When it comes to colorful flowers, hydrangeas are the choice of many gardeners. Available in a wide range of shades, from blue, pink, and white, to purple and green, these plants can brighten up landscapes all by themselves.
It’s also convenient that they suit hardiness zones 3 to 9, and therefore compatible with many states, including Georgia.
So when to plant hydrangeas in Georgia? The optimal time to do this task is in the fall, with spring being the second-best period. For both seasons, pick a date when there’s no frost. Usually, this timeframe would be between March and May in the spring and August to November in the fall.
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When to Grow Hydrangeas in Georgia
In the fall, six weeks before the first frost
The best time to plant hydrangeas is at least six weeks before the first frost. If you wait any longer, the roots may not grow strong enough to survive winter dormancy or extreme frosts.
Plus, it’s essential that your hydrangeas receive proper care during autumn so that they can bloom in spring or summer:
- To begin with, protect your plant with two inches of bark mulc Do this immediately after setting the hydrangea into the ground, and make sure the mulch covers at least 12 inches of the plant base.
- Give the soil an inch of water per week at regular intervals up until the first frost to encourage growth. However, refrain from fertilizing at this time, as any buds that sprout will die anyway.
- If your hydrangeas are in pots, they should be indoors throughout winter and not outside. Remember to water the plants once a week during their dormancy, at a rate of one liter of moisture each time.
- Finally, care for hydrangeas outdoors by installing wire cages. These are available in stores with stakes for easy setup. Plus, they can protect plants against pests as well.
In spring, after the last frost
Spring is another excellent time for planting hydrangeas. If you pick this season, look up the last frost where you live and begin gardening after it.
- For instance, suppose you’re staying in Gainesville, Georgia, where the average final frost is March 28. In this case, it would be possible to plant hydrangeas in ground on March 29.
Note that for both seeds and transplants, it’s okay to follow the above guideline while gardening in spring. However, seeds will not look like their parents, so if you want to know exactly how your hydrangeas will turn out, get a cutting or transplant.
With that said, here are some more tips for seeding hydrangeas:
- Regarding hydrangeas that bloom from old wood, such as Bigleaf and Oakleaf types, the ideal pruning time is summer when the flowers have faded. In practice, July and August are the months for trimming.
- On the other hand, new wood varieties (namely, Panicle and Smooth hydrangeas) must be pruned in autumn or late winter.
- Finally, if you choose varieties that fall within both categories, such as Endless Summer and Mini Penny hydrangeas, pruning is possible in all seasons except for fall.
Besides hydrangeas, you also can refer to grow other plants such as sunflowers, collards, etc in Georgia.
What Are Hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas are a shrub that comprises over 75 species of flora. It belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family and is primarily native to Asia.
As a landscape plant, it often blooms in June to October, with some varieties flowering later than others. For instance, Oakleaf is among the earliest blooming cultivars, often doing so in mid-June. In contrast, it’ll be July when Tardiva hydrangeas produce colorful flowers.
And regardless of their colors, hydrangeas are hardy plants that are popular throughout the US.
Best Types of Hydrangeas to Plant in Georgia
Given that Georgia has hardiness regions 6 to 9, you can select your hydrangeas from the following list using their growing zone, plus their flower colors and dimensions.
| Type | Flower colors | Dimensions |
| Bigleaf (zone 5 to 11) | White, pink, red, blue | 6-10 feet tall and wide |
| Oakleaf (zone 5 to 9)
|
White, pink, purple | 6-8 feet tall and wide |
| Smooth (zone 3 to 9) | White, pink | 3-5 feet tall and wide |
| Panicle (zone 3 to 8) | White | 8-15 feet tall, 6-12 feet wide |
| Climbing (zone 4 to 8, but doesn’t do well in zone 7) | White | 30-40 feet tall, 5-6 feet wide |
FAQs
Do hydrangeas grow well in Georgia?
Yes, they do. If you look at the hardiness zones for different hydrangea cultivars, it’s clear that they suit Georgia’s climate well.
What is the best location to plant a hydrangea?
The location for hydrangeas should meet the following criteria:
- Has enough space so that there are eight feet between two plants and two feet of space around the root ball.
- Adequate drainage with low nitrogen and high organic contents.
- More acidic soil (with a pH of 5.5 or under) for blue flowers. Higher alkalinity (at least 6.5 in pH) for pink blossoms. Outside of these ranges, either color may appear, though it’s possible for hydrangeas to come out purple as well.
- A partially shaded area, either in the north or the south, with three hours of sunlight per day for Big leaf and Smooth hydrangeas, or six hours of sunshine for Panicle, Tardiva, and Limelight varieties. Overall, shade-loving hydrangeas will do less well in hot, full-sun locations.
- If growing in pots, ensure the containers have wheels, drainage holes, and a diameter of at least 18 inches. The depth of the receptacles should be two feet at the minimum. Meanwhile, the planting hole should be twice as big as the plant’s root ball.
How late can I plant hydrangeas in Georgia?
There should be at least six weeks between now and the first frost date where you live; otherwise, it’s too late to plant hydrangeas.
If we focus on Georgia, its southern locations may not experience freezing weather until December or even January, so a gardening time of November is not out of the question.
When to prune hydrangeas in Georgia?
Hydrangeas bloom either from old wood or new wood – in other words, from buds made during the previous season or the current season. How hydrangeas form flowers may seem irrelevant to this topic, but it actually affects their pruning time.
- Regarding hydrangeas that bloom from old wood, such as Bigleaf and Oakleaf types, the ideal pruning time is summer when the flowers have faded. In practice, July and August are the months for trimming.
- On the other hand, new wood varieties (namely, Panicle and Smooth hydrangeas) must be pruned in autumn or late winter.
- Finally, if you choose varieties that fall within both categories, such as Endless Summer and Mini Penny hydrangeas, pruning is possible in all seasons except for fall.
Conclusion
When to plant hydrangeas in Georgia? The answer should now be obvious based on our discussion above.
Regardless of which variety you choose, look up the frost dates where you live and grow your flowers in an appropriate location.
Moreover, remember to pick your transplant carefully by ensuring it has healthy white roots. Otherwise, your gardening project may be doomed from the start.
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