Blue Hydrangea lost its colour

 
My lovely blue hydrangea has gradually over 5 years changed its colour
to a mauvy dirty pink with purple tinge.


I understand i can bring the blue colour back by using acidic
fertilizers..... What  best choice products do you recommend  from a uk
garden centre or maybe from B&Q    Also what product would give the
quickest result.


I know pure peat is acidic  but i dont wish to use peat even if it was
available in the stores.


Your help would be appreciated.
Regards
Ken




--
KEPPY

 "KEPPY"  wrote

The problem is that in alkaline soil they cannot take up the aluminium salts
they need to remain blue as they are locked up with other salts. Try
watering with Sequestered Iron and/or spreading coffee grounds around the
plant, these should help to acidify the soil.
Think I've seen an article on such in The Garden magazine recently.
--
Regards  Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup from the W. of London UK

 On 10/9/2011 5:29 PM, Bob Hobden wrote:

Aluminium sulfate works well.

 On Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:55:17 -0400, S Viemeister


I'm never clear on whether it's iron or aluminium that makes
hydrangeas blue. I know that an acid soil is necessary, and in such
soils both aluminium and iron are available. Adding either iron
sulphate or aluminium sulphate to the soil will acidify it, releasing
both aluminium and iron, so it's not clear which actually does the
biz.

AIUI, sequestrine doesn't actually acidify the soil, but provides iron
(and manganese) in a form that's soluble at high pH and that the plant
can absorb. But sequestrine doesn't provide soluble aluminium. If
sequestrine is sufficient to turn hydrangeas blue, then it suggests
the key requirement is iron. But does anyone know for certain that
sequestrine works? Alternatively, does anyone know the definitive
answer as to whether it's iron or aluminium that's necessary for blue
hydrangeas?

--
 
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

 

Everything I've ever read says that hydrangeas need both an acid soil
(pH 5.2-5.5 is ideal) and aluminium to be blue. Aluminium sulphate
will provide both but it has its drawbacks - use too much and it'll
damage the roots and it can be very damaging to young plants (under
2-3 years old).The recommended approach seems to be to use aluminium
sulphate in one year and sequestered iron in the next.

Cheers, Jake
============================================================
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay where it's ....
wet!

www.rivendell.org.uk