Hydrangea froze in the spring what to do. Hydrangeas in our gardens: classification, care, pruning, frost resistance, shelter

What to do if the hydrangea does not bloom? Maybe it freezes? But when buying, they told me that this is a garden, winter-hardy hydrangea. Although for the winter I covered her like roses. How to grow hydrangea?

Elena Miloradova, St. Petersburg.

Dear friends, the issue of hydrangeas has been discussed many times, but there will probably always be confusion with them.

You should know that there are several types of hydrangeas that can grow in open ground at the latitude of the Moscow region and St. Petersburg. All these hydrangeas can be called "garden". They differ from each other in color and shape of inflorescences, but most importantly - winter hardiness.

The most winter-hardy types of hydrangeas are tree and paniculate. Most of their varieties have white inflorescences, but many varieties have been created with pink (or turning pink) flowers.

Tree and paniculate hydrangeas bloom on the shoots of the current year, that is, on young growths that have grown this season. Therefore, their flowering does not depend on wintering, they bloom every year.

To obtain more powerful shoots and large inflorescences, tree and paniculate hydrangeas are pruned. Due to pruning, the total number of flowers is reduced, but each inflorescence blooms much larger.

The fundamental difference is large-leaved hydrangea (with pink and blue flowers), photo 1. It blooms on the shoots of last year. Moreover, flower buds are located at the tops of the shoots. Therefore, if the shoots froze in winter or were cut off during pruning, then this hydrangea will not bloom.

Please note that varieties of large-leaved hydrangea differ greatly in winter hardiness. Among them there are those that do not hibernate in the ground, even with shelter. They are grown as houseplants. In garden centers, these varieties are often sold in the spring already with flowers. You can distinguish indoor varieties by very large inflorescences and a brighter color (photo 4).

Nearby, on the same showcase, there may be garden varieties of large-leaved hydrangea (which overwinter with shelter). In spring they are usually still small and without flowers.

Consultants in garden centers are not always competent enough to distinguish large-leaved hydrangea from paniculate and tree-like. Therefore, you could be told that large-leaved hydrangea is a winter-hardy species. And if you bought a hydrangea at a garden fair, then there they could completely deceive you, sell a non-hardy variety.

WHAT TO DO?

So, what to do if the large-leaved hydrangea does not bloom?

First, don't cut it. Many shorten the shoots, like those of roses, so that they better get under cover. But in this way the upper buds are cut off, where the flowers are laid.

Secondly, it is necessary to cover the hydrangea in time. In the autumn - before roses, before the onset of severe frosts, and in the spring do not rush to open it (until the frosts end).

If the flower buds freeze in the spring, then there will be no flowering either, despite the fact that the bush itself overwintered well.

What to do now if the hydrangea does not bloom? Keep caring for the plant and look forward to next year. For better maturation of the shoots, feed the plant with hydrangea fertilizer and water abundantly.

Before shelter, do not cut off young growths. Try to bend the branches to the ground. Then the tips will be under the snow and the flower buds will not freeze.

From above, close the bush with a double layer of spunbond and press it with stones. additionally cover with a film from precipitation. Before stable cold weather, do not press the film from below so that air remains. Then lower it to the ground. Your hydrangea may bloom next year.

Large-leaved hydrangea varieties have been created that bloom twice: first on the last year's shoots, then on the current year's shoots. Even if last year's stems freeze, flowering will still take place, only later, towards the end of summer.

These hydrangeas include varieties from the series "Endless Summer" (Endless Summer), "Together forever" (Forever & Eve), "You and I" (You and Me). Often these varieties are called winter-hardy, although we also need to cover them.

And yet, for growing in the Middle lane, you need to choose these hydrangeas. In a frosty winter, flowering will be on the shoots of the current year, and it will delight with lush hats.

Blue varieties are especially good. For color purity, they are supported with special fertilizers for blue hydrangeas. Do this several times a season, starting in early spring, then the color will not go pink.

Hydrangea is considered a winter-hardy species. Breeders and authors of varieties claim that the plant can withstand temperatures from -20 to -30 degrees Celsius. A decent experience in growing an exotic elegant shrub has been accumulated. In the conditions of the North-West, the Urals, not to mention the Moscow region, even non-insulated specimens winter well.

