15 Expert Tips for Growing Beautiful Hydrangeas in Containers

Container gardens are truly portable little gardens, and they have so many benefits. Container planting allows you to insert a small garden anywhere you’d like. In the past, I have covered my deck with sun-loving annuals because I had little sun in my gardens. Or, if you love a hosta and have too much sun, you can stick it in a pot.

Container gardens offer a low-maintenance way to garden. There is very little weeding that needs to be done. Your maintenance will include mostly deadheading and watering. Container gardens are great back savers. You can grow vegetables, flowers, or anything you like in a container. Containers are also a great way to plant something that has different soil needs than the soil in your garden beds. A great example here is the hydrangea.

Hydrangeas grow well in gardens but can also thrive in pots. They need well-draining soil that has a slightly acidic pH. If these are not the conditions in your garden, I urge you to try planting a hydrangea in a container. But container planting a hydrangea doesn’t stop there. Keep on reading for some of my best advice on planting your hydrangeas in containers and growing thriving, beautiful plants!

Consider Your Climate

Depending on how ambitious you are, you can plant almost any hydrangea in a pot. You’ll have the most success with dwarf varieties, which typically reach between one and three feet in height. If you choose a larger variety, you’ll just need to keep it pruned so the pot doesn’t become too top-heavy.

Be sure to keep your zone in mind when selecting your plant. If you’re treating the hydrangea as an annual, or if you live in an area without heavy frosts, this won’t be a concern. However, if you plan to overwinter your hydrangeas in a cold climate, you’ll want to make sure the variety you choose is hardy in your region.

Choose the Right Variety

When it comes to planting hydrangeas in containers, not all types are created equal. Some varieties grow better in containers, depending on your climate and the care they receive. Before you get started, let’s take a look at some of the most pot-friendly hydrangeas to consider.

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Mini Penny’

‘Mini Penny’ is a slow grower, reaching about four feet high and wide at maturity. It’s a re-blooming mophead variety, producing blue flowers in acidic soil and pink in more alkaline conditions. With the right summer care, it blooms continuously throughout the season until the first frost. Hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bobo’

‘Bobo’ is a dwarf panicle hydrangea that grows to about four feet high and wide. Panicle flowers resemble lilacs, conical in shape and made up of smaller blooms. Large white flowers appear in summer and turn pink in the fall. This hydrangea is a slow grower, but its compact size means it reaches mature height in around two years. Hardy in zones 3 to 8.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Pee Wee’

This oakleaf hydrangea produces white flowers in spring that fade to pink in fall. The distinctive oak-shaped foliage turns a vibrant red as the seasons change. It grows to about four feet tall and three feet wide. Hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Set Goals: Annual vs. Perennial

Before you start planting, you need to decide whether you want to grow your hydrangea as an annual or a perennial, which will largely depend on your climate. Some gardeners in perennial zones still treat hydrangeas as annuals, so it’s important to determine your goals first.

Annual

Choosing to treat a hydrangea as an annual really creates a “no limits” situation. You don’t need to worry about hardiness zones, since you won’t be overwintering the plant (unless you plan to move it into your garden beds later). You can also use any container you like, without concern for how it will hold up in freezing temperatures. Many containers can crack or break during frosts, which can cause a mess come spring.

Perennial

Hydrangeas are perennials by nature in their native climates. Treating them as perennials isn’t quite as carefree as growing them as annuals, but if you’re already familiar with container gardening, the basics still apply. First, make sure the hydrangea variety you’ve chosen is hardy in your zone, especially if you experience frost.

Choosing the right container is key, and size matters most. Aim for one that’s about two feet wide and two feet deep to give the roots enough space to grow.

You can use any type of container, but keep in mind: if you go with ceramic or terra cotta, you’ll need to bring them indoors over winter to prevent cracking.

Choose a Large Pot

You’ll need a fairly large container to grow hydrangeas, as their roots grow quickly and need plenty of space to spread. As mentioned earlier, a container about two feet wide and deep is ideal. Depending on the material, you might also want to place it on a plant caddie with wheels to make moving it easier. There are lots of container options out there, from ceramic to plastic, so choose something that fits your budget and personal style.

Just as important as size is drainage. Make sure your container has a drainage hole at the bottom, as hydrangeas don’t like sitting in soggy soil. A drainage hole helps excess water escape, preventing root rot. If your pot is sitting on a patio or another surface you would like to keep clean, consider placing a draining dish underneath to catch any runoff.

Prepare Your Containers

It’s always a good idea to give your containers a thorough cleaning before planting anything new. This helps eliminate any lingering pests or diseases from the previous season.

Start by brushing off any remaining soil or plant material. You can either scrub your pots by hand or soak them in a large tub. A diluted bleach or vinegar solution works well to get rid of potential problems.

If you’re using a terracotta pot, cleaning it will also help moisten the clay, which can keep your plant hydrated during planting. For plastic pots, you can usually skip the bleach. Just give them a good scrub to remove any leftover debris or salt and mineral buildup.

Use Correct Soil

You might be tempted to fill your large pot with soil straight from the garden, but hear me out. When planting hydrangeas in containers, it’s best to use potting soil. Most potting mixes come pre-blended with a basic fertilizer, giving your plants a helpful boost to get growing.

