Can I Plant My Gift Hydrangea Outside?

March 25, 2024 | C.L. Fornari | Hydrangeas

There are many Hydrangeas for sale at Easter and Mother’s Day; our customers want to know if these can be planted in their yards.

Spring usually drags her heels on Cape Cod, so we welcome the opportunity to have flowers inside at this time of year. It’s especially wonderful to see flowering Hydrangeas, since the plants in our gardens won’t start blooming for another two or three months.

The Hydrangea macrophylla, aka mophead Hydrangeas, that are sold at this time of year have been raised in greenhouses so that they are flowering in March, April or May. Some of these are perfectly hardy on Cape Cod and can be planted outside at the end of May. Here are the details about the plants that are in our greenhouse right now, and how you can keep them in good shape until they can go into the garden.

This Hydrangea macrophylla is labeled as High River Pink. It’s pink because it was raised in a neutral pH soil. This plant will be a medium blue in Cape Cod’s naturally acidic soils. In your garden these Hi River plants will grow to be 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide, so plant it where it can reach that size. (It’s impossible to keep a mophead Hydrangea shorter than its genetics are telling it to grow. If cut back at any time of year, these replace their height in one season and won’t bloom well after being pruned down.)

This is a Hi Fire Hydrangea. In alkaline soils it will be this deep pink, but in Cape Cod’s acidic soils it will be a deep purple color. Hi Fire flowers on old and new growth, so once these flowers fade, clip them off and plant in the ground at the end of May.

HI River blue Hydrangeas are the same plant as the pink, but these were grown in acidic soil. Since these are a reblooming (aka remontant) variety, clipping off the wilted flowers once the plant has finished blooming will make it look better and help stimulate more flowering.

Keeping Your Gift Hydrangea in Good Shape Until Planting

The biggest challenge with holiday Hydrangeas is keeping them attractive and healthy indoors for the next three months. These plants lose water quickly through their big leaves and flowers, and it’s important to prevent them from wilting. A wilted Hydrangea flower will turn brown quickly. Get in the habit of checking the surface of the soil daily to see if it’s dry. You can also lift the pot every day and when you notice that it’s lighter in weight, you’ll know that it’s time to water. When you water a Hydrangea indoors, do so in the sink so that you can water it well and let the excess drain out. If your gift Hydrangea is in foil or a pot without a drainage hole, lift it from that decorative container and water well, then return it after draining. A complete soaking every few days is better than giving the plant a little every day.

Don’t let your Hydrangeas dry out and wilt like this! Wilted flowers won’t last long. Keep your plant well hydrated – they dry out quickly in the house.

You Don’t Have to Fertilize These Indoors

Your gift Hydrangea has come from the grower well fed. When you plant it outside at the end of May, you can add some organic fertilizer such as Holly-tone to the area if you wish. Right now, however, just keep the plant in good shape until planting.

“Should I Place My Easter Hydrangea in a New Pot?”

Most people keep their plant in the plastic pot that it came in until it is planted outside. But if you wish, you can repot it in a slightly larger container as long as it has a drainage hole. Use a good quality potting soil, and don’t put any rocks or other debris in the bottom of the pot…only potting mix.

A small Hydrangea plant doesn’t really need to be repotted if you’re going to place it in your garden. But if you want to keep your Easter Hydrangea in a container for a year or more, then it should be repotted in a larger pot. This can be done after Easter, or in May when you’re ready to put the plant outside on a deck or patio.

“Will My Gift Hydrangea Flower Again This Summer?”

Maybe yes and maybe no. Sometimes these plants spend the first year getting a root system established, and they don’t flower a second time. But since most of these plants are varieties that flower on new and older growth, it’s possible that it might put out some new stems with flowers later in the summer or fall. Whether it flowers again or not, know that you’re growing your Hydrangea for the long term. Plant it in a place where it is shaded from hot, mid-day and afternoon sun. Spread two inches of compost over the area where you’ll be placing the plant, and assume that it will grow at least 5 feet tall and wide.

“Can I Keep My Hydrangea As a Houseplant?”

These are not the easiest plants to keep indoors. If you have no way to grow your gift Hydrangea outside, by all means you can give it a try, but usually people find that they are difficult to keep well hydrated inside. If you are able to put the plant outside for the summer, and bring it into a cool but bright place for the winter, you’ll have better success trying to maintain it as a houseplant. For those who want to try keeping their Hydrangea alive indoors, putting it in a larger pot right away will be helpful. Place a saucer under the pot that can hold excess water, so that you’re able to water it well.

This white flowering variety is HI Crystal. It is the one type in our greenhouse right now that is not reliably hardy on Cape Cod. If you decide to plant it outside, know that it may or may not live through the winter, or be bud-hardy enough to flower the following year.

Whether you decide to plant your gift Hydrangea outside or not, you can escape to beauty and joy with your indoor flowers. Make a flower-filled garden inside while you wait for warmer weather to arrive!

Posted in Hydrangeas