ROBERTA S M89811 Endless Summer Pop Star Big Leaf Hydrangea Instructions

: June 9, 2024
: ROBERTA S

Table of Contents

Tips for Success
Quick Reference
Planting Steps
Plant Caretaking
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

ROBERTA S M89811 Endless Summer Pop Star Big Leaf Hydrangea Instructions

Tips for Success

We Help You Grow!: For a quick video demonstrating how to properly plant and care for your new Hydrangea, simply search “Bigleaf Hydrangea Growing Guide with Devin Wallien” to find his informative video online. Further information and growing tips can be found at RobertasUniqueGardens.com & QVC.com

Plants look Dry or Foliage appears Lackluster: Sometimes plants may appear dried out and wilted after the voyage. Do not despair. When this happens the foliage may look lackluster but the rootstock is still perfectly healthy and alive. To plump your plants back up, water them and wait 5 minutes and then water them again. This will generally rehydrate them. Keep these plants well-watered until you can re-plant them into larger containers or in the garden within the next week. If plants arrive dry, it is often because the roots have outgrown the small shipping pots and need more room to grow; roots tend to dry out quickly in small containers. Your plants are very much alive and when you transplant them into larger pots or the earth, they will start growing quickly! So, re-plant them as soon as possible. Remove any yellow or brown foliage. If a lot of the plant’s foliage has yellowed, you may cut the foliage back to just above the soil line. This will give your plant a chance to restart, and it encourages bushier, thicker growth.

Water: Water your plants immediately after taking them out of the box. Give them enough water so that the soil appears damp and water trickles out the bottom of the pot. Mophead hydrangea love to watered regularly. If you notice the foliage is wilty, that means it is time to give them a drink. Many gardeners use mophead hydrangea as an indicator plant telling them when their garden needs to be watered.

First Year Maintenance: For perennials, the first year (or sometimes two) will require additional maintenance. During the first season of growth, even if the plant is known to be drought-tolerant, it is very important to water your plants on a regular basis, meaning up to 3-4 times per week. When plants are in their infancy stage, they need to be watered by their caretaker until they’ve had a chance to build a strong enough root system to subsist on their own. If you are experiencing severe heat, drought like conditions, or your plants appear consistently droopy, you may need to water your plants almost every day.

Flower Color: The color of your flowers depends on the pH of your soil. For blue flowers an acidic soil is needed and this can be achieved over time by adding in organic mulches such as pine needles. Raspberry red flowers arise in alkaline soils; you can make your soil more alkaline by adding garden lime into the surrounding soil.

We aren’t happy if you aren’t happy. If you have any questions regarding your order please call us at 1-765-525-4065 during the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm EST. You can email questions to us at: customerservice@robertasinc.com.

If your bulbs, cuttings, etc. do not sprout, or your plant dies within one year from the date of shipment, we will send you a replacement free of charge. We cannot accept responsibility for losses due to extreme weather or neglect. Simply call us at the above toll tree number or fill out the plant replacement form on our website at RobertasUniqueGardens.com.

Roberta’s will replace it with a similar or comparable plant at no charge. If your replacement is not available or it is too late in the season to ship, it will ship the following year.

Quick Reference

Plant Type: Perennial

Light/Sun: Partial Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Height: 18-36”

Mature Spread: 18-36”

Bloom Time: Summer to Fall, by second season

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9

Planting Steps

Step 1 Remove plants from their box and take off other packing materials. Open your box outside or somewhere you don’t mind getting messy, as some of the soil may have been shaken loose in transit.

Step 2 Check if your plant is thirsty. They probably need a nice drink of water after their voyage. If the plant feels light or the soil is dry to the touch, give your plants a watering.

Step 3 Allow your plants time to adjust to their new home before re- planting by placing them in a warm sunny spot for 1-2 days. Then they will be ready for re-planting with renewed vigor.

Step 4 Pull away or cut off any yellow or brown leaves, or any old flowers – this is normal.

Step 5 Transplant into the garden or containers as soon as evening temperatures stay above 40F. Dig holes the width of the root ball and deep enough so that the original top of the soil is flush with the new soil line. Water the new location before and after planting your plant. This will help the young roots stay hydrated. Once you’ve placed your plant in the hole, fill in the rest of the hole with extra soil or potting mix, ensuring the entire root system is covered with soil.

Plant Caretaking

Upon Arrival: Please take plants out of the box immediately and remove any shipping materials from around the plants. Give them some water and place them in a warm sunny area for 1-2 days before replanting.

Planting Depth & Spacing: Dig a deep enough hole so that the entire plant easily fits into the hole and the top of the soil line of your plant is flush with the top of the soil in the hole you have dug, about 8-10” deep. It is important that the soil line of your plant does not protrude above the soil line in the ground or container. Space plants about 3-4’ apart in the garden.

Potted Plants: Make sure your container has holes to allow excess water to drain. You may repot one plant in an 18-24” container. Only place one plant per pot.

Soil Preparation: If you soil is clayish, amend it with standard potting mix to improve drainage. Plants prefer well-drained, moist soil.

Watering: To determine if your plant needs water, put your finger in the top of the soil and if the top inch is dry, it is time to water. It is important to make sure young plants do not experience long periods of dryness. However, they also do not like soggy conditions. Plants in containers may need water almost every day during peak summer months.

Fertilizer: Use Roberta’s Bounty a couple weeks after planting and then once or twice a month all summer long. Pet Considerations: Ensure your pets do not consume plants.

Mulch: Because these plants are quite heavy drinkers, adding a two inch layer of mulch can help conserve moisture, requiring less watering.

Pruning: Because flowers emerge on new and old growth, to encourage the most flowers, prune in early autumn. But only prune if necessary. These compact plants generally don’t need pruning.

Winterizing: These robust perennials can handle quite cold winters, but adding a layer of mulch can help insulate them further

Roberta’s Unique Gardens
P.O. Box 368, Waldron, IN 46182