GARDENING
Hydrangeas
PeeGee
By Tony Glover
Cullman County
Extension Coordinator
PeeGee hydrangeas are sometimes called Panicle
hydrangeas due to the large panicle flower heads
they form.
The Panicle or Peegee hydrangea is native to
Asia but may be adapted even better than our
native species to our Southern landscapes that
often have poor soils and are too sunny for other
hydrangeas to perform at their best. My motto of
successful gardening is do not fight the site. If you
have a sunny location with less than perfect soil,
grow something that will tolerate the conditions
you have. PeeGee hydrangeas may just fit the bill.
I do not mean to imply they will not benefit from
improving the soil but they are less demanding
than many of the other hydrangeas. However, if
you are planning a new bed of hydrangeas it is not
a bad idea to mix in a good helping (2-4 inches)
of good compost into the top 6-8 inches of native
soil. Do not dig a hole the size of the pot and plop
16 | FALL 2020
CULLMAN COUNTY SENIOR MAGAZINE