I've got several hydrangeas scattered around my yard, and I'm looking to change the color of their blooms. I've bought two soil amendments—one for making them more pink and another for blue. Right now, they're all kinda purple. The instructions suggest applying these in the spring. Am I wasting my time if I apply them now, in the middle of summer? Will it negatively affect my plants?
2 Answers
It might not be the best idea to add those amendments now, especially if you don’t know your soil’s starting pH. The color of hydrangea flowers is pretty much determined by the soil pH at the time they start pushing out buds. So changing it mid-summer might not show any results until the next bloom season.
Changing soil pH takes time, so if you were thinking of using lime or similar amendments, it might not kick in until summer is over. I’ve heard of some quick-acting pH products, but they might just be a marketing gimmick. If you're curious about this, I found a helpful article on it [here](https://gardenerbible.com/how-long-does-lime-take-to-change-soil-ph/).