Hydrangeas on Clay?

I've been propagating, and buying, a collection of Hydrangeas, which I was planning to plant this Autumn.

I've heard several [local] people say, recently, that they don't grow Hydrangeas "because they don't grow on clay" - is this true?

or is it just that because most clay is Alkaline what they actually mean is "I don't grow them because they won't be Blue" (which is definitely not my aim!)

 

? Well the soil round here is clay-ish. There were three hydrangeas here when I moved in and they are the most successful thing in my garden! Masses of blooms.

Never heard of the clay thing?

 

I have very clay soil and mine have grown fine

 

I wish I had asked them what their concern was ...

 

There are three predominate flowering shrubs in my neighbourhood. Roses, fuchsias, and hydrangeas. We are all on clay round here.

 

Maybe my soil isn't so clay ish...the blooms started out white and became bluer? Only thing I added was slug pellets

 

You're not fooling me with that "Slug pellets make Hydrangeas blue" gag!!!

Lots depends on the variety, or course. You can often get away with some Aluminium salts to get them to go Blue - we even used to use rusty iron once-upon-a-time ... , so perhaps you have some metals [nearby] in the soil?

But you would probably have to be Neutral, if not Acid, for just some casual bits of metal to turn them Blue.

 

Haha, I'm trying to convince someone! I've found some random nails in the borders, maybe that's it

 

Well that's what I thought too ... I wonder what was bothering the folk I talked too ... got to try to remember who said it now so I can ask them!

 

Well from memory the Hydrangeas in my Father's garden were amazing and that was on notorious London clay.I grow various Hydrangeas here on a relatively light soil but mulch well with rotted manure to retain water and to feed them as our soil isn't rich like clay.Perhaps your thought on not getting blue colour is the reason, not the type of soil. I'd have no worries if I was you. good luck with them.

 

My own and the ones next door grow very well on clay - and have been particularly good this year - but they are all in damp slightly shady spots. Perhaps the problem is dry clay in full sun.

 

I was reading an American site, and that was talking about them needing shade "down South" but able to cope with full sun "up North" - I expect that UK climate is not as far North as they were referring to in the USA, and thus some shade would help. I'm aiming for dappled shade - but the trees are going in at the same time as the Hydrangeas, so they won't get that from Day One ...

 

Kristen - I think the point about shade, for us, is really about keeping the soil moist. I doubt that full sun, per se, is a problem.