Hydrangea is a beautiful garden flowers with fluffy multicolored hats. They are represented by several species: by the type of shrubs up to 3 m high, small trees and vines that can braid a tree up to 30 m in height. Hydrangea will bloom from spring to frost, delighting with its spherical inflorescences. However, there are species in which this time is shorter. - everything about her in the article!
Hydrangea planting rules
You can plant hydrangea in early spring or in autumn. In this case, the first option would be preferable. For hydrangeas, you need to choose the right landing site. It prefers acidic soil with good moisture. As for lighting, these flowers can feel comfortable both in the sun and in partial shade.
The whole landing process can be divided into several stages:
After planting a hydrangea bush, it is better to cover it from sunlight for several days. This will allow the plant to take root faster. Hydrangea can be planted both singly and in groups. In this case, the distance between the bushes should be about 1 meter.
Basic rules for caring for hydrangea
Hydrangea care comes down primarily to proper watering, timely top dressing, pruning and loosening. If you do everything right, then the bushes will be lush, and the inflorescences will be large and bright.
Watering
Hydrangea is moisture-loving plant which requires frequent watering. It should be plentiful, 15 - 20 liters for each adult bush. In hot weather, this should be done once a week. In hot and dry summers, you can increase up to two times a week. In this case, you need to focus on the condition of the soil, given how quickly it absorbs moisture and dries.
For irrigation, it is best to use settled soft water at room temperature. Periodically, a little potassium permanganate should be added to it, which will prevent the appearance of rot. Hydrangea should be watered in the morning or evening, when it is still not too hot.
top dressing
For good development and lush flowering hydrangeas need to be fed. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable for this. It is especially important to use them during the period of intensive growth. You can buy ready-made fertilizers that are rich in magnesium and iron. A good composition is top dressing in the form of a solution of bird droppings with water in a ratio of 1:10 in combination with mineral composition from 20 g, 10 g of saltpeter and 10 g. You can use any slurry as a fertilizer, just follow the measure, otherwise the buds will be too large, because of which fragile branches can break.
It is necessary to fertilize hydrangea not only during planting, but periodically as it grows. The first such top dressing should be carried out at the end of May. It should be repeated after two weeks. You can fertilize flowers throughout the summer, but in August it is advisable to stop feeding so that the shoots can become woody by winter.
Mulching
Thanks to the mulching of the near-stem circle, the roots of the hydrangea will be protected from overheating and the rapid growth of weeds. You must first make an organic mulch consisting of wood chips or. It should be scattered in an even layer around the shrub. This will help make the soil more acidic, which is what hydrangeas need. This mulch will gradually become part of the soil.
It is best to apply mulch under the bushes in late spring, when the soil is well warmed up. It is also possible to mulch in late autumn, when negative temperatures set in. Periodically, shrubs need to be loosened so that the soil is more moisture permeable.
pruning
Pruning is done on plants that have reached the age of 3 - 4 years. This should be done in early spring - before the sap flow and bud break begin. If the procedure is carried out too early, the cut cuttings will be unsuitable for further rooting, and if too late, the plant may die. That is why it is important to prune when the buds just start to swell.
When pruning in adult plants, 3/4 of the height of each shoot should be cut with secateurs. At the same time, 2 - 3 pairs of kidneys should remain on them. Old bushes can be updated at the root. Everything will depend on the condition of the bush or tree. You need to cut off old or frozen shoots. During pruning, you can form a beautiful little tree with a certain shape. In the first year of hydrangea growth, its flowers should be removed, because. this will encourage more abundant blooms next year.
Preparing hydrangeas for winter
Hydrangea belongs to heat-loving plants, so it must be protected in winter time of the year. Young shoots need special protection and not enough winter-hardy varieties. If the bush is very young, you can simply cover it with earth, fallen leaves or sawdust from above. Older plants must be bent to the ground and covered with roofing material or lutrasil. To prevent the wind from blowing it away, you need to press down the covering material with bricks.
Mature bushes require more careful shelter. You have to try not to break them. The bush should be tied, and then covered with spunbond or lutrasil, after which a frame can be built around it from metal mesh or other improvised materials. It should be at a distance of about 20-25 cm from the bush. Free space must be filled with dry foliage. Such an insulated frame will protect the hydrangea well even in severe frosts. You can remove it in the spring, when there is a stable positive temperature.
Reproduction of hydrangea
Hydrangea is propagated in several ways:
Popular types of hydrangea
Before planting a hydrangea, you need to decide on the choice of a suitable species. Each of them has its own growing characteristics, which must be considered when planting and caring. The most popular among gardeners are: Hydrangea large-leaved, Hydrangea paniculata, Hydrangea petiolate, Hydrangea tree.
Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
It will delight with flowering in July-August. Such a hydrangea has bright dense foliage. The shoots of the current year look grassy, which is why the plant has a low cold resistance. Flowers are umbrella shaped. They can have a different color depending on the variety, the intensity of which depends on the acidity of the soil. The more acidic it is, the brighter the hydrangea will be. The height of the bush reaches up to 2 m.
Hydrangea paniculata (Hydrangea paniculata)
Blooms from mid-summer to the onset of cold weather. Inflorescences of this type have a pyramidal shape. They can reach a length of up to 30 cm. Paniculata hydrangea grows as a shrub that can reach a height of 5 m or as a small tree up to 10 m. This species is considered more frost-resistant and unpretentious.
Hydrangea petiolaris (Hydrangea petiolaris)
It is a shrub vine. It will require an additional support, to which it will be attached with air suction cups. In length, it grows up to 25 m. This suitable look for planting near arches and arbors. Inflorescences are corymbose up to 25 cm in size.
Hydrangea tree (Hydrangea arborescens)
It grows up to 3 meters in height. The flowers are predominantly white or cream in color. There are several varieties of this species, differing in different colors. In winter, the plant can freeze slightly, so it must be carefully wrapped. In April, the bushes need to be severely cut. The flowers grow in large fluffy clusters.
Ground cover hydrangea (Hydrangea heteromalla)
It is also called the Bretschneider hydrangea. This species is considered frost-resistant and unpretentious. The bush reaches 2 - 3 m in height. Inflorescences are corymbose here. At first they are white, and at the end of flowering they become pink. Such a hydrangea blooms in mid-summer.
Recommendations for planting and caring for hydrangea in the garden - video
Garden hydrangea, planting and caring for which are considered quite difficult, is often called differently - hydrangea (Hydrangea). This is a beautiful deciduous shrub, sometimes a liana or a small tree, which is often grown in the backyard. It can be grown from seeds or cuttings. This gorgeous plant blooms all summer long. When it blooms, huge airy caps of white, purple and even burgundy inflorescences almost completely cover the bush. But in fact, this is a relatively unpretentious plant in care, it can be planted not only in the country, but in parks, squares and near houses, and every year the flowers will delight passers-by with their magnificence, and the oak-leaved hydrangea will attract attention with unusual foliage.
Types of hydrangeas
Especially popular, both blue and pink, large-leaved hydrangea. For the conditions of central Russia, panicle hydrangea is considered the most suitable (Phantom and Limelight varieties are especially famous) and, since they are resistant to frost. Other species common in our latitudes - oaky hydrangea, rough, large-flowered - are much more thermophilic, they will need additional shelter for the winter.
Panicled hydrangeas have cone-shaped inflorescences that can change color, for example, in the Limelight variety, lime flowers turn white, in Sunday Frize, the initially green panicle at the end of flowering is pink. The Laimlat variety is also distinguished by strong shoots that can withstand endless abundant flowering. They are also varied in size - one of the largest is the Phantom variety. 
Popular varieties of panicled hydrangea
- Grandiflora is a very lush shrub, the panicle is first white, then pink.
- Limelight - at first the inflorescences are painted in bright color lime, as the name of the variety indicates. After the flowers change color to lemon, and then to white.
- Wim Rutten - cream flowers exude a honey aroma (like the Phantom variety), eventually becoming pink, and then wine red.
- Vanilla Fraze - the flowers of this variety are like clouds, the inflorescences are pink with a white tip, turning crimson by autumn. Created in the French nursery "Reno", requires shelter.
- Sunday Frize - another brainchild of the Renault nursery, fluffy inflorescences change their color from green to bright pink.
- Phantom is a record-breaking variety, the length of its inflorescences is from 30 cm, the bush grows up to 2 m.
Popular varieties of tree hydrangea
- Annabelle is a variety on the basis of which many modern tree hydrangea hybrids are created. Blooms all summer. inflorescences white color large, up to 20 cm in diameter.
- Invincibel - inflorescences change color from dark pink to a lighter shade.
- Incredibol - huge caps of white inflorescences, about 30 cm in diameter.
Popular varieties of large-leaved hydrangea, also known as "blue" hydrangea:
- Freedom;
- Perfection;
- Jomari;
- Mini Penny.
Oakleaf hydrangea is represented by varieties Harmony and Appleus. Thanks to the leaves, it is decorative for almost a whole year. Other types of hydrangea - ashen, Bretschneider, serrate - are less common.
