Where is the best place to plant a hydrangea and how to care for it. Features of planting garden hydrangeas in open ground and in a home pot

Hydrangea - nice flowering bush arnica and a favorite of gardeners. It blooms from mid-summer to late autumn, covered with huge inflorescences, behind which leaves are not visible.

There are several dozen types of hydrangeas and all are deciduous shrubs and vines. At home in the subtropics, plants reach 4 meters in height, but as they move north, their sizes become more modest. Hydrangea in the garden temperate climate looks like a small bush about a meter and a half high.

In recent years, flower growers have been promoting a highly ornamental plant further north, bringing out winter-hardy varieties and working out new technologies of winter shelters. The cultivation boundary runs along middle lane.

In the middle lane, you can grow 3 types of hydrangeas:

• treelike;
• paniculate;
• large-leaved.

Paniculata is a large bush or tree on a trunk with huge white, pink, burgundy or lilac inflorescences in the shape of a pyramid with a wide base. A feature of the species is the ability of inflorescences to change color during the season. They can be white at the beginning of flowering, then turn pink, and become transparent light green by autumn.

New varieties of plants appear every year. In the gardens of our country, the Grandiflora variety is more common with white inflorescences reaching a quarter meter in length. In this group, it is worth noting Kyushu as the only variety that has a smell.

The flowering of this species is long. mass flowering starts in July, but early varieties blooming in June.

treelike in our climate it is grown in a wide bush about a meter high. Its inflorescences-balls reach a diameter of 25 cm. The most popular variety is Annabelle, with white round caps of inflorescences.

Large-leaved or garden- the plant is sold in garden centers as potted plant, we see her in the flower beds, coming to rest in Gagra, Sochi and other resort towns of the Black Sea coast. It is popular in southern Europe - a rare garden in Spain or France does not have this plant.

In large-leaved hydrangea, flowers are collected in round inflorescences of large, up to 3 cm in diameter flowers. Inflorescence diameter the best varieties reaches 20 cm. The flowers are snow-white, pink or blue, open from mid-summer to September.

The subtropical plant, thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, has moved north and is grown in the Moscow region only under winter shelters. Hydrangea cannot be called a plant for beginners, as it requires caring care and some special knowledge.

This species is easier to grow in the garden in a container culture, bringing the plants indoors for the winter with positive temperatures.

Preparing for landing

All types of hydrangeas love acidic soils, so soil preparation begins with the introduction of landing pit acid high-moor peat. Need to stock up on needles and bark coniferous trees for mulching.

Planting pits for hydrangeas are prepared before planting in the spring. The size of the hole depends on the size of the seedling. The root system should fit freely in a hole with straightened roots.

Panicle and tree hydrangea seedlings are purchased at garden centers, so preparation for planting consists only of choosing a place and digging a planting hole.

These species love light and look great as tapeworms. For them, choose the most prominent place - on the lawn or at the entrance to the building. The main thing is that it be in the light and protected from the winds.

Hydrangea arborescens can grow in partial shade, but it does not tolerate heavy shading.

Before planting, the seedling is taken out of the package and the roots are soaked for several hours in warm water or in a weak solution of trace elements. This technique accelerates survival and the plant will bloom faster, perhaps as early as next year.

Large-leaved hydrangea is demanding on soil and moisture. The place for planting is chosen carefully, since the peculiarities of the microclimate affect the overwintering and the possibility of flowering. It happens that in one place the plant grows for years and does not bloom, but transplanted into a lowland, where more snow accumulates in winter and it is always humid in summer, it begins to bloom.

The area for these hydrangeas should be lit. In partial shade, the plant will bloom later and not as abundantly as in the sun.

In a large-leaved plant, planting begins in mid-May. When choosing a time for planting specimens that have overwintered indoors on flower beds, you need to keep in mind that if there are late spring frosts to 0 and below, then the flower buds will die, and the plant will not bloom this year.

The cuttings are rooted in a mixture of sand and high-moor peat using green cutting technology. Roots are formed at a temperature of 16-21 C after 3 weeks.

In stores you can buy seeds of all kinds. They are sown in February in bowls with acidic soil: the purchased tofo soil "Hydrangea", "Azalea" and "Cypress" is suitable. After sowing the seeds, the substrate should not be allowed to dry out, so the bowls are covered with glass and daily moisten the surface of the soil with a spray gun.

Seedlings dive into pots, and with the onset of warm weather, they are transplanted into the garden for permanent place. Propagating hydrangea seeds is troublesome and unreliable, since there is no guarantee of compliance with the grade.

Planting hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are planted only in spring. Compost or humus is added to the pit, heavy soils are loosened with sand, on light soils clay is added to the bottom of the pit.

paniculate

When planting, garden soil is abundantly seasoned with organic matter and mineral fertilizers, given that the plant will stay in one place for several decades. The pit is prepared voluminous, since the roots of the plant will grow strongly over time. Fertilizers are poured to the bottom of the pit and mixed with the ground, then covered with a layer of unfertilized earth.

When laying a hedge, they do not dig holes, but a meter-wide trench. There should be a distance of 2.5 m between the seedlings. If the hedge needs to be obtained earlier, then the plants are planted every meter, and when they grow, they are thinned out.

In seedlings, before planting, the tips of the roots are cut off so that they branch better, and the one-year growth is shortened, leaving 2-3 pairs of buds on each branch. trunk circle after planting, they are filled with water and mulched with peat, needles or pine bark.

