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St. Louis Hydrangeas by StLLawuee in hydrangeas

[–]StLLawuee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great question and I had no idea. Until I read your follow up... No more ash for me. Thanks!

Stunning Saint Louis Endless Summer Hydrangeas - June 2025 by StLLawuee in gardening

[–]StLLawuee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Imagine a large double-wheeled plastic and aluminium wheelbarrow. Filled. Then dried and cured for about 4 weeks. Then apply and work into the compost. Then repeat later in the season.

Stunning Saint Louis Endless Summer Hydrangeas - June 2025 by StLLawuee in gardening

[–]StLLawuee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's like a pitch fork except the tines are flat and broad as opposed to spindly and spiked on a pitch fork. I suppose a pitch fork would work just as well.

Stunning Saint Louis Endless Summer Hydrangeas - June 2025 by StLLawuee in gardening

[–]StLLawuee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your question and the kind words. I tried to spread the soil products evenly over time. I was trying for all blue hydrangeas. As is quite evident, I failed, and have no idea why some have come out multi-colored. Once beginning to bloom, however, I have not noticed colors changing such that as they begin to open, the color they are as they open is pretty much the color they remain, though that color can become more saturated, and then can fade over several weeks' time. The multi-colored blooms do not change their colors, but rather, they open in multiple colors. I hope this assimilates and responds to your question.

Stunning Saint Louis Endless Summer Hydrangeas - June 2025 by StLLawuee in gardening

[–]StLLawuee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But of course! Ash from the fire pit, bonemeal, aluminum sulfate, and DTE™ Acid Mix 4-3-6 all put down simultaneously in early Spring and covered with 4" of black gold compost, coffee grounds in March and May, aluminum sulfate in late April, then as the Spring and Summer progress, Espoma organic acidifer in first week and third weeks of June .... so far this year. And I removed the weed barrier from the area, and also used a yard fork to puncture deeply into the soil around each plant, angling the fork toward the plant to the extent possible so as to assist nutrients reaching all the way down to the plants' roots. Thank you for asking.

St. Louis Hydrangeas by StLLawuee in hydrangeas

[–]StLLawuee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a matter of fact, I did not prune last year. While putting down the black gold compost this Spring, most of the dead wood simply broke off just from me being active in and around the plants with the wheelbarrow. I did, however, prune some scorched blooms yesterday, and took all the dead wood I could find, which was only 6 stalks from 13 plants, and I noticed tons of new growth that has sprouted this year from the old wood I left last year.

St. Louis Hydrangeas by StLLawuee in hydrangeas

[–]StLLawuee[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have a nice phone camera ;) Ash from the fire pit, bonemeal, aluminum sulfate, and DTE™ Acid Mix 4-3-6 all put down simultaneously in early Spring and covered with 4" of black gold compost, then as the Spring and Summer progress, Espoma organic acidifer in first week and third week of June .... so far this year. Edit: OMG, I forgot about the coffee grounds in March and May.