Question
QUESTION: Hi Tom

I have a hydrangea plant in my yard. Last year and this year, it produced several great balls of buds, and I eagerly waited for them to flower. However, of the many buds clustered together in a ball, it seems like only about 20% of the buds actually flower. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the other buds. The leaves are healthy as well.

I usually try to water about every other day and the plants get a lot of sun. I am in North Carolina and the soil has a lot of clay in it. Not sure what other info might be helpful. A neighbor gave me the hydrangea (from a cutting) so I don't know the exact species.

I did a Google search for advice, but everything I found seemed to relate to hydrangeas that didn't even have buds forming.

I appreciate any advice you can give.

Chris

ANSWER: Hi Chris,
Thanx for your question.  Did you look at the balls of flowers to see if anything was eating them?  Were they discolored and or wilting?  Do the buds just turn black and fall off?  You may be watering too much.  

In the meantime, have you seen this website?  Please get back with me with your answers okay?


http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/

Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Tom

When I looked at the website you pointed to, the picture it showed of Lacecap hydrangeas is the same as what I am experiencing.

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/identify.html

or here

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/lacecaps.html

(and about halfway down the page). Mine are blue to purple, but otherwise very similar looking. The website says on the first link that "the little buds in the center of the lacecap are the fertile flowers, and the large showy blossoms around the outer edge are the sterile flowers." So I'm not sure if that means that the plant will always look like this, or if there is something I should do to have more sterile flowers and less fertile ones.

There is no evidence of infestation, wilting, or turning black.

Answer
Hi Chris,
Thanx for your question and follow up.  It may just be that this is how the flower is supposed to look based upon some of the pix I've seen.  Also, immature shrubs will oftentimes bloom sparsely or have weak looking blooms.  Sometims when peonies first start out, their flowers aren't as big or showy and a plant that is 10 or 12 years old.  If there are no visible pests or disease, you've got enough sun and the soil is ok, I might add some kind of acidic fertilizer like Miracid, following the directions on the box.  Sometimes, clay soil can be a bit alkaline and hydrangeas prefer moist, acidic soil.  I hope this helps and I apologize for the delay.  I've seen a lot of the flowers you speak of and it seems a lot of them just bloom this way.
thx,
Tom