I long for blue hydrangeas. All around me these plants are blue and mine are a dirty pink.
Can I add rusty nails and the like underneath the branches to increase my chances of getting a change of colour?
This particular problem comes up on a regular basis and the answer will always be the same; do not add nails or rusty iron beneath hydrangeas for they will not change the colour for you.
Get a quantity of Alum and apply at six week intervals around the root spread. Roughly two small cups of alum will be sufficient at each application.
Pink cyclamen flowersI have noticed pink cyclamen in gardens near to where I live and I’m wondering when these become available in garden outlets. Can you help?
These cyclamen are available during September and October. They require an acid type soil (no lime) and need to be planted to half their depth only. The blooms last from late August to November.
Their leaves arrive after flowering and last up to May. See item above.
A fuschia blossoming outdoorsI have seen some very good fuchsias for sale locally but I’m slow to invest in case they’re a tender variety.
Is there any way of knowing?
Unless the plants are marked as ‘hardy’ there’s really no way of knowing.
For all that, buy what you see for your letter says your area is usually frost-free during winter.
If very cold weather arrives cover with fleece, dry peat or bracken fronds.
See More: Cyclamen, Fuchsias, Hydrangeas
