Mulching Hydrangeas

I would like to mulch a large bed which contains only Hydrangeas, to supress weeds. To keep them blue what is a safe mulch to use

islayhawk

 

not sure a mulch will change much .... you need to add a fertilizer regulary, suited to blue (a fertilizer that has aluminium) ....

read this:
http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html

 

The mulch is to keep the weeds down. However I do not want one that is alkaline in nature

islayhawk

 

if you read the link, there is a section explaing how to plant them .... they make mention of pine bark (not wood) .... so, perhaps a mulch of pinebark?

 

I was always told in days way back then, by real gardeners
that they kept the colour of them using
copper either sulphate or bits of piping in the soil for Blue
Iron, or bits of rusty metal in the soil for Red

I do not have scientific proof but I do know that bits of copper piping buried below
the plant, do make a pale blue plant darker blue
I impressed my new inlaws (daughters husbands parents) with my knowledge
OMG it worked :-) they think I am the Gardener from Eden

They have not visited our home yet and seen the 12 scabby green tomatoes(last years crop), and meadow for a lawn

Jack McH