The name "hydrangea" was given to the flower in honor of the princess of the Holy Roman Empire. And the Latin name of the family Hydrangea (Hydrangia) means "a vessel with water" in Greek. According to one version, this reflects a special moisture-loving hydrangea, on the other - the shape of the seed pods, resembling a jug.
A photo
When to plant?
The optimal time to plant a garden hydrangea is spring, after the threat of nocturnal freezing of the soil passes, but before the buds begin to bloom.
In regions with not very severe winters autumn planting is acceptable, but here you need to be in time before the first frost.
Choosing the best location
Hydrangea tolerates some shading well, grows well in penumbra... Like any aristocrat, she does not tolerate direct sunlight. Choose a slightly shaded area that is most brightly lit in the morning.
Keep in mind that an adult bush, taking into account branches and flowers, takes about 1.5 m in diameter.
The soil for hydrangea should be loose, nutritious in composition, with a predominantly acidic environment. An alkaline environment is categorically not suitable for hydrangeas - they lime is contraindicated.
The ideal option is mature compostcontaining many nutrients.
Bad and good neighbors
Not worth it place hydrangea next to plants with a shallow root system, since, due to similar environmental requirements, they will oppress each other. Do not plant hydrangea under trees - powerful tree roots take all moisture from the soil.
Better neighborhood for hydrangeas, these are plants with fleshy roots or tubers. Very well adjacent to the hosts, astilba, looks beautiful in combination with boxwood.
After the purchase
If you bought a new pet from the store, it is most likely grown in a greenhouse and therefore somewhat pampered. You need to accustom your princess to a new place of residence. For this when landing remember: 
- if you are not going to plant a hydrangea immediately after purchase, then water it abundantly before planting;
- in no case should you either shorten or cut the roots of a plant removed from a container (although this is often recommended!);
- they also cannot be soaked and shaken off the ground;
- the roots of the plant should not feel a sharp transition from the store substrate to the garden soil, otherwise the growth of the root system will slow down or stop. In the planting hole, mix the garden soil with the fertilized soil at least 25 cm from the plant.
When digging a planting hole, consider the size of the aboveground part of the plant. The volume of the root system should be comparable to the volume of the crown. The rule is simple - dig a hole so deep and wide that the plant can fit in it "upside down"!
the greenhouse capricious woman, accustomed to drip irrigation and large doses of phytohormones and fertilizers, faces a period of adaptation. You have to gradually "remove" the plant from stimulating nutrition, as a patient with strong pain relievers. To do this, the first two months after planting, be sure to feed the plant once every two weeks. mineral and organic fertilizers.
If you planted a young plant grown from a rooted cuttings in the first year don't let it bloom, tear off the resulting inflorescences to give the opportunity to lay full-fledged flower buds for the next year.
Care during the season
Watering. Remember that hydrangea is a "vessel of water": provide the possibility of abundant irrigation, ideally drip. Several buckets of water should fall under each plant per week, by no means tap water - only rain or settled water. To prevent the soil from drying out, mulch the near-trunk circle with peat, needles, sawdust with tree bark, pouring the mulch in a layer of 20-25 cm.
Throughout the summer, remove inflorescences that have faded and dried up - this will give the plant the opportunity to extend the flowering period. Perform rejuvenating pruning in the spring - remove shoots that are frozen after severe cold, as well as branches that are more than three years old. After the buds awaken, correct the result - cut the shoots with unblown buds. In order for the bush to be lush, cut off the shoots at 4-5 buds.
If you want to rejuvenate an old hydrangea bush, completely cut off all the shoots at the root in the fall, leaving only a small stump. In the spring, a powerful root system will allow you to quickly grow a lush crown.
Top dressing. Water with water with organic fertilizer (humus, manure) dissolved in it two or three times a month. Do not overdo it with mineral fertilizers, their excess can adversely affect the winter hardiness of the plant. You cannot fertilize with ash.
We talked more about the rules of planting and leaving in the open field in.
When to transplant?
If you want to transplant a hydrangea, follow the same rules and guidelines as when you first plant the plant. This is best done in early spring or fall after the end of the flowering period.
If your goal is not just to change the place for a beautiful bush, but, then the following will be the optimal technology:
- Water the plant abundantly and let the moisture absorb.
- Dig in a circle at a distance of 15 cm from the bush. It is more efficient to use a pitchfork for this.
- Tilt the bush and use a sharp knife or shovel to separate part of it.
- Disinfect the incision site with ash.
- Transplant part of the bush into a previously prepared hole in a new location.
Take care of Princess Hydrangea at the time of planting, and this magnificent plant will thank you for its spectacular appearance, becoming a real pearl of your beautiful garden.
Useful video
You can watch a video about planting and grooming here:
Helpful information
You can read other materials about garden hydrangea.
Hydrangea grows naturally in South Asia, North America and the Far East. Its life form is represented mainly by shrubs, but there are also hydrangea lianas. In total, there are almost a hundred species of hydrangeas in the world. They differ from each other in color, height and splendor of flowering. Large and attractive flowers leave almost no one indifferent. Therefore, this flower has taken its place of honor in landscape design and in summer cottages. In this review, we'll talk about proper planting and caring for this flower.
In a cold climate, hydrangea is not able to grow to the size with which it pleases the inhabitants of southern Asia and Japan. Dense thickets of lianas braiding trees, and evergreen varieties of shrubs are also not pleasing to the eye. But compact hydrangea bushes, with proper care, will look no worse than if they grew in their homeland.
Hydrangea leaves are quite large, veins are clearly visible on them, the edges are often serrated, and the leaves are located on the stem opposite each other. Flowering begins in early summer, and ends with the onset of frost. Flowers are large, spherical or paniculate. Most varieties have white flowers. But large-leaved hydrangea can change color depending on the level of acidity of the soil.
It blooms white when the acidity of the soil is neutral; lilac and pink when alkaline. And if the soil is acidic, then the flowers take on a beautiful blue color.
The color of a plant is influenced by the aluminum in the soil, which plants can accumulate in themselves.
Another plant is very similar to hydrangea - schizophagma. It is also called petiolate hydrangea. But it should be remembered that in fact it is not a hydrangea and belongs to a completely different genus.
Growing features
To change the color of the inflorescences of large-leaved hydrangea, it is necessary to adjust the acidity of the soil. To obtain blue flowers, the soil must be acidified, and for pink flowers it must be deacidified with lime or dolomite flour.