At the same time, the sad practice of many hydrangea lovers suggests that the shrub often freezes out in relatively warm weather - as little as 15-20 degrees below zero. Similar incidents happen in the southern regions, even in the Black Sea region. Probably, every case of plant death is caused by objective reasons. This article may be useful to those who want to understand the problem and achieve results.

Varieties are different, the problem is one

The literature provides various ways of warming hydrangeas. Some operations must be performed for all species, some - only for certain varieties.

There is a difference between the types of hydrangeas. For example, large-leaved plants have a longer growing season. In addition, garden microphylla lays a flower bud in September, paniculate hydrangea in March-April. In the first case, the gardener must take measures to protect the tops of the shoots from frost burns. In the second, it is enough to insulate the stems and the root system: if at least one branch survived the winter, the plant will bloom.

But the reason given is just a special case. The example does not explain why shrubs of the same variety have different frost resistance.

Maybe it's about relationships. Hydrangea grows to decorate: most of its flowers are barren. The shrub is wasteful: it spends too much energy on a stormy long flowering. Sometimes they are not left for development. If we immediately succumb to the charms of hydrangea and forget about tomorrow's winter, then we will face a problem: we insulated, but we did not succeed. Why?

Probably because our bushes are weak.
It is possible that the shoots are plentiful, and the roots are frail.
Or vice versa: the root system is powerful, and the foliage is short.

Mature stems overwinter well. This means that the plant must have sufficient energy to develop, gain strength and bloom.

Why does hydrangea freeze?

The reasons may be subtle. Here are examples.

The landing site was chosen in a lowland - and cold flows there. Or vice versa: a bush crowns the top of a blown hill.

Perhaps you have put organic matter under the root, and for some reason the worms do not process it into humus. After all, it is known that plants poorly absorb nutrients from undecomposed manure.
The composition and amount of mulch affects the survival rate: flower roots are close to the soil surface. They can partially freeze in a snowless winter.
Does the composition of the top dressing correspond to the stage of plant development: excess nitrogen provokes the growth of shoots, potassium and phosphorus contribute to the absorption of calcium, lignification of trunks. Disproportion generates an imbalance of development.

Based on our experience, in this article we will try to:

Select all the necessary preparatory stages for pre-winter flower care;

Determine the list of activities at each stage;

Assess their effectiveness.

In the end, you yourself will choose which methods to use to warm the hydrangea.

General rules for care for all types of hydrangeas

The frost resistance of garden hydrangeas depends on two reasons:

From the ability of the roots to provide the bush with sufficient nutrients;

From the vitality of the shoots, the strength of the structure of the branches.

From the first day of the appearance of a young seedling, the florist continuously solves the primary task - how to create the most favorable environment for the shrub for development and subsequent wintering, during which the hydrangea will not freeze out.

Seven Facets: Successful Hydrangea Care Factors

In order for the luxuriously flowering bush not to freeze in the cold winter, it is necessary not only to think over ways to shelter the hydrangea, but also to create optimal conditions for it in advance for the growth and ripening of shoots.

1. Bush locations - where there is no draft. A corner near a fence, a windward wall of a barn, a bench, an ornamental garden structure will do.

2. Illumination - light shading. The best place is where the sun is until noon.

3. Access to moisture. Hydrangea loves abundant watering. It is planted 1.5-2 m from fruit trees, otherwise the competition for moisture will be too great.

4. Soil - nutritious, slightly acidic, with a fairly loose, but not sandy structure - useful substances should not be washed out. The best place for nursery macrophiles is the edge of the compost pit.

5. Adaptation of the root system. Roots in the nursery are accustomed to receiving an abundance of high-calorie substrate. The depleted soil of the garden poorly stimulates secondary petioles to develop. In order for the system to grow, the hole is expanded, made more than 50 cm. The soil structure is modified:

To improve permeability, crushed stone with sand is added;

To increase nutritional value - peat, dry foliage, humus, fertilizers.

