How to Keep a Hydrangea Alive Indoors Until Spring

Put the hydrangea in a 10-gallon pot with a drainage hole for indoor growing or storage. Heavy pots balance the dense foliage and offer drainage and room. Always use pots with drainage holes to ensure circulation and quick-draining environments, as hydrangeas rot in standing water.

Mix a rich, loose and quick-draining growing foundation for potted hydrangeas. Use 1 part bagged garden loam or bark-based potting soil to 1 part organic compost or peat moss. The mixture provides nutrition, space and moisture retention. Fill the pot 3/4 full of your soil mixture.

Plant the hydrangea in a hole deep and wide enough for its root ball, and pack soil around the roots. Push your finger into the soil in several spots to break up any air pockets in the planting.

Put the hydrangea in a location with moderate temperatures and indirect or partial light. Hydrangeas do best in morning sun and afternoon shade or indirect light. They fail in full light or shade. Don't put them near fireplaces or heating registers, as those emit dry, hot air and dry the plants out.

Water the hydrangea with 2 inches of water every four to five days to maintain soil moisture. Hydrangeas dry more quickly indoors and suffer in dry conditions.