Hydrangea Care
Hydrangea care begins in March. It is better to check the condition of the plants under cover in advance, and if the weather is warm, start to ventilate them little by little. During the thaw on the site, you need to make sure that the roots do not have stagnation of melt water: you can dig drainage grooves. Remove cover from large-leaved shrubs when the threat of frost has passed. It is very important to properly trim the hydrangea. If for some reason pruning was not done in autumn, it must be done in March, when the snow did not melt. Due to the fact that sap flow begins early, if you are late or do not do it at all, the plant may begin to “cry”, this will greatly weaken it and may even cause death.
It is important to remember that all parts of the hydrangea contain toxic substances, therefore they must be kept away from children and pets and gloves should be worn if pruning or planting seeds.
In mid-April, when the air warms up to + 10–12 ° C, and the soil thaws to a depth of 20 cm,. Young shoots for the season give a strong increase, often up to half a meter, therefore, for active growth, they need nutrition - they are best absorbed by the roots nitrogen fertilizers: you can take 1 tbsp. l. calcium nitrate and dilute it in 10 liters of water. Plants will also be grateful for organic feeding, then flowering will be more abundant, and the flowers will be larger.
When young leaves begin to grow, the shrub should be mulched with rotted manure or humus. This will prevent the growth of weeds, improve soil structure and serve as additional fertilizer. Garden hydrangea, judging by the name, loves watering very much, therefore it is important, when summer comes, to water it abundantly - this will require at least 10 liters of water. For the Phantom variety, about 30 liters are required. If purchased potted plants- in May they can be planted in the country.
If you plan to plant a hydrangea, it is important to remember that its roots are superficial, they actively grow in width, so the hole must be dug correctly: it will need to be shallow, but wide. Large-leaved hydrangeas should be planted in the country in such a place that the sun illuminates them for at least 6 hours, but falls on the leaves only in the morning and evening. Sufficiently shade-tolerant paniculate (for example, Limelight, Phantom varieties), tree-like and oak-leaved hydrangea. If the earth is clayey, so that the water does not stagnate, drainage from broken brick. Before planting shrubs root system should be soaked in a bucket of water, gently straightening the roots.
The pit must be filled with the following mixture: 4 buckets of humus or quail manure, 2 - peat, 1 - needles and garden soil in a small amount. It is better to immediately add complex fertilizer, superphosphate and mix the resulting substrate. For example, the Phantom variety, with a lack of nutrition, begins to produce pale inflorescences. It is necessary to plant shrubs in the country carefully, the soil should be mulched with a thick layer of coniferous litter. After planting, the earth must be shed well, so that not only the soil in the pit becomes wet, but also the lump in which the hydrangea grew. Further care for plants consists in abundant watering, which is gradually reduced to 1 time in 7 days. But the Phantom variety should be watered a little more often.
When summer comes garden hydrangea lays flower buds. New shoots are actively developing, therefore nutritional top dressing is required again. mineral fertilizers where there is a lot of phosphorus and potassium. Exactly this the best time in order to successfully propagate hydrangea by cuttings. In July, when large-leaved hydrangea inflorescences are formed, you can change their color from pink to blue. Most The best way- water the shrub with alum (aluminum salts). Another option: use special ready-made preparations.
Aluminum salts begin to act only in an acidic environment, therefore, in order to change color, hydrangea must grow in acidic soil.
With a neutral or alkaline reaction, the soil will have to be “acidified”. To do this, before planting a plant, add riding peat to the pit and use it as mulch. Watering the soil with a weak solution of table vinegar or citric acid should help. Watering can be repeated once a week. All summer you need to continue abundant watering, especially if the shrub is located in a bright, well-lit area. To make flowering almost endless, in mid-July, you can feed the plants for the third time or with a small nitrogen content.
wintering hydrangeas
At the beginning of autumn, while there is no constant precipitation, the shrubs are watered abundantly, and the soil is mulched. wood chips and dry leaves. Pruning begins in October. If cuttings were rooted in the summer or a blue hydrangea was purchased in a pot, young plants must be properly prepared for wintering as follows:
- dig pots in the garden;
- fill them with dry foliage;
- cover with lattice boxes on top;
- put a film on top, leaving the side walls of the box open.
Thus, rooted cuttings hibernate best. Most decorative species hydrangeas need to make a winter shelter every year. If there is a threat of frost, heat-loving species shelter special material, after removing all the leaves and tying the shoots in the form of a sheaf.
There are several ways to properly cover the bush for the winter.
- You can bend the stems to the ground and fix with staples, and cover the base with a thick layer of peat. Place arcs on top with a cross, on which to put non-woven material in several layers - depending on its type. Before the frost hits, you can leave vents for ventilation.
- The shoots are pinned to the ground, under the stems you need to put spruce branches or covering material. Then - a layer of peat or compost, and on it - a sheet of slate.
