Use and Care Manual

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We hope you enjoy your new plants!
How to Care for a Nikko!Blue!Hydrangea!Shrub
Hydrangea!macrophylla!‘Nikko!Blue
SELECT&SITE:!
! Light!Requirements:!Partial!Shade!(shaded!at!least!4!hrs/day)!::!best!site!is!with!morning!
! sun!and!afternoon!shade!
!
! This!shrub!will!grow!to!be!4-6!ft.!tall!&!wide;!Space!4!ft.!away!from!other!plants!or!
! structures!!
!
! Thrives!in!!loamy,!well!drained,!organically!enriched!soil.!!Blooms!are!pink!in!alkaline!
! soils!and!the!!blue!flowers!come!when!the!soil!is!acidic,!it!is!easy!to!raise!acidity!by!
! applying!a!Hydrangea!fertilizer!as!directed!on!package.!!
!
! Versatile!Plant!for:!!
! ! Cottage!garden.!Deciduous!borders!&!hedges.!Near!the!home!foundation.!In!a!
! ! patio!pot.!
!
! Ideal!USDA!Plant!Hardiness!Zones:!6,7,8,9!
&
PLANT&PREP:!!!Open!box!upon!arrival,!remove!packing!materials!to!let!the!plant!“breathe”.!!
Remove!tape!and!newspaper.!!Water!well.!!There!are!drainage!holes!in!the!bottom!of!the!pot!so!
do!this!outside!where!the!extra!water!will!drain!away.!
!
HOLE PREP: Dig!saucer!shaped!hole.!The!depth!is!determined!by!measuring!the!height!of!the!
roots!from!root!flare!to!bottom.!The!width!is!2-3!times!the!root!ball!diameter.!Using!these!
calculations,!the!ideal!hole!for!the!new!bush!will!be!approximately!10”!tall!by!24-30”!wide.!
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PLANTING:!!Place!plant!in!hole!and!adjust!for!aesthetics.!!Hold!in!place!while!adding!more!soil,!
until!the!hole!is!completely!filled.!!Push!soil!down!until!firm.!!Do!not!plant!the!shrub!deeper!than!
it!has!already!been!growing.!!Water!well!immediately!after!planting.!!Mulch!evenly!to!a!depth!of!
2-3!inches!being!sure!to!stay!at!least!4”!away!from!its!trunk.!!
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FUTURE&MAINTENANCE:!
!
Water!well!regularly,!in!the!form!of!1”!of!rainfall!or!irrigation!per!week!(equivalent!to!a!5-gallon!
bucket!full),!often!more!frequently!in!extremely!warm!areas!or!if!in!a!pot.!!!!
!
To!get!blue!flowers,!apply!a!Hydrangea!fertilizer!as!recommended!on!package!to!raise!the!soil!pH!
soil!level;!otherwise,!the!shrub!could!bear!pink!blooms.!
!
Rarely!needs!pruning,!however:!!Blooms!on!old!wood.!!Next!year’s!buds!are!set!in!late!summer!&!
early!fall!so!if!any!trimming!is!necessary,!it!MUST!be!done!prior!to!this.!!Any!pruning!after!late!
summer!runs!the!risk!of!removing!next!year’s!flowers.!!Dead!branches!can!be!trimmed!any!time.
OnlinePlantCenter®!2020!