Your hydrangea’s beautiful blooms have come and gone and now you’re wondering if your hydrangea could do better in another location. Perhaps it needs more sun or a bigger space to grow?

Don’t sweat it. Transplanting hydrangeas can be easy. Give your yard a new look and get better blooms by following these steps.

7 Steps to Transplanting Hydrangeas

1. Timing is everything. Transplant before the ground freezes, but after hydrangeas have finished flowering or gone dormant for the year.

2. The right location. Hydrangeas prefer semi-shade, so pick a place for the hydrangea that doesn’t receive too much sun. Most importantly, your new spot must be able to accommodate the size of the rootball.

3. Prepare the rootball. Use your shovel to make cuts around the hydrangea before digging it up. When pulling the plant up, remove with it as much of the rootball as possible. The rootball, dense with fibrous roots and soil, may be very heavy, so enlist help if you need it.

4. A welcoming new home. Dig a large enough hole for the transplant to accommodate the entire rootball. Add Espoma’s Bio-Tone Starter Plus to help reduce transplant shock and establish roots. Back fill the hole with Espoma Organic All-Purpose Garden Soil and compost.

5. Water well. Like any transplanted plant, hydrangeas need a deep watering after planting. Use a garden hose to quench the hydrangeas’ thirst.

6. Watch closely. Pay careful attention to the transplanted hydrangea over the next two summers. Hydrangeas need plenty of water during this critical time. If the leaves wilt, but the soil seems moist enough, mist leaves. Fertilize hydrangeas twice each year with Espoma’s Holly-tone, once in early spring and a half feeding in fall.

7. Mulch. Prevent the rootball from drying out by applying mulch to the base of the plant after transplanting.

Be sure to check out Espoma’s complete hydrangea-growing guide for more information on making the most of your hydrangea garden.

The Espoma Company has been the pioneer in natural gardening solutions since 1929. Espoma provides an extensive selection of natural products that work in harmony with nature and are safe for people, pets and the planet. The company produces more than 100 products to cover the nutritional needs of plants and to grow beautiful lawns and gardens. Visit espoma.com for more information and tips about organic gardening.