The best position is going to be one where there is good drainage, good morning sunlight, protection against the elements, and shade in the afternoon for almost every variety. Read on to learn more about where to plant hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas are a beautiful shrub that blooms in the spring and summer. They can grow very quickly and fill up a designated space within the span of a single summer. Some can reach as high as 15 feet or higher. The flowers will typically start blooming in Spring and last throughout the summer, sometimes into early fall depending on the variety you choose to plant.

As with most plants it is important to figure out where you want to plant your hydrangeas before they actually get put into the ground. Doing things right the first time will prevent you from having to go back, uproot your hydrangeas, which is not recommended if you can help it, and reposition them elsewhere.

Figure out the design and the purpose for your hydrangeas first and foremost.

• Do you want your hydrangeas to exists in the form of small potted plants that decorate your patio or your apartment balcony?
• Are your hydrangeas going to be climbing hydrangeas, establishing themselves up a trellis or the wall of your garden?
• Do you want your hydrangea to fill up one whole corner of your garden?
• Do you want to grow them as a hedge or screening?

Knowing the purpose of your plants, where you want it to grow, and what you want to do will help you to pick the right variety and subsequently know when and where to plant.

The best time to plant

When you are ready to plant your hydrangeas, you know which variety you want and how it’s going to be used in your garden you should try to plant your hydrangeas in the fall or the early spring. You want to provide your shrub with opportunities to establish a healthy root system before it’s forced to make any blooms.

When you are ready to plant try to do it early in the morning or late in the afternoon so that you protect your new plants against any heat stress. The last thing you want is to plant it and have it overcome by heat only to die off a day or two after.

Once you have planted your hydrangeas you need to keep them well watered until the root structure has established itself, this can take takes months so be prepared to water regularly, remember at first they can only take water from the rootball area so if it rains the rainwater often does not get to the roots as it runs off the leaves.

The best position to plant a hydrangea

Where to plant your hydrangea is equally important. Many people plant them in garden beds next to a fence or next to their house because most hydrangeas prefer sunlight in the morning but they don’t like the heat that sunlight brings in the afternoon.

Therefore the best place for almost all varieties, except for the panicle hydrangea, is a location that is sheltered, get sunlight in the morning, and shade in the afternoon. For most people, this is on the North or South side of the home.

You want to avoid planting your hydrangea directly underneath an existing tree as this will cause the two plants to compete for water and nutrients in the soil.

If there is a part of your garden that you know is susceptible to high winds, you might want to avoid putting your hydrangea there because the winds will rip through the leaves and damage any potential flowers and also dry the plant out causing stress.

If you are going to create a hedge or you simply want climbing hydrangeas to form tree like designs, make sure you provide the plant with something against which it can grow. Climbing hydrangeas get very large and very heavy so they will need some sort of support structure that they can grow a round such as a sturdy wall, fence, or trellis. If you have this in place before you allow the plant to grow over the years, it will save you a lot of headaches down the line.

The panicle variety of hydrangea likes a lot more sunlight, full sunlight for most of the day so if this is the variety you want to grow, the best position for the plant would be facing regular sunlight.

The best soil

Be sure to consider the soil. Each hydrangea variety requires an abundance of organic material in the soil and perfect drainage. Hydrangeas love moist soil but they never want to be wet.

So wherever you decide to plant make sure there is proper drainage. If you don’t have good drainage your hydrangeas will quickly die off, succumbing to root rot.  If you have heavy soil you can mix compost to add some buoyancy to it and allow for better drainage.

So the best position is going to be one where there is good drainage, good morning sunlight, protection against the elements, and shade in the afternoon for almost every variety.