6. Hardening, training of stems during the first three years according to special agricultural technology:

The young sapling grows freely in the first summer: broken, crooked, inward-growing branches are kept for it.

They put it in the cellar for the winter. Dungeon - the optimal environment: a stable temperature of 5-7 ° C, complete calm.

In March, a pot with a one-year-old plant is returned to the room. When the leaves bloom - in late June or early July, the stems are cut: they stimulate the growth of shoots and the development of roots.

The next year, the procedure is repeated;

In the third year after the May-June frosts, the hydrangea is planted in the ground.

7. Feeding shrubs with fertilizers in digestible form. Since fresh mullein is poison for a plant, with a lack of experience it is better to exclude manure. It will be successfully replaced by rotted grass the year before last, forest litter, or the best option - biohumus. Dilute the mixture with 100 g of superphosphate - this complex will be enough for good nutrition.

Proper nutrition is the key to a successful wintering of hydrangeas

The roots are responsible for filling the stems with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is the building block for proteins. Shoot cells, fruits, deciduous mass, all this is protein. Calcium, potassium - substances responsible for the protection of protein cells, for the strength of cell walls and connective tissue. Phosphorus promotes the absorption of minerals and trace elements.

The soil is needed not just nutritious. At different times, a given composition of top dressing is needed. In the early period - when ripe, the plant is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. In autumn, hydrangeas are fertilized with phosphates and potassium.

Signs of the abundance of each substance are determined by the color of the leaves:

Yellowed foliage - nitrogen is needed. Urea, saltpeter are introduced into the diet.
Turquoise leaves - add superphosphate.
There is a slowdown in growth, a light border appears on the edges of the foliage - they are fed with chloride or potassium sulfate. Complex fertilizer - Potassium humate.

Preparing (pruning) hydrangeas for wintering

Leaves are cut off the stems. It is better not to touch the inflorescences - in the spring they can be removed before the first flowering bud. The same can be said about radical molding. If the plant is too thickened, you can sanitize - remove diseased, weak shoots.

However, the final decision - to cut or not to cut remains with the owner. The next pruning will be possible only in late spring, when the green mass appears.

The choice of insulation method for hydrangeas, taking into account the basics of winter heat transfer

Bush shelter options are different. These can be pits, tubes, sheds. With any method of wintering hydrangeas in the garden, at least two layers of insulation are used.

The first - a mandatory layer should cover the roots. Located on the surface, they need sound insulation. A mound of peat, compost 8-10 cm thick is the most suitable thermal protection.
The second layer is snow. It has been proven that fluffy white mass is the best heat insulator. The temperature on the soil surface under the snow canopy is on average 10-13 degrees higher than in the atmosphere. In most cases, the soil cools down to only 5-10 degrees of frost. Therefore, flower buds will be more comfortable when they are located below the snow cover.

Frost Shields

The following technology for warming hydrangeas is considered the most effective and least labor-intensive.

Wooden shields with protruding pegs along the edges are laid on one or both sides of the bush.

A straw roller is placed under the base of the bush. The stems are carefully leaned on the straw and laid on the shields.

The shoots are fixed - with the help of a cord stretched between the pegs, or pinned. You can lay out the shoots in a fan or in a bunch.

Pour insulation - straw, foliage, peat; cover the entire structure with non-woven material. Fixed with another shield.

Digging in a hole

Tear off a trench next to the flower. Hydrangea is dug up, placed in a hole, covered with a box, covered with turf, straw. A shield is laid on the pit, covered with a vapor-permeable film. Pressed oppression - bricks, logs.

Frameworks

For tall climbing species, frame frames are made. This method is suitable for frost-resistant climbing or tall varieties. Allows you to keep the temperature of the bush at the ambient level. Otherwise, the trunks containing moisture, due to its evaporation, will be additionally cooled - by 3o-5o relative to air. This method is categorically not suitable for garden large-leaf hydrangea.

Hydrangea pruning according to Tim Bebel - for guaranteed flowering after winter

An innovative method, discovered by an American florist, is gaining popularity every year. He suggests pre-winter pruning of hydrangeas in the summer so that the flower buds have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather. The essence of the technology is simple.

