It’s a really big year in CT for those blue, pink and purple hydrangeas. Here’s why

One blooming nice thing about this summer: It’s a great year for hydrangeas.

Those big blue, pink and purple blossoms seem to be everywhere, even places where we didn’t notice them before.

“It’s all about the weather patterns,” said Marissa Agostini, greenhouse manager at Moscarillo’s garden center and nursery in West Hartford.

“It’s all seasonal, so every year is going to be different, regardless of how much food that you give it,” Agostini said. “This year is what we call a surplus year. Same with a lot of things. If you notice around, the daylilies are gorgeous.”

The surplus year has brought more maple seedlings and white pine cones too, Agostini said.

“It’s just been a prolific season mostly because of just the growing conditions that we’ve had,” she said. “We had warm weather early so they popped really, really early. And it really is just seasonal and just happens matter of factly to be a phenomenal year for hydrangeas.

“People come in every single year. Oh, how do I make my hydrangeas bloom?” Agostini said. “Well, feed it, make sure it’s in a great location. But it really depends from season to season. It’s nothing that we as humans can do. It’s all kind of Mother Nature giving us a great show.”

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Agostini said there are two main types of hydrangeas. The blooms that are out now are max phylums, or Cape Cod hydrangeas, which prefer some shade. Later in the season the paniculatas, also known as limelight or woody hydrangeas will make their appearance. They’re more lime green to white in color and can take more sun.

The masses of blossoms have spawned untold numbers of photos shared on social media across Connecticut, with many residents amazed and delighted by how well the plants are doing. So what makes hydrangeas pink or purple instead of blue?

“It all comes down to the soil pH which you have,” Agostini said. “If you have more acidic soil, your hydrangeas are going to be either a purple or a blue. And then the more base (alkaline) you have, you’re going to have your pinks.”

She suggests feeding hydrangeas with Holly-tone by Espoma, “which is good for any kind of acid-loving plants,” Agostini said.

“So if you want to keep your nice and blue and beautiful, Holly-tone is appropriate to apply at the beginning of the season. It’s like a granular that you sprinkle on top of your root system.”

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On the other hand, if your hydrangeas are pink “if they start turning on you, like a purple or blue and you want them pink, then you have to apply the lime,” she said.

Ed Stannard can be reached at estannard@courant.com .