How to Make a Hydrangea Bed

Plant hydrangeas in early spring when the ground warms, for easier digging. Start the process in early morning to ensure a cool, moist transplant for the hydrangeas. Transplanting or planting midday dries roots and damages the plants.

Choose the right site for the hydrangea bed. These shrubs do best in indirect, filtered or partial sun; they dry and burn in bright, all-day sun. Find large sites with morning sun and afternoon shade or indirect light, quick drainage and good air circulation. Allot 4 to 5 feet of space for each shrub.

Amend the entire bed to a depth of 6 to 8 inches to give the hydrangeas loose, nutritious soil for drainage and root growth. Turn over the soil and remove rocks and weeds. Incorporate 3 to 4 inches of organic compost, leaf mold or wood chips to loosen the soil and add nutrition. Hydrangeas won't grow in thick, tight or muddy soil.

Plant the hydrangeas every 4 to 5 feet in the bed, in holes deep and wide enough for their root balls. Fill the holes completely with amended soil, and poke your fingers into it intermittently to eliminate air pockets.

Irrigate each hydrangea with 1/2 gallon of water to moisten the soil and establish the roots. Lay 2 inches of organic mulch over the soil to maintain moisture and warmth. Replenish this mulch layer every month, and put the hydrangeas on a schedule of 2 inches of water per week.