Non-flowering stems in July are shortened to the lowest lateral bud. Thus stimulate the laying of flower buds on the shoots and in the underground part of the plant.

The rest of the stems are cut in October - only a third of the length. It turns out a compact bush, which is easy to insulate. Such - they bloom with a 100% guarantee.

For the active growth of shoots, shrubs formed by this method need enhanced fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers - from spring to August.

Beautiful hydrangea flowers. And unassuming. They decorate gardens with a luxurious bright variety, and in return they demand ... attention. Agree: it is difficult to call the usual human attitude to the flower "care".

In many suburban areas, hydrangea is now blooming - white, pink and even blue. If you are also not averse to having such a bush at home, or you already have it, but it does not bloom, we talk about planting hydrangeas and caring for them. What to feed, whether it is necessary to cover for the winter - and even how to change the color of flowers.

Hydrangea varieties: planting and care. How to cover for the winter

I brought a pink hydrangea from the south, and it died in the winter. What hydrangeas can be planted in the Northwest?

In this region, ordinary hydrangea (gray) grows and blooms well, sometimes it is called umbrella because of the shape of the inflorescence, resembling an open umbrella. It blooms with large caps of white inflorescences. In the same way, we freeze slightly, but paniculate hydrangea, usually having pink or white panicle-shaped inflorescences, is well restored.

Hydrangeas should be planted under cover from the cold north winds, in a sunny place. The bushes of the paniculate hydrangea are more sprawling than those of the umbrella. You can even grow a broad-leaved southerner, but you will have to cover it for the winter, like a climbing rose.

After a harsh winter, the hydrangea froze. How to save?

She will be saved herself. Freezing is not fatal. The dried ends of the branches will need to be cut in the spring. Take your time just do it before the leaves appear. Then it will become clear to what point the stems have dried up. Branches immediately appear from the lower part of the stems, on which flowers bloom in the same summer. It's just that the length of the stem is too small for cutting.

Do I need to cover paniculate hydrangea for the winter?

Paniculata hydrangea freezes by the level of snow cover only in severe winters. And since the bush itself is flattened, it is enough to plant it in that dream where it sweeps a high snowdrift, and put a not very heavy wooden grate on the bush itself in the fall.

Climbing hydrangea is easy to remove from walls or supports, so do not be lazy to do it in late autumn. Then it will be very easy to cover it with spruce branches for the winter so that it does not freeze. And in the spring, until the return frosts pass, replace the spruce branches with lutrasil, since young leaves do not tolerate negative temperatures.

Top dressing for hydrangeas

How and when to feed hydrangea?

After the end of the frost, feed with any complex fertilizer. By the way, all hydrangeas are responsive to the application of AVA fertilizer. They bring it in 1 time in 3 years, embedding it into the soil along the perimeter of the crown of the bushes along an incomplete tablespoon of granules. In this case, you can not give any other mineral supplements.

To enhance the resistance of plants to the climate of the North-West, spray them on young foliage with Zircon, Epin-extra or Novosil (formerly Silk).

She brought ash under the hydrangea, and brown spots appeared on her leaves. Does one have something to do with the other, or is it just a coincidence?

Hydrangea grows exclusively in acidic soils. It cannot be fed with ashes. Top dressing should be given one that acidifies the soil (azofoska, nitrophoska, ecofoska, Kemira). Top dressing is done before budding, and humus is applied in the fall.

It is good to sprinkle coniferous needles under the plants (at least from a Christmas tree), fallen branches of thuja, or acidify the soil with citric acid (1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water), pink potassium permanganate (a bucket under a bush) once a season.

Why did dark spots appear on hydrangea leaves at the height of flowering and even a border along the edges of the leaves?

The plant complains of a lack of potassium. Do not be greedy - feed with any potash fertilizer (1 tablespoon of any potash fertilizer per 10 liters of water, and a bucket under a bush). I emphasize once again - in no case do not use ash instead of potassium.

Hydrangea: flowering and reproduction

I really want to have a pink hydrangea. How to propagate it?

Any hydrangea is easily propagated by layering (to do this, press one of the lower stems to the ground in the spring). Cover this place with a piece of film so that it is constantly wet. The next year, plant, separating from the bush.

