Simple Ways to Change Hydrangea Flower Color
Are you wondering how to change hydrangea colors? If you didn’t even know that was a thing, it is! In this post, you’ll get all the information you need to possibly be able to change the coloring of your hydrangeas with just a few simple tips.
Depending on what coloring you’re going for, you can change your flower to be pink, blue, purple or another color option as well.
One thing that we can all agree on is that hydrangea flowers are quite a beautiful sight, no matter what color they might be.
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How Long Does it Take to Change Hydrangea Color?
This is where patience is going to be key. Some people want to try to change the coloring of their hydrangea plants from a very early age, but the easiest way to find success is to wait until the plant is actually a couple of years old.
This will give the plant time to grow and get its footing so that you can then work on transitioning it to a different color.
Can You Change the Color of a White Hydrangea?
Believe it or not, white hydrangea flowers cannot be changed. If they’re white, they’re going to stay white. (But don’t be too bummed – they’re quite stunning and beautiful as they are!)
Will Baking Soda Change the Color of Hydrangeas?
This is one of those little “tricks” that many people do to change the color of their flowers.
Adding a bit of baking soda to the soil around your hydrangeas will cause them to change the coloring and look different.
Will Vinegar Turn Hydrangeas Blue?
Actually, no. Adding vinegar will have an effect on the coloring of your flowers but it won’t turn them blue.
If you add vinegar to the base of your hydrangeas, you’re more than likely going to turn them pink in color.
Do Coffee Grounds Change the Color of Hydrangeas?
They do! Save up those coffee grounds and do something useful and fun with them.
Once you put them in the soil around the plant, you’ll notice that it will have an effect on the coloring over time.
How to Change Hydrangea Color
As you can see from the questions asked and answered above, there are many different ways that you can change the coloring of a hydrangea.
But when it comes down to it, what really makes the flowers change colors? Is it the sun, the additions, or just a stroke of good luck?
Actually, it has to do with the pH balance of the soil in and around the flowers.
Start by Testing Your Soil’s PH
Use a test kit to test the PH of your soil.
If you have soil that has a pH balance of 5.5, you’re going to find that your hydrangeas bloom in the color of blue and you will get purple with a PH of 5.5 to 6.5.
However, once you have soil with a pH balance of 7.0, you’ll start to see them bloom in bright reds and pinks!
And the good news? You have the ability to control the pH balance of the soil by adding in different things to change the coloring.
How to Change Hydrangea Color to Pink
To change hydrangea color from blue to pink, you will need to reduce the aluminum content of the soil to make it alkaline.
The best way to achieve that is by using garden lime to increase the PH of the soil. Use 1/2 cup of garden lime for every 10 square feet.
You will need to apply the garden lime every 3-4 weeks throughout the growing season to keep the hydrangeas blooming pink.
How to Turn Hydrangeas Blue
If you have pink hydrangeas (due to alkaline soil) and want to turn it blue, the simplest way to do that is by making the soil acidic, which requires increasing the aluminum content of the soil.
You can achieve this by adding aluminum sulfate, compost, coffee grounds and pine needles to the soil.
Note that the soil isn’t going to turn acidic overnight. So your hydrangeas are not going to turn blue overnight. It is a gradual process and can take up to a year to see your hydrangea turn blue.
You need to continue adding aluminum sulfate to the soil throughout the growing season to keep your hydrangea blue. Add 4 tbs of aluminum sulfate to 1 gallon of water and soak around the plant’s base every 2-4 weeks.
How to Change the Color of Hydrangeas to Purple
To change the color of your hydrangea to purple, follow the same process as with turning the color blue. That being said, instead of aiming for a PH of 5.5, you should aim for 5.5-6.5.
Are Tea Bags Good for Hydrangeas?
Adding tea bags to your soil around the flower will actually turn your flower color to blue.
What a fun way to change the coloring of your plants and flowers!
Are Eggshells Good for Hydrangeas?
Many people will save up their eggshells, crush them up, and add them to the soil around their hydrangeas.
This will ultimately make their flowers turn into a beautiful shade of pink.
Why are My Hydrangea Flowers Turning Brown?
If you notice that your flowers are turning brown, this isn’t a color that you should want!
In fact, brown blooms on your hydrangea plant is an indicator that you’re needing to give them more water. This is a sign that they’re wilting and need to be given a boost.
What Does an Overwatered Hydrangea Look Like?
This is where it gets tricky. If you underwater OR overwater, you’re going to notice that the leaves are turning brown.
This means that you’ll have to really pay attention to your plant and the soil surrounding your plant so that you know what action you need to take.
Just because you see brown leaves doesn’t mean that your plants are lacking water. It could actually mean that they have too much water instead!
Final Thoughts on How to Change the Color of Hydrangeas
Now that you know that there are ways that you can take control and change the color of your hydrangea plants, start thinking about how you’re wanting to make it happen.
As you can tell from the tips above, you can easily change the way your flowers look with some simple household food and drink items as well!
Make certain that you find out the pH balance of the soil so that you can easily dial in what steps you need to take.
When it comes to figuring out how to change hydrangea color, what color of a flower are you hoping to get?