Sometimes for landscape design it is important that the hydrangea in open field bloomed quickly. Then they acquire a 5-year-old specimen and plant it in a hole measuring 70 cm in diameter and 40 cm deep. The plant will bloom in the year of planting, if transplanted with a clod of earth.

large leaf

It is planted in spring in planting pits 30x30x30 cm. The distance between adjacent specimens is 100 cm. The pit is filled with fertilizers and organic matter and fertilizers are mixed with the ground. The roots of the seedling are shortened a little, the root neck is not deepened. After the hydrangea runs out garden planting, cut off the shoots, leaving 2 pairs of buds. The bush is poured with water and mulched with needles, peat or bark.

treelike

Planting hydrangea tree in open ground begins in early spring, since the plant is not afraid of cold weather. Wintered seedlings in the nursery can be planted immediately after the soil thaws, and grown in greenhouses - only when the threat of frost has passed. The pit must be spacious. On sandy soils, clay is laid on the bottom so that the water stagnates slightly.

For this species, it is important that ground water did not reach the roots, therefore, if their height exceeds 1.5 m, then the seedling is planted on the very top point site. 50 g of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers and half a bucket of humus are added to the pit. Fresh manure cannot be added. If the seedling has a pronounced stem, then it is planted to the level of the root neck. Saplings in the form of a bush are best planted with a slight depth.

Hydrangea Care

Care different types will be different. The only thing that is common is that all species are in dire need of watering. No wonder the second name of hydrangea is hydrangia, which translates as "a vessel with water."

paniculate

Feed the plants in autumn complex fertilizers, and in the spring with urea: 2 tbsp. l. on an adult bush, dilute in 2 buckets of water and pour. This allows them to develop and form large panicles.

Any country cottage area transformed beyond recognition into better side, if it is ennobled with plantings of magnificent hydrangea. This plant is unpretentious, demonstrates lush and bright flowering, therefore it is popular with many flower growers. Practice shows that growing beautiful bushes in the open field is a simple and easy task. However, knowledge of the nuances and features will save you from mistakes and the death of bushes. Consider how to care for hydrangea in the country so that it causes pride in its work and envy among neighbors.

First step: choose the type of hydrangea

In fact, the family of hydrangea flowers is quite extensive. Most often cultivated deciduous species. They feel great in the conditions Russian climate. There are a lot of varieties, as well as species. For planting in the country or in the garden, large-leaved (willow), paniculate and tree-like hydrangea are recommended. They are very beautiful, take root well and practically do not bring problems. However, before caring for a tree-like, large-leaved or paniculate hydrangea in the country, you need to familiarize yourself with their features. Perhaps some variety will not suit one grower or another.

tree hydrangea

There are many subspecies of this plant, but any of them is quite easy to care for. The height of the bush can reach from one to three meters, and the inflorescence-balls in diameter are almost thirty centimeters. The leaves are smooth and large, can take different shape: Serrated, ribbed, ovoid or heart-shaped. Inflorescences grow in the form of umbrellas, bear fruit at the end of the season. The flowers are most often purple-pink in color.

Paniculata hydrangea

It can grow in the form of a large bush up to three meters in height or a ten-meter tree on a stem. It all depends on how the crown is formed. Buds appear in the second half of summer, inflorescences become cone-shaped elongated shape. There are also early varieties, whose representatives bloom as early as June.

A feature of the paniculate hydrangea is the ability to change the color of flowers during the season. For example, at the beginning they can be whitish, and towards the end they can be transparent light green. This type of plant has pyramidal inflorescences with a wide base. The buds are most often white, lilac, pink or burgundy color. Every year, breeders bring out new varieties. Among them, it is worth noting the Kyushu hydrangea, which is the only one of its kind that has a smell.

This species is the most frost-resistant and unpretentious. If you know how to care for paniculate hydrangea in the country, then planting it will definitely be crowned with success.

large-leaved hydrangea

When talking about hydrangeas, a large-leaved species is usually presented, which is planted everywhere. The inflorescences are quite impressive in size, in diameter they can reach thirty centimeters. Petals are painted in snow-white, blue or pink tones. Flowers begin to appear in mid-summer, and fade in early autumn.

The leaves are large, wide, egg-shaped, and this is a bit like willow. As the practice of gardeners shows, this species takes root perfectly both at home and in the open field.

Let's consider how to care for hydrangea willow, paniculate and tree-like in the country.

The second step: decide on the method of reproduction

Modern flower growers, as a rule, practice only two methods of hydrangea propagation. This is a seed and cutting method. The first is considered very laborious and is perhaps suitable for experienced florists. It is mainly used by breeders to conduct their experiments. Nevertheless, it is worth paying attention to both ways.

Plant propagation by cuttings

When friends are engaged in the hydrangea trimming procedure on their site, you can join them to collect the future planting material. At the same time, you can ask them how to properly grow and care for hydrangeas in the country.

So, from the removed shoots, you need to prepare pieces that have two nodes each. They are planted in a container with a sand-peat mixture. The lower part of the plant should be deepened into the ground by about three centimeters, and then watered. After that, a shelter is built over the sides of a temporary pot made of plastic film. Periodically, you will need to spray the soil with water so that it is always moist. After the shoots take root, they can be planted in open ground in the country.