- A frame is made under the bush, the hydrangea is covered with pine needles or dry foliage, the frame is covered with non-woven material in 2 layers. Shrubs should be covered from above excess water. In the spring, the shelter should be removed in stages, completely - when the threat of frost has passed.
Reproduction of hydrangea
You can grow hydrangea from seeds, propagate by dividing the bush, cuttings and layering. Growing hydrangeas from seeds is easy, they are immediately sown in the ground in March, without stratification. But this method of reproduction is the longest. It will take more than one year to wait for flowering. Hydrangeas from cuttings bloom the following year. To propagate a flower in this way in summer period, you need to cut the shoots with two pairs of leaves from the middle of the bush. You should choose those where there are no rudiments of buds. Their length should be up to 17 cm. The cut is made oblique, a centimeter below the kidneys, leaf plates can be cut by a third to reduce moisture evaporation.
The bottom of the cutting is powdered with root formation enhancers, they are planted in pots with a light, moist, breathable substrate. They are placed in a greenhouse, for example, by making it from plastic bottle. Containers are placed in partial shade, rooting takes about 6 weeks. Caring for the cuttings consists in periodically moistening the soil and ventilating the greenhouse. When new growth appears, it can be removed. But most in a simple way Hydrangea breeding is considered to be dividing the bush.
Proper pruning
For many gardeners, pruning hydrangeas is only about removing dried or weakened shoots, they do this all year long, believing that it is right, and then being disappointed in the flowering of plants. For a large-flowered hydrangea, crown care in the first year of life consists in shortening the shoots by a strong bud and mulching the roots. In autumn, only weak branches are pruned. In the second year in July, strong shoots at the base are cut to grow below the growth. In the third year and subsequent in July, dried and old shoots are removed.
Some varieties of hydrangeas bloom on last year's shoots, therefore it is correct to remove only faded inflorescences with four leaves in the middle of summer, since flower buds are laid in August. Cardinal pruning of such plants will deprive them of flowering next year. In the Phantom variety, branches are removed without affecting the skeletal ones. Following these simple rules, it is easy to get an attractive, profusely flowering bush.
Conclusion
Hydrangea - ornamental shrub, which is able to decorate with itself any corner of the garden. Several of its species are winter-hardy in central Russia, but the rest require shelter. The most common and resistant to cold are paniculate and tree-like. A popular variety of paniculate hydrangea is Phantom, and tree-like is Annabelle.
These plants require annual pruning. When planting in the hole, nutrients are added. In hydrangea large-leaved in acidic soil, when using special alum, the color of the inflorescences changes. You can grow these plants from seeds, propagate by dividing the bush and cuttings.
How to grow hydrangea in the gardenHydrangea (lat. Hydrangea) belongs to the Hortensia family, and has more than 70 species. It is valued for its variety of colors and unpretentiousness and many ways of self-breeding.
How to propagate hydrangeas
There are several ways to breed hydrangeas: green cuttings, layering, dividing the bush. The seed method is less commonly used, since growing a seedling takes about 2 years.
Propagation of hydrangeas with green cuttings
The cuttings are cut in July, when the buds are formed:
- choose the lower lateral last year's shoots;
- cut the rod in the morning;
- then the shoot is divided into parts, leaving 2-3 pairs of leaves on each;
- finished cuttings are placed in a solution of a root growth stimulator for a couple of hours;
- then they are planted in peat soil, and covered with glass jars.
Cuttings should be watered regularly. In a month, new leaves will appear on them.
Reproduction of hydrangea by layering
Layering is recommended to be done in the spring, before bud break. The soil around the bush is dug up and leveled, furrows are formed into which the lower side shoots. They are pinned to the ground, and sprinkled with povoi. By October, the layers will form roots and sprout young shoots - then they can be separated.
Division of a hydrangea bush
The method is not applicable to paniculate hydrangea. In early spring, the bush is well watered, dug up, and washed off the soil from the roots. Then it is divided into several parts, and immediately planted in a new permanent place.
Seed propagation method
Growing from seeds begins in the fall:
- used as a substrate garden soil, peat and sand 4:2:1;
- sowing cover thin layer soil mixture, moisturize, and cover with glass;
- planting is regularly ventilated and irrigated;
- the first shoots appear after 4-6 weeks;
- at the stage of development of the first leaves, the first pick is carried out;
- in May, a second pick is carried out, planting the plants in individual containers with a diameter of at least 7 cm.
During the summer, young sprouts are hardened in the fresh air, but without drafts and direct sunlight. So the seedlings grow for 2 years, regularly removing the buds - this will preserve the strength of the young sprout. In winter, flower seedlings are kept in a bright, cool place.
Growing hydrangeas in the garden
You can start planting in early spring, when the soil warms up enough. Depending on the climate, this period may occur in late April - early May, and in the northern regions it is recommended autumn planting seedlings in the ground - in September.
