11 Best Fertilizer for Hydrangeas of 2023 [Buyer’s Guide]

When it comes to making your garden prettier, nothing can match a couple of hydrangea plants with big, beautiful blossoms.

However, achieving this look does require a certain amount of effort. Like every other plant, they would need the right nutrients and growing environment to flourish. Choosing the best hydrangea fertilizer is the key to fulfilling all these requirements.

But then, there are lots of options available, and as such, selecting the ideal balanced fertilizer may seem a bit difficult.

Best Fertilizers for Hydrangeas

So, to help you make the right choice, we curated this list of the 11 best fertilizers for hydrangea plants. Read on to know more.

1. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Azalea, Camellia, Rhododendron Plant Food – Best pH Control

This water-soluble fertilizer from the well-known brand Miracle-Gro is specially formulated to provide adequate nutrition to acid-loving plants. Available in packs of 1.5 lb, 4 lb, and 5 lb, this product feeds and acidifies the plant at the same time.

What we loved about this product was that it feeds the plant instantly to provide beautiful blooms and lush green foliage in a much shorter time.

To get the best results, you need to use the hydrangea fertilizer once every one or two weeks. Applying the product is very simple, as you just need a Miracle-Gro Garden Feeder or any watering can. Also, be assured that the fertilizer won’t harm other plants in the garden or burn foliage if used as advised.

Besides, this product can be used for both outdoor and indoor plants. You just need to ensure that the right amount of fertilizer is being used. For outdoor plants, you need to mix 1 tablespoon of Miracle-Gro per gallon of water, but ½ teaspoon is sufficient for indoor plants.

Furthermore, a 1.5 lb pack of the product can feed plants spread over an area of about 600 square feet.

Although the product is great for hydrangea plants and gives you the results you desire to see, we felt its packaging needs to improve. We received a big plastic bag containing the fertilizer instead of a canister as shown in the pictures on online shopping sites. It was difficult to store and had the measuring spoon lying loose in the box.

2. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Plus – Best Soil Acidifier

Our next pick for you is this all-in-one solution for potted plants from Osmocote. This fertilizer can be used for all plant varieties and also works equally well in all growing conditions so you can also call it a hydrangea fertilizer. It comes in a pack of 8 lbs and can feed a plant for up to 6 months.

We loved how the product could be applied by just sprinkling it onto the soil and then mixing it properly; all that is needed afterward is regular watering. And the hydrangea fertilizer of the 11 most essential nutrients that the plant needs. It is derived from ammonium nitrate and is a slow-release fertilizer designed to feed your plant gradually.

Interestingly, this product has a unique way of supplying essential nutrients to plants. Each of its granules is coated with a semi-permeable resin. As a result, when water is applied to the plant, the coating allows it to penetrate within and dissolve the nutrients.

These dissolved nutrients are then released during temperature changes. So, warmer periods are more favorable for the rapid release of nutrients. What remains after the release is the empty shell of the granules.

We loved this product as it resulted in abundant blooms in our hydrangea plants. However, sometimes we found that the granules took longer to dissolve. So, in turn, the results were visible after a longer period. This might be due to a possible change in the formula.

3. Jobe’s Organics Soil Acidifier – Best Budget Friendly

This product from Jobe’s Organics is another great source of nutrition for acid-loving plants like hydrangea. It is verified by OMRI as a standard organic gardening product and comes in an easy-to-pour 6-pound bag.

Soils that possess greater alkalinity are not ideal for the acid-loving hydrangea plants to thrive. As such, a fertilizer is needed which can help the soil acquire the right pH. And this one from Jobe’s Organics is one of the best options you will come across.

Its special formula provides acid-loving plants with sulfur, which is a natural ingredient used for correcting alkaline soils. This gives a boost to your hydrangea plant’s health and helps it produce prettier and more vibrant blue hydrangea flowers. Note that you should conduct a soil test before applying this soil acidifier.

Besides, this product uses fully natural ingredients, and hence, poses no threats of contamination by harmful chemicals. It is also safe for use around pets and children. Furthermore, this soil acidifier is also a cost-effective option to go for.

This product gave wonderful results for most of our hydrangea plants. However, the instructions for applying the product to potted plants seemed to be a bit unclear. We used the amount recommended but found that some of the leaves were burnt after the application. Although the burnt parts did recover within a couple of days.