Reproduction of hydrangea seeds

In order not to miscalculate with growing a plant, it is first best to make sure how the hydrangea seeds should look like. For them, you need to prepare a nutritious and loose substrate. The grains are placed in the soil about half a centimeter deep and sprinkled with a thin layer of the substrate. After that, the earth must be moistened by spraying with water from a spray bottle. The container with seedlings can be covered with glass or film for a month and a half. The temperature in the room should be maintained at fourteen to twenty degrees Celsius. Only in this case, you can count on the emergence of seedlings.

Third step: choose a place on the site

In deciding how to care for hydrangeas in the country, the choice of landing site is almost the most decisive. Abundant flowering and good growth shrub plant will only show in a well-lit area. In extreme cases, penumbra can also become a compromise option. But the rays of the sun must still fall on the plant most day.

Colored varieties need a little shading at noon. Optimal location there will be a flower bed in the country, on which the sun's rays fall only until lunch. After it, the hydrangea should be in the shade. It is also important that the bush is protected from drafts.

Fourth step: plant hydrangea in the ground

Planting and caring for hydrangeas in the country usually begin in early May or late September. First, pits are prepared by digging recesses in the area. Their diameter should be fifty centimeters, and the depth - one meter. It is also important to observe the interval between dug recesses. Usually it is made at least one and even one and a half meters.

Soil mixture is poured into the prepared pits. It should include two parts. leaf ground, two shares of humus, one share of peat and one share of sand. Experienced flower growers fertilizer is added to it. For ten kilograms of humus, twenty grams of potassium sulfate and urea are taken, as well as sixty grams of granular superphosphate.

When planting, pay great attention to the root collar. It should protrude slightly above the ground. Otherwise, during its subsequent precipitation main part plants will be underground. After planting, the soil should be compacted and watered well. How to care for hydrangea in the country after that? For the first time, it is protected from the hot daytime sun. For the warmest hours, seedlings are covered with agrofibre, which perfectly reflects at least part of the rays. It is also necessary to protect the hydrangea from strong gusts of wind. To do this, the stem is fixed to the peg, tied with some kind of ribbon.

Fifth step: carry out regular watering

Hydrangeas are exactly the plant that loves water very much. Not without reason in his Latin name there is a "hydra" part. These flowers need to be watered abundantly and every week. Under each bush it is necessary to pour two large buckets of water. This is about fifteen to twenty liters for a one-time consumption for each instance. In rainy weather, reduce the frequency of watering. The previous irrigation regime can be resumed if the last precipitation was a week ago. To improve resistance to infections and improve the growth of hydrangea bushes, it is recommended to add a pinch of potassium permanganate to the water for irrigation.

Sixth step: periodically loosen the soil

Now let's move on to how to care for hydrangea in the country during its active period. During the season, you need to loosen the soil around the plant twice with a depth of about six centimeters. This is best done after weeding and watering. Choppers with long teeth are usually used, which provide air flow to the roots.

To retain moisture, flower growers practice mulching. It is recommended to use old sawdust, needles, peat and moss. They will save moisture and get rid of weeds. Each layer should be about five centimeters thick. For example, if the mulch is covered in the spring, then it will perfectly retain its properties until the fall. Experienced flower growers prefer this particular method of soil care. Since it is guaranteed to free you from constant loosening and weeding. It will only be necessary to carry out watering and top dressing.

Step Seven: Color the Hydrangea

This item is not mandatory, but it is the place to be. But often caring for hydrangeas in the garden and in the country also involves this action. Surprisingly, depending on chemical composition soil, the flowers of this plant will change their color. This sometimes does not work with specimens that have white petals. But with the rest you can freely experiment.

Inflorescences will acquire a pink tint if acidity is increased in the soil. To do this, gardeners usually make phosphorus top dressing. You can water the bushes with a solution of aluminum alum. Pink hydrangea petals can turn purple, and white ones turn blue. Usually forty grams of the substance is taken per ten liters of water. Under each bush you need to pour two buckets. The procedure is repeated after ten days.

Eighth step: prune the plant

If the plant was planted in the spring, then in the fall you need to prune. After the summer, all faded parts must be removed. They should not be left for the winter. Hydrangea care in the spring in the country also includes pruning. best time March is considered for this procedure. As a rule, up to ten to twelve strong and healthy shoots are left as much as possible.

If the bush is already old, then it can be easily rejuvenated with a strong pruning. The root system of hydrangeas is particularly powerful, so the plant will only benefit. Initially, the young growth will be alive and strong. Usually, all trunks are cut to such an extent that stumps about six centimeters high remain. Later, fresh and young shoots will appear from them, which will please with large hats of flowers in the next season.

Ninth step: feed

In general, a hydrangea that is planted in a new hole does not need to be fed for two years. If this time has already passed, then fertilizers should be applied four times a year.

How to care for hydrangeas in the country in early spring to stimulate growth? To do this, use a special solution. For ten liters of water, take 25 grams of urea, 35 grams of potassium sulfate and forty grams of superphosphate. Instead, you can use complex mineral supplements with trace elements. They take about thirty grams per ten liters of water.

The second top dressing is carried out during the formation of buds. For one square meter soil under the bush contribute fifty grams of potassium sulfate and eighty grams of superphosphate.

