Hydrangea 'Runaway Bride'

When should I plant Hydrangea Runaway Bride?

The best time to plant Hydrangea Runaway Bride is anytime during autumn, winter, and spring. This enables the plant to recover from the transplanting process and establish before the heat of summer arrives. You can still plant Runaway Bride Hydrangeas in summer provided you keep the water up to them. Make sure you a choose a sheltered location that gets full sun for at least five hours per day and has a moist and well-drained soil. When planting do not put any fertiliser in the hole, but rather spread is across the soil surface after planting and then water the plant well. The Plant Company recommends placing bark mulch or similar around the plants after planting to suppress weeds and preserve the soil moisture. With these tips we are sure your Runaway Bride Hydrangea will reward you with beautiful flowers and foliage.

What is the best fertiliser for Hydrangea Runaway Bride?

Hydrangea Runaway Bride is a vigorous plant that requires feeding to keep it flowering and growing optimally. A lot of articles have all sorts of advice on this subject but we prefer to keep it simple. The Plant Company’s shrub fertiliser has been blended to give plants an initial boost and then sustained nutrition for 12-months. This fertiliser is applied to the soil surface in spring just as the buds start to burst. More importantly, we advise that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through the roots as it releases. The Plant Company’s shrub fertiliser ensures that nutrients remain in the soil around the plant rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant cannot reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils. This fertiliser is therefore very environmentally friendly and longer lasting than most other products in the market and is therefore the best fertiliser for Hydrangea Runaway Bride. It can also be blended with fertiliser for acid-loving plants if you think the soil needs acidifying.

What are the garden uses for Hydrangea Runaway Bride?

Hydrangea Runaway Bride is a much-loved shrub. It is most commonly grown as specimen, used as an informal hedge, added to a mixed planting, or planted as a backdrop for smaller plants. It is a great complement to a modern or cottage garden, bringing both colour and elegance to a space. It is the gorgeous foliage and beautiful flowers of this plant that makes the Hydrangea Runaway Bride an excellent choice.

How to prune Hydrangea Runaway Bride

Hydrangea Runaway Bride are pruned each winter to contain growth and encourage fresh, new growth that will bear flowers. The Plant Company recommends they are pruned back to a low crown which has short stems (about 10 cm long) with at least two buds on each stem remaining. Any dead stems should also be removed at this time, along with stems that are criss-crossing or show disease. Young plants will generally be left with five stems whereas older plants can have 10 stems remaining. These can be thinned back if desired which will help produce bigger flower heads. The Plant Company recommends leaving longer stems on younger plants to help them establish quicker. In general, the harder the plant is pruned back, the more contained it will grow the next season. Flowering can be affected with hard pruning but that is more likely to cause delayed flowering only. A mistake often made with pruning Hydrangea Runaway Bride is to not prune the plants hard enough. This error results in a woodier plant and a much larger plant that can be difficult to contain.

Hydrangea Runaway Bride care

Caring for Hydrangea Runaway Bride is simply about getting a few easy things right so the plant thrives. They prefer a sheltered spot in either full sun or part shade. Only in very hot climates should full sun positions be avoided. A well-drained, fertile soil is crucial. Adding organic matter like compost into the soil during planting will help with soil fertility. They prefer a moist soil so consistent watering is essential, especially during dry periods but be careful to avoid overwatering as this can lead to root rot. Applying shrub fertiliser in spring will keep the Hydrangea Runaway Bride plants well-fed for the year. Prune in late winter or early spring and continue to remove spent flowers to encourage further blooming. Applying mulch around the base of the plant helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. Monitor for pests like aphids and diseases like powdery mildew and treat as needed with appropriate measures.