Hydrangea loves moisture very much, so you don't need to spare water for it and water it abundantly enough.
Flowers love the sun in the morning hours, and at noon they need partial shade so that the petals do not fade.
The hydrangea must be covered for the winter. This is especially true of the large-leaved hydrangea that blooms on last year's shoots.
But pests and diseases do not affect this plant so often.
How to grow from seeds
Species hydrangeas can be grown from seeds. But, as you know, during seed reproduction, the properties of the mother plant can be lost. Therefore, this method is used for the selection of new species. The seeds are sown in the fall. The soil mixture for planting should consist of four parts of leafy soil, two parts of peat and one part of river sand.
Seeds should be sprinkled with a light layer of earth and moistened with a spray bottle. Then the box with the sown seeds must be covered with foil or glass. Periodically, condensate is removed from them, and crops are opened for ventilation and moisture. After all, the ground should always be moist. The most favorable temperature for seed germination is from 14 - 20 degrees. In a month and a half, seedlings will appear.
After that, the glass is completely removed. As the plants grow, a pick is made twice. The first time the seedlings dive at the stage of cotyledon leaves. And in May, a second pick is carried out with the transplantation of each plant into a separate container with a diameter of 7 centimeters.
After the last pick, the seedlings begin to harden. They are taken out into fresh air during the day, protected from direct sunlight, rain moisture and drafts. At night, hydrangeas are brought into the room. For the first two years, they will grow at home. In a cool and bright room in winter, and on the balcony in summer, but you should try to take them out into the fresh air. The buds should be torn off to prevent flowering from weakening the young plants.
Transfer to soil
After two years, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden. Planting is done in early spring.
In autumn, plants are planted only in areas with a cold climate.
The landing site should be sunny, shaded at noon. Hydrangea prefers soil slightly acidic or neutral, rich in organic matter and rather loose. High-moor peat must be added to alkaline soil. Trees and bushes should not grow near the planting site.
The size of the flower pit should be twice the size of the hydrangea's earthen coma. Fertilizers, peat and sod land are introduced into the pit. Then you should take out the seedling, lightly shake off the ground and spread its roots. Place the hydrangea in the hole so that the roots are free in it. You need to fill up the hole with earth mixed with compost. The root ball should be slightly above the level of the site. The soil around the plant is crushed, watered and mulched with bark or needles.
Video about planting hydrangeas in open ground
Care and cultivation
The main rule is very abundant watering.
You can pour 30-50 liters of water on one adult plant if the weather is hot. Watering should be reduced if the soil around the bushes is mulched. Several times over the summer, the soil is loosened to a depth of 5 centimeters to improve its aeration. During flowering, it is worth removing faded shoots.
Fertilizer
Hydrangea is fed 2 times a year. In the spring, 20 grams of urea is diluted in a bucket of water and the flower is watered with this solution. Three buckets must be poured onto one adult bush. And after flowering, the hydrangea is fed with a full complex of mineral fertilizers... In summer, you can water the flowers with slurry, but it is very important not to overdo it, because too large inflorescences can break the stems. To avoid breaking the stems, it is better to tie them up.
Pruning
For the first four years, hydrangeas do not require pruning. Further pruning in early spring, when the buds are slightly swollen... The paniculata is cut by a third, the tree-like one, leaving from three to six buds, but the large-leaved one should not be cut off. This type of hydrangea blooms on the shoots of the last year, therefore, in the spring, only old and growing shoots are removed. Cuttings obtained by pruning can be rooted.
Propagation by cuttings
There must be two nodes on the handle: the lower cut is made oblique, and the upper one is straight. The distance from the cut to the knot is about 2 centimeters.
Cuttings should be chosen healthy, strong, without damage.
They are planted in a small container with moist sand and peat soil. The cuttings are deepened by three centimeters, you can first powder them in "Kornevin" to stimulate root formation. The seedlings should be watered and kept moist at all times. From above, the cuttings are covered with a film, from which condensation must be regularly removed. After about a month, rooting will occur and the hydrangeas can be planted in a permanent place. In the first winters, even frost-resistant varieties need shelter.
How to prepare flowers for winter in the fall
In the fall, plants growing in pots must be brought into the house. Garden hydrangeas mulch and huddle. The inflorescences and lower leaves must be removed. Removing the lower leaves contributes to the lignification of the shoots and the improvement of their frost resistance. Ground cover and panicle hydrangeas are the most frost-resistant and do not need shelter. Also, in the central regions, tree hydrangea can do without shelter.
It is necessary to cover hydrangeas in October after the first frost.
It is enough to cover young plants with a thick layer of dry earth and foliage. Planks are placed around adult plants and shoots are pinned to them. The top is covered with foliage, spruce branches, spandbond and boards. You can also put tree branches on the bushes so that the snow on this place lasts longer. After winter, the shelter is removed gradually. Spandbond is harvested last when there is no danger of recurrent frost.
Video about the shelter of panicle hydrangea for the winter
The genus Hydrangea (Hydrangea Hydrangea) includes 35 species. Homeland - Southeast Asia, North and South America. Among the representatives of the genus, there are mainly deciduous shrubs with long semi-ample shoots, less often small trees. The name from the Greek words "hydor" - water, "aggeion" - a vessel, was formed in view of the obvious moisture-loving nature of this plant.
Hydrangea belongs to decorative flowering shrubs, inflorescences are mainly of corymbose shape, as a rule, consist of two types of flowers: small fruiting ones, located in the middle of the inflorescence; marginal - large, barren, of 4-5 petal sepals, mostly snow-white, blue or pinkish. The fruit is a capsule with numerous small seeds.
Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens - in nature it grows up to 3 meters high, forming a dense bush with large, whole leaves - about 20 cm long, with a serrated edge. It blooms with white flowers without aroma, about 2 cm in diameter, collected in corymbose inflorescences about 15 cm in size. Breeders have bred varieties with double (completely sterile) flowers, inflorescences of which are more than 25 cm in diameter, of a wide variety of shades. This hydrangea easily overwinters in central Russia, it is well formed by pruning, including cardinal. It grows very quickly.
Large-leaved hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla is somewhat more modest - in nature it grows up to 2 meters high, has broad-ovate large leaves (about 15 cm). It is this type of hydrangea that is called garden; several dozen varieties can be found on sale. Scallet inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter, there are varieties with spherical, extremely large inflorescences up to 30 cm in diameter, sterile white, pink, red or blue flowers, each flower up to 7 cm in diameter.