The third top dressing is made in the summer, in July. Ten liters of mullein solution are poured under each bush. Sometimes a liquid infusion of any herb is used. In any case, ten parts of water are taken per part of the additive.

For the fourth time, the hydrangea is fertilized in August. The recipe can be taken the same as for the third dressing.

It is important to remember that lime is absolutely not suitable for caring for hydrangeas in the country in spring, summer, and in general at any time! Such a fertilizer can completely destroy the entire plant.

Tenth step: cover the hydrangea for the winter

Tree hydrangea does well without shelter. But the paniculate and large-leaved species will no longer be able to survive without it in the winter. So that the roots do not freeze, hilling with rotted manure is performed. Some flower growers equip a fifteen-centimeter protective layer from dry leaves, needles, moss and peat. After that, agrofibre is laid on it. In such "clothes" hydrangea will winter well.

It is important to remember that young plantings of any variety need to be wrapped up for the winter. Because they are not yet strong enough to fight frost. The coating is the same - leaves and agrofibre.

Now you know how to care for hydrangea in the country so that it pleases everyone with its large and bright inflorescences.

Spectacular shrub that does not require special care, blooms from mid-summer to late autumn, and after your simple manipulations it can radically change its color - a great option for decorating a chic garden or monotonous country houses.

The hydrangea is a flower strongly associated with the classic English countryside from an old postcard. One-story stone houses with low ceilings and small attics. And the obligatory hydrangea bushes on either side of front door. In our latitudes wonderful plant also perfectly got accustomed and managed to fall in love with flower growers. But, despite the fact that hydrangea has long been a regular in our flower gardens, many people have questions about growing it. We will try to answer the most frequent of them in our material.

1. Where to plant a hydrangea?

The controversial hydrangea categorically does not accept stagnant moisture, but at the same time loves moderately moist soil and mild sun. Therefore, it is better for her to find a place where she can receive sunbathing morning and evening, and around noon will rest in partial shade.

Do not forget that the branches of this plant during the flowering period become quite heavy, and therefore often lean to the ground. If you want to frame garden paths with hydrangea bushes, then you should step back from them at least a meter. Otherwise, in the future you will have to say goodbye to the beautiful flowering branches or put props, which does not always look aesthetically pleasing.

It is better to plant plants in the spring, away from big trees. For this, cuttings can be used, the cut of which is desirable to be treated with a root formation stimulator. In addition, hydrangea reproduces well by dividing the bush. Growing hydrangeas from seeds is a long and laborious process.

2. What to add to the planting hole?

To plant a tree hydrangea seedling, it is necessary to dig a hole measuring 0.5 × 0.5 × 0.5 m. Of course, the diameter and depth may vary, because depend on the size of the root system of the seedling and the characteristics of the soil. If the soil in your garden is not ideal for hydrangeas and you need to add sand, humus or additional fertilizers, the hole will have to be made deeper and wider. For young (1-2-year-old) seedlings, a 30 × 30 × 30 cm hole is quite suitable.

Hydrangea prefers soils with an acidity of 4.5-5 pH. If the soil in your garden is not acidic enough, you need to add coniferous forest bedding, rotted sawdust to the planting hole conifers or riding (brown) peat. And if the land on the site is heavy and infertile, fill each hole with a special nutrient mixture:

• 2 pieces of leaf land
• 2 parts humus
• 1 part river sand
• 1 part horse peat

When planting hydrangeas in the soil, in no case should lime or ash be applied.

After planting, the soil around the seedling should be mulched with a 5-7 cm layer of peat, sawdust or crushed bark. This will protect the plant from dehydration, as well as additionally acidify the soil.

3. How to water the hydrangea?

The second name of hydrangea is Hydrangea. And in Japan, she is sometimes romantically called "yearning for water." It is not surprising that this beautiful flower loves watering. Stability - main principle when caring for hydrangea, so do not water it too abundantly, but rarely. It is better to pour about one and a half buckets of water under the root once a week. This is usually sufficient to maintain normal soil moisture.

4. How and when to feed hydrangea?

If a nutrient soil mixture was used when planting hydrangeas, then the plant will not need to be fed for the first few years. If the land is not fertile enough, then the hydrangea "signals" you about this with the help of small inflorescences.

For plant nutrition, you can use preparations made industrial way(Agricola, Aqua, Crystalon). At the same time, it is quite simple to prepare the fertilizer yourself. To do this, 10 g of urea, 15 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium sulfate should be dissolved in 15 liters of water. The first feeding is recommended in early spring. The second - after the appearance of buds (20 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium sulfate per 15 liters of water).

During the summer (every 3-4 weeks), hydrangea can be watered with mullein infusion.

5. How to deal with hydrangea diseases and pests?

Sometimes powdery mildew appears on hydrangea leaves. You can fight it with the help of Bordeaux liquid. To combat aphids and other sucking pests, you can use drugs such as Fitoverm or Actellik. In general, hydrangea quite successfully resists diseases and pests on its own.

6. How to prune a hydrangea?

Without pruning, hydrangeas quickly begin to look untidy. Therefore, it is desirable to form a bush from 2-3 years. This should be done in September or spring before the start of sap flow. Moreover, each type of hydrangea has its own trimming features.

At tree hydrangea remove to the ground all weak and twisted shoots, as well as three-year-old branches. Young growths are greatly shortened, leaving only a few buds. The weaker the shoot, the shorter it is cut.