4. Flower Fuel 1-34-32

The next pick we have for you is this super-effective bloom booster from Element. It contains a variety of nutrients along with more resin and oil which together help in achieving heavier, larger, and denser harvests. This fertilizer comes in packs of 200 gm, 1000 gm, 5000gm, and 20000 gm to suit your growing needs.

Why Did We Like It?

Achieving large and beautiful blooms in abundance is something that every gardener dreams of. However, due to inadequate nutrient availability, the results often tend to be quite different from the expectations. So, what you need to make sure of is that the plants are getting the right nutrients at the right time.

This can be ensured with the superior-quality Flower-Fuel fertilizer, which encourages plants to absorb all vital organic compounds and nutrients at an accelerated rate. Behind this “magic” is a proprietary and complex mix of high-end hormones, vitamins, and chelating agents. Besides, this efficient mix also includes bio-available forms of potassium and phosphorus.

Furthermore, this hydrangea fertilizer works wonderfully with any base nutrient including the popular 3-part and 2-part nutrients. It can be used in any kind of soil and hydroponic or aeroponic horticulture systems.

And that’s not all. Each pack includes a 2.5 teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon scoop for adding the correct amounts of fertilizer according to your needs.

Although the fertilizer is quite effective on hydrangea plants and produces just the results you would want to see, its packaging might be faulty sometimes. We had received a jar with a broken lid which had to be glued back together. So, be sure to check the packaging when the product arrives.

5. Scotts Super Bloom Water Soluble Plant Food

This product is another great choice when it comes to providing your plants with the right food. You can use this water-soluble plant food on all outdoor plants, containers, and flower bed areas. It has an N-P-K ratio of 12-55-6 and is available in 2 lb. containers.

What we loved most about this product was its high phosphorus content that helps to achieve the perfect blooms. As such, the hydrangeas in your yard will make it look prettier than ever before. Added to this, on each application, the fertilizer solution acts to feed the plants instantly.

Applying this product is also quite easy. You just have to add two teaspoons of the product to 1 gallon of water in your garden feeder or watering jug. Note that the solution must be applied at the base of the plant. To get the best results, feed the blooming plants every 7-14 days.

On the whole, this fertilizer provides your hydrangeas with the exact growing environment that they need. It helps to make the soil pH suitable for these acid-loving hydrangea flowers. Furthermore, applying this product won’t lead to any burns if the feeding instructions are followed.

This product works quite well on hydrangeas and gives us perfect blooms. However, we found the fertilizer color to be much lighter than the usual intense bluish-green. This might be due to a change in formulation but there was no mention of this on the label.

6. Espoma GSUL6 Soil Acidifier

This fertilizer from Espoma works to improve soil quality and also acts as a nutritious plant food. Being available in a 6 lb. bag, this fertilizer is made with purely natural ingredients. Hence, it rules out any chances of the plants being affected by harmful chemicals.

This soil acidifier is formulated to lower the soil pH to the level that is best for any acid-loving plant. As a result, you can achieve optimal growth for your hydrangea plants. And you will get the blooms in the blue and beautiful form that you want.

Added to this, it contains all the vital nutrients that the plants require. These nutrients also include high amounts of pure minerals which provide nourishment to all parts of the plant. As such, you don’t need to buy a separate plant food product for your hydrangeas.

Besides, this product is much more long-lasting than several others. It ensures a sustained availability of nutrients for the plant for as long as two months. So, no hassles of frequent application are involved. This also makes sure that the fertilizer doesn’t leach into the ground and surface water.

Although the product gave us the blue blooms that we desired, for some plants it took much longer to act. While we got beautiful blooms in a few within around 2 months, others took as much as six months to show the results. So, if you have a lot of acid-loving plants in your garden, it might require a little more patience to see all of them producing abundant blooms.

7. Burpee Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer

This bone meal fertilizer from Burpee is a great choice for ensuring the ideal growth and development of your hydrangea plants. It is highly suitable both for giving a boost to established flower gardens and for nurturing new bedding plants.

Phosphorus and calcium are two key nutrients required for the ideal development of all parts of your hydrangea plant. But often most of the products have insufficient quantities of these essential elements. However, with this fertilizer from Burpee at home, you don’t need to worry about this problem.

This fertilizer contains high amounts of bone meal which is a natural source of calcium and phosphorus. An early-season addition of phosphorus to the soil will help in promoting root strength and nourishment, which in turn will enhance early-season growth.