The large-leaved hydrangea has decorative forms with variegated leaves, for example, the Tricolor variety - a white strip along the edge of the leaves, the leaf blade itself is light green.
Large-leaved hydrangea is more thermophilic than tree hydrangea; in central Russia, winter shelter from frost is required (winter hardiness up to -15C).
Large-leaved hydrangea is often grown as a tub or greenhouse plant (for a winter garden). At the same time, the height of the bushes reaches a maximum height of one and a half meters, more often no more than 1 meter high. Grows well under artificial light.
You can also decorate your garden Hydrangea paniculata Hydrangea paniculata is an oriental beauty native to southern Sakhalin, Japan and China. It is a taller, frost-resistant shrub - about 2.5-3 meters in height, in the wild up to 10 meters, has elliptical leaves up to 15 cm in length with a velvety surface. Inflorescences are dense pyramidal (panicles) up to 30 cm in length. Long bloom, from mid-summer to mid-autumn.
Hydrangea Bretschneider Hydrangea bretschneideri is a medium-sized shrub with a spreading crown up to 3 meters high, very frost-resistant (homeland - North China, adapts in Siberia and the Urals). Stems are reddish, with exfoliating thin bark on young shoots. Leaves are ovoid, fluffy on the back, 10-12 cm long. Umbrella inflorescences, about 15 cm in diameter, with small flowers that change color from white at the beginning of flowering to red at the end of flowering. Fruits are formed on the inflorescences over time.
Another Far Eastern hydrangea - Stalked hydrangea Hydrangea petiolaris, native to South Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and Japan, is more of an ampelous form - the plant has airborne measles with suckers, which allows shoots to cling to rocks or tree trunks. Without support, the shoots spread along the ground, forming a ground cover form. As a shrub, this species must be grown by fixing the stems to a support. Leaves are broadly ovate, long-petiolate, smooth, with a finely toothed margin. Inflorescences are corymbose, 20-25 cm in diameter. Despite the fact that the petals of the central fertile flowers do not last long, the inflorescences are quite decorative, and the shrub is a real decoration of the walls of houses, gazebos and other buildings. Despite the origin, the petiolate hydrangea is less frost-resistant than the previous species; in severe winters, it needs shelter.
Location
In the southern regions of Russia, choose a place that is bright, but protected from the scorching afternoon sun (partial shade). From the eastern, north-western part of the site of the gazebo, the wall of a house or a barn.
In the central regions of Russia and the northern regions, choose a place that is drier and more open, warmed by the sun, but keep in mind that hydrangeas do not like prolonged exposure to direct sunlight (south and south-west side). Try not to plant hydrangeas next to other plants with water loaves or large shrubs and trees - there is competition for moisture, the plants will have to be watered often.
Soil for hydrangeas
Hydrangea is considered one of the most unpretentious garden shrubs, however, only if it is planted on the soil appropriate for its needs: nutritious, with a sufficient amount of humus, containing many draining particles, well filled with moisture.
If you have an uncultivated piece of land, in a hole dug for planting you need to prepare a mixture of earth, consisting of 2 parts of humus, 2 parts of leafy soil, one part of peat and sand.
If vegetables grew in the same place, under which manure was applied, the humus part must be reduced. Hydrangea does not like dense clay soils - they are moisture-absorbing, but they dry out for a long time and are poorly supplied with oxygen, such soil must be diluted with peat. Sandy soil is poor in humus content, and it also needs to be enriched with humus and peat.
You can not plant hydrangeas on alkalized soils, with an acidity of pH higher than 6.0, the optimum pH is about 5.0.
Planting hydrangeas
It is best to plant hydrangeas in the spring when the threat of recurrent frosts has passed. In the southern regions of Russia, it can be planted in autumn.
When planning a place for planting hydrangeas, it is necessary to take into account the size of an adult bush, leaving a distance of about 1 meter between plantings.
The size of the dug hole is about 50-60 cm wide and deep. Fill it 20-30 cm with soil, then put a 5 liter bucket inside (empty) and fill it around with earth. Compact the soil. Now take out the bucket - you will have a neat hole 25-30 cm in diameter and wide and deep. Place a hydrangea bush or a rooted stalk in it, without deepening the root collar. Sprinkle the roots with earth, not compaction too much. Water.
In 3-5 days, the earth will settle, after which it will turn into peat.
How to care for hydrangea
Hydrangeas need to be watered regularly, especially in dry, hot weather. Water for irrigation should be taken soft, better than rainwater, hard water with a high proportion of hydrangea lime is contraindicated, if such water is in the well, just accumulate rainwater in barrels.
If the weather is rainy, precipitation often falls, you need to loosen the soil around the hydrangeas at least once a week to a depth of 7-10 cm in order to improve the aeration of the roots.
In late spring, early summer, feed the hydrangeas with a diluted mullein (ratio 1:10), and after two weeks with full mineral fertilizer for flowering plants (for example, Fertika Lux), or make up the fertilizer yourself from 1 tbsp. spoons, 1 teaspoon of potash and 1 teaspoon for 10 liters of water.
In the future, you do not need to make additional fertilizing more often than once a month, it is enough to periodically mulch the soil under the bushes with humus or peat.
Change in color of hydrangeas
Many gardeners know that hydrangeas, when blooming, easily change the color of flowers when the acid composition of the soil changes. So, watering with alum gives the flowers a blue color, for this you need to dissolve 5 g of the product in 1 liter of water. Alum is sold in flower shops or pharmacies. For reference, the composition of alum: heptahydrate of aluminum and potassium salts.
In order for the flowers of hydrangeas to change color, you need to spill them with alum once a week for a month.
If the acidity of the soil is insufficient, then hydrangeas tend to acquire a pink tint, and some varieties simply lose their color - they fade and become discolored. In sour peat, the flowers acquire a purple or blue hue, so you can water the bushes with water infused with peat.
To, on the contrary, to increase the intensity of the pink color of the flowers of hydrangeas, you can water them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
Pruning hydrangeas
Hydrangeas form dense lush bushes, and they bloom on the shoots of the current year. Therefore, the more branches a plant has, the more magnificent the flowering will be. Strong pruning should be carried out in the fall, after flowering along with the peduncle (cardinal pruning is permissible, especially in the case of diseases or pests, when it makes no sense to leave and try to cure diseased branches).