In addition, you can take root offspring, but before you separate them from the mother bush, you need to dig the soil under them to the very mother bush and separate where your own roots are, even if they are small.

And you can also use stepchildren at the beginning of summer, just like dahlias.

I got a climbing hydrangea, I have had it for several years, but I don’t even think about blooming. What's the matter?

Climbing hydrangea (it is also called weaving, climbing, petiolate) blooms only when large leaves begin to grow in it, and while they are small, the plant does not bloom. It develops extremely slowly and does not like regions with winter thaws and spring frosts too much (for example, the North-West).

I heard that hydrangeas can be made to change color. Tell me how to do it.

If you water the hydrangea with a slightly pink solution of manganese, the flowers will turn pink, but temporarily. Stop watering, they will turn white again. If you water with a weak 0.1% solution (1 teaspoon per 7 liters of water) of ferrous sulfate (or introduce metal shavings into the soil under the bush), the flowers will turn purple, when watered with a weak solution of alum, they will turn blue.

But in fact, only the veins of the flower are colored, while the petals themselves remain white. So the color is uneven and, in my opinion, ugly.

Author Galina Kizima Enthusiast gardener with 50 years of experience, author of original methods

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Garden shrub hydrangea is a spectacular and generally unpretentious plant. The disadvantage of heat-loving hydrangea is only the low winter hardiness of some of its species. In order for a perennial to successfully survive the winter in the open field, it is necessary to carefully and correctly cover it when frost sets in.

Do I need to cover the hydrangea for the winter

For many years, there has been an endless debate among gardeners in different regions whether it is necessary to cover hydrangeas for the winter. The lack of a clear answer to this question is due to the different climatic conditions in which this flower is grown, as well as varieties of garden hydrangea.

Experienced flower growers are advised to provide hydrangeas with shelter for the winter.

Almost all types of garden hydrangea are able to survive even the most severe winters, but on the condition that they are provided with shelter. The plant must be protected from frost, wind, snow and freezing rain, since the hydrangea is quite thermophilic.

Unreliable shelter can lead to freezing of the shoots and the root system, which will lead to poor flowering of the hydrangea in the spring and even to its possible death. The type and method of shelter depends on the nature of winter in a particular region. Therefore, the owner of the site needs, first of all, to decide which plant variety he owns, and then decide how to cover the hydrangea for the winter.

Rules for preparing hydrangeas for winter

Preparation of hydrangea bushes for wintering begins immediately after flowering, at the end of July. At this time, stop nitrogen fertilizing to limit the formation of new shoots on the bushes. The very change in the composition of fertilizers is the beginning of preparing the bush for the cold.

In early autumn, many flower growers completely stop watering hydrangeas, believing that there is enough moisture in the soil. But this opinion is erroneous, and the lack of moisture in the shoots can lead to their freezing. In winter, hydrangea most often suffers from withering frosts. Therefore, with the onset of autumn, it is recommended to carry out water-charging watering of the bush. You need to limit the amount of watering after the temperature drops below plus 5 degrees. When it gets cold to zero, watering is completely stopped.

When the temperature outside reaches zero, watering the hydrangeas is stopped.

Important. If the autumn is rainy and the surface of the soil around the bush is sufficiently moist, additional watering is not necessary.

At the same time, hydrangea feeding is completely stopped at the beginning of autumn, so that the plant prepares for a dormant period and does not waste energy on the growth of new shoots. At the same time, all foliage must be cut off from the lower stems so that the shoots become woody. Leave the upper leaves on large-leaved hydrangeas: they will serve as winter protection for flower buds.

With the onset of cold autumn cold days, pruning of faded shoots of plants is carried out. In large-leaved hydrangea, the shoots formed in the current year are not cut off, since it is on them that flower buds are formed.

Terms of installation of shelters in different regions

The timing of sheltering hydrangeas for the winter depends on the climate of the region and weather conditions. It is almost impossible to set a specific date for all regions and for each year at once. If the autumn is warm enough, without serious night frosts, then you can take your time with shelter.