At paniculate hydrangea in spring, shoots growing inside the crown are removed, and young growths are shortened by 1-3 buds.

Some experienced gardeners a standard tree is formed on the basis of the strongest shoot of the paniculate hydrangea. He is driven out to 70-100 cm, removing all side shoots, and then form a spherical crown.

At large-leaved hydrangea in September, the shoots are slightly shortened, which interfere with covering the plant, and in the spring they carry out sanitary pruning, cutting out all the frozen, broken and thickening shoots.

7. How to cover hydrangeas for the winter?

Arborescent and panicled hydrangeas usually tolerate winter well, so simply protecting their roots with mulch is enough. Large-leaved hydrangea is more thermophilic. Therefore, immediately after the leaves fall, the branches are carefully bent to the ground, laying spruce branches under them. Top is also covered with spruce branches or dry leaves. Above the bush, it is better to additionally install a rigid frame covered with polyethylene, while leaving an air vent. In the spring, the protective layer is removed gradually so as not to expose the plant to additional stress as a result of temperature fluctuations.

If slugs have chosen your site, then before sheltering, the ground around the hydrangea should be sprinkled with pine needle mulch or treated with special preparations (Slug Eater, Meta, Thunderstorm, Bros). Otherwise, in the spring, young shoots of the plant may be damaged.

8. How to change the color of a hydrangea?

Not only chameleons are able to change color depending on the circumstances. Some plants also have this amazing ability.

If the ground under a large-leaved hydrangea with pink flowers is acidified with red (horse) peat, potassium alum or ammonium alum, citric acid or another similar substance, its flowers will acquire a blue tint. Plants need aluminum to form the blue pigment. Usually it is sufficient in most areas, but aluminum becomes available to the plant only as a result of a chemical reaction under the influence of an acidic environment. Thus, hydrangea can be not only a decoration of your garden, but also an indicator of the level of soil acidity.

If you apply acidifiers to the soil on only one side of the plant, then one hydrangea bush will give you pink, blue and slightly lilac flowers. With a white hydrangea, such a trick, alas, will not work, it will remain white under any circumstances. This method will not work with a bush growing near the paths, alpine slides or limestone walls, as they strongly alkalize the soil.

As much as you crave experimentation, don't try to get the color you want too quickly. Excessive amounts of aluminum alum applied to the soil can kill the roots of the plant. Therefore, like a true artist, paint your garden gradually.

Morphological features of hydrangea

Hydrangea is loved by many gardeners. It's high lush flowering plant, most species of which are capable of wintering in open ground. Inflorescences delight the eye from mid-summer to early October. Hydrangea belongs to the hydrangea family, in which there are not only shrubs, but even many types of vines and stunted trees.

Interesting: Hydrangea got its name in honor of the ancient Roman princess. She also has latin name Hydrangea, which scientists have already awarded her for her excessive love for high humidity(literal translation - "a container of water"). The Japanese have their own name - "Ajisai", which translates as "flower - purple sun."

Only a few varieties of hydrangeas are suitable for growing at home, while the rest are not compact and can only live in open ground. In nature, shrubs can reach 3 m in height, some species are evergreen, others are deciduous. In the middle lane, there are mainly deciduous hydrangeas. Her leaves are mostly large oval-shaped with a pointed tip, pronounced venation and serrated edges. Flowering begins in mid-spring and continues until early autumn. The inflorescences are spherical, corymbose or paniculate in shape and consist of two types of flowers: small fertile, which are located closer to the center of the inflorescence, and sterile large (decorative), dispersed along the edges. But there are species in which all the flowers are small and fertile (they are not very decorative). It is noteworthy that most types of hydrangea bloom white, but some, such as large-leaved hydrangea, produce cream, red, lilac and pink colors. In this case, the color does not depend on the characteristics of the variety, but on the chemical composition of the soil. We will talk about planting a large-leaved hydrangea and controlling its color a little later. Hydrangea bears fruit in 2-5-chamber boxes with seeds.

Hydrangea types

Before you start planting hydrangeas in the garden, it would be a good idea to choose the right variety of shrubs. Each of the species requires its own agrotechnical conditions, so when choosing, start from own experience and opportunities to provide them.

Hydrangea types:

In addition to the above species, radiant, rough, petiolate, ashy hydrangea and the Sargent variety are bred in the gardens. At the latter, the shoots do not bend, so you should not even try to bend them to the ground - you will break them. To protect the Sargent hydrangea from the cold, wrap the crown with paper or other covering material. Remove the cover and mulch in early spring after the severe cold weather is over. It is best to choose a cloudy, wet evening for this, so as not to injure a weakened plant with bright sunlight.

Growing hydrangeas

Now that you have decided on the type of hydrangea that you can grow, you can talk about the features of planting, care and reproduction. In most cases, hydrangea does not cause problems, so both beginners and experienced gardeners can cope with it equally successfully.

Planting hydrangeas

Planting garden hydrangeas can be done by seed and seedlings. In the first case, it is best to propagate species varieties of plants for breeding experiments. It is necessary to sow the seeds in the autumn, loosening them into a substrate from leafy and peat soil with fine river sand in a ratio of 4:2:1. Spray the soil well with a spray bottle and cover the container plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect. Periodically, it will need to be removed for ventilation and additional moisture - the soil should not be allowed to dry out. For germination of crops, it is necessary to maintain a temperature from + 14C to + 20C. After 30-45 days after the appearance of the first shoots, you can remove the film. When the cotyledon leaves develop, seedlings can dive. Repeated diving is carried out in May, planting each plant in a container with a diameter of 7-8 cm. After that, the young hydrangea must be hardened, exposing it to fresh air during the day in a shaded place without drafts. At night, seedlings need to be brought into the house.

