There’s almost nothing more striking than giant Hydrangeas overflowing with blooms. However, your landscape can look a little bare while you wait for your Hydrangeas to mature and fill the space in the way you envision. So you may find yourself asking: Are there ways to encourage your Hydrangeas to grow more quickly?
Hydrangeas are fast growers. Proper care, including enough water, sunlight, and fertilizer, can help move along the growing process. Pruning helps some types of Hydrangeas grow more quickly. Choosing a variety well-suited to your area and buying an older Hydrangea can also lessen the time needed for Hydrangeas to mature.
While you can’t make your Hydrangeas instantly fill an area, you can help them along the way by providing them with ideal growing conditions. Keep reading to learn more about how Hydrangeas grow and what to do to encourage them to grow faster.
How Big Do Hydrangeas Get? How Fast Do They Grow?
Let’s start off with some good news for everyone patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for their Hydrangeas to grow. Hydrangeas actually grow relatively quickly compared with other shrubs. Hydrangeas are considered rapid growers because they have the potential to grow more than 2 feet per year. On average, Hydrangeas grow about 24 inches each year.
While this is true for most Hydrangeas, do be aware that the growth can be a little slower during the first couple of growing seasons while they focus a lot of energy on developing their root systems.
The exact size that a Hydrangea will reach depends on the type of Hydrangea it is. Some types grow significantly larger than others.
- Bigleaf Hydrangeas (includes Mophead and Lacecap) mature to a height and width of about 10 feet.
- Oakleaf Hydrangeas mature to a height and width of about 8 feet.
- Smooth Hydrangeas are generally smaller Hydrangeas. They mature to a height and width of about 5 feet.
- Panicle Hydrangeas mature to a height and width of about 12 to 15 feet. However, some varieties reach up to 25 feet.
- Climbing Hydrangeas mature to a width of up to 6 feet and a height of up to 50 feet.
- Mountain Hydrangeas mature to a height and width of around 2-4 feet. They are another type of Hydrangea that remains small.
Within these guidelines, there is variation in size and growth based on both the variety of Hydrangea you plant and the care it receives.
How to Encourage Your Hydrangeas to Grow Bigger, Faster
Now that you have an idea of how fast Hydrangeas grow and how big the different varieties get, let’s talk about how to make your Hydrangeas grow more quickly.
Tip #1: Choose Hydrangea varieties that grow well in your area.
If you are still in the landscape planning stage, set yourself up for success by choosing Hydrangeas that will thrive in your climate. Check out different Hydrangeas to see which ones grow best in your USDA growing zone. Check with local nurseries, neighboring gardeners, and your local extension office to get more details for your specific area.
It is also worth noting that some Hydrangea varieties were developed to be quick growers. Limelight and QuickFire are both varieties that grow more quickly than others. Luckily, both are hard in zones 3-8, and Limelights can even extend into zone 9, so these options are great for almost any grower.
Tip #2: Choose a location with the correct amount of shade for your Hydrangeas.
Hydrangeas like partial shade. You might expect that getting too little sun would slow down Hydrangeas growth, but getting too much sun can also stunt Hydrangeas. Heat can easily stress out young Hydrangeas.
Try to choose a location with morning sun and afternoon shade. If you live in a cooler climate, your Hydrangeas can probably tolerate more sun than Hydrangeas in a warmer climate.
The amount of sunlight that Hydrangeas get can significantly impact their growth. Even if you plant a row of Hydrangeas near each other, nearby structures that change sun/shade conditions for some plants can cause those plants to grow at different rates than the others. Hydrangeas should get 6 hours of sun each day for the best growth, preferably in the morning before the sun is too hot.
Tip #3: Add fertilizer to your Hydrangeas.
It comes as no surprise that adding fertilizer to your Hydrangeas can help them grow faster. There are fertilizers designed explicitly for Hydrangeas, but you can also use an all-purpose fertilizer if you would rather keep one type of fertilizer on hand for all your garden needs.
When fertilizing Hydrangeas begin with small amounts first. As much as you might want to speed up your Hydrangea’s growth, giving Hydrangeas too much fertilizer can damage their roots. Follow the instructions for application, but consider beginning with less than the recommended amount. You can always add more later.
You could also add compost around the base of your Hydrangeas in the spring. The nutrients will slowly release into the soil. You have a little less control with this method, but you do not risk burning your Hydrangeas, and you build healthy soil.
To read more about fertilizing your Hydrangeas, check out this article. If you want to learn about compost options, click here.
Tip #4: Prune your Hydrangeas correctly.
It may seem counterproductive to talk about pruning when you want your Hydrangeas to grow more quickly. However, some types of Hydrangeas actually benefit from being cut back.
Panicle Hydrangeas and Smooth Hydrangeas need to be pruned aggressively. These Hydrangeas are new-wood bloomers. This means that they produce blooms on wood growth that has occurred since the last season.
The general recommendation is to cut Panicle Hydrangeas and Smooth Hydrangeas back to about 6 inches at the end of the growing season. However, if you are trying to increase the size of these Hydrangeas, you can leave a little more of the stem.
On the other hand, Bigleaf Hydrangeas, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, Climbing Hydrangeas, and Mountain Hydrangeas do not need much pruning. These are old-wood bloomers. This means that they produce blooms on wood from the previous season.
Heavy pruning does not make these types more vigorous. Instead, only remove stems that are damaged or very old. For old-wood Hydrangeas, pruning can reduce the size of the Hydrangeas, so it should be done sparingly.
Not sure if your Hydrangea blooms on old or new wood? Read this article. And if you’d like to learn more about pruning Hydrangeas, we’ve got an article on that as well.
Tip #5: Give your Hydrangeas the right amount of water.
There’s no question that Hydrangeas need a good amount of water. Aim to deeply water Hydrangeas 1-3 times a week during the growing season (from spring to the end of summer). To see if Hydrangeas need more water, stick your finger two inches into the ground near the base of the Hydrangea. If the soil is dry, it’s time to water.
Correct watering is especially important as Hydrangeas are getting established. They put a lot of energy into developing root systems during the first few years, and a lack of water can stunt growth.
Use a soaker hose for consistent watering, especially if you have multiple Hydrangeas. It’s tempting to skimp on watering if you have to deep water too many plants with a regular hose.
Tip #6: Consider buying older Hydrangeas.
If you really do not want to wait for Hydrangeas to grow, start with a three-year-old Hydrangea rather than buying younger plants, propagating plants, or starting from seed. You’ll still have to wait for older Hydrangeas to adjust to the new environment, but you will see more growth sooner.
Typically, three-year Hydrangeas are available from nurseries in 3-gallon pots and are about 10 inches tall. Three-year Hydrangeas will be more expensive than one-year or two-year Hydrangeas (and certainly more expensive than free seeds or cuttings from other Hydrangeas). But if time is more of a concern than budget, this is the route to go.
Closing Thoughts
You cannot wave a magic wand and make your Hydrangeas instantly grow, but taking good care of them can have a similar effect. Most gardeners agree that Hydrangeas seem to grow slowly during the first season or two while they are becoming established in a new environment. However, Hydrangeas are fast growers. You only need to be patient for a little while before your Hydrangeas take off. Your diligent care will pay off before long.