As a rule, in the central zone of the Russian Federation (in the Moscow region, in the Leningrad region), the onset of the first frosts occurs in the middle and end of September. At this time, the root system needs to be spudded. In Siberia and the Urals, hilling should be carried out at the end of September. Since already at this time at night there are sub-zero temperatures.

The timing of the shelter of hydrangeas directly depends on the region.

The aerial part of the hydrangea should be covered when the average daily temperature drops below zero. If it is still warm enough in the daytime, it is not recommended to completely cover the bushes. As soon as negative indicators are finally established on the street at night, you need to cover the hydrangea completely.

Features and methods of sheltering plants of different ages and species

A variety of types of garden hydrangea dictates a variety of approaches to its shelter. There are varieties that can survive frosts down to minus 30 degrees, and some can die already at minus 7-10 degrees.

Shelter of young hydrangeas

For any variety and type of hydrangea, sub-zero temperatures are dangerous until the plant is 2-3 years old. The first wintering is especially dangerous for young bushes that have not developed resistance to frost. Therefore, young plants need to be covered especially carefully.

With the onset of the first cold days, the shoots of the bushes are cut off, leaving a height of 10-12 centimeters. All leaves are carefully removed from the stems.

Then the bushes can be covered in two ways:

Fill them with completely dry foliage, and cover them with non-woven covering material in several layers. Strengthen the top coating with stones or boards, spreading them around the perimeter.
Cover the bushes with wooden or mesh boxes, the interior of which is filled with dry foliage or sawdust. Then wrap the structure with covering material and fix it well.

Cropped hydrangea bushes can be covered with foliage.

Under such covering “pillows”, young hydrangea bushes will safely endure even the most severe frosts.

Shelter of hydrangea tree and paniculata

Tree hydrangea belongs to cold-resistant species, so winter care for it has some features. The roots of the plant must be protected from possible hypothermia by high hilling.

Branches are protected by pruning. A feature of the tree-like hydrangea is flowering on the shoots of the current year, so the freezing of old stems does not affect its flowering. In autumn, all young, non-lignified shoots are cut off on a tree-like hydrangea, as they will freeze in winter.

In the same way, paniculate hydrangea is spudded and cut off for the winter. Although in regions with mild winters, this species can not even be spudded. Hydrangea paniculata stems almost never freeze, and in spring it actively forms young shoots, on which flowers open.

Sargent Hydrangea Shelter

Hydrangea Sargent is a frost-resistant species, so for the winter it is enough to spud it. For the winter, the aerial part of this shrub dies off, and quickly grows back in the spring. Hydrangea sargent withstands frosts down to minus 25 degrees without shelter.

Sargent's hydrangeas in the first 1-2 years must be covered for the winter.

But this rule applies only to an adult plant. In the first two years, young bushes can die even from a slight frost. Young plants of the Sargent variety of the first and second years of life must be heaped with peat or humus to a height of 20 centimeters. Then the bush must be overlaid with spruce branches and sprinkled with dry foliage. From above, the entire structure must be covered with several layers of non-woven material.

Shelter for large-leaved hydrangea

Large-leaved hydrangea is the most frost-resistant type of shrub of this genus. Of the almost 600 varieties of large-leaved hydrangea, only a few can winter without shelters for the winter, and even then on the Black Sea coast. Therefore, it is necessary to cover it especially carefully and in compliance with all recommendations.

The flowering of large-leaved hydrangea occurs on the shoots of the previous year, so they must be preserved from freezing. If these shoots freeze in winter, the next summer the large-leaved hydrangea will not bloom or die altogether.

It is recommended to cover branches of large-leaved hydrangea by bending them to the ground. It is impossible to lay shoots directly on the soil. First, the bush must be overlaid with spruce branches or dry boards, and already lay branches on them. Spruce branches are laid on top of the branches or a layer of dry foliage is poured. Then the entire structure must be covered with several layers of covering non-woven material or burlap.

A large-leaved hydrangea is carefully placed on a spruce branch, and then covered with a covering material from above.

Important. Any types of hydrangeas when grown in flowerpots and containers for the winter cannot be left in the open field. They are installed for the winter in a cool room and taken out into the street only when the heat comes in mid-April.