As a result, you achieve superior-grade blossoms during harvest time. Interestingly, its bone meal content enables sustained release of nitrogen which helps to maintain robust growth all through the season. Besides, applying this balanced fertilizer to young plants gives them a nutritional boost and keeps them strong during the growing season.

Though this product works wonderfully on hydrangea plants, it may be overpriced if you purchase it from online shopping sites. In comparison, the price offered in any local store close is much more reasonable. It is nearly three times less than the price shown online.

8. J R Peters Inc 59324 Jacks Classic Hydrangea Fertilizer

JR Peters is a leading brand in the horticulture industry and is well-known for bringing innovation to the production of water-soluble fertilizers. This product from the brand consists of several beneficial nutrients and comes in a pack of 1.5 pounds. It has an N-P-K ratio of 7-3-3.

This fertilizer contains a perfect combination of high-quality nutrients and ammonium sulfate to promote the holistic development of the plant.

While the micronutrients provide a nutritional boost to the plants, ammonium sulfate helps to create the ideal environment for growth. The latter lowers the soil pH to make it suitable for acid-loving plants.

On using the product as recommended, your hydrangea plants are sure to produce lush green leaves and more vibrant blue blossoms. Generally, you can spot healthier and fuller leaves within just a few weeks.

Also, this product is easy to apply as you just have to soak the roots with the fertilizer solution. During the first month, it should be applied at the rate of 1 tablespoon per gallon of water every 14 days. In the subsequent months, feeding once a month would be sufficient. Note that the right time to apply this balanced fertilizer is during the early morning or late evening.

This product is highly beneficial in providing the required nutrition to the plants and makes them look healthier within weeks. However, it may not always turn the color of the blossoms into an intense blue. The hydrangea flowers might turn lavender in some cases. So, if you want a more intense color in your blossoms, this might not always show the result you desire.

9. Espoma HT18 Holly Tone

Used by professionals to produce high-grade results, this product from Espoma is specifically formulated to feed acid-loving plants. It comes in a pack of 18 lbs. and is approved as a standard fertilizer for organic gardening.

This product contains beneficial bio-tone microbes that help in enriching the soil with a variety of essential nutrients. This way, you get beautiful blooms and healthy plants through regular application. And you won’t get these special microbes in any other fertilizer, as these are proprietary to the brand.

Besides, this product even contains substantial amounts of magnesium, calcium, and sulfur. These minerals help in providing the soil quality needed for acid-loving plants to thrive. Added to this, the fertilizer is free from any extra chemicals, and is thus, completely safe for the soil and plants.

Moreover, you can get this fertilizer in other bigger packs starting from 36 lb to 50 lb. If you have many hydrangea plants in the garden, buying such bigger bags will be a good idea.

Though we were more than satisfied with how the product turned out to be, we had an issue with the packaging. When the product arrived, we found that the bag was torn and taped up with duct tape. As such, it also became a bit difficult to read the instructions printed on the backside. So, make sure you check the packaging at the time of arrival if you are buying the product online.

10. Bonide Product INC 037321007050 Aluminum Sulfate

Another excellent choice for a soil acidifier would be this one from Bonide Products. Bonide has been around since as early as 1926 and is trusted by consumers all over the United States for providing ideal gardening solutions. This product comes in a 4 lb bag and is suitable for all acid-loving plants.

Maintaining a perfect pH level in the soil is a must for achieving bright and beautiful hydrangea blooms. However, an ordinary acidifier may not always yield the desired pH level of the soil.

A pH of 5.0 is considered ideal for a plant that thrives in an acidic environment. And with this Ammonium Sulfate pack from Bonide, you can easily lower your soil pH to this target. Besides, it helps in achieving blue blossoms as well.

You can use this product for all types of soil including clay, sandy, and loamy soil. Thus, unlike many other acidifiers, you don’t need to worry about whether it will work in your soil type.

Applying this product is also easy, as you just have to blend in in the soil and water thoroughly afterward. At least two weeks after the application, you should recheck the soil pH and reapply until the desired level is reached.

Furthermore, the acidifier comes with an application chart that mentions the amount of Ammonium Sulphate needed to lower the pH to 5.0.

Although we were able to achieve the exact pH level quite comfortably with this product, we had an issue with its storage. It so happened that we prepared premixed soil batches for various plants and stored them in totes. However, this product absorbed the moisture from the surroundings and turned into a crystalline coating over the growing medium.

