How long will it take for my young plant to have those large 9 inch balls of white?

Answer #1 · Stephen Whatley's Answer · Hi bill. How long ago did you plant the hydrangea? It typically takes a year or so to develope the root system enough to sustain the big,beautiful blooms your looking for.Patience and proper pruning technique should ensure you get the aesthetic value your looking for. Let me know if you have any more questions regarding this or any othe matter. Stephen.)

Answer #2 · Brent Wilson's Answer · I've seen Incrediball Hydrangea produce a few smaller sized flower clusters when growing in 3-gallon containers. These are usually two-year old plants with root systems constrict by the container. But, as Stephen said, it can take a couple or more years for the plant to develop a root system large enough to produce a bumper crop of the large flower clusters. I've heard it's best to go light on the fertilizer with Incrediball. Too much fertilizer, or quick-release fertilizers high in nitrogen, can cause weak stems that won't hold up the huge flowers. I tried growing Incrediball here in zone 8 in mid-Georgia but the plant slowly deteriorated as summer came. Even though it was planted where it would receive afternoon shade, the plant just wouldn't tolerate the heat. Hopefully you won't have this problem with yours. Here's a link to an article that provides pruning instructions for "Arborescens" hydrangea species such as Incrediball.

www.gardenality.com/Articles/338/How-To-Info/Pruning/How-To-Prune-Hydrangeas/default.html)