When to Remove Winter Shelter

It is necessary to open a hydrangea that has spent the winter under cover no earlier than the beginning of April. In this case, the shelter is removed gradually. Having chosen a warm, sunny day, the bush is freed from covering material and the foliage and spruce branches are completely removed. Then the covering material or burlap is again thrown onto the bush and fixed . It is impossible to open the bush immediately completely, as the plant may experience stress.

It is recommended to fully open the hydrangea after the daily temperature reaches 10 degrees Celsius. At this time, the soil layer is removed from the bush and sanitary pruning of frozen and damaged shoots is carried out.

Covering with hydrangea is removed in the spring, after which the plant is carefully examined.

After installing the shelter over the hydrangea, you need to carefully monitor the temperature that has set on the street. If, after frost, a thaw occurs and humidity rises, it is advisable to slightly open the lower edge of the covering material to ventilate the internal space around the bush. Overmoistening can lead to damping of the bush, which is even more dangerous for hydrangeas than frost.

Experienced flower growers are advised to pay maximum attention to hydrangeas in the spring. The plant must be carefully examined and assessed for its condition. If the bush has been badly damaged by frost, dark brown, almost black shoots will be visible on it. Pruning the bush should not be carried out immediately, it is better to wait for the first buds and leaves to appear. The best time for sanitary pruning is late spring, when sap flow stabilizes. If the shoots are cut earlier, there will be a large loss of vegetable juice.

Compliance with the rules of autumn hydrangea care and recommendations for sheltering bushes for the winter will help the gardener to keep the plant even in the most severe frosts.

In this video, you can see the detailed process of sheltering hydrangeas for the winter with comments from an experienced grower.

Hydrangea care. Agricultural technology

How to properly care for hydrangeas? Caring for hydrangeas is simple and easy, or is caring for hydrangeas complex and difficult? Is hydrangea care available to everyone? Many, if not most gardeners need their garden to meet the criteria for a "low maintenance" garden. But can there be a garden in which a variety of hydrangeas bloom in abundance "a garden of little care"? These questions are asked by many beginner gardeners. And the answers to these questions determine how the garden should be, how, with a minimum of time and effort to care for the garden, ensure its decorative effect and abundant flowering of hydrangeas in the garden.
If you correctly learned the basic minimum of information about this plant, chose the types and varieties of hydrangeas correctly for yourself and your garden, planted them correctly, then caring for hydrangeas will not be difficult and not very time-consuming even for a beginner grower.

Hydrangea requirements for growth conditions

All types of hydrangeas have similar requirements for growth conditions, mainly differing in cold resistance and degree of shade tolerance.
Light. All hydrangeas prefer diffused light, shading from the midday sun, but with sufficient humidity they can grow in full light. Paniculata hydrangea is the most light-loving, and the most shade-tolerant is ashy and motley.
Warm. The most cold-resistant are paniculate and motley hydrangeas. Their shoots ripen well by autumn and are not damaged by frosts down to minus 40 degrees C. They are not covered for the winter, only the root system requires protection in snowless frosts. The tree-like hydrangea is not very cold-resistant, but after pruning the frozen shoots, it quickly recovers and blooms in the same year. Large-leaved, serrate and many other hydrangeas that are rare in our country are not winter-hardy enough and require, depending on the variety and growth conditions, light or thorough shelter. Many varieties do not winter at all in open ground. In large-leaved hydrangeas, young leaves and flower buds often freeze during late spring frosts. Because of this, hydrangeas may not bloom this year.
Moisture. All hydrangeas are moisture-loving, they need systematic, abundant watering, soil mulching. These care measures are especially important to observe when planting in sunny places, on sandy soils. More than others, large-leaved hydrangea is afraid of drying. Large paniculate hydrangeas can tolerate quite a long drought. Most hydrangeas, except for large paniculate ones, are not too afraid of high groundwater. In order for the roots not to penetrate too deep into the soil and suffer less from groundwater, hydrangeas must be transplanted and divided in a timely manner.
The soil. Hydrangeas have quite specific soil requirements: they all prefer moisture-intensive, breathable, slightly acidic and even acidic soil. Be sure to add peat, humus to the soil, but not manure. Do not add lime to the planting pit. In addition to moving the soil acidity closer to neutral and alkaline, the "changeable" large-leaved hydrangea also wilts more in hot sunny weather. On neutral and especially alkaline soil, leaf chlorosis (yellowing) is possible, associated with poor absorption of iron in such conditions. Do not overfeed hydrangeas, especially with nitrogen, because. this reduces winter hardiness. Potassium contributes to better flowering and increased winter hardiness of hydrangeas. But it is better to make it in the form of potassium sulfate - when making ash rich in potassium, the acidity of the soil also decreases.

