How to Care for an Indoor Hydrangea Macrophilla

Hydrangea macrophylla is often grown as a flowering houseplant that makes a welcome Mother's Day or Easter gift. The huge Hydrangea macrophylla blooms burst with color, and will last several weeks before they fade. Although Hydrangea macrophylla is often thought as a disposable plant and tossed out as soon as it loses its appeal, with some tender loving care, the plant can live to bloom again.

Clear plastic (optional)

Pruners

Peat moss

Garden soil

Water Hydrangea macrophylla often, and never allow the soil to dry out. The large blooms and foliage require a large amount of water, so the soil should be checked several times every day. If you need to be away for a few days, surround the plant in plastic to retain moisture. However, don't do this unless it's absolutely necessary, because the humidity will invite pests and disease.

Place Hydrangea macrophylla in bright light, but not in direct sunlight or a hot window. Although bright sunlight is important, direct sun will fade the blooms, and may even burn them.

Keep Hydrangea macrophylla in a cool room. At night, the temperature in the room shouldn't be above 60 degrees F.

Cut Hydrangea macrophylla back with pruners after the blooms fade. Trim the plant so that only two sets of leaves remain on each shoot.

Repot the Hydrangea macrophylla after pruning, using a mixture of half peat moss and half garden soil. If you have perlite, a handful will make the soil lighter and promote drainage.

Put Hydrangea macrophylla in a sunny window until May. In May, take the plant outdoors and bury the pot in a spot in your garden where it will get morning sun and afternoon shade. Keep the soil moist, and feed it an all-purpose fertilizer every other week, according to the package's directions.

Allow only three or four shoots to grow on the Hydrangea macrophylla. Remove weaker shoots and clip off shoots that grow toward the center. Pinch back the remaining shoots to keep them from getting long and leggy during the summer, but don't pinch them back after July 1.

Move the Hydrangea macrophylla back indoors before the first hard freeze of the season, but don't move it sooner than necessary. Considered normal, the leaves will drop off when you bring the plant indoors.

Place the Hydrangea macrophylla in total darkness with temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees F, beginning November 1. Leave the plant there for about six weeks and don't water. If leaves remain on the plant, they will drop off during this time.

Bring the Hydrangea macrophylla back to a sunny room after six weeks. Although the daytime temperatures can be at a normal room temperature, nighttime temperatures should be kept between 55 and 60 degrees F.

Water the Hydrangea macrophylla regularly and don't let the soil dry out. No fertilizer is necessary.