Choosing a place to grow hydrangeas
Culture loves moisture and sunlight. Well, if close to the surface of the soil are located ground water. Nutritious clay soil ideal for growing, unlike sandy.
The best neighbors for a sprawling flower garden there will be shrubs and trees. The lower tier can be filled with hosta and ferns.
Having chosen a place, you can begin to prepare the soil, oxidizing or deoxidizing it to the required level, and introducing the necessary minerals. This is done to change the color of the hydrangea buds to suit overall design garden.
Soil preparation for hydrangea
The most important feature of the plant is that the inflorescences can change their color depending on the acidity of the soil:
- the plant may have white and beige flowers- if the soil has a neutral pH level;
- lilac and pink inflorescences are characteristic of alkaline soil;
- blue and blue - for sour.
The brightness of blue hues depends on the level of iron in the soil, the more it is, the more saturated blue the flowers will be. To enhance the shade, the soil under the bush is watered with solutions of iron salts, and sprinkled metal shavings.
In alkaline soil, iron is not absorbed by plants, so flowering takes on delicate pink tones. White inflorescences practically do not change their shade.
Planting hydrangea seedlings
Seedlings are placed in the soil along with an earthen clod, respectively, the size of the hole should be 2 times larger than it. A mixture of peat and soil is added to the recess with the addition of minerals and organic matter.
The roots of the seedling are slightly straightened, and planted so that top part The root system was just above ground level. Then the planting is sprinkled with soil, watered and mulched with bark.
How to care for hydrangeas in the garden
The soil under the hydrangea bush should always be moist. Roast summer time irrigation should be carried out twice a week with warm settled water in the amount of 30-40 liters under an adult bush.
Using mulch will retain moisture longer, so you can reduce the frequency of watering. The surface root system needs oxygen, so in spring and summer the soil should be loosened several times to a depth of 5 cm.
Fertilization under hydrangeas
- before flowering: 20 g of urea per bucket of water, the consumption rate is 3 buckets per mature plant;
- after flowering: top dressing with a complex mineral composition.
During the summer it is good to fertilize the soil with organic matter. It is important not to overdo it, as plants can activate uncontrolled growth.
Pruning various types of hydrangea
Plants that have reached 3-4 years of age are subject to pruning. The procedure is carried out in the spring before the start of active sap flow.
Tree-like varieties are pruned earlier than others: shoots are shortened at a height of 3-4 buds. The cut remains can be used as cuttings.
In paniculate hydrangeas, only last year's shoots are cut, shortening them by a third. Plant residues are used for reproduction.
Large-leaved subspecies slightly rejuvenate and thin out: every 4th shoot is cut out to avoid thickening. Remove diseased, broken and growing shoots inside the bush.
Diseases and pests of hydrangea
Growing hydrangeas in the garden is rarely accompanied by disease. They are mainly associated with improper care, or depleted soil.
Hydrangea diseases
Hydrangea chlorosis - occurs when there is a lack of iron in the soil. The leaves turn yellow, the buds shrink. With chlorosis, the bushes should be watered with soft rainwater, and fed with iron-containing preparations.
white rot - fungal disease, leading to rotting of the plant, the leaves and shoots become brown, and are covered with a white coating, similar to cotton wool.
With the defeat of septoria on the leaves, brown spots of a rounded shape are formed, which gradually merge. The affected leaf dies.
In case of fungal diseases, plants are treated with Fitosporin or blue vitriol.
Ring spot: a viral disease. Black spots of necrosis in the form of rings protrude on the leaves. There is no cure for viral hydrangea diseases.
Hydrangea pests
The most common hydrangea pests:
- snail grape and amber;
- spider mite;
- gall nematode.
Insects feed on leaves, buds and roots of plants. To combat them, insecticides and acaricides are applicable: Typhos, Lightning, Vermitek. Snails and their clutches are destroyed mechanically.
Prevention of diseases and pests of hydrangea
- compliance with the rules of care;
- acquisition of quality planting material;
- timely removal of dried and diseased plants;
- weed control;
- processing in the spring with 1% Bordeaux mixture.
Preparing and sheltering hydrangeas for the winter
The culture has a superficial root system, which is prone to freezing. In autumn, it is necessary to prepare the flower garden for wintering. Bushes should be high up and well mulched.
In October, you need to take care of winter shelter. Young bushes are bent to the ground, and covered with roofing material, pressing the edges of the sheet with stones or bricks.
Adult bushes are tied and wrapped with spunbond. Around them, frames are constructed from a grid in the form of cones. The space between the net and the shelter is filled with dry leaves.