11. ENVY Plant Foods Acid-Loving Special Plant Food

As a brand, Envy is well-known all over the United States for manufacturing the most innovative plant food products. This 100% water-soluble plant food from the brand is formulated to feed your acid-loving hydrangea plants instantly. It has an N-P-K ratio of 21-7-7 and comes in a resealable pouch of 3 pounds.

This product is exclusively designed to provide a hospitable environment for the growth of acid-loving plants. It works to lower the pH of the soil to a level that is fit for your hydrangeas to thrive and feeds them instantly. The result? You can achieve amazing blooms and lush foliage and that too in a very short time span.

Besides, this product contains a versatile combination of nutrients that is suitable for all acid-loving plants. It is enriched with vital micronutrients and contains a much higher proportion of nitrogen than other products. It is this high nitrogen content that helps in sustaining healthy plant growth throughout all seasons. This product also causes no burns if it is used as instructed. For getting the best results, using the product every 1-2 weeks is enough.

Furthermore, you get the fertilizer in a resealable pouch for extended usage that also enables convenient no-mess storage of the product.

Although the product is very beneficial for hydrangea plants and makes them healthy and “happy”, sometimes it may take longer to act. The time taken to show the results generally varies a lot and as such you may have to be a little more patient.

Best Fertilizers for Hydrangeas Comparison Table

Buying Guide For The Best Fertilizer for Hydrangeas

Achieving beautiful hydrangea plants with abundant blooms is not a herculean task at all. You just need to provide adequate care to the plant and make sure it receives all the necessary nutrients regularly.

So, purchasing the right fertilizer is of utmost importance and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Here are some important points that you need to keep in mind before you go on to choose a suitable fertilizer for your hydrangea plants.

1. The Soil Type

You need to figure out the type of soil in your garden. Generally, hydrangeas grow well on light soil since it makes for convenient drainage. So, if the soil is heavy or clay-like, you should consider adding organic fertilizers to improve it.

Checking the soil acidity is also a very important factor before you move on to choose a hydrangea fertilizer. Plus, while going through the product details of a particular fertilizer, make sure to check whether it is suitable for your soil type.

2. Type of Hydrangea

This is another essential factor to keep in mind. Every hydrangea plant has its own unique timing and nutrient needs. For instance, smooth hydrangeas require a fertilizer only during winter. However, plants with big leaves need frequent application throughout the first six months of the year. As for the panicle and oakleaf hydrangeas, they are better with two hydrangea applications in April and June, always be careful not to apply too much fertilizer.

3. Cost

You must keep in mind your budget before you go on to choose a balanced fertilizer. That’s because products made by different manufacturers come in different prices and sizes. Although the cost is never the sole factor in determining the effectiveness of a fertilizer, it can be a challenge if you have a tight budget, too much fertilizer can be bad for your plant and your wallet.

4. Ease Of Use

Different methods of application are suitable for different types of fertilizers. While some may need to be mixed with water before use, others can just be sprinkled onto the soil or inserted at the roots in the case of fertilizer spikes. If you want a fertilizer that will save you time, you better go for the latter type.

What type of fertilizer should I use for hydrangeas?

The best fertilizer for hydrangeas is a slow-release, balanced fertilizer with an equal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, such as a 10-10-10 fertilizer.

How often should I fertilize my hydrangeas?

Fertilize hydrangeas every 4-6 weeks during the growing season.

What is the best time to fertilize hydrangeas?

It is best to fertilize hydrangeas in the early spring when new growth begins and then again in the late summer or early fall.

Can I use an organic fertilizer for my hydrangeas?

Yes, organic fertilizer can be used for hydrangeas. Organic fertilizers can provide a slow release of nutrients that can help promote healthy growth.

Conclusion

With this, we come to the end of our guide and we hope it will be easier for you to choose the right fertilizer for your garden now.

Before we sign off, we would like to recap our favorites from the list. The Espoma GSUL6 Soil Acidifier will be an ideal choice if you want a product to provides the necessary nutrition besides maintaining the right pH.

But, if you are looking for just a soil acidifier and can purchase a separate plant food product, Bonide BND56428 Soil Acidifier will be a great choice. On the other hand, Jobe’s Organic Soil Acidifier will be perfect if you are looking for a cost-effective but efficient product.

Let us know whether you agree with our verdict in the comments section below.

Till next time! Adios!

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