Gorgeous flowers that are quite simple to grow, hydrangeas are one of the most popular flowers out there. They tend to flourish during the growing season with the help of supplements in the form of fertilizers. Usually, they grow perfectly in soil that is light and can drain quickly.
Although people say that you need to fertilize them a few times a year, hydrangeas do not require extra plant food.
Fertilizers are beneficial for plants and flowers, boosting overall growth and adding to the vibrancy of the colors of flowers. Therefore, you should only look for a good fertilizer for hydrangeas of your garden if you want your garden to be pretty as a picture.
Best 10 Fertilizers for Hydrangeas in 2022:
These plant foods will not only aid with the growth of your flowers but also take care of their roots. Therefore, you should only go to the best ones available.
1. Scotts Company 185001 Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Miracid Fertilizer
This is one of the best foods for hydrangeas that help to promote beautiful blooms and vibrant colors. It helps to feed plants, such as rhododendrons and azaleas, almost instantly.
You can get the product in boxes weighing four pounds. It is rich in terms of iron, as well as other necessary nutrients. Applying it every other week helps to provide the plant(s) with abundant blooms, rich color, and lush foliage.
This works double time because the fertilizer will help to feed plants through both their roots and leaves. Also, the product will start to work right after it is applied for faster and efficient results. If you pick up this product, you are sure to notice the blooms and the strong developing roots. Direct use of it does not harm the plants in any way.
- Dissolves in water, and provides for plants that prefer acidic soil
- Allows two-times the feeding action through both the leaves and roots
- Starts working instantly for quick results
- Promotes beautiful blooms, and good root development
2. Espoma Soil Acidifier Fertilizer
Our next pick in the list of best fertilizers for hydrangeas is a product by Espoma. This is an organic soil acidifier, as well as a mineral of high purity.
The Acidifier helps to reduce the pH level in soil, and the product is okay if you are into organic gardening. Any plant you use this on will look more beautiful and fuller. You can use this plant food for hydrangeas and blueberries for blue blooms.
The style and color are quite popular among the gardeners. So, you will not have to use any coloring dye made using different harmful chemicals. The Espoma fertilizer does not come with any sulfur ingredients. So, the results after applying it will take time to show.
If you plan on getting this fertilizer, make sure that you are following the instructions given by the manufacturer. Using this during the initial period of the year gives plants more time to adjust and grow.
- Use as soil amendments as well as for fertilizing
- Reduces soil’s pH to provide optimum plant growth
- Highly effective and long-lasting results
- Packed in six-pound bags
3. Hoffman 66505 Aluminum Sulfate
This Hoffman product is superb for turning your flowers blue. It comes in a packet holding up to 4 pounds of product, which is plenty to last you a decent number of plants. The active ingredient of this plant food is aluminium sulfate.
This particular fertilizer is meant for acid-loving plants and flowers, especially blueberries, begonias, fuchsias, azaleas, and more. Working with this is simple; you just have to directly add the product to the soil and then water the plant.
As the instructions stated on the back of the packet, you could add this supplement to your plant every two weeks until you see your desired colour. Before application, make sure to test your soil to see if it has reached the required pH.
- Turns your hydrangeas blue
- Comes in a large size
- Price is commendably low, especially when compared to other brands
4. Bonide (BND56429) – Bailey’s Color Me Pink Hydrangeas Pellets
Color Me Pink is another excellent pick in our list, which will help you achieve gorgeous hydrangeas. This soil additive changes the color of your Hydrangeas through the raising of the pH level of the soil.
This Bonide product comes in pellet form, which you can directly add to your plant. You do not have to worry about thoroughly mixing these pellets in. Just make sure to apply a sufficient amount of water after application. What this plant food does is that it releases lime, which is the component that turns the flowers pink over time.
For best results, scatter this product at the plant’s root zone level. Also, do not forget to get a solid soil test done beforehand. Keep note that this product does not change the color of white hydrangeas.
- Changes hydrangeas color to pink
- Increases the soil’s pH level
- Pelletized lime is used as an active ingredient for soil sweetening
- Easy to use on arrival
5. Garden Select for Blue Hydrangea Flowers
This Garden Select product is superb for both macrophylla and Serrata types of hydrangeas. Coming in granular form, this product allows super easy application. Also, you only need to apply it just twice a year – once during spring and once in fall. That should ensure gorgeous blooms to brighten up your garden.
Promising consistency and quality, this plant food’s active ingredient is aluminum sulfate. Application is hassle-free, as you only need to put the right amount on your plant and then water it.
After that, over three months, the active ingredient will slowly be released as the temperature of the soil changes. And soon enough, you should see your flowers turn blue.
