bigleaf hydrangea

Water bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Maculata') twice weekly, pouring 1-2 inches of water directly onto the soil. During early summer until the fall, you can reduce the frequency of watering to every other week. Always check the soil moisture before watering as to not overwater the plant; it should feel relatively dry before the next watering. When in doubt, you can always wait a few days longer to irrigate as overwatering can lead to root rot. In the summer months, you may also want to consider giving your hydrangea a few thorough waterings every 10 days to keep the soil cool and moist.

Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Maculata') is best grown in an area of the garden that receives full sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon. This plant grows best when it is exposed to at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. For the best flowering potential, plant your Hydrangea in an area with plenty of sun from sunrise to mid-afternoon and partial shade during the hot afternoon hours.

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Maculata') should be pruned annually in late winter or very early spring, just before they begin to show signs of new growth. Prune each stem of the bigleaf hydrangea to a length of 12 to 18 inches from the ground. Remove any dead, diseased, or broken branches and any branches that are growing too far from the center of the shrub. Pruning off 1-third of the oldest branches will promote air circulation, which will help prevent disease and allow more light to reach the center of the shrub. You can also shape the shrub by pruning away some of the lateral branches to give it more structure. Bigleaf hydrangeas bloom on the previous year’s growth, so don’t prune more than what is necessary.