But young hydrangeas, which have not yet formed many shoots, for better branching need to be cut in the spring, before the buds open, shortening them by 2-3 buds, no more (otherwise, they are greatly depleted from abundant sap flow).
Very old bushes of hydrangeas (and they are long-lived plants) are renewed by pruning at the root. So the bushes can be preserved for decades, not forgetting to improve the soil under them by introducing humus and mulch (including leaf humus).
Young plants are ready to bloom profusely in the first year after planting. However, the abundant bloom can severely drain hydrangeas. Therefore, on a bush about 50 cm high, it is better to leave no more than 2-3 inflorescences, the rest should be cut off.
Shelter hydrangeas for the winter
The most popular hydrangeas in our gardens - treelike and large-leaved, show good frost resistance. The most popular hydrangea of \u200b\u200bthe Annabelle variety perfectly winters in the Moscow region and the Leningrad region without additional.
Some varieties of large-leaved hydrangea of \u200b\u200bDutch origin are somewhat softer, like any young hydrangeas grown from cuttings and cuttings - they must be mulched in autumn with peat, leafy soil, humus or a mixture of humus and sawdust to protect them from freezing. Cover the bushes themselves with spruce branches. But do not forget to remove the shelter in the spring to avoid damping out.
In regions with severe winters, it is necessary to additionally cover hydrangeas for the winter with film or spunbond. With the onset of frosty weather, bend the shoots to the ground, mulch, cover with a film of leaf litter. It is better not to use straw, because mice love her.
In the spring, after the snow has melted, remove the film cover, tie up the hydrangea shoots in an upright position, but before the onset of warm days (until the threat of return frosts has passed), keep the burlap cover (no damping occurs under it).
Reproduction of hydrangea
Garden hydrangea is easily propagated in a vegetative way - by cuttings and layering of the bush.
For propagation by cuttings, you need to cut off more green branches during flowering from the ends of non-lignified shoots of the current year's growth. The size of the cuttings is about 15-17 cm. Tear off the lower leaves, dip the tip of the cuttings into a root or other rooting stimulator and submerge for rooting in a container filled with a mixture of vermiculite and peat soil. It is better for hydrangeas to root in conditions of high air humidity (in a mini-greenhouse or under a bag).
If the cuttings rot, cut fresh ones, and sterilize the rooting substrate by frying on a baking sheet.
Abundant and lush flowering from rooted branches can be expected no earlier than in 4-5 years.
Large-leaved hydrangea is often grown as a houseplant, so it can be propagated before winter - by separating small layers from the mother bush and planting it in an ordinary flower pot. It is necessary to keep a garden hydrangea in a pot in winter in the coldest place - on an unglazed balcony until frost, or on a cold window sill with a slightly open frame or a window, where the temperature is not higher than 15 ° C, although the optimal wintering of hydrangeas at home is at a temperature of +2 -7 ° C.
The composition of the soil in a pot for hydrangeas: 2 parts of sod land, 2 parts of peat, 1 part of coarse river sand or fine gravel.
Hydrangea ( Hydrangea) - a plant that has a bright color and belongs to the class dicotyledonous, the order of the corylomere, the hydrangea family, the hydrangea genus.
The Latin name for hydrangea, hydrangea, means "vessel of water". The Japanese have their own name for this miracle of nature - "adzisai" (flower - purple sun).
Hydrangea - description and photos. How does hydrangea grow?
Hydrangea oval leaves, large, with a sharp top and slightly noticeable venation. Gardeners fell in love with the hydrangea flower for its abundant and long flowering from spring to late autumn. The color range of these plants is varied: hydrangea is white and cream, pink and dark purple, blue and red. Hydrangea flowers form into inflorescences that are shaped like a ball, umbrella or panicle. The hydrangea fruit is a 2-5 split capsule that contains small seeds.
Artisanal and tree-like hydrangea varieties reach from 1 to 3 meters in height, they are wide enough and have a rounded shape. Liana species grow up to 30 meters in height, depending on the size of the tree that the plant climbs on.
Also, the hydrangea flower can be deciduous or evergreen. In the temperate zone, mainly deciduous varieties of hydrangeas are grown.
How do I change the color of a hydrangea?
It should be noted that the color of the inflorescences can only be changed in the large-leaved hydrangea. The color of a hydrangea depends not only on the variety and variety, but also on the pH of the soil and the presence of aluminum in it. To change the color of a hydrangea, you need to water it with special fertilizers.
- Blue
The blue hydrangea is produced by the presence of aluminum in the soil. The best assimilation of aluminum occurs in acidic soil, poor in phosphorus salts. There is a commercially available water-soluble aluminum sulfate that is added to the watering can every time you water to keep the hydrangea blue. For 1 sq. m requires about 500 grams of aluminum sulfate. Be careful not to water the leaves of the plant.
- Blue color
Blue hydrangea grows in acidic soils (pH 5.0 - 5.5). Watering the bush with elemental sulfur or aluminum phosphate will help make the soil acidic. In this case, the pH will decrease. The required amount of elemental sulfur or aluminum phosphate must be selected depending on the type of soil and how much the pH value needs to be lowered. Subsequently, the bush must be periodically watered with a solution of aluminum sulfate (15 g / l) in order to maintain the acidity of the soil in the desired state. Add 30-40 g of sulfate to 1 bucket of water. For 1 bush, 2-3 buckets of solution are required.
You can also add diluted apple cider vinegar, chopped grass, sawdust, coniferous bark, high peat under the bush - these materials increase the acidity of the soil.
You can also use fertilizers to reduce the acidity of the soil and achieve a blue color in hydrangeas - these are fertilizers with a low phosphorus content, medium nitrogen level and high potassium content. Superphosphate and bone meal should not be used - they give a lush flowering, but increase the acidity of the soil.
- Pink color
Hydrangea pink grows in neutral and alkaline soils (pH 6.0 - 6.5). In such soil, hydrangea does not absorb the aluminum present in the soil, hence the pink tint of the flower. To alkalize the soil and change the color of the hydrangea to pink, you need to water the bush with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or sprinkle dolomite flour, chalk, ground limestone, and fluff under it. An acidity higher than 6.5 will be harmful to the plant, as it gives a deficiency of iron and magnesium, which hydrangeas need for growth. Therefore, you need to maintain the values \u200b\u200bof 6.0 -6.2.
To maintain the pink color of the plant, you need to feed the hydrangea with fertilizers high in phosphorus and nitrogen, but low in potassium - for example, ammonium monophosphate.
