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Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangea Shrubs for Sale Online
This wonderful plant was named for a nickname from the original breeders - there's nothing grumpy about this bright, vibrant reblooming hydrangea from Proven Winners. Similar to its sister, Wee Bit Giddy, 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 really want to see the deepest, most dramatic purple colors, we recommend pairing this with a soil acidifier (after performing a soil pH test, of course!).
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.
| 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
Before you purchase your Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangea Shrub, read our recommended care instructions to keep your plant healthy and thriving.
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.
Additional Information
Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas certainly sound like divas, but that could not be further from the truth. While they're not grumpy per se (the name simply comes from a nickname from the original breeders), they have been described as moody - the colors will bloom differently depending on what kind of soil they are planted in! In more acidic soils, Wee Bit Grumpy will take on a deep stormy violet color, almost to an indigo purple. In alkaline or average soils, Wee Bit Grumpy flowers will look bright vibrant red, with a fushia pink undertone. Make sure to perform a soil test before planting your Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangea, and in the spring before summer buds start to form. Depending on the natural acidicty of your soil and the look you are going for, you can amend your soil with Espoma Soil Acidifier for the indigo-violet colors, or simply sprinkle your coffee grounds over the mulch around your hydrangea Wee Bit Grumpy or Wee Bit Giddy plants for a blend between reds and purples.
Wee Bit Grumpy hydrangeas are not only joyful in color, they are easy going in care - certainly not grumpy or needy. They were developped to be disease resistant, tolerant of some cold, and hardy in a variety of soil conditions. These low maintenance shrubs are also better left to grow their own way - pruning or deadheading could negatively affect their natural reblooming cycles. Don't be afraid to take a few cuttings inside, however - fresh cut hydrangea flowers will look stunning in a vase on your dining room table, and your hydrangeas outside will continue to bloom.
Wee Bit Grumpy and its sister Wee Bit Giddy 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 to be specimen focal points. They would work in containers as well, but the colors are more easily adjusted when they are 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 the dried flowerheads.
There are few things in life that bring as much joy as a vibrant garden, glowing with life and color, and what better way to grow joy than with a bed of Wee Bit Grumpy Hydrangeas.
