Question
I have a mini hydreangea bush with a number of mopheads?? buy they don't seem to be opening.  Its not been a great bloomer in the past 4 yrs but I'm still not ready to give up.

Answer
Hi Nancy,
Thanx for your question.  Hydrangeas like moist (not soggy), slightly acidic soil.  In the north, they grow well in direct sun.  In the hotter climates like the lower Midwest and West, they need shade from the afternooon sun.  A fertilizer higher in potassium and phosphorus and lower in nitrogen is good for getting the best blooms.  Too much nitrogen and you have all green and no blooms.  Get a fertilzier rated for blooming shrubs or Miracid will work too.  If you had a very cold winter and/or a late freeze, this will affect blooming.  Ther may be a pest feeding on the inside of the mopheads.  Do they look damaged or are they just of minimal size and not opening up?  See if you can tear one open and if there are any pests crawling around inside.  If there are pests, you'll have to spray with an insecticide like Sevin or preferably something organic like Neem or Pyrethruns.  Check with your local nursery or DIY for inseticides.  I hope this helps.
Tom