- Purple or a mixture of pink and blue on the same bush
Soil with a pH between 5.5 - 6.0 will produce purple flowers or a mixture of pink and blue on a single hydrangea bush. If neutral soil is watered with a weak 0.1% solution of ferrous sulfate (1 teaspoon per 7 liters of water), the hydrangea will turn purple.
Types of hydrangeas
In total, there are more than 80 different types of hydrangeas: from shrubs and vines to small trees. Among all representatives of this genus, the most famous are the following:
- Hydrangea tree ( Hydrang ea arbore scens)
bred in North America, grows up to 3 m in height. Inflorescences are mainly spherical white or cream in color, up to 15 cm in diameter. Blooms from June to September;
- Large-leaved hydrangea ( Hydr angea macrophy lla)
The homeland of this species is China and Japan. Shrubs grow up to 4 meters in height. Inflorescences are shields, varied both in shape and color;
- Hydrangea paniculata ( Hydrangea paniculata)
grows in China, Japan and in the south of Sakhalin, usually shrubs or trees up to 10 m high. The crown of this type of hydrangea is dense and round in shape. The flowers are large, the inflorescences are white, then they become pink;
- Hydrangea oakleaf ( Нydrangea quercifolia)
a species that came from the south of the United States. The leaves of the oak-leaved hydrangea resemble the crown of an oak tree. Flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences, in autumn they acquire a crimson hue;
- Stalked hydrangea (climbing, creeping, climbing) ( Hydrangea petiolaris)
grows in Japan, Korea, Sakhalin . With the help of aerial roots, this type of hydrangea can rise to a height of 25 meters, like a liana. Inflorescences are friable, consisting of white-pink flowers. The petiolate hydrangea is used to decorate the walls of houses and gazebos;
- Curly hydrangea ( Hydrangea scandens)
most often it is used as a synonym for petiolate hydrangea. This species is native to the south of Japan;
- Hydrangea serrated ( Hydrangea serrata )
it is a short shrub with a fairly dense crown, reaching a height of 1.5 meters. Flowers are collected in shields 15 cm in diameter.
Where does hydrangea grow?
Hydrangea grows in South and East Asia, America and Russia. A wide variety of species of this plant are found in China and Japan. In Russia, frost-resistant types of hydrangea are mainly common, such as paniculate and tree-like.
Planting hydrangeas in spring or fall
Hydrangeas are planted in early spring or fall. Hydrangea seedlings should be planted in fertile and loose soil. This shrub prefers shaded places, does not tolerate direct sunlight. When sunlight hits a hydrangea bush, plant growth instantly slows down, and the inflorescences become small and lose their color.
Hydrangea - watering. How to water hydrangea?
Watering hydrangeas should be done with soft water. Rainwater is best for this. If it is not possible to collect and store rainwater, watering is carried out with tap water, previously settled for 4-6 days. The water temperature for irrigation should not be lower than 15 degrees, since hydrangea has a very sensitive root system. In terms of the amount of moisture, each bush should receive at least 16 liters per week and always either early in the morning or late in the evening.
Hydrangea care in autumn and winter: pruning, feeding, shelter
In the fall, hydrangea should be watered less, but just before frost it should be watered abundantly and prepared for the winter. In order for the plant to bloom well next year, it is necessary to feed it in the fall. For this, the soil must be enriched with special minerals and vitamins. In the autumn period, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (superphosphate) will be useful.
Fall flower care includes pruning the hydrangea. This should be done in order to rid the plant of all damaged branches. Pruning a hydrangea is not difficult; this process involves removing the lower and middle leaves, which can be damaged by fungal spores. Old bushes need to be cut more carefully, leaving only 4-5 healthy shoots: all other shoots are cut off.
Hydrangea in winter requires some attention. Species such as large-leaved and serrate are thermophilic, and winter without shelter in relatively warm winters. Small hydrangea bushes do not tolerate winter well, so they will need to be properly covered with a rain film. The timing of the hydrangea's shelter is not so important, it can be done even after the first frost.
Hydrangea care in spring: pruning, feeding
In the spring, you should prune the paniculate and tree-like hydrangea. If this is not done with a treelike hydrangea, the branches of the bush can stretch out in length and then break off under their own weight, as they grow very quickly. Many gardeners are interested in what top dressing hydrangea should have in spring. In the spring, physiologically acidic fertilizers (ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate) are better suited for hydrangeas. Pour 2-3 buckets of nutrient solution under an adult bush.
In addition to fertilizers, spring care should include cleaning the soil from weeds and old leaves, as well as mulching the bush with peat and loosening.
Reproduction of hydrangea
Hydrangea propagation is carried out by cuttings or dividing the bush, if the bush is large. Before dividing the bush, the soil around it is pre-moistened, digged with a pitchfork 15 centimeters from the stems, then, gently tilting, removed from the hole. It is imperative to wash the roots from the soil. Divide the bush with a sharp knife, dividing the root system. The separated parts are planted in a permanent place, cutting off the ends of the shoots.
Cuttings are the most common method of propagation for hydrangeas. A stalk is a part of a stem with one or more buds. To begin with, cut off several shoots, put them in water and immediately start cutting cuttings. The top of the shoot is cut off, as it is not suitable for cuttings. The remaining green part of the shoot is divided into parts with a knife, so that each has at least 2 pairs of leaves. The separated parts are placed in a solution of the root stimulant, avoiding contact with the leaves. As the roots appear, you can plant the cuttings in the ground.
The hydrangea plant and its various subspecies are very expressive, beautiful and bright flowers. They are perfect for any garden and any flower bed.
In addition, caring for a hydrangea does not require a lot of effort and attention, which makes this flower very attractive for any gardener.
Indoor hydrangea
Hydrangea can be grown at home. As a houseplant, they usually take the form - large-leaved hydrangea, which grows up to 1.5 meters high. Indoor hydrangea blooms from spring to autumn, while in winter it is dormant.
Hydrangea needs to be watered well with settled water. It should be noted that with a lack of acidity, the leaves may turn yellow. To prevent this from happening, add 4-6 drops of lemon juice to your watering water. The flower needs the sun, but it needs to be hidden from direct sunlight. Indoor plant hydrangea will feel good at a distance of 3 meters from the window.
- The hydrangea plant is named after a princess of the Roman Empire named Hortense.
- In the West, hydrangea is called "French", as Western countries learned about this plant during the first French round-the-world expedition.
