Blue Hydrangea

I bought a blue hydrangea (Hydrangea Macrophylla, also called big leaf or French hydrangea) just after easter and I am planning to plant it outside in the hope it will do well, and hopefully survive the winter. A blue hydrangea is blue because the soil is acidic and if the soil is alkaline it will bloom pink.
When you transfer a plant like this outside, it is recommended you do so late May when chance of frost is over. Cut the plant back to about 4"-6" from the ground, to stimulate shorter and denser branch growth, to increase its chance to overwintering. When winter comes cover as much of the plant as possibly in mulch, leaves, cloth or anything else to protect it from the cold. This type of hydrangea blooms on old wood.
Some organic materials that will lower ph: coffee grounds, conifer needles, sawdust, peat moss, oak leaves, fruit and vegetable peels and grass clippings.
Pruning: (1) All dead stems should be removed from hydrangeas every year. (2) After the plants are at least 5 years old, about 1/3 of the older (living) stems can be removed down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. (3) In addition, if it becomes necessary to prune a plant to reduce its size, it may be cut back in June or July without harming the next year's bloom. But it will return almost immediately to it's former size. This is one reason why it's best to plant a hydrangea where it does not have to be pruned. Make sure not to cut off all buds, or your hydrangea will not bloom the next year.