Outcome
Growing hydrangeas in the garden is very easy. The unpretentious culture develops well on different soils, has high winter hardiness, and does not get sick much. Unique feature plants - change the color of the inflorescences depending on the acidity of the soil, allows you to use it in the design of any garden design.
To obtain a high decorativeness of hydrangea plantings, it is not enough to take good care of the plants. Equally significant is the acquisition of healthy, strong seedlings and the knowledge of the grower on how to plant hydrangeas correctly.
For good development of hydrangeas, moderately moist nutrient loams with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0 are needed.
Therefore, the first measure for plant breeding is the analysis of the composition and acidity of the earth and, if necessary, its preparation:
- poor soils are enriched with a nutrient mixture of leafy soil, humus, sand and brown peat (2:2:1:1);
- neutral and alkaline lands are acidified with coniferous soil or additional peat;
- coarse soil is added to heavy soil river sand.
Not only the development of the plant, but also the color of its inflorescences depends on the composition of the soil:
- on soils rich in iron and aluminum, they acquire rich blue hues;
- on neutral lands rich in phosphorus, pink tones.
Most hydrangea varieties prefer diffused light or light partial shade, so the bushes in the garden are placed on the east or west side of the site, in places protected from drafts.
How to choose planting material
Hydrangea reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. The seed method is long and rather laborious, therefore it is rarely used. Vegetative reproduction, carried out with the help of cuttings, layering and dividing the bush, allows you to get young plants much faster in the case of an existing adult bush.
If you want to breed a new variety, it is convenient to purchase a ready-made seedling. Nurseries and specialized stores offer them in a large assortment, both with open and closed (in a container) root system. The task of the grower is reduced to his competent choice.
To do this, before buying, you must carefully consider the seedling:
- The ground part should look healthy, strong and have at least 2 shoots. Their deviation from the line of the trunk or curvature is acceptable, which is easily corrected by subsequent trimmings. The leaves on the shoots should be bright green. A brownish shade or lethargy of foliage signal the presence of a disease.
- Roots should be well developed, with no signs of mold, rot or overdried areas. When buying a seedling in a container, inspection of the roots is also required. To carry it out, the earthen ball is carefully removed from the container and inspected. The soil should be clean and moist, visible roots - without signs of trouble.
Time frame for planting flowers
The time frame for planting hydrangeas is determined by the climatic conditions of the area:
- in regions with mild winters, the crop is planted in spring (April) and autumn (September);
- in temperate latitudes, especially in its northern regions, it is preferable to plant hydrangeas in the spring, during the swelling of the buds.
Young plants with open roots planted immediately after purchase. Experienced gardeners it is recommended to do it in the evening.
Plants sold in containers can be planted during the season on an overcast, cool day.
Step-by-step instructions for planting hydrangeas in open ground
Properly planting a hydrangea is within the power of even beginner growers.
To do this, you need to perform several sequential steps:
- dig holes of a certain size;
- place the roots of a seedling or an earthen ball in the center of the hole and fill them with soil;
- compact, and then water and mulch the soil around the shoots.
Planting holes are dug 2 or 3 weeks before planting.
The size of the recesses is determined by the volume of the root system of the seedling and is approximately:
- for 1-2 year old plants 30 cm deep and wide;
- for 4-5 year olds - 50 cm.
When preparing landing pits, it is necessary to take into account some nuances:
- when planting with a nutrient mixture, pits are dug a third deeper and wider;
- when placing bushes in rows between seedlings, they retreat by 2-3 m, to obtain a dense hedge - 0.7-1 m;
- with a dense planting, the hydrangea will bloom earlier, but subsequently the bushes will have to be discharged.
The seedling is placed in the central part of the recess and covered with soil or nutrient mixture. The root neck is slightly, 2-3 cm deep, or left at the soil level. The soil around the shoots is well compacted. Planting seedlings purchased in containers is carried out by transshipment.
Planted plants are watered at the rate of 1 bucket under the bush. As soon as the moisture is completely absorbed into the ground, trunk circle(10-12 cm) mulch with peat, sawdust, tree bark or rotted foliage with a layer of 5-7 cm.
When spring planting shoots of 1 or 2-year-old seedlings are pruned, leaving at least 3 pairs of buds on each.
Hydrangea care after landing on the site
After planting, young plants are cared for:
- protect from exposure to sunlight and winds;
- regularly (1 time per week) plentifully (1-1.5 buckets under a bush) watered;
- shoots that are strongly elongated or bent under the weight of inflorescences are tied up;
- sensitive to low temperatures varieties are closed for the winter.
When planting with a nutrient mixture, top dressing is not carried out in the first 2 years. The exception is signs of weaknesses nutrients, manifested by the formation of small inflorescences and the loss of brightness of the green color of the foliage.
