Hydrangeas refusing to think pink

My hydrangeas are not turning pink. Instead they are just staying green. Is there something I can fertilize them with to help them get color?

Stephanie

Getting hydrangeas to turn pink in Spokane shouldn’t be difficult. After all, our soil tends to be alkaline, which usually causes hydrangeas to be pink in spite of all our efforts to make them stay blue.

You don’t say what variety of plant you have, so I suspect it may Hydrangea paniculata “Limelight,” which produces a soft-green flower in August and September. As it ages, the plant may pick up some shades of pink, but only as highlights. It is related to the Peegee hydrangea that has large white flowers. This is a very hardy plant.

While we are on the subject of hydrangeas: For those of you with Hydrangea marcrophylla – the traditional blue/pink plants we love – it’s time to think about how to protect them from winter cold. These plants will bloom next spring on wood that grew this year. The problem is that this means the flower buds have to survive winter.

In early November, build a cage around your plants and fill it with pine needles. Be careful to pack them down.

You can wrap plastic around the cage for more wind protection, but don’t cover the plants. The needles will insulate the plants a bit and break the force of the wind.

Don’t prune the plants in this process, as that will remove the flowers buds you are trying to protect.

Out-of-this-world compost bin

Any idea where one may purchase a smallish plastic compost bin? I had one back in the Midwest that was called an Earth Machine. Looked a little like Darth Vader, squatty, black, with a removable lid and exit door for the compost. Would love to replace it. Where should I go?

Paula Davenport

You are right; it does look a bit like Darth Vader – where does the light saber come out? A quick check with my local sources didn’t turn up anyone who carries this brand locally although during the spring Northwest Seed does carry this type of composter.

This seems to be a great idea for people who want to make compost in a tight space where hiding a large or home-brewed bin won’t look good.

Its directions for use follow good composting practices, although it will take a while to get finished compost because you aren’t turning it regularly. It also doesn’t appear to produce quantities of black gold, so it would be perfect for small gardens or for something close to the back door for kitchen trimmings.

The company does have a Web site, so I would go there: www.eartthmachine.com. It seems to be retailing for around $80 plus shipping of $15 to 20.