this bush for over 20 years, I've never noticed that. I've only noticed the blooms that die and drop off. My question is whether this has happened every year and I just missed it with my preoccupation for looking upward to see the changes in the tall trees. The top picture was taken a few days ago, and the second one was taken a few months ago. I guess I'll have to wait for the summer of 2
007 to see if the soil ph has changed the bush so much that the next year blooms will be pink and lavender or if they are always pink and lavendar before turning brown and dropping off. We haven't had a frost yet but that is probably not too far off. I checked and the average first freezing temperature in my region is October 24. We are having such a mix of weather at the moment that some things are confused. New flowers and even blooms on trees, that normally begin in the spring, are having a second new beginning. As much as I enjoy the first frost, I'm not in a hurry for it because I'm enjoying a second spring of sorts. Also since the weather is cool enough for the most part to be pleasant and the intermittant warm afternoons are kind of nice too, I can enjoy the changes without being in a huge hurry for a frosty morning. I do so love change. That is one thing I love about where I live. We have constant change most of the time, even within the 4 seasons.
1 comment:
Thanks for the garden walk this morning (Tues). I needed a lift from nature. Even if I couldn't "walk" through the newest text yet, I wanted you to know that your photos DID give me a place of peacefulness this morning. Thanks.
Carol
Post a Comment