Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Forever Pink’
I love this hydrangea! I bought 200 rooted cuttings for 55¢ each, potted them up in mid-May and by mid-summer they had flushed out and were blooming like crazy.
I didn’t get these two photos until September so by that time the blooms were going away, wish I had gotten the blooms earlier because they were spectacular.
This hydrangea is rated for zones 6 through 9 but I bought these rooted cuttings from a zone 5 nursery and I’m sure their stock plants are growing outside in an unprotected environment.
This is the first winter for the ones that we potted in May so that’s really all I know about cold hardiness of this plant.
If you add aluminum sulfate around the base of the plant in spring the flowers will head in the direction of being light blue and maybe even dark blue. If you want deep pink flowers, sprinkle a little agricultural lime around the base of the plant in the spring.
This is a super easy plant to care for. Most of my hydrangeas I cut back to the size that I want at the end of the growing season.
Questions about when and how to prune hydrangeas?
I thought so. Not too long ago I wrote an Article about Hydrangea Pruning. Take a Peek.
Forever Pink Hydrangea appreciates moist soil and a bit of shade, but my potted cuttings were growing in full sun and they did fine. But we did keep them well watered.
Mike, where can I buy rooted cuttings for 55¢ each?
I knew you were going to ask that and to be honest, that was an incredible deal, but there are spectacular deals in The Buy/Sell Section of our Members Area on a daily basis. Rooted cuttings are usually less than one dollar each. But you have to check that area daily because new ads go up daily and old ads come down. Many things sell out in a matter of just a few hours so you have to watch it like a hawk. Especially during the growing season.
If you don’t see what you are looking for just ask. Either another member has what you need, or they will direct you to a wholesale source where you can them at deeply discounted wholesale prices.
Get Paid for Growing Small Plants at Home.
Questions or comments? Post them below and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.
Mike,
Hydrangea color has me bumfuzzled. In your text you said “If you add aluminum sulfate around the base of the plant in spring the flowers will head in the direction of being light blue and maybe even dark blue. If you want deep pink flowers, sprinkle a little agricultural lime around the base of the plant in the spring.”
Then you suggested to Marge that aluminium sulfate and acid soil were good for pink color. How can it be both? Oh, what about epsom salts? Blue or pink?
Thanks , Ray Busler
Ray,
If that’s what I said to Marge I obviously messed up. Aluminum sulfate and acid soils will darken the blue color of blue hydrangeas which can often be pink if the soil is too alkaline. According to this article Epsom salts are pretty much neutral. https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/training-center/myth-series-epsom-salt-decreases-the-ph-of-growing-media/
What are you selling your standard 2 quart plants for this year?
Bill,
$6.97 each.
Mike, do you think a hydrangea would do well as a privacy hedge? What are some good privacy hedges that are not hard to maintain?
Joe T
Joe,
Emerald Green Arborvitae would be perfect, no pruning required. Hydrangeas? Probably not a great choice.
im sorry i cant afford your membership but were both on limited income or i would, but been following your newsletter and watched all your videos on you tube have learned a bunch watching them, im propagating several things thanks to you but have yet to sell any but it keeps this old veteran sane lol GOD BLESS YOU.
I’m happy that what I do is helpful and inspiring!
23 running for me now. . .very inspiring and just plain fun watching your journey and doing a little ourselves as time and circumstance has permitted
That goes for me too! Not the veteran bit, the appreciation. I would have joined the in group long ago if it were not for being in Canada.
Leneke,
We have a number of Canadian members who do really well growing and selling small plants. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Hi Mike I took a few Annabelle hydrangea cuttings around Christmas and left about 6/7inch. above ground quite a lot have started into leaf but some just have buds at the base and leaf at the top.Do I trim them back to just above the lowest buds to get a neater plant or do they need all the leaf to develop roots
James,
You really only want a cutting about 4″ long total, just one, two or three buds above the soil line. You can trim them now.
