How long does full color transformation take?
Written by
Michael Sullivan
Reviewed by
Prof. Samuel Fitzgerald, Ph.D.The timeframes for hydrangea color change vary greatly depending on how you grow your plants and where you grow them. Container plants can change in just 4-8 weeks, whereas in-ground plants can take months to years to show noticeable changes. Knowing this will help you plan accordingly for your gardening project.
Amendment Methods
- Liquid treatments: Fastest absorption into roots
- Granular amendments: Require soil decomposition time
- Foliar sprays: Bypass soil for direct pigment impact
Environmental Influences
- Soil temperature: Warmer = faster microbial activity
- Rainfall patterns: Heavy rain leaches amendments
- Sun exposure: Intensifies pigment development
The composition of the soil has a profound influence on the speed of transformation. In sandy soils, amendments can penetrate quickly, with observable changes happening after about 4-6 months. In heavy clay soils, aluminum is tightly bound and may require one to three yearly treatments. For all of my color projects, I evaluate the soil texture before amending to determine how long it will take for the soil amendments to take effect.
Climate can make a striking difference in the speed at which transformations occur. With higher temperatures, many chemical reactions are accelerated by 20-40% compared to cooler areas. Similarly, changes occur in my Zone 7 garden yards and raised beds at twice the speed of my friend, who gardens two hours away in Zone 5. Microclimates also come into play here; for example, my sheltered location is far better than my friend's windy zone 5 area.
Throughout the critical bud formation period, I recommend applying any necessary amendments for maximum benefit. The springtime frame is when you are determining the potential for color that season, and that's why I mark my calendar to make treatments early, when the buds start to swell. Treatments applied late in the spring will still be beneficial. Still, the results will not be noticeable until the following year.
Observe the development of colors over time. The first area of color will be the sepal veins, followed by the orange edges, and finally the complete flower. You will want to take photos weekly to document these sometimes subtle developments and changes. I took five months to get through my blue transformation. I noticed the color deepening every day after about week eight.
Read the full article: Hydrangea Color Change: Ultimate Guide