Hydrangea seedlings can be planted in open ground 2 years after growing at home and regular hardening. When choosing a place for a plant on a site, consider the fact that most species need good lighting, but there are some that can also thrive in the shade, such as Sargent's hydrangea or rough. The soil is best chosen slightly sour or neutral, it must be fertilized with organic matter and have a loose structure so that oxygen can penetrate to the roots. To acidify the soil, use peat or a special Acid + acidifier. It is necessary to ensure that cultures with a superficial root system, like those of the hydrangea itself, do not grow near the place for the hydrangea. Otherwise, they will constantly fight for nutrients and moisture.

To plant a hydrangea in the garden, it is necessary to dig a hole, the dimensions of which should be twice the size of an earthen coma on a seedling. Add peat, mineral and organic fertilizers to the pit, mix everything with the soil. Lower the seedling and fill it with earth mixed with compost so that the root ball rises slightly above the surface of the earth. Lightly tamp the soil, water and mulch with needles to protect the roots from overheating during the adaptation period, and also to reduce the development of weeds. Scatter organic mulch up to 10 cm around the plant. Later it will decompose and oxidize the soil, which will be very useful for hydrangeas. Experts recommend making mulch at the end of spring, since the earth is still quite wet, but at the same time it has had time to warm up properly. In autumn, mulch is applied after stable cold weather has settled.

In order for the hydrangea to develop quickly and bloom luxuriantly, it is necessary to fertilize from time to time. On sale you can find special formulations enriched with iron and magnesium. They are added immediately before planting and during intensive development. The first feeding occurs at the end of May or the beginning of June and is a liquid fermented chicken manure diluted with water 1:10. Also it can be mineral fertilizer from superphosphate, urea and potassium nitrate in a ratio of 2:1:1. Further feeding should be carried out every 2-3 weeks. Fertilizers are no longer applied at the end of July, so that the plant "calms down" and prepares for wintering. If this is not done, the shoots will not have time to stiffen.

Hydrangea Care

Caring for garden hydrangea is not difficult, but there are mandatory points that require strict implementation. The most important condition for caring for a plant is careful and proper watering- water should be warm and settled. Each adult hydrangea needs about 40 liters of water twice a week during the hot season and once a week during the more moderate period. If there is peat mulch in the soil, you can water a little less often, since this material retains moisture perfectly.

To improve the aeration of the roots, it is recommended to periodically loosen the ground around the plant to a depth of no more than 5 cm. Faded shoots should be cut off. As for diseases and pests, hydrangea rarely becomes their victim. On the leaves you can sometimes see spider mite which can be easily removed soapy water. When growing in trays or pots, leaf aphids can start. If the year turned out to be wet, powdery mildew may appear on young shoots and foliage. If you notice that the leaves have become lighter, this may indicate chlorosis, which is caused by excess lime or humus.

The main points of hydrangea care:

• the plant loves moisture very much, but not only the amount of water is important, but also its quality (warm and settled);
• for the lush and colorful flowering of hydrangeas, you need a lot of sunlight, however, under direct rays, the leaves will fade, so it is best to plant it in a place where there will be slight partial shade from 12:00 to 15:00;
• in second place in importance after watering is regular and correct pruning, which we will talk about a little later;
• do not overfeed the hydrangea with organic fertilizers, otherwise it will only grow rapidly, but it will not give a lush color (all the energy will go into growth);
• even if you have planted a frost-resistant species, this does not mean that it does not need to be covered for the winter. If the plant is frozen, give it time - it is quite possible that it will recover on its own during the growing season;
• if you bought and planted blooming hydrangea, observe the proportions of the underground and ground parts - root system and the hole dug for it should not be smaller than the ground part of the plant. If the roots are much inferior in size to the ground flowering part of the hydrangea, this indicates that the plant was kept on drip irrigation and fertilizers to give the proper look. When planting such a plant in open ground, you should not rinse the earthen ball and release the roots, as is often advised on the Internet. So you only harm the root system and weaken it;
• if you planted a flowering hydrangea bush, but after a couple of weeks it began to wither, then the plant cannot adapt to new conditions. In the nursery, most likely, he was kept on powerful fertilizers, and he did not have to make an effort to extract nutrients from the soil and water with the help of the root system. It is necessary to gradually train the roots of such a hydrangea, weaning it from potent fertilizers. For the first couple of months after planting, fertilize every 10-14 days.

Hydrangea fertilizer

To make the color hydrangea as magnificent as possible, you need to carry out at least twice a year complex top dressing. The first is carried out before flowering, the second - after. In April, it is necessary to water the hydrangea with a solution of 20 g of urea diluted in a bucket of water. One adult plant will need 3 buckets of this fertilizer. When the hydrangea fades, it needs to be fed with mineral fertilizers. During the season, you can occasionally apply slurry, but not too much (which happens with an excess of organic fertilizers, you already know).

