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In addition to being a member of the Chisago County Master Gardener program for about 10 years now, I've worked in the retail garden center industry for years. As beautiful as the blooms on the Endless Summer are, more and more people were beginning to complain of have difficulty getting the plant to bloom at all. The foliage would be green and lush, but it just wouldn't bloom or bloom well. I get this same question every year "Why won't my Endless Summer bloom ? "

Well, Master Gardener Joe Baltrukonis of South St. Paul dug deep to find some amswers to the very question. The Endless Summer is definitely not a plant-it and leave-it type of shrub.....it does require a little bit of extra care.

Sun and Exposure Requirements: An eastern location is ideal as it offers partial shade as does a northern location at the edge of a shade garden. Too dense shade results in less bloom. Full sun, especially on a very hot day, will cause flower heads to droop.

Planting and Watering: Plant in moist, well drained soil. Mix generous amounts of well rotted compost, manure, or other organic material into planting hole. Even if your soil is acidic, additional acidification will be required over time. Watering is especially critical. The soil should always be moist but not overly wet. When it's really hot, you may have to water twice a day much as you do your potted gardens. Believe me, your hydrangea will show clear signs that it's in need of a drink but getting to that point is a big stressor on the plant.

Fertilizations: Dennis Bostrom, in whose yard the first "Endless Summer" plant was discovered, recommends that the plant be well fertilized for good bloom. As soon as the first vegetation appears in the spring, Dennis waters his plants almost daily with a diluted liquid fertilizer and continues for about 3 weeks. By that time, all the stems should be set with buds. The liquid fertilizer is only one fourth of the normal strength recommended by the particular manufacturer. After the flower buds form, switch to a slow release granular fertilizer and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

Color: With acidic soil, you will see blue blooms and with an alkaline soil, you will see pink. If you want blue, wait until the plant is 2-3 years old before amending the soil. Aluminum sulfate is usually used to create an acid (or sour) soil. A product called MirAcid can be used to maintain soil acidity. Just a note: if you have a common white hydrangea, it will always be white and cannot be changed by altering the acidity or alkalinity of the soil.

Winter Care: End all fertilization after August 15 as this is the time the plant decreases growth and prepares for winter dormancy. Dennis Bostrom recommends cutting the shrub down to 3 inches tall and then cover with a good protective mulch like straw or leaves. Around mid-April, start to remove the mulch and begin looking for new growth.

So Why No Bloom ? 1) Too much shade - plant can't produce enough energy to bloom. 2) Young plants - It can take 2-3 years for the plant to become established. 3) Not enough fertilizer - To bloom well the plant needs to be well fed. Be careful not to over feed and burn the plant. 4) Too much nitrogen - If the plant receives too much runoff from your fertilized lawn, it will receive excess nitrogen which encourages more foliage growth. 5) Poor watering - The soil should never dry out nor should it be sopping wet. Stressed plants will produce few flowers. 6) For more blooms, spent blooms should be pruned off to the next buds. If you didn't prune in late fall, any dead wood should be pruned off in early spring.

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