- Archaeological excavations in the northern regions of America have shown that hydrangea grew 40 thousand years ago.
Hydrangeas are shrubs of amazing beauty and variety. In gardening, hydrangeas are valued for the variety of inflorescence shapes, an extensive palette of flowers, large curly leaves, interesting bark, as well as for their unpretentiousness and abundant flowering. An unusually spectacular sight of hydrangeas is presented in the fall, when buds, seed heads and leaves of different colors can be simultaneously seen on one plant. In this article, we will consider the main types of hydrangeas and the features of their planting and growing in the garden.
Hydrangea tree-like "Anabel" (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’). © Spray-N-Grow
General information about the plant
The name "hydrangea" was given to the plant in honor of Princess Hortense - sister of the Prince of the Holy Roman Empire Carl Heinrich of Nassau-Siegen. The botanical name of the shrub - "hydrangea" - is known only to specialists. Meanwhile, translated from Greek, it means "a vessel with water" and speaks of a very important quality of a plant - it loves moisture very much.
The vast majority of hydrangea species are shrubs with a height of 1-3 m, but some species are small trees, the rest are vines climbing up the trunks of other trees to a height of up to 30 m.Plants can be both deciduous and evergreen, but widely cultivated species of the temperate zone are deciduous.
Hydrangeas bloom from spring to late autumn. The flowers are collected at the end of the stem in beautiful spherical inflorescences - a scutellum or panicle. In most species, flower heads contain two types of flowers: small, fertile (fertile) flowers in the middle and large sterile (sterile) flowers at the edges. In some species, all flowers are fertile and the same size.
The vast majority of hydrangea flowers are white, but some, such as large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), they can be blue, red, pink and lilac. In such species, the color often depends on the pH level (hydrogen index) in the soil: in acidic soils, the petals become blue, in neutral soils they turn pale beige, and in alkaline soils they turn pink or lilac. Hydrangeas are one of the few plants that can accumulate aluminum, which is released from acidic soils and, in some species, forms compounds that give them blue tints.
A corner of the garden with hydrangeas. © atlanticavenuegarden The main types of hydrangeas
Hydrangea ( Hydrangea) is a genus of flowering plants of the Hortensia family, consisting of approximately 70-80 species, we list here only the main ones.
A species that naturally grows in the east of North America. Inflorescences are white. Blooms in July-August. In late autumn, it is recommended to cut off the faded inflorescences. Pruning of frozen, thickened and weakened shoots should be carried out either before the start of sap flow, or after the leaves have completely bloomed. One of the famous varieties - Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' (Hydrangea arborescens) with dark leaves and very large greenish inflorescences.
Treelike hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens). © Powell Gardens
View from China. Large shrub up to two and a half meters high. The leaves are large, oval, dark green. Inflorescences are wide shields. Blooms from early July; at the beginning of flowering, the flowers are white, by the end of July they turn pink, and in August they acquire a rich crimson color. In the conditions of the European part of Russia, the plant does not require shelter for the winter.
Hydrangea bretschneideri. © babopielka
View from South Japan. The leaves are bright green, large. The inflorescences are lilac, bloom in August. Low winter hardiness; in the conditions of the European part of Russia, only some especially cold-resistant varieties do not freeze out, for example, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Blue Wave’ and ‘Endless Summer’. This species is also grown as a houseplant.
Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla). © Keane Landscaping
The natural range of the species is Eastern China, Korea, Japan, Sakhalin. Plants are about one and a half meters high. Green buds appear in mid-July, by the end of the month they turn white; flowering - from August throughout the fall; inflorescences - with a smooth transition from white to crimson and crimson with a purple tint. Panicle hydrangea has high winter hardiness. In autumn, pruning of faded inflorescences is recommended, in spring - sanitary and formative pruning. Famous varieties - Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’, ‘Pinky Winky’, ‘Grandiflora’.
Hydrangea paniculata (Hydrangea paniculata). © Marc JANSEN
Before planting tree hydrangea cuttings in early April, it is necessary to dig a hole 50 cm in diameter and 60-70 cm deep. It is also necessary to add 20 g of urea and 30 g of potassium sulfate and superphosphate.
Repeat a similar complex feeding after 2 years. Top dressing with mineral fertilizers or manure can be carried out at the beginning of growth, during the period of bud formation and 1-2 times in the summer in smaller doses.
You need to plant plants at a distance of about 150 cm from each other. Do not place the plant next to trees, as they actively absorb moisture from the soil. No cover is required for the winter. Thanks to the powerful root system, in the event of freezing, the plant is restored to its previous state. It begins to bloom at 4-5 years.
Seedlings of hydrangea paniculata are planted in a permanent place at the age of 4-5 years. To do this, prepare a hole 35-40 cm deep, 50 x 70 cm wide. And for a free hedge, a meter strip is dug. The distance between adult plants should be up to 2.5 m, but in order to have a “bouquet” earlier, the pits are marked every 0.7-1 m, and after a few years the group is thinned out.
In the northern regions, it is better to plant hydrangea in spring, in more southern regions - in spring and autumn. The roots are slightly shortened, and if it happens in the spring, then all the annual shoots, leaving 3-4 pairs of buds on each. The plantings are mulched with peat, a compost layer of 5-8 cm. From autumn they are fed with mineral fertilizers, and in early spring - with a solution of urea at the rate of 18-20 g per bucket, 2-3 buckets per plant.
Large-leaved hydrangea is relatively light-loving, but it can be planted in light partial shade, but the less light, the later the flowering occurs and the fewer inflorescences. The soil is preferably slightly or moderately acidic (pH 5.5); one of the compositions: leaf, sod land, peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 1. On alkaline soil, hydrangea suffers from chlorosis (the leaves begin to turn yellow). To avoid chlorosis, watering with a solution of salts containing iron is carried out once every 10 days.
Depending on the acidity of the soil, you can change the color of large-leaved hydrangea flowers. With a slightly alkaline reaction of the medium, they are pink, with an acidic reaction, they change color to blue or blue. To obtain blue and blue inflorescences, it is necessary to add iron salts and alum to the soil every two weeks: 3-5 potassium alum or ammonium-potassium alum per 1 liter of water. For one plant, you need 2 liters of such a solution.
To accelerate flowering, the plant is sprayed twice with an aqueous solution of gibberellins with an interval of 4-7 days at a concentration of 50 mg / l. Then the hydrangea blooms 2-4 weeks earlier. This technique also increases the decorative effect of plants. The flowers become larger and there are more of them. Plants are processed when the inflorescences reach 2-4 cm.