When planting a tree-like, large-leaved or ground cover hydrangea, you can change the color of the inflorescences by varying the acidity of the soil. If desired, white and cream flowers can turn blue, blue and even purple. Pinkish and crimson flowers are obtained from a weak alkaline reaction, blue color they acquire on acidic soil. Cream and pink flowers they change shade faster, which cannot be said about pure whites, whose color is very difficult to change.

If you create an alkaline environment, then the hydrangea will be unable to take iron from the soil, and it is this element that affects the color of the flowers. Iron can only be absorbed in an acidic environment. If your garden has alkaline soil and you want a blue color, water the plant with a solution of iron salts. To enhance the blueness, bury metal shavings or unnecessary small pieces under each bush. metal objects such as nails or scrap. It may happen that multi-colored inflorescences bloom on one bush. Also, blue can appear in bushes planted in peat soil, but there is a high probability that the color will be “dirty”.

You can cut only those bushes that have reached 3-4 years. Species that bloom on the current year's shoots should be pruned in early spring before the juices begin to flow and buds open. Otherwise, the plant may well die from the flow of juices through cuts. However, it is not worth pruning too early - you will get cuttings that are unsuitable for rooting. The ideal time to prune is when the buds are a little swollen and start to come to life. The tree hydrangea should be cut first, because it “wakes up” earlier than others. Cut off its shoots at a height of 3-4 buds, and divide the segments into cuttings. With paniculate hydrangea, you should be a little more careful, cutting off last year's shoots by only a third. The large-leaved species is almost not pruned, only slightly rejuvenated by removing every 4 shoots, especially if it is directed inside the bush.

Reproduction of hydrangea

As you might have guessed, hydrangea is propagated by cuttings, dividing the bush, seeds or grafting. We have already talked about the seed method above. Optimal time for petiole planting hydrangeas is mid-July, when the peak of flowering comes. Cuttings can be cut from not too large annual lateral shoots, which are quite enough on any bush. Shoots should be young and not break when bent. Those that are older and have already become stiff take root much worse. Cuttings can be carried out before flowering, but then when cutting cuttings at the base, it is necessary to save a small part of last year's shoot by cutting off the “heeled” cutting.

To root the cuttings, prepare a light, moist substrate from a mixture of peat and coarse sand in a 2:1 ratio. Peat gives a weak acid reaction, which accelerates the growth of the root system. To increase the moisture capacity, it is recommended to add sphagnum moss, cut into small pieces, into the soil. Treat the cuttings with "Kornevin" and deepen into the soil by 2-3 cm, maintaining a distance of 5 cm from each other. Full rooting should occur in 20-27 days, and during this time the temperature should be maintained between +16C and +20C. Plants should be in light shade. Propagating hydrangea by dividing the bush is very simple. To do this, you need to dig a bush in early spring before sap flow or in autumn after flowering, divide it into 2-3 parts so that each of them has at least 3 buds.

The video about planting hydrangeas shows in detail all the subtleties of the process:

wintering hydrangeas

After the end of the flowering period, you can begin to prepare the hydrangea for wintering. Young seedlings that grow in boxes and pots need to be moved to a house or barn, and garden plants remove dried inflorescences. If this is not done and the inflorescences are left for the winter, snow may stick to them and ice may form, which will lead to the breakage of the shoots. In addition to pruning, it is necessary to pile the bushes high at the bases and mulch the ground around them so that the root system does not freeze. The most frost-resistant are the ground cover and paniculate species. Their young shoots are quickly covered with bark, so they can tolerate relatively warm winters even without cover. A tree-like hydrangea can even survive a harsh winter without insulation, but it’s still better not to take risks and take care of the plants, since no one can predict to what level the thermometer will drop.

It is better to cover the hydrangea for the winter with the onset of the first night frosts, which usually appear as early as October. Young bushes can simply fall asleep "with a head" with dry soil. Older plants must be carefully bent to the ground and pinned, then covered with roofing felt or lutrasil and pressed down with bricks. With adult bushes, you will have to tinker longer: the shoots must be carefully tied and wrapped with covering material (lutrasil, spunbond). After that, a round frame of steel mesh should be built around each bush so that its inner walls are at least 20 cm from the bush. The upper edge of the grid should be 10-15 cm higher than the bush. The rest inner space fill with fallen leaves or needles. With the onset of spring, the mesh can be dismantled, and when the frosts finally stop, the covering material can also be removed.

Planting hydrangea: photo

Planting hydrangeas in the spring will give you a magnificent decoration for the garden, and finally, we offer you to look at a small photo selection of the most original varieties and colors:

Hydrangea is a flowering shrub, it is often used for landscaping lawns, parks and gardens. It is distinguished by large inflorescences that bloom in the second half of summer, decorating the site until late autumn. In total, there are up to 35 plant species, one of the most popular is the tree hydrangea. It grows rapidly, in a season it can turn from a small seedling into a luxurious shrub. Planting and caring for hydrangea is not much different from keeping other garden flowers, so even a beginner will not have difficulty growing.

How to plant a hydrangea?

Most often, the plant is purchased in the form of a seedling. You can grow it yourself from seeds, but this process is long and will take at least 3 years. It is best to buy seedlings of this age for planting.

When to plant hydrangea and how to choose the right place?

The gardener should immediately decide in which part of the garden the shrub will grow, since the hydrangea does not like transplants. It is worth giving preference to well-lit flower beds or lawns located along the house on the east or west side. However, if such a place was not found, then the shrub will grow well in partial shade.

