Hydrangea blossoms can be found in many sizes, colors, and shapes. Blue flowers on the bigleaf Hydrangea are prized for their dreamlike look. The flowers are billowy, and they add a unique color to your garden. They are great for dried flowers and age beautifully.
Plants, like humans, need certain nutrients to be healthy and strong. These nutrients are what help plants to develop chlorophyll and their green, lush leaves. Nutrients are also responsible for the quantity of your plant’s blooms and, in this case, what color they will be.
This article will discuss the topic. Myth: Adding nails to soil can turn your hydrangeas blu.
The Short Answer
This gardening hack is simple, and it requires only a few supplies. However, you should not forget to add rusty nails in the soil around your hydrangeas. The blue color of hydrangeas is not a problem. The “rust” that accumulates on old nails is iron oxide. Iron oxide, an insoluble iron form, will not affect soil pH.
The Long Answer
There is more to the stories of gardeners who claim that rusty nails magically turn their hydrangeas blue.
While they may have added rusty nails into their soil, we don’t know what else was going on in their soil at the same time. This makes it hard to prove that the nail rust caused their hydrangea flowers to turn blue.
What color changes do rusty nails make in hydrangeas?
They do not. No, they do not.
Most soils already contain iron, so it is not necessary to add any. Because the iron oxide in rusty nail is almost insoluble, It will not affect soil nutrientsIt is impossible to change the pH of your hydrangea flowers. The hydrangea flower color will not be the blue-green we hope for.
Hydrangea color is affected by aluminum (not iron).
Changing the color of your hydrangea blossoms is often associated with your soil’s pH. The pH of your soil is a factor, but not the only one. According to University of Georgia, the uptake of aluminium is what causes hydrangea flowers to turn blue. If your pH is too acidic or sweet, the hydrangeas will not be capable of absorbing enough aluminum to produce blue blooms.
It can be difficult to mess with the pH of soil. You should first conduct a soil analysis before you begin any amendments. These tests will reveal the pH and any deficiencies in nutrients.
You can lower the pH if you know you have to. You will need to be patient, apply the correct solution, and stick with your plan for a few years.
Is it Beneficial to Add Rusty Nails To The Soil?
No, it’s not the end of the world.. While iron is a nutrient that plants need, adding rusty nails won’t provide enough iron to make a difference. If your soil is deficient in iron, you can add a liquid iron additive. If you prefer a gentler method, apply iron-tone, a fertiliser with iron added.
Lack of iron can cause chlorosis. Yellowing leaves are a sign of chlorosis. It is a good idea to use iron-rich fertilizer on your plants.
What is the Final Verdict?
You must not do that. It is not only harmful to your plants but it could also cause injury to you or an innocent animal. Injury from a metal or rusty nail can be very dangerous. You can get tetanus from not being vaccinated. Why bother with rusty nails? They will not have any positive effect.
How can I turn my Hydrangea Blossoms Blue?
Two steps are necessary before you start working on your soil to achieve that desired blue colour.
You should first check to see if the type of hydrangea that you are growing is sensitive. Hydrangea macrophylla (also known as bigleaf or bigleaf-hydrangea) and Hydrangea serrataThe only species of hydrangea that can change the color of its blossoms is the mountain hydrangea. But wait, there’s more! The hydrangea variety must be pink, violet, or blue. White hydrangeas do not change color.
You must also be aware of the second thing. How to determine the pH of your soil. Gardening is not something to be taken lightly. You can work with your pH once you have it. You may be pleasantly surprised that you do not need to change anything.
You can use a soil acidifier to achieve the desired acidity. They can be found in your local hardware store or garden center. The sulfur in soil acidifiers will lower pH levels safely.
Depending on the product that you choose, I enjoy it. Espoma soil acidifier. Follow the application instructions provided on the package. Apply soil acidifiers in the spring, and then every 60 days. Test the pH level until you reach your desired levels. This should be less than 5.5.
The process of bluing your hydrangeas may take some time. However, getting your pH level to the correct one is the best method to help your hydrangeas bind aluminum.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, it is just another gardening myth. I do not doubt gardeners’ tales of their luck with this method. But none of these tests were conducted in a controlled, well-documented environment.
Iron is very important and beneficial to the overall functioning of plants. It has nothing to with soil pH Alternatively, it can aid in the absorption or surrounding nutrients. You will get the best results if you stick to tried and tested methods.