Garden soil tends to be too heavy and holds onto water for too long. And too much water spells trouble for hydrangeas. Constant moisture around the roots can weaken them and cause your plant to decline. Potting soil also keeps your container lighter, making it easier to move when needed.

Choose Your Companion Plants

Of course, a hydrangea will be perfectly lovely all on its own in a container. However, if you have a very large container to fill or the hydrangea you purchased is on the smaller side, you may choose to add a few plants to complement your billowing beauty.

Trailing annuals such as petunias, ivy, and black sweet potato vine make lovely additions to a container featuring a more upright hydrangea.

I love to add other perennial flowers to my containers because you can repurpose them at the end of the season. Small hosta varieties, ferns, or heuchera have similar light requirements and a nice compact growth habit.

Other shade-loving annuals that pair well with hydrangeas include begonias and some cultivars of coleus. Both tend to grow upright, but their wide range of colors can add a bright, summery punch to your container.

Plant Your Hydrangea Correctly

Planting a hydrangea is pretty straightforward. Before you prep your container, give your hydrangea a good watering while it’s still in its nursery pot.

Depending on the size of your pot, add some potting soil to the bottom. You want to maintain the same planting depth as it was in the nursery pot, so use your judgment here. It’s a good idea to choose a pot that’s much deeper than the nursery pot to give the roots plenty of space to grow.

If the roots have started to wrap around the inside of the nursery pot, you may need to score them. This can be done with pruning shears. Just run the shears in a vertical line around the root ball.

Place the plant in the container and fill around it with soil, packing it lightly. Give it a thorough soaking; you should see water running out of the bottom of the pot. And you’re done. Voila!

Provide Proper Sunlight

Most hydrangeas love partial sun. More specifically, morning sun and afternoon shade. Hydrangea paniculata, however, thrives in full sun and can handle six hours or more of direct sunlight. In warmer climates, providing some afternoon shade is ideal to help prevent excessive water loss.

Place your container in a spot that matches these light conditions, and your hydrangea should do well. The good news is that containers are easy to move, so you can experiment with the location until you find the perfect fit. If you’re planting in a particularly sunny area, consider full-sun hydrangea varieties that are better suited to those conditions.

Choose Your Spot Carefully

Potted hydrangeas offer long-lasting blooms with very little effort, making them a great choice for all kinds of spaces, whether it’s a front porch, balcony, patio, poolside, covered area, or even perched on top of an old tree stump.

One important thing to keep in mind when choosing a location is that hydrangeas can be toxic to pets. Be sure to place them somewhere out of reach of curious cats and dogs.

Provide Enough Water

Containers tend to dry out much faster than garden beds. Giving your hydrangeas a good watering twice a week should be enough. When temperatures rise, keep an eye on the leaves. Hydrangea leaves will start to droop if they need a drink. The top inch of soil should stay moist.

The easiest way to check is to stick your finger into the potting soil to see if watering is needed. As your hydrangea grows, you’ll likely need to water more often, since the roots will take up more space and reduce the amount of soil available to hold moisture.

Fertilize When Necessary

The best way to fertilize your hydrangea is to mix manure or compost into the soil around the base of the plant while filling your container. This will give your plant a strong start. Most potting soils already contain enough nutrients to carry your hydrangea through the first season.

If you plan to keep your hydrangeas in containers long-term, apply an all-purpose flowering shrub fertilizer in spring. Water it in thoroughly. Avoid fertilizing after August, as this can encourage new growth that may be damaged by frost and reduce the number of blooms the following season.

Prune Regularly

For the most part, deadheading is the only type of pruning you’ll need to do for potted hydrangeas.

You might also choose to trim a few branches to maintain your preferred shape or remove any sections damaged by frost. It’s best to do this light pruning right after the blooming season ends, so you don’t accidentally cut off newly formed flower buds.

Transplant When Needed

After a few years of living in your container, you might notice that your hydrangea isn’t doing as well as it has been. Do not fret. It is likely that it just needs some more room to grow and would benefit from being transplanted out of your container.

You can either transplant into a new larger pot or you can transplant it into your garden. These are both great options. It all comes down to what you have room for and what your garden goals are.

Wherever you decide to plant your hydrangea, follow the same planting rules as you did when planting it in the container the first time. Be sure there is room for the roots to grow, and don’t bury the base of the plant. If the roots have started to become pot bound and wrap around the soil, you will want to loosen them before you replant your hydrangea.

Always Overwinter

Once a frost hits, you’ll need to consider how to care for your hydrangea over the winter. If you don’t properly overwinter your plant, it can lead to plant death or a lack of blooms in the following season.

One simple option (if you have the space) is to move your potted hydrangeas into an unheated shed or garage. This will protect them from wind and harsh frosts while still giving them the cool temperatures they need to complete their natural dormancy cycle. Hydrangeas require a certain amount of cold to bloom well the next year.

Another method is to sink the pots into the ground. This requires some planning and space. Dig holes large enough for the pots, place them in, and cover with mulch. This offers insulation and allows the roots to stay protected through the cold months.

You can also leave the pots where they are and insulate them by surrounding the containers with straw or another insulating material. This helps keep the roots warm enough to survive winter outdoors.