Thanks for asking about the sourdough starter. I have been maintaining mine for about six months now and it has become quite predictable. I feed it once a day with equal parts whole wheat flour and filtered water. The key is keeping it at a consistent temperature around seventy degrees. If it gets too warm it ferments too quickly and turns vinegary. Too cold and it becomes sluggish and takes forever to rise. I learned the hard way that tap water with chlorine can kill the natural yeast over time so now I always use filtered or bottled water. When I am about to bake I feed it a larger ratio of flour and water about twelve hours before mixing the dough. That gives me a nice bubbly active starter that passes the float test. The flavor has deepened over the months and it gives the bread a pleasant tang without being overpowering. Let me know if you want me to walk you through the feeding schedule I use.

Regarding your question about the climbing hydrangea I planted last spring. It struggled at first because I had it in too much direct afternoon sun. I moved it to a north-facing wall where it gets morning light only and it has started putting out new growth. The aerial rootlets are beginning to grip the brickwork which is what you want to see. I water it deeply twice a week unless we get rain and I mulch the base with shredded bark to keep the roots cool. I also gave it a light application of compost tea in early spring and that seemed to give it a boost. They are slow to establish so patience is important. I have heard that once they truly take hold after a couple of years the growth accelerates noticeably. If yours is in a similar spot I would suggest checking the soil moisture a few inches down and making sure it stays evenly damp but not waterlogged.