You will get the best results with this if you apply it to your hydrangeas before buds are formed, and the flowers blossom. This product can be applied to both sandy and clay soil.
- Allows simple and straightforward application
- Turns your hydrangeas blue in color
- You do not have to apply it to your flower more than twice in a year
- The product consists of granulated, polymer-coated aluminum sulfate
6. Burpee Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer
Bone meal is a completely natural source with loads of calcium and phosphorus. If you add phosphorus to your soil in the early season, there will be a strong root development and early season growth.
This product will ensure you better blossom and fruit when it comes to harvest time. The plant food tends to break down slowly, which ensures constant growth throughout the whole season. This one will not burn the hydrangeas at all.
This Burpee product is also perfect for promoting the healthy growth of root and bulb crops. It is ideal for the new budding plants, and it gives established gardens a boost. Your patio container will also look its best with the use of this product.
- Provides vital organic nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus
- Organic certified, it’s OMRI listed
- Boosts the young plants and helps them stay strong throughout the season
- Ensures stronger roots and more vibrant colors of petals
- Ensures healthy growth of root and bulb crops too
7. Bonide Products Aluminum Sulfate
This fertilizer from Bonide Products helps lower the pH of the garden soil that helps the acid-loving plants. Plants like hydrangeas need an acidic environment to grow in. This plant food helps to reduce the pH of the soil and help the plants to grow well in their respective conditions.
This product from Bonide turns hydrangeas blue, and it basically can work in all types of soil. It has been specially designed for plants like azaleas, camellias, etc. If this product is used on pink baby hydrangeas, you will gradually start to see the color changing. The color first turns into a light shade of lavender and finally turns blue.
The product is fast working and shows its results quite fast. You will see your flowers starting to gain color in a few weeks. The pale or washed-out colors of hydrangeas turn gradually into the natural blue after the application of this plant food.
- It helps lower the pH of soil
- Suitable for acid-loving plants as they prefer the lower pH in the soil
- The formula of the product helps to turn hydrangeas blue
- It can work flawlessly in almost all sorts of soil
8. J R Peters Inc 59324 Jacks Classic Hydrangea Fertilizer
This one from J R Peters Inc comes in a one-and-a-half-pound bucket. This is water-soluble and is full of aluminum sulfate. The fertilizer also has various micronutrients required for Hydrangeas to grow well.
This one is specially enhanced to make your blue Hydrangeas look prettier. The mixture of the chemicals, i.e., the aluminum sulfate and the nutrients, ensures that the plant will grow luscious leaves and maintain the gorgeous blue color. One thing to note is that this fertilizer cannot change flower colors from white to any other.
After the application, it takes a few weeks to notice the results. With time, you will start noticing that the leaves getting thicker and healthier. The flowers after they bloom will appear way more vibrant than before. They will also be significantly bigger-looking.
- Turns hydrangeas blue
- Turns hydrangeas blue
- Manufactured in the USA and goes through quality control
- The bucket has a slip-resistant rubberized grip
9. AcneFree Oil-Free Acne Cleanser
This supplement from Nelson is great for gardenias, camellias, and other acid-loving plants. The plants that tend to prosper in acidic environments will benefit from this product. It contains both organic and man-made ingredients that will lower the pH of the soil and will also supply a sufficient amount of iron.
This fertilizer is composed of a blend of freeform, monoammonium phosphate, potassium sulfate, iron oxysulfate, ferrous sulfate, and some other chemical components.
It also contains three types of iron and four types of acidifying sources in it. The sources of nitrogen are pretty much microbial, which avoids root burn, keeping your plants fresh and perfect.
As this product is comprised of many ingredients, additional supplements are not necessary. With the constant use of this, your hydrangeas will bloom with stronger roots and bigger sizes. The color will pop more too.
- Works as plant food for all acid-loving plants
- Excellent source of nutrients and minerals for plants that grow in acidic soil
- Helps flowering plants to improve tolerance in dry weather conditions
- You can observe quick results
- Has been the leading choice for a large customer base for over 30 years
10. 100% Pure Aluminum Sulphate
As the name suggests, this product is fully pure aluminum sulfate. It is soluble in water and is mainly used as a flocculating agent when it comes to purifying drinking water. Fine particles in water bodies clump together when you add the aluminum sulfate. One can also use it in multiple water treatment plants.
A granular product, this aluminum sulfate, can be used to grow plants as a great fertilizer. You can even dye clothes with them! It can be used as a waterproofing agent in the construction industry and also as an accelerator in concrete cement. But of course, the main use of the product is to reduce the pH of garden soil.
The product can also reduce the pH in water and prevent the building up of algae in water bodies. This plant food is just right for acid-loving plants.
