How do I prepare the soil before planting?
Adding good-quality compost is probably the best thing you can do for your Hydrangeas. This article may help you:
How can get cuttings from my hydrangea and grow more plants from them? I am moving and want to take some cuttings with me.
Here is a link that will help you with propagation.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/hydrangea-propagation.htm
I can't get my hydrangeas to bloom.
This article will help you.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/hydrangea-not-blooming.htm
I planted a hydrangea about 4 weeks ago that was already really struggling with really only 3-4 leaves that have since fallen off. I can see new growth at the base of the plant, but I also know there is not a drop of rain in sight for Atlanta and the new growth could be scorched in an afternoon! Our summer has already been extremely hot. Should I dig this plant up and put it in a pot to recover on my screened in porch or would that be a second "shock" to it? Thank you for always being so helpful! Kristen
Did you properly plant the Hydrangea in a partial sun location?
Morning sunlight with afternoon shade would be best.
I would leave the plant, unless the sun is too direct, and continue to provide daily water to your plant.
Make sure you water deeply, but that the roots are not sitting in soggy soil.
Adding 2 to 3 inches of hardwood mulch will help with moisture retention.
You may need to water twice a day when the temperatures are above 80 degrees.
I have 4 hydrangeas. I water them weekly with diluted aluminum sulfate. Many are blue and some are pink and purple. Should I be putting this solution a foot around each bush? I pour it down the center but are roots a foot apart from center. I use a gallon of water and 1 tbs of sulfate for each plant, so should I add more solution to non plant areas to get roots all over saturated with diluted aluminum? Should I increase to 2nd for each gallon to make solution a little stronger? Also, some bushes have 3 tall stalks and the rest if the bush is low. Should I cut this stalks down? One bush has very few blooms on it right in between my other bushes which have tons of blooms. I don't know why I don't have the same amount on this one bush? It was and is treated the dame as all the others.
You can water the entire drip line of the plants with your fertilizer. I would not increase your ratio.
I am listing a few links for you, including pruning information.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/growing-hydrangeas-hydrangea-care-guide.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/prune-hydrangea-bushes-hydrangea-pruning-instructions.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/change-hydrangea-color.htm
If I use aluminum sulfate to change hydrangeas to blue, what is the recommended dosage? How often should be applied, and for how long should I apply the aluminum sulfate solution?
Here is a link to help you.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/hydrangea/change-hydrangea-color.htm
If I prune spent blossoms on Hydrangea, will it get more flowers this year or will I have just foliage? They got stressed because it was too sunny where I had them.
No, your shrubs should be fine for next years flowers.
Follow the instructions for dead heading in the link below.