Many gardeners wonder when to plant hydrangeas, in spring or autumn? The seedling can be planted both in spring (in early May) and in autumn (in September). It is believed that flowers planted in spring take root faster and get sick less often, but if the seedling is strong and healthy, with a powerful root system, then it will take root well in the fall. autumn planting harden the shrub, making it more hardy.

Soil composition requirements

Hydrangea is undemanding to the composition of the earth, but it will be better to grow in an acidic environment (pH value - 4.5–5), so lime or ash should not be added to the pit during planting. If the garden where the hydrangea will be grown is not enough acidic soil, then you can add coniferous soil, sawdust, brown peat to it and dig it up.

Planting hydrangea tree

On the site, it is necessary to prepare pits measuring 50x50x60 cm, where 60 cm is the depth. Bushes grow rapidly, so when planting several specimens, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least one meter. In addition, subsequently it will be easier to care for the hydrangea tree. For better rooting, professionals recommend preparing a fertile soil mixture and filling the planting hole with it.

Components:

• leaf ground - 2 parts,
• fresh humus - 2 parts,
• fibrous peat substrate - 1 part,
• medium-grained sand - 1 part.

Seedlings in the hole are placed so that the root neck is flush with top layer earth. Planting is best done in cloudy weather, but if the day is sunny, then the plant is recommended to shade.

Features of caring for hydrangea tree

Growing a shrub such as hydrangea, planting and care is not difficult. Everything a gardener needs to know: how to properly water and feed a plant, trim branches and cover for the winter.

Watering hydrangeas

The shrub prefers moist soil, even its name testifies to this - in Greek, hydrangea (Hydrangea) means "a vessel with water." It is recommended to water the plant once a week, pouring about 15-17 liters of water. If the summer turned out to be rainy, then watering is reduced, focusing on the condition of the soil.

Fertilization

If during the planting of the seedling a nutrient mixture was added to the pit, then for the first year or two the hydrangea in additional top dressing does not need. However, do not forget that tree-like hydrangea prefers regular care, and when grown on poor soil, its inflorescences will become small and not so lush.

The first top dressing should be organized in early spring, as soon as it gets warmer outside. Preparation of mineral fertilizer in the following way:

• urea - 10 g,
• superphosphate - 15 g,
• potassium sulfate - 15 g.

Trace elements must be dissolved in 10-15 liters clean water. As soon as the first buds appear, you need to hold the second mineral supplement, based on 10-15 liters of water:

• superphosphate - 30 g,
• potassium sulfate - 20 g.

Until the end of summer, two more top dressings should be carried out, but with organic fertilizer. Mullein infusion is best suited in a ratio of 1:10.

Loosening and mulching the soil

To prevent moisture from evaporating longer, gardeners recommend mulching the soil at the base of the shrub. You can use peat or sawdust, laying out a layer of 5–6 cm, the procedure is carried out in the spring and the mulch is left until autumn. Tree hydrangea care must necessarily include weeding and loosening the soil, as a rule, 2-3 times per season is enough.

Hydrangea pruning

The first 2 years after planting a seedling, it is imperative to remove all inflorescences from a shrub. At this stage, it is important to grow a strong and healthy plant, preventing it from flowering. In adult specimens, dried inflorescences are removed in the fall, before wintering.

Hydrangea pruning is best done in March. It is necessary to select 8-10 strongest branches and shorten them after 3-5 buds. Weak and withered branches can be pruned throughout summer season. Old bushes are rejuvenated with strong pruning. It is necessary to cut off all the branches with a secateurs, leaving only stumps no more than 6–8 cm high. Soon, young shoots will grow at the hydrangea.

Preparing for winter

Hydrangea tree is resistant to frost, so there is no need to cover it. However, young specimens are recommended to be overlaid with mulch so that the roots do not freeze. Dry leaves or peat are used as a covering material, laying them out in a layer of 12–15 cm. If the winter is expected to be severe, then adult specimens can also be covered.

Diseases and pests of hydrangea tree

Hydrangea rarely gets sick, but sometimes a whitish powdery coating can be seen on the leaves or stems - powdery mildew. To save the shrub, it must be sprayed with solutions of foundationazole or Bordeaux mixture, according to instructions.

Often, hydrangea is affected by aphids - these are grayish or light green insects that can be seen both on the leaves and on the branches of the bush. The aphid feeds on the sap of the plant and mainly affects young, tender shoots and buds. To combat insects, you can use chemicals (Aktellik, Fitoverm, Inta-vir) or use folk remedies.

An infusion of garlic has proven itself well, it is prepared as follows: chop or squeeze 200 grams of peeled young cloves through a special press, then pour 10 liters of clean water. On the third day, the infusion is filtered, and 40 grams are added to it. laundry soap or a few drops of liquid. Spraying with such an infusion should be carried out weekly, until the last aphids disappear. However, it is worth remembering that garlic infusion has a pungent odor, this should be taken into account when choosing a treatment method.

As you can see, planting and caring for hydrangeas is not difficult, and soon the gardener will be able to admire bright colors in your area. From hydrangea flowers you can make a beautiful winter bouquet. To do this, you need to cut the branch when all the flowers in the inflorescence bloom, and then dry them in a dark room, hanging them upside down from the ceiling or beam.

Video how to plant a hydrangea tree