I've had blue hydrangeas in my garden since 2015, but for the last few years they barely produce any flowers. I water them regularly and they get partial sun. Do I need to prune them differently or add special fertilizer?
Your blue hydrangeas probably aren't flowering much because pruning is done wrong or at the wrong time. Most people cut them too short or too late, which removes the future flower buds. For blue hydrangeas (macrophylla), you need to prune just after flowering, around September-October, and very lightly - just remove the dead flowers and dead branches, without cutting them back drastically. If you prune them in winter or spring, you're cutting off that year's flowers.
Fertilizer is a bonus, not the main solution. What really matters is soil fertility and pH. Your blue hydrangeas need acidic soil to keep their color and flower well - they like soil with a pH between 5 and 6. If your soil has become neutral over time, add agricultural sulfur or use a specific fertilizer for blue-flowering hydrangeas in spring. Also, check that they're getting enough light - partial sun is fine, but if they're too shaded it reduces flowering.
To really get them going again, add well-decomposed compost in the fall around the base, it enriches the soil and helps maintain acidity. And be patient - sometimes a good year of care brings back beautiful flowering the following year.
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