Planting hydrangea paniculata. © Deborah Silver Features of growing hydrangeas
Hydrangea grows quickly, thermophilic, demanding on soil and moisture, does not tolerate lime. It is tolerated with slight shading, low frost resistance (up to -18 ° C).
Easily propagated by dividing the bush and green cuttings. In Russia, large-leaved hydrangea grows in open ground only in the south. When cultivated in a greenhouse or in a room at the very end of the growing season, when the hydrangea begins to shed its leaves, the shoots must be cut shortly. In winter, during the dormant period, the plants are kept in a cool, but non-freezing room (+5 ° C), and at the end of winter, when the buds swell, they are transferred to a warmer and brighter room, but without direct sunlight. Also, this species can be cultivated as a container culture, which is kept outdoors only in the summer.
Recently, with the development of agricultural technology and a warming climate, large-leaved hydrangea began to be cultivated in the open ground of central Russia. In a garden hydrangea, inflorescences are formed on last year's shoots. Therefore, the main problem is to keep them intact so that the flower buds do not freeze and do not spill out. Shelter methods are the same as for roses.
Among the varieties of garden hydrangea there are more winter-hardy varieties and those that can be grown in central Russia only with the introduction of plants for the winter indoors. Even relatively winter-hardy varieties of garden hydrangea, due to the peculiarities of the microclimate, can not grow and bloom in all areas.
Large-leaved hydrangea bushes tolerate frost better if they received enough moisture in the fall. Flowers and leaves of large-leaved hydrangeas die even with weak night frosts, therefore it is recommended to cover them in the second half of October. You can cover bushes from short-term frosts with a covering material and a greenhouse film, always in two layers. For the winter, the plants are covered with peat at the base, the branches are bent to the ground and covered with dry leaves, spruce branches.
Planting hydrangeas. © babopielka Soil for hydrangeas
For successful abundant flowering, fertile soils are needed. Hydrangea prefers a clayey structural soil, grows on red soil, but does not like sandy soil. By the way, the color of the flowers becomes brighter in panicle hydrangea growing on acidic soil, and not only turns pale on neutral soil, but the whole plant has a hard time.
Therefore, if the soil on the site is not acidic enough, when planting, it is necessary to add brown peat, coniferous soil (spruce, or better pine half-rotted litter), sawdust. Ash, lime, chalk and other deoxidizers are contraindicated for all hydrangeas.
The root system is shallow. The roots are predominantly spread in width, and as a result, their border significantly exceeds the border of the crown. They need moist soil for normal life. A good solution may be to plant ground cover plants in the near-trunk circles, for example, saxifrage, various sedum.
Reproduction of hydrangea
Hydrangea is propagated mainly by herbaceous cuttings from basal shoots. Cuttings from lateral shoots give weaker plants, so they are avoided.
Cuttings of large-leaved Hydrangea grown in the house are carried out in February-March (even until April 15). Hydrangeas rooted in February-March can be grown in 4–5 stems, rooted later should be arranged in one stem.
Cuttings of large-leaved hydrangea grown in the garden are carried out from June to July inclusive, until the lignification of the shoots.
Depending on the availability of wiring material, cuttings are cut with 2-4 knots with a sharp and clean knife. Cuttings with small leaves root more successfully. You need to cut the cuttings just before planting them. You can not bring the cuttings to wilting. In the latter case, wilted cuttings should be immersed in water for a while. The leaves are shortened by one third or half. Cuttings are rooted in exploration boxes, on racks, in greenhouses. Good results are obtained when rooting cuttings in coniferous soil; cuttings do not cover anything, but only often sprayed with water.
Hydrangea paniculata. © John Hagstrom Cuttings for rooting are planted at a depth of 2 cm, but the cuttings of the lower leaves are not immersed in the soil. The distance when planting is 4-5 cm. After planting, they should be watered, bearing in mind that wilted cuttings of hydrangeas are difficult to restore turgor and take root worse.
Withering of cuttings is very often the cause of poor rooting. Hydrangeas should be shaded from bright sunlight. Some growers root hydrangea cuttings under glass, but this method often causes cuttings to rot.
The rooting temperature is maintained at about 14-17 ° C. A lower temperature lengthens the rooting period and therefore provides more opportunities for cuttings to rot. When cutting hydrangeas, cleanliness must be observed.
Rooted cuttings (this usually takes 15-20 days) are planted in boxes or on racks at a distance of 8 × 8 cm or in 7-9 cm pots. Growing hydrangeas in pots is uneconomical: more floor space and labor is required.
The soil for hydrangea cuttings should be acidic, consisting of marsh and compost soil. If the compost soil does not have acidity, then peat is used.
For white, pink and red hydrangeas, a slightly acidic soil (pH 5-6) is recommended, for blue and lilac - more acidic (pH 4-4.5). With insufficient acidity, the leaves of the hydrangea turn yellow. To avoid this, the soil is watered with a weak solution of sulfuric acid (5 g per 100 l of water).
Planting plants in boxes or on racks makes it easier to care for the plants, they grow and develop better.
The cuttings are watered with water that does not contain lime, which neutralizes the acidity of the soil. You can not use not completely rotted manure, which can cause yellowing of the leaves. The same phenomenon can occur from an excess of lime in the soil, since with insufficient acidity of the soil, hydrangeas will not be able to absorb potassium, magnesium, and iron.
It is advisable to prepare the soil the previous fall or early winter so that the applied fertilizers can decompose sufficiently. For 1 m3 of soil add 2 kg of bone meal, 0.75 kg of potassium sulfate, 1.5 g of ammonium sulfate. Tomoslag and other fertilizers with an alkaline reaction are not recommended.
Hydrangea after spring pruning. © Born To Organize Rooted plants in the spring are fed every week with full fertilizer with a predominance of nitrogen. The temperature should be around 14 ° C. In May, boxes of hydrangeas are transferred to cold greenhouses.
Early varieties with a short growing period, which form flower buds more quickly, are pruned in the first half of June, and later varieties in May. Pruning is done over two pairs of normally developed leaves. These plants will have 3-4 shoots. Plants of late cuttings are not pruned, as they usually bloom with one cap. To obtain low indoor plants, you need to keep them from stretching. The cut tops of the plants are rooted to obtain single-stem plants.