Fertilizers are applied several times a season, according to the following scheme:
- in the spring, during the period of active growth of shoots, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers is carried out;
- twice, at the stage of budding and at the opening of the first flowers, mineral additives rich in potassium and phosphorus are added;
- after flowering (August, the first half of September), the plant is fed with superphosphate (1 tablespoon per bucket of water).
The complexity of the climatic conditions of this area is easily compensated:
- a more thorough approach to the selection of seedlings, carried out taking into account the knowledge of the characteristics of the winter hardiness of the variety and its viability (the presence of well-developed roots and strong shoots);
- correct placement on the site, excluding open sunny places and neighborhood with trees;
- compliance with all the subtleties of planting and care.
In the Urals and Siberia, under open ground conditions, panicle hydrangea is successfully grown, giving preference to its dwarf (up to 1 m) varieties. They have well-developed roots, thanks to which it is easy to revive even with a significant freezing of the ground part.
Planting hydrangeas in areas with frosty winters has certain nuances:
- the choice of variety is of paramount importance;
- for planting acquire strong 5-year-old seedlings;
- landing at open ground carried out only in the spring, closing young plants until the threat of frost has completely disappeared.
Properly carried out planting and subsequent care of young bushes is the key to a beautiful flowering of hydrangeas.
Hydrangea is, of course, one of the most beautiful flowering shrubs, which can only be found on household plots. If you cannot imagine your garden in the spring without this breathtaking beauty, then it is quite natural that you want to learn as much as possible about how to choose the right seedling, how to plant it, how to care for the shrub after planting in open ground in order to wait for enviable growth and catchy flowering. Read all about it below!
Hydrangea types
The main types of hydrangea that can be successfully grown in our regions are:
Video: tree hydrangea varieties
Video: types and varieties of hydrangeas
Planting hydrangeas in spring
There are several main ways to propagate hydrangeas: cuttings, dividing the bush and layering. It is also possible to grow a shrub from seeds, but it is too long and difficult.
Optimal timing
In the spring, hydrangea is planted in open ground, as a rule, in colder (northern) regions of the country: in middle lane(Moscow region), as well as in the Urals and Siberia. But in autumn, southern regions(for example, in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Kuban). This is because the seedlings must have time to take root in order to survive the winter. It is noteworthy that shrub seedlings with a developed root system can be quite successfully planted in open ground in autumn, regardless of the climatic features of the region.
The optimal time for the spring planting of hydrangeas is the month of April, although this can also be done in May.
According to the lunar calendar in 2019
It can help you choose the best date for planting seedlings Moon calendar.
So auspicious days for the spring planting of hydrangeas in 2019 according to the lunar calendar are:
- in March - 12-17, 19, 20, 27-30;
- in April - 6-8, 11-13, 15-17, 24-26, 29, 30;
- in May - 6-8, 10-17, 21-23, 26-28, 31;
- in June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20, 27-30.
Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2019 for planting hydrangeas in the spring are the following dates:
- in March - 6, 7, 21;
- in April - 5, 19;
- in May - 5, 19;
- in June - 3, 4, 17.
According to lunar calendar from the magazine "1000 tips for summer residents."
Place in the garden
Choosing a site for growing hydrangeas is not so easy. It is optimal to find a place so that in the morning or in the evening the sun will delight the flower, and most of the time the shrub will rest in light shade.
Hydrangea loves well-drained soil. This is the flower that drinks a lot of water and drinks always.
When choosing a specific place in a summer cottage, you should consider that planting shrubs near garden paths need at some distance (preferably about a meter from them), otherwise the sprawling branches of the bush during their abundant flowering they will block your path and you will have to tie them up.
Landing hole and soil
The size of the planting hole depends on the size of the seedling itself and the need to add additional components to create the most suitable soil composition. Therefore, if you need to additionally add sand, humus and other fertilizers to the pit, then it should be made larger. For example, for 1-2 year old young hydrangea seedlings, it will be enough to dig a planting hole measuring 30 by 30 cm, but for large and adult 4-5 year olds - 50 by 50 cm.
Hydrangea will grow well only in soil, the acidity of which varies between 5-6 pH. To make the soil more acidic, you will need to add high-moor peat (also called brown peat) or rotted sawdust to the pit. coniferous trees. The following soil mixture can be introduced into heavy and clay soil: leafy soil, excellent humus, good river sand and acidic high-moor peat in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1.
Important! Cannot be added to formula dolomite flour, lime and wood ash, because - these are soil deoxidizers, and we, on the contrary, need to make the soil more acidic, i.e. acidifiers are required.
Direct fit
Step-by-step instruction planting hydrangea seedlings in spring in open ground:
If you will plant several seedlings, then it is desirable that the distance between them is about 1 meter.
