Hydrangea Let’s Dance ‘Can Do’ (2gal by Proven Winners)

The Let’s Dance Series of hydrangea from Proven Winners is an easy-to-grow, no prune, and hardy collection.

Not just another pretty face! One look at Hydrangea Let’s Dance ‘Can Do’ tells you it’s beautiful – but there’s more to this innovative new hydrangea than that. It has the unique ability to create flower buds along the entire length of the stem instead of only at the top like other big-leaf hydrangeas. That means that even if winter does its worst and kills back a portion of the plant, there will still be flower buds to open in early summer. It’s also what makes Let’s Dance ‘Can Do’ hardy to zone 4 – not only will it survive in such a cold area, it will actually bloom there!

Hydrangea Let’s Dance ‘Can Do’ also reblooms more quickly than other varieties – in other words, you won’t have to wait until fall to see the new flowers! And about those flowers… they are lacecap type blooms, but appear like fluffier flower types. Blooms are a luscious strawberry pink in neutral/alkaline soils and a lovely lavender in acidic ones.

Maintenance Notes:

Soil and exposure: Big-leaf hydrangeas should be planted in moist but well-drained soil – they cannot tolerate wet conditions. It’s a good idea to have a 2-3″ layer of mulch in all climates. Plant with at least some sun each day; the hotter your climate, the more shade the plant can withstand.

Pruning: big-leaf hydrangeas cannot be pruned at any point in the year without negatively impacting the flowering. As such, it’s best to avoid pruning this type of hydrangea altogether. If portions of the plant were damaged from winter weather, they can be removed in spring when it is clear where the new growth is emerging.

Fertilizing: The key to getting reblooming hydrangeas to produce new-wood flower buds is to keep them growing vigorously all summer. Hence, fertilizer can be beneficial. Apply a granular rose fertilizer in early spring, when the ground has thawed, and again in late spring. Never fertilize after late July; that can interfere with the plant going dormant.

Color: The “default” color for big-leaf hydrangeas tends to the pink/red tones, and that is the color they will display in neutral (pH 7.0) or higher soil. The soil must be acidic (at least 6.5 or so) for the blue color to develop, and aluminum, a naturally occurring soil mineral, must be present. If you are not satisfied with the flower color in your yard, get a soil test so that you know exactly what must be changed. We do not recommend applying any kind of treatment “just in case” – that’s a waste of time and money, and could potentially lead to pollution or create inhospitable conditions in the soil.