Gardener's Yards All About Gardening People worldwide admire hydrangeas for their colorful-ball-like flowers, and it would be nice to know how to keep hydrangeas pink.
While some prefer blue hydrangeas, some love pink hydrangeas, and others find purple more royal and rare.
Which One Do You Prefer?
If you love pretty pink and want your hydrangea to bloom big-showy pink flowers, this article is for you.
In this brief guide, we will inform you about the mechanism of color variation in hydrangeas.
What are the most effective ways to change the color of your hydrangeas to pink?
What role do pH and aluminum content play in determining the color of hydrangeas?
To know how you can grow pink hydrangeas, let’s first understand the mechanism of color variation in hydrangeas.
What Is the Mechanism of Color Variation in Hydrangeas?
According to studies, the color variation in hydrangeas depends on the soil’s aluminum content and pH level.
The high content of aluminum grows beautiful blue hydrangeas.
In contrast, low or no content of aluminum grows pretty pink hydrangeas.
How does pH affect the color variation if aluminum determines whether the hydrangea will bloom blue or pink flowers?
The aluminum content in the soil is indirectly linked with the pH level of your garden soil.
If your garden soil has a lower pH level, it is more likely to have a higher aluminum content.
A higher pH level may signal that your garden soil has less aluminum.
Thus, it is highly significant to determine your soil’s pH level before deciding on the method.
How To Check the Soil Ph Level?
- The simplest way to determine the exact pH level of your soil is through lab tests.
Bring some garden soil to the nearest nursery or any local extension service.
The local extension service will run the test and let you know the exact pH level of your garden soil. - Another simple and quick way to check the pH level of your garden soil is through the soil test kit.
If your soil pH level is below 5.5, then it is acidic.
If the pH level is at or above 7, your soil is alkaline and perfect for growing pink hydrangeas.
Once you have determined the pH level of your garden soil, now let us help you modify the pH level of your garden soil.
The perfect pH level for growing pink hydrangeas is around 6.5 to 7.5.
Remember that more than this may harm the nutrient balance of the soil.
The following are the most effective ways to maintain soil alkalinity and grow pink hydrangeas.
Ways To Keep Hydrangeas Pink
Garden Lime
Use garden lime to alter the pH level of your garden soil and grow pink hydrangeas.
Generally speaking, people use garden lime to make the soil neutral or more alkaline, where the soil is highly acidic.
Garden lime, also known as calcium carbonate, provides the soil with enough calcium.
Calcium is a healthy nutrient required for proper hydrangeas growth.
For pink hydrangeas, dip garden lime deep into your garden soil.
The garden lime should be well incorporated into the soil for better results and high soil alkalinity.
The garden lime doesn’t dissolve well with the water and needs more soil moisture for better results.
How Much Garden Lime Should You Add To Increase The Soil Ph?
How much garden lime you should add to the soil for pink hydrangeas primarily depends on two main factors:
- First, what is the pH level of your garden soil?
- What is your garden soil texture? Is it clay soil or sandy soil?
The below table will help you choose the right amount of garden lime.
Soil Texture Soil pH Between 4.0-4.5
Soil pH Between 4.6-5.0
Soil pH Between 5.0-5.5
Sands
400 g/m²
250 g/m²
150 g/m²
Loams
550 g/m²
325 g/m²
200 g/m²
Clay sand
950 g/m²
625 g/m²
350 g/m²
Though the results of garden lime last for a long time, it takes a long time to kick in.
You have to add garden lime repeatedly in the fall to see satisfactory results in the spring.
How To Keep Hydrangeas Pink Naturally?
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is the most cost-effective way to turn your hydrangea flowers into pretty pink.
Although it is the most inexpensive way, the results don’t last long.
You have to add baking soda, again and again, to maintain the soil alkalinity for growing pink hydrangeas.
The best practice is to check the soil pH level after every two to four weeks.
Other than being inexpensive, baking soda is also very gentle on plants.
Therefore, you can use baking soda on hydrangeas without any worry.
As baking soda is very alkaline with a pH of 8, a small amount increases the soil’s alkalinity to grow pink hydrangeas.
Add only a tablespoon or 10 grams per gallon of water.
Too much baking soda can make the soil more alkaline and disturb the natural ecology of the soil.
2. Animal Manure
According to the Journal of the Soil Science Society of America, animal manure can increase soil pH.
To grow pink hydrangeas, cover your garden soil with fresh cattle manure.
This will increase the soil’s alkalinity to grow pink hydrangeas and the number of nutrients in the soil.
More Tips on Fertilizers
You need to have regular applications of garden lime to keep the pink blossoms consistent.
Fertilizing your hydrangeas too frequently may cause them to grow vibrantly, but it may also stunt the growth of the stems.
So you must bear that in mind.
If you are considering to use organic fertilizers, then they are usually made from natural materials like manure or composted animal waste as we have discussed in the blog post.
If you opt to use lime, first, using a trowel or a spacer, create a 4- to 6-inch-deep ring around each plant.
Then, apply lime to the barrier ring several times a year.
Take note that fertilizers high in nitrogen will promote rapid leaf growth.
How To Keep Hydrangeas From Becoming White
Your pink hydrangeas are probably starting to show their age as the blossoms turn white.
But this is not a sign of aging. Rather, it is the result of the nutrients in your soil changing over time.
You can revive your pink blossoms by restoring soil balance.
Fortunately, hydrangea blossoms that have turned white can be restored to their original pink color.
Conclusion
Choose any of the above methods to grow big, showy flowers of pink hydrangeas.
The higher pH level of the soil will directly affect the number of aluminum in your garden soil.
The lesser amount of aluminum will let your hydrangea bloom pretty pink flowers.
The higher the soil alkalinity, the pinkier the blooming flowers of the hydrangeas will be.