Video: planting a hydrangea seedling in a treelike spring
In principle, planting other types of hydrangea is not particularly different, except that many gardeners advise differently to mulch and trim the bush after planting.
Outdoor Hydrangea Care
Hydrangea basic care includes following points: watering, top dressing, pest and disease control, as well as pruning (spring and autumn) and shelter for the winter. Well, do not forget about loosening the soil, which should be done at least 3 times a year to a depth of half a shovel handle (10 centimeters).
Watering
Hydrangea is a very moisture-loving shrub, it is not for nothing that in Japan it is called "yearning for water." Therefore, in the summer you can not let the soil under the plant dry out. To prevent this, be sure to thoroughly mulch the plantings and do not forget to water your flowers abundantly at least once a week. If the weather is hot and dry, then the frequency of watering should be increased by 2 times.
top dressing
If you planted a hydrangea in good fertile and fairly acidic soil, then the first 2-3 years, as a rule, it will not need top dressing. If you have not fertilized the soil enough and have not created optimal conditions for the development of shrubs, then you will understand this by small flowers or other "typical" signals (yellow leaves) about the lack of necessary trace elements for the plant.
Usually, feeding hydrangeas during the year is carried out in 4 stages.
The first stage of top dressing for hydrangea - early spring. For the formation of high-quality leaf mass, nitrogen fertilizers are required. As well as some potassium and phosphorus.
The second stage of feeding hydrangeas is during the formation of buds. During the budding process, the shrub requires fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus.
The third stage of feeding hydrangeas is in the summer and the flowering period. The flower again requires phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
The final stage of feeding comes after the plant begins to fade. This usually occurs at the end of August-beginning of September. After flowering, superphosphate should be added and potassium sulfate. Such top dressing will contribute to the accumulation of strength by the plant in order to overwinter well and bloom profusely again next year.
Advice! You can purchase specialized hydrangea fertilizers. Fertilizers for rhododendrons and azaleas are also perfect.
Garter
If you decide to grow a tree-like hydrangea, then due to the fact that this type of shrub is quite massive, and it has tall and long shoots, you should take care in advance that they do not accidentally break off by tying them to supports in a timely manner (this can be done immediately after planting, at least by driving in pegs so as not to subsequently damage the root system).
Diseases and pests
In general, hydrangea, as a rule, is not susceptible to diseases and pests and quite successfully fights them exclusively on its own.
If your soil is too alkaline, then it is very common for hydrangeas to get sick with chlorosis (leaves become light green in color, spots appear on them, and they begin to fall off, and the ovaries of flowers become smaller). The flower needs iron. You can, of course, dig nails into the soil or cans, but it can hardly be called modern solution Problems. Where would be best to use inkstone, iron chelate or ferrous sulfate. As soon as you make a solution prepared with one of the fertilizers, the shrub will recover fairly quickly.
Often on hydrangea leaves you can notice powdery mildew. Spraying with a solution of Bordeaux mixture will help to cope with it.
You can fight other pests, such as aphids, with Fitoverm or Aktellik.
Pruning and shelter for the winter
If you do not trim the hydrangea in a timely manner, it will look very untidy. After 2-3 years, it is already worth starting to form a bush. As usual, optimal timing- this is early spring (March-April) or early autumn (September). In addition, each type of shrub has its own specifics when pruning.
Tree-like, but like paniculate hydrangea, does not require reinforced shelter for the winter. It's good enough to mulch it. But large-leaved - much more tender plant so be sure to cover it.
Video: preparing hydrangeas for winter - pruning and shelter
How to adjust the color of the hydrangea and get more blue or pink inflorescences
If you want to achieve the blue hues of hydrangea flowers, then you need to give the plant as much aluminum as possible. For this purpose (to change the color) use high-moor peat, citric acid, potassium alum or ammonium alum. Another way would be to apply a special Pokon fertilizer " blue hydrangea" or Bona Forte "Rainbow". If you want to get more pink inflorescences, then you should use a mixture of fluffy lime (or just lime), ash, in other words, pink flowers appear in more alkaline soils.
Interesting! If you begin to introduce acidifiers into the soil on only one side, then the flowers on the same bush will be pink, blue, and even lilac.
Unfortunately, initially a white hydrangea cannot be colored.
As in any delicate matter, moderation is needed here: fertilizer should be applied to the soil to change the color of the inflorescences gradually, otherwise you can destroy the roots of the shrub and it will die.
Thus, a beautiful hydrangea can decorate any country cottage area. And if you have already become a hostage to the various forms and tones of a dizzying beauty, you should definitely head for the impeccably correct implementation of tips and recommendations for buying a seedling, planting and caring for it.
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