Thanks and keep safe
Mike, We have several evergreen trees on the edge of our lot which is at the top of a steep bank. The bank is full of tree roots, tree stumps (roots are still there) and rocks all in very clay like soil.. After 4 summers of trying to grow anything on the bank or under the trees without luck, I’ve decided to cover the area with top soil and plant ground cover. I’ve already ordered ground cover and plan to order the top soil this next week. I am open to any suggestions and tips you might have fopr this project. I’m at the age where I do not need to lift rock and haul dirt any more … though I still love to play in the dirt … my therapy.
I love your website, I have learned so much from you. Thank you so much for all your advise.and humor. Love it.
Darlene, just keep the ground cover weeded and watered until it fills in.
Vinca minor, pachysandra, cottoneaster, rubus calycinoids creeping sedums, creeping junipers. All great erosion control
May I suggest not planting vinca minor? It’s invasive and Extension offices recommend against it.
Hi Mike,
I live in New York State about 100 miles northwest of NYC. I have a hill behind my house about 60 feet across and about 30 feet to the top. The pitch of the hill is about 30 degrees facing north.
Last year, I had all the trees cut down on the hill and the hill is now bare.
I spoke to local landscaper about what to put on the hill and he said he would put 4 or 5 Norweigan Pines on the hill about $400 each. Then I was asking him about a ground cover that would spread and cover the rest of the hill so no weeds come up. I also want to put a crabapple, a pear tree and a peach tree.
I think this is a multi year project. I would love to use your resources to get the rest of the hill filled in and grow the stuff myself to put on the hill.
What do you think?
Thanks,
Mike
Mike,
I’d say that is very realistic. Somethings you are better buying, like the crabapple, but ground cover material you can easily grow.
http://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Test drive the members area; http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Love your site Mike! Loaded with great information. I am interested in the Forever Pink Hydrangea. Will this need acidic soil to remain pink?
Marge,
I would say yes to have a deep pink, just add some aluminum sulfate around the plant.
Wait Mike….don’t you remove the aluminum for pink? Lime is for pink and aluminum is for blue? right? Every year I have to look it up before I spread some on my blue hydrangeas as it gets confusing.
Thanks Mike!
Lori,
Aluminum sulfate is for making blue hydrangeas truly blue.
I purchased a Forever Pink Hydrangea the year after they came out, and have had it over 30 yr. We have acid soil, and it has never been pink because of the acid. Instead of fighting it, I throw apple peels and cores under the bush, the more the better. My hydrangea flowers are a super dark blue/purple color. Easy plant to make new plants from also, a pretty tough bush.
Darlene
Darlene,
Kindly what zone are you in? I so want to grow so many plants until I find out what zone they require. I’m in zone 4a.
Thanks,
Kathryn
I am in zone 7. Some hydrangeas may die there, but the ones that come back from the roots every yr. are the ones to plant in your zone. Do a search for it to find out the ones for your zone. They are easy to propagate also, think I had 50, but slowly giving them away, as my broken hip makes me downsize on gardening.
Darlene
Hi Mike! I was just wondering why my tulips don’t grow stems…they are blooming directly atop the dirt?!
Melissa,
I’d guess that it’s the variety that you have.
Mike, when is the best time to do crape myrtles cuttings not having any luck doing them in the. Winter
Greg,
I would say June here, late May to early June in warmer climates. That was a crazy answer, they don’t grow here! Too cold for them.
Hi Mike I have a river birch that started losing leaves like crazy then I noticed little bumps on the leaves and some of the leaves that had fallen off looked like a piece of lace. I’m hoping you can tell me what is wrong with it ?
Sharon,
Part of the problem sounds like Japanese Beetles eating the leafs or another insect eating the leaves. See this https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_beni.pdf
Hi Mike, I found you on Bloglovin, and I’m glad I did. I Love you site. You are as down to earth as I am. I also love to work with plants am a Landscape Designer. I love to get my hands dirty, no gloves for me. I am now Retired and Blog for a living. I am very interested in your Book about Growing Plants At Home. I plan to order it soon. I do have a question for you? Do you have to have a Ag Licence to sell the plants? I live in Northwesten Pa, and I know I had to get one when I was Landscaping. I just wanted to tell you that you do a wonderful Job with your Designs. They are very colorful and all the Plants work very well together. I will be back to read more of your articles, they are very interesting and entertaining. Thanks for sharing Mike
Donna,
You do need a license. As a landscaper you had a nursery stock dealers license, to grow and sell you need a growers license. Thank you for your kind words.