- Used as a flocculant
- Controls and prevents algae by decreasing the phosphate level in the water
- Used as a mordant that combines with dye to make it last longer
- It is highly acidic and is used to balance the pH of garden soil
- Can be used as a pool pH reducer or even a garden fertilizer
Factors Need to Consider While Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Hydrangeas:
Although the price of the product is a concern that most customers and gardeners have, there are many other factors you must keep in mind. Some of these have been mentioned below:
• The Soil in Your Garden
Hydrangeas work best with soil that is light, which makes drainage easy. If you have soil that is heavier, or clay-like, you should consider adding compost to it. Otherwise, you would also add leaves and barks, both of which are organic fertilizers. These will increase the levels of nutrients in the soil.
You should check how alkaline or acidic your soil is, and what your plant loves. Based on that, you could pick a supplement that will work with those pH levels. Also, check for the level of fertility by doing a soil test.
• Variety of Hydrangea
Each type of hydrangea has different needs in terms of plant food, and each requires a different application time. For instance, smooth hydrangea plants require fertilization only once a year, during winter.
Bigleaf plants require several applications throughout the first half of the year. And panicle hydrangeas and oakleaf hydrangeas work best with two applications, once in April and once in June. Also, Hydrangea macrophylla is a species of the family Hydrangeaceae, native to Japan.
There are other small factors, too, such as ease of use. For example, some products do not need to be mixed before use, which is perfect for gardeners who like to save time would
What is the Best Time to Fertilize Hydrangeas?
Usually, hydrangeas grow best when fertilized one or two times during the year. Several experts and hardcore gardeners also mention that you should apply fertilizers twice, once during fall, and then once during spring.
That is because when you first fertilize during spring, and the product starts doing its magic, your plant does not have to undergo the heat of the summer or the chilliness of the winter. And that is why growth is smooth and not stunted.
If you want, you could also plant and fertilize your flowers somewhere during the early summer. That time frame will ensure that it is not too hot for your flowers to bloom and flourish. Make sure to add the plant food when you see buds. Also, make sure that the flowers have not already bloomed yet.
Although most experts say that fertilizing hydrangeas twice a year will be sufficient, you should do your research. Some fertilizers can last up to eight weeks, while a few do not last more than a week.
If you are making use of a fertilizer that is fast-release, you could make a light application during March, May, and July. Remember, too much could increase the risks of fertilizer burn.
Note: You can fertilize endless summer hydrangea in spring for blue flowers.
How to Fertilize Hydrangeas in Best Way?
Even though some people advise to make a special mix of plant food, these flowers do just fine with little to a regular amount of fertilizing. Knowing how to fertilize limelight hydrangeas is just as important as picking the right product to do the job.
Avoid spreading the supplement around the base. Instead, put it around the branches, around the drip lines.
If you have chosen a slow-release form of supplement, do not forget to cover it slightly. This will help activate the product, initiating the slow release of nutrients. You could provide the plants with a light dose of liquid iron twice a year, which will keep the leaves a healthy green color.
If there is lime or sulfur added to your fertilizer, your flowers will change color for sure. Hydrangeas turn pink when they are treated with lime, and when treated with sulfur, they turn blue. Both the color changes are gradual. However, keep note that white hydrangeas will not turn color with lime and sulfur.
It is a good idea to lightly fertilize your flowers in March, May, and July. Too much of supplements can burn the plants. This will first show up on the leaves of the plant; they will look scorched.
How much product should be used on a plant?
It is best to do a soil test to understand how much plant food you would require for your plants. Usually, the packet of the fertilizer will have clear directions on it to help you.
Is it possible to fertilize a plant too much?
Yes, it is. Too much of the supplement could not just burn the leaves of the plant, but also stunt its growth. One important note is that coffee grounds help to arise extra acidity in the soil around hydrangeas. For proper application, read the instructions and labels carefully. Also, if you are ever feeling doubtful, be cautious, and use only a little bit of the product.
What kind of hydrangea fertilizers should I use?
These supplements come in two forms in general – liquid or granular. The first kind allows fast action and can be applied when watering the plant. The latter gives comparatively slower action, releasing nutrients for the plant over the course of many months.
Should I fertilize a plant that is looking sick?
You need to figure out what is making the plant weak. Before worrying about the fertilizer, consider other options. For instance, check if the plant is getting enough water and light. Also, check for signs of any pests or diseases.
Since flowers are precious things that require love and care, it only makes sense to provide them with the top supplements. The items mentioned above are some of the best hydrangea fertilizers in the market now. These will ensure you vibrant, full, and beautiful flowers to beautify your garden.