Hydrangeas

[Samuraisan]

Does anybody know why the flowers have lost their colour ?

[Robinia]

Have they had any colour at all? Are they in sunshine all day? It's early for hydrangeas, where are you?

[jno]

hyndrangeas are sensitive to a lot of things - soil, weather etc. Looks like acidic fertiliser might help

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf51958593.tip.html

[Samuraisan]

In Spain Robinia. I was bought a beautiful potted one and put it outside. It's not dying but the flowers are fading. Should I cut them off ?

[Prudie]

No don't cut them off. In the UK the dead heads should be left on right through the winter to offer some protection against frosts. They do fade with age - is that all it is? Plus as mentioned the colour is very dictated by the soil acidity. A blue one bought for example may well turn to pink once planted in the garden.

[Robinia]

Ah, that explains it...Spain has plenty of sunshine :)
As Prudie has said, don't cut them off, they fade with age and sun.

[Samuraisan]

Okay , thanks a bunch ( no pun intended) I will them as they are. I will have to stop OH form getting his shears out.

[Old_Geezer]

You can buy acid & alkaline chemicals to add to the soil to change to blue or pink. I'm unsure what you do if it has no colour at all. Not a white variety is it ?

[Chipchopper]

I'm also thinking that the flowering time in sunny Spain starts earlier and finishes earlier than it dose in the UK, and thats why they are fading.

I've been buying blueberries from Spain for several weeks now, but mine are still green and far from ripe, here in the UK.