Two weeks before pruning or two weeks after it, the plants are planted in pots in which they should bloom. Elongated hydrangeas, when planted in pots, are planted deeper than they sat in order to reduce their height. Hydrangeas form roots even on woody stems.
Single-stem plants are planted in pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm, and two-four-stem plants - in pots with a diameter of 12-14 cm. At first, the plants in greenhouses after planting are shaded from bright sunlight. After rooting, plants do not need shading: it can even lead to stretching of the plants.
Plants that are still weakly rooted in pots must be protected from heavy rains, so they are not immediately taken out of the greenhouse to the ridges of open ground. All weak shoots of hydrangeas are cut out, since only large flower caps are considered decorative.
Hydrangeas are moisture-loving plants, so they need to be watered and sprayed in a timely manner. To obtain ornamental plants, hydrangeas are systematically fed alternately with a solution of a mullein and a mixture of mineral salts.
The early varieties of hydrangeas finish their growth by August, so from this month they stop feeding them and reduce watering, and then even dry them somewhat to ripen the buds. Late varieties finish growing a month later, after which they are also watered less frequently.
During the ripening of the buds, the plants are sprayed so as not to cause severe wilting. In early September, hydrangeas of early varieties are given pre-harvest feeding, which brings flowering time closer. In winter, it is better to keep plants in cool greenhouses, basements, greenhouses. With insufficient light, the temperature in the greenhouse room should be about 2-4 ° C.
Hydrangeas in a street flowerpot. © Deborah Silver
Winter care for hydrangeas in greenhouses
In order for the hydrangea to bloom in December-January, it has been provided with additional electric lighting since October. Additional lighting of hydrangeas brings flowering much closer.
Hydrangeas are placed under lamps with rudimentary buds and are given additional lighting in winter for 8-10 hours. The best result is observed under night lighting. It speeds up flowering by 7-20 days. Daylight has less effect.
Under the condition of good natural illumination of the greenhouse, the earliest suspension of growth is produced in November-December for flowering only in early March. For this, early varieties with well-ripened buds are used. With a lack of light, plants are grown at a relatively low temperature of about 10 ° C, which lengthens the flowering period.
To accelerate the flowering of hydrangeas, warm baths are used: the plants are kept in water at a temperature of 35 ° C for 12 hours. After the bath, the hydrangeas are placed in greenhouses with a temperature of 15-16 ° C. Good results are also obtained by spraying plants twice at a temperature of 12-14 ° C with heteroacusin (100 mg of heteroacusin per 1 liter of water).
With the appearance of leaves, hydrangeas begin to water more. On sunny days, the temperature in the greenhouse can rise to 20 ° C. At this time, care must be taken to ensure that the plants are sufficiently well supplied with moisture. In a greenhouse, hydrangeas should stand freely, not shading each other.
When hydrangea buds appear, they are fed weekly with mullein infusion and a solution of a mineral mixture with a predominance of nitrogen. The soil surface in pots should be loosened. When flowers are formed, hydrangeas are tied to pegs.
How to increase the size of hydrangea inflorescences?
The following method can be used to obtain exhibition hydrangea bushes with large and abundant flowers. Old hydrangeas, cut 25-30 cm from the ground, are planted in the ground so that the root collar is covered with earth. For the winter, the plants bent to the ground are covered with spruce branches, dry leaves, etc. In the spring, old stems are cut to the ground. During the summer, multi-stemmed bushes are formed. Plants are watered abundantly. Fertilizers are recommended in the first half of summer. In August, hydrangeas are planted in the soil of pots or tubs. In the future, apply the usual care.
Within 5-6 years, you can grow tub hydrangeas with several dozen umbrellas. It is necessary to take large pots with an increase in the number of shoots: with one shoot - with a diameter of 10 cm, with two or three shoots - with a diameter of 12-13 cm, with a larger number of shoots, take pots with a diameter of 15-18 cm.
Hydrangea care at home
Lighting. Hydrangea prefers bright, diffused light. Indoor hydrangea can be taken out into the garden in summer, gradually accustoming it to direct sunlight, and then, when the plants get used to it, the pots are dug into the ground and left until autumn.
Watering. Abundant from spring to autumn. Hydrangeas love when they are watered with some drying out of the earth in pots, but not allowing the entire earthy coma to dry out. Poorly tolerates hard water.
Air humidity.It is advisable to spray hydrangeas from time to time.
Top dressing. Fertilizer dressing is carried out with liquid mineral and organic fertilizers after watering. They are fed in summer and late winter before flowering. After pruning, they do not feed until new shoots appear.
Undercutting.After flowering at half the length.
Diseases and pests of hydrangea
Spider mite
It affects leaves from the underside, causing them to turn yellow and marbled, then dry and fall off. At the optimum temperature for the tick (29-31 ° C) and humidity (35-55%), its development cycle lasts 7-9 days. The mite covers the underside of the leaf with a brown spider web. It gives 12-15 generations per year. At low temperatures (10-12 ° C) and high humidity (80-85%), its activity is significantly reduced.
Control measures: spraying plants with thiophos (5-7 g per 10 l of water).
Downy mildew
It affects the leaves and stems of hydrangeas. Its first signs are the appearance on the leaves of oily, later yellowing spots, gradually darkening and increasing in size. A yellowish bloom appears below the leaves, the same bloom can be on young stems. The development of the disease is facilitated by a temperature of 18-20 ° C and high air humidity.
Control measures: treatment of affected plants with copper soap liquid (150 g of green soap, 15 g of copper sulfate per 10 liters of water). This liquid is harmless to plants, and its use in the early stages of development helps to completely get rid of the disease.
Chlorosis
A sign of chlorosis is the lightening of hydrangea leaves, only the veins on them remain dark. Plants growing on soils with a significant amount of lime are more susceptible to chlorosis. An excess of humus in the soil also leads to chlorosis.
Control measures: Pour 2-3 times with a solution of potassium nitrate at the rate of 40 g per 10 l of water and after three days - with a solution of ferrous sulfate, also 40 g per 10 l of water.
Aphids
In indoor conditions, when forcing plants, hydrangea can be affected by green leaf aphids.
Control measures: A good means of destroying it is to sprinkle plants twice with anabasine sulfate solution. For this, 15-20 g of anabazine sulfate is dissolved in 10 l of water. This serves as a radical remedy in the fight against leaf aphids.
How nice it is to have such a colorful set of these wonderful flowers in the garden! But the best part is that hydrangea is not too difficult to care for and even in the fall can please you with an abundance of rich colors and shapes.