Question
Greetings from Connecticut...I recently purchased 4 Neiko blue Hydrangea plants in 6 gallon containers.  I was in need of something nice along my deck....what pointers could you give me to help me care for them?  They are planted facing the south (only area where I COULD plant them..I am keeping them watered.  I planted them to the base of the plant and gave them a tablespoon of organic plant food to help them maintain their blue flowers? Any other planting suggestions?  I sure would appreciate the help...I just LOVE them!  Thanks!  Susan

Answer
Hello Susan, Yes, those Nikko Hydrangea blues are stunning.  Not many sources of that particular color available.  And by selecting a newer hybrid you are sure to benefit from the strong, beautiful blues they are bred for.  You have State Of The Art Blue by your deck.

Your shrubs will probably continue to bloom in blue because they are genetically preprogrammed in that direction.  

But to elicit the boldest blues, you will need to lower the soil pH around the deck with generous amendments of Peat Moss and mulches of pine needles or other acidic material.  

I am not sure what "organic plant food" you are referring to because that could mean any of a thousand different things.  Overdosing on the plant food to the point where you have lush foliage and few flowers is possible with both Organic and traditional fertilizers.  Watch what you see in the formula:  The Phosphorous is the middle number in the N-P-K breakdown on almost all fertilizer you purchase.  You want the number in the middle to be the highest.  

Don't count on the pictures, the advertising, or the name of the product to guide your fertilizer decision.  

ALL that matters are those numbers.  N-P-K.  The number in the front, "N", is Nitrogen - for big, beautiful leaves.

Organic is preferable because (a) you can't overdo it and burn the roots, and (b) the soil becomes richer and supports long term vigor, as opposed to the one-shot fertilizing that you get if you pour an ordinary fertilizer over your Hydrangeas.

The South positioning you selected is perfect. When you water, always add a small SPLASH - a PINCH - of Vinegar.  This will also skew the pH toward the preferred lower register.  More better blues.

These are easy and long lived.  Been to Nantucket lately?  They're all over the place, and some are 100 years old.

That said, be optimistic and take care not to space these too close together. You don't want to lift them in 10 years and replant - that would be a major Hydrangea headache and totally avoidable.

Finally, remember that anything you put on your deck will end up on the ground where your Hydrangeas grow.  I don't suppose you will be pouring salt to melt snow during the winter on the deck - but you never know, so I must mention it.

Thanks for writing.  Send pictures.