Trouble getting hydrangeas to grow after planting… How much sunlight/water do they need? They were planted to get morning sun and afternoon shade… Do you think they are not getting enough light? Thanks for any help you can give me…
Karen,
I would say they are getting plenty of light. Just water as needed, don’t keep them soaking wet. They should do fine.
Mike, I appreciate all of the work you go to just to help other gardeners. I love the little donkeys and would love to see them up close. Just keep posting advice and the great pictures and ideas.
Thanks Marsha, I’ll do my best to keep the donkeys fresh in your mind.
i would love to see videos on plants and there common names for shopping . on your page and the plant at its best . thanks
Hi Mike,
Thank you for great ideas and the hope of starting something new!
Dear Mike,
I would really like to find out who to order the 55c hydrangeas.. I love them,but have a hard time growing them. I live in central Alabama . I really like your website and even though I don’t know how you find the time to do it, I’m very glad you do..Thank you so much for that. I would love to win a free membership as well as a chance at the tiller. I’m thinking I registered for that some time back.
Love the little donkeys. Thanks again.
Sandra, the best way to buy Hydrangea and other plants at prices under a dollar or under $2 is in our members area. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Mike,
I love this plant and have tried for years to grow it. Thanks to your little $ 7.00 book, I now have 8
plants now about 2-5 gallon size growing in my garden.
Took cuttings from my friends plants and nourished them all winter and they just grew and grew.
Thanks for all you help.
Did you ever get the question n my piles and piles of eucalyptus mulch ?
Kitty
A trick I learned sometime ago, add 2 or 3 handfulls of rusty nails around the base in early spring, about an inch or 2 deep, and keep them watered well. Turns them a nice really pretty pale blue, almost sky like.
Hi Mike,
I love your newsletters and would love to win a membership!
Thank you,
Teresa
Hopefully this is where we register for your FREE Backyard membership. The little garden club here in Leakey, TX will need to sell some plants as soon as their greenhouse begins to produce. Thank you for your guidance over the years. We wish you the best in all you do. Jim
Believe it or not, I just clicked on the picture of the forever pink hydrangea in your original email and was sent to this site. I already printed out the directions to make the hydrangeas blue. The ones on Cape Cod are beautiful. They also have lace cap hydrangeas in a very deep blue on caoe but I haven’t seen any in CT
Love the articles, donkeys, your wife, etc!
Dottie
I just read your comprehensive article on trimming Hydrangeas, –trip after bloom–what do you do wih those that carry their blooms all winter? Are they old or new wood? Thank you for having this meeting with me every day….I’ve learned such a lot….I’m 83, too., and stilll starting my own seedlings….
Mary,
Even those that bloom on old wood, trim right after they bloom and you’ll be fine. I cut some Nikko Blue to the ground in May and the bloomed that summer?????
Hi Mike, last week some one gave me 3 shrubs because they were pouring a cement pad where they were. I dug them out, transported them 10 miles and replanted them. The person claimed that they were a type of miniature lilac???. I live near Boise Idaho, zone 6. Any tips on helping them survive? I did use a dry rooting compound when I planted them.
who can i purchase a couple of these from?
A Mantis Tiller would save my hurting back!
Joyce Stanzel
Mile, I love all of your advice for gardening. I am 84 years old and still love to garden. Are you going to sell some of your “Forever Pink Hydrangeas”. I would love to buy one if you should decide to sell
them. Please let me know. I would love to have a Mantis Tiller because the one I have now is too
big for me to handle. Thank you for all your information.
can you trick a root or bulb by putting them in the friig. for some time ,then planting them to make them spout?
Jerry,
I’m sure you could if you mimick natural conditions. But then you are moving them outside completely out of sequence with the rest of the world.