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Wee Bit Grumpy® Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Stragrum'
Wee Bit Grumpy was developed both for its lush colors and for its hardy performance in landscaping. It is disease-resistant and more cold-hardy than its counterparts.
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Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangea Shrubs for Sale Online
This incredible plant was named for a nickname from the original breeders - there's nothing grumpy about this bright, vibrant, reblooming hydrangea from Proven Winners. Like its sister, Wee Bit Giddy® hydrangea, this macrophylla hydrangea will bloom big buoyant flowers of deep moody purples in acidic soils and vibrant red colors in average to alkaline soils. If you want to see the deepest, most dramatic purple colors, we recommend pairing this with a soil acidifier (after performing a soil pH test!).
This beautiful rebloomer does not live up to its name - Wee Bit Grumpy® hydrangea is a source of absolute joy in your garden! Brand new in 2021, this hydrangea is a joyous blue-purple rebloomer when planted in acidic soils. You can enjoy Wee Bit Grumpy® hydrangea's moody blueish purples and bright pinkish reds all summer! Disease-resistant and low maintenance.
Wee Bit Grumpy® hydrangea and its sister Wee Bit Giddy® hydrangea will work in many landscaping and gardening designs since they are both compact dwarf shrubs and colorful rebloomers. You could plant a border around your garden, create a low hedge, or place one or two in choice locations as specimen focal points. They would also work in containers, but the colors are more easily adjusted when planted in the ground. Since these will sometimes continue to bloom into late fall, you can use these flowering shrubs in your winter interest garden - leave the dried flower heads on the plants to attract birds in the winter months. We also love decorating fall and holiday centerpieces with dried flower heads.
| Hardiness Zone: | 5-9 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 1 to 2 Feet |
| Mature Width: | 2 to 3 Feet |
| Classification: | Broad leaved deciduous shrub, summer flowering |
| Sunlight: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Habit: | Compact-mounded dwarf |
| Foliage: | Green |
| Flower Color: | Bright red to deep violet |
| Pruning Season: | Not needed (remove dead branches in spring after buds show) |
| Soil Condition: | Any well drained soil, acidic soil changes flower color to blueish purple |
| Water Requirements: | Water well until established |
| Uses: | Extremely attractive when used as a focal point in the mixed border, mass planting, or a specimen planting |
How to Care for Wee Bit Grumpy® Hydrangea
Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy plant for years to come!
What is the best soil for my hydrangea macrophylla Wee Bit Grumpy?
Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas are low-maintenance shrubs that simply need a well draining soil to thrive. However, you can change the colors of your flowers by adjusting your soil. Hydrangea macrophylla are a species of plant that is very absorbent (known as hyperaccumulating plants), and are sensitive to the presence of aluminum ions in their soil. In our gardens, we can see this effect in the color of our blooms - acidic soils with a low pH means a higher amount of aluminum ions are present, and the flowers will bloom with more blueish pigments in their petals as a result. Alternatively, alkaline or neutral soils that do not have a large percentage of aluminum ions present will allow hydrangeas to bloom their main flower color, be that a pink or a red or in that range. Neither state will affect the health of the plant. So, if you wish to see deeper purple tones in your Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas, perform a soil test to determine the natural acidity of your garden soil and add acidifying agents such as Espoma Soil Acidifier.
When should I fertilize my Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas?
Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas bloom and rebloom all summer long, making them a perfect statement of color in your garden. To help encourage lots of blooms, a hands-off approach is sometimes better. These hydrangeas only need fertilizer once or twice a year at most. A nice flower-tone or rose tone granular slow-releasing fertilizer can be mixed into the soil around the dripline of the plant (the ring around the plant just slightly inside of where the leaves reach, not at the base of the stem). Fertilize in early spring, and again in late spring just before the big blooming season starts. Do not fertilize later than mid summer, so that your hydrangeas will enter a healthy dormancy period come fall.
How much sun do my Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangea shrubs need?
Wee Bit Grumpy flourish when planted in zones 5 through 9 and they have slightly different sun preferences depending on where you are located. In cooler climates where there is less risk of scorching the leaves, they are happiest front and center in a full sun position. In hotter climates, partial shade will reduce the risk of scorching your plants. They need at least 6 hours of sunlight if they are in a partial sun or partial shade position.
Should I use mulch when planting my Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas?
Almost all plants benefit from a layer of mulch over their roots and your Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas are no exception. A 2 to 3 inch layer of organic mulch will help to insulate and regulate the temperature of the soil around the roots, as well as protect your hydrangea from pesky weeds looking to steal resources. We recommend either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown.
