Hydrangeas have beautiful blooms and are loved by many. During regular care, we often get confused with the use of Lime on Hydrangeas.
Lime (Calcium Carbonate CaCO3) found in Garden Lime which we use to add to the soil of Hydrangea is a chemical compound that helps to raise the alkalinity of the soil by raising its pH level.
In this post, I will discuss the use of lime in the hydrangea plant.
Let’s get started!
What color does lime make Hydrangeas?
The addition of lime to Hydrangea’s soil makes the color of Hydrangea blooms Pink.
Lime(CaCO3) is alkaline and helps to make the acidic Hydrangea’s soil alkaline. Hydrangeas change color to pink when they have more alkaline soil.
Do Hydrangeas Like Lime?
Hydrangea Plants don’t need Lime for their nutrition requirement. It is mainly added to the soil to change the color of the blooms.
You need to check whether your soil’s pH is between 5 and 8. If it is less, you can use lime to increase the pH to help grow Hydrangeas better.
How much lime should I put on my Hydrangea?
The quantity of putting Lime on Hydrangea varies with the soil pH and land size.
Here is a table you can refer to measure the quantity of Lime for your Hydrangea:
| pH Level of your Soil(Current) | Amount of Lime(CaCO3) per 1000 sq ft land | Amount of Lime in cups |
| >=6.0 | 6lbs | 12 cups |
| 5.5-6.0 | 12lbs | 24 cups |
| 5.0-5.5 | 18lbs | 36 cups |
| <5.0 | 25lbs | 50 cups |
When should I put lime on my Hydrangeas?
Lime can be put any time of the Year. It needs to be repeated once in a quarter or bi-annually to maintain the pH level of the Hydrangea’s soil.
Does Lime make Hydrangeas blue?
Lime Does not Make Hydrangeas Blue. Using Lime(CaCO3) on Hydrangea would make the blooms turn pink.
To turn the blooms to blue, you need to use another chemical compound Aluminum Sulphate(Al2(SO4)3) in the soil.
Should I put lime on my Hydrangea?
Adding Lime to Hydrangeas is not a requirement for Hydrangea. However, it is rather a choice if you love to alter the color of the Hydrangea.
If you love Pink Blooms, then you can definitely try adding lime as per the required quantity for your land size.
Can you put too much lime on Hydrangeas?
Adding too much lime to the soil is not advisable. You need to add Garden lime to the Hydrangeas soil only in a limited quantity and check the pH.
Adding additional Lime to the soil won’t have any benefits for Hydrangeas.
How do you Apply lime to a Hydrangea?
To apply lime to a hydrangea, you’ll need:
- 1 pound of lime for every 10 square feet,
- a soil test kit (To Measure the pH of Soil),
- a garden hose, and
- a spreader.
Here are the steps you can follow to apply lime to Hydrangea:
1. First, test your soil to see how much acidity or alkalinity it has. You can purchase a soil test kit at your local nursery or home improvement store.
2. Next, calculate how much lime you’ll need to raise the pH level of your soil. For example, if you have 10 square feet of garden space, you’ll need 1 pound of lime.
3. Once you’ve determined the amount of lime needed, apply it evenly over the surface of the soil using a spreader.
4. Water the area thoroughly with a garden hose to help the lime work its way into the ground.
What are the Natural Lime sources we Can use For Hydrangeas?
Though you will find garden lime available in the store, there are several other natural ingredients that can act as substitutes for your garden lime.
These are:
1. Egg Shells
Egg shells are a good source of Calcium Carbonate and can be a good candidate to be used to add to your Hydrangea’s soil.
2. Chalk
If you have chalk in your House, that can also be used as a Calcium Carbonate source.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude the post on Hydrangeas and using lime on them!
I hope you got a detailed guide about using lime.
Thanks for reading this post.