Hydrangeas are such a joy to grow as they require minimal care as long as you’ve planted them in the right spot for the type of hydrangea you are growing.
The reward is an impressive summer-long flower show, with blooms that are equally gorgeous in the garden, on a patio in a decorative pot, or indoors as a stunning cut flower arrangement.
With just a little TLC, your hydrangeas will get better each year. However, for the best blooms, you need to fertilise these plants properly.
Gardeners from the Fowlet blog claim that creating your own homemade plant food is the “perfect solution”.
They said: “By using simple ingredients found in your household, you can nourish your hydrangeas naturally ensuring optimal growth and vibrant blooms.”
The experts recommend going down the homemade plant food route as it provides the necessary nutrients, such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which are “essential for the overall health and growth of hydrangeas”.
These nutrients are “crucial” for supporting root development, “enhancing flowering and improving the overall vigour” of the plants.
Homemade plant food can also be customised to meet the specific nutritional needs of your hydrangeas, “promoting healthier growth and more beautiful flowers”.
One particular “simple and effective” recipe they highlighted has just four ingredients – Epsom salt, baking soda, fish emulsion and vinegar.
In a gallon-sized container, mix one tablespoon of Epsom salt and one teaspoon of baking soda.
Add one tablespoon of fish emulsion and one teaspoon of vinegar to the mixture.
Fill the container with water and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
Apply the homemade hydrangea feed to the soil around the flowers and plants once every two weeks.
For those who prefer to use organic ingredients, there is another DIY hydrangea feeding solution that’s a “great choice” – it uses eggshells.
Boil a handful of crushed eggshells in a pot filled with water. Allow the mixture to cool, then strain out the eggshells.
Transfer the eggshell-infused water to a spray bottle. Mist the leaves of your hydrangeas with the solution once a week.