In colored large-leaved hydrangeas, the acidity of the soil and the presence of various chemical elements in it, primarily aluminum and iron, affect the color of the inflorescences. More acidic soil and a higher concentration of aluminum and iron shift the color of hydrangeas to the blue side, and a shift in acidity closer to neutral, alkaline and an increased concentration of phosphorus to the red (pink) side. All these subtleties are best taken into account when preparing a place for planting hydrangeas. Otherwise, it will be quite difficult to change the situation with the color of the inflorescences with subsequent care measures for large-leaved hydrangea. In our natural poor sandy-podzolic soils rich in iron, garden hydrangeas have a bright blue color. The composition of the soil cannot affect the white color of all types of hydrangeas.

Hydrangea- seat selection and landing

A place for hydrangeas should be chosen based on their requirements for growth conditions and achieving maximum decorative effect. The right choice of place for paniculate hydrangea is especially important, because. she grows in one place for a long time and does not tolerate transplantation in adulthood. The rest of the hydrangeas can be repeatedly transplanted, choosing the most suitable place. Hydrangeas do not like windy places, they are good to plant near buildings, but not too close, so as not to increase the danger of freezing in winter. It is also necessary to protect the fragile paniculate hydrangea from snow falling from the roof. When choosing a place for large-leaved and serrated hydrangea, you need to take into account the convenience of winter shelter. Without this, caring for hydrangeas will be significantly complicated.

It is better to plant all hydrangeas in the spring, moreover, those that have wintered in the ground can be planted immediately after the earth thaws, and those obtained from greenhouses, with leaves, only after the end of frost. The planting hole should be spacious enough: from 50*50 cm to 80*80 cm, depending on the size of the plant. On light sandy soils, it is good to put clay on the bottom, and if there is a possibility of stagnant water, drainage is required. With a high standing of groundwater, planting is carried out in an elevated place, which is especially important for paniculate hydrangea. The pit must be filled with a soil mixture with the addition of peat, sand, humus, superphosphate, potash fertilizer (50 g per pit). Mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen should be added in small quantities (20 g per pit). Do not add fresh manure or lime. Paniculata hydrangea, which has a pronounced stem, is best planted to the level of the root neck, the rest with a slight depth.

Hydrangea Care - Care Calendar

Caring for hydrangeas is simple and, apart from pruning, differs little from caring for other shrubs. Large-leaved hydrangea is more demanding for care. Consider the features of the main agrotechnical activities by season.
Spring
Spring processing of all hydrangeas includes:
- cleaning the soil from old leaves and weeds,
- loosening and mulching with peat, or a mixture of peat with humus (although it is better to mulch the ground in autumn),
- fertilizer - one tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizer per 1 sq. m. trunk circle,
- pruning of all hydrangeas. Features of pruning different types of hydrangeas are discussed in a subsection on a separate page.

It is very important to remove the shelter from large-leaved, serrate and other heat-loving hydrangeas in a timely and correct manner. After the snow melts, it is necessary to start airing the plants covered with a film, and after the soil has completely melted, gradually remove all the shelter. It is necessary to protect plants from burns and drying out of the buds, which very often happens when the shelter is abruptly removed, especially in sunny weather. Plants must be shaded by covering with spruce branches, lutrasil or cloth until the soil is completely thawed. If the soil in the shelter is dry and there is no rain, be sure to water the plants. Plants that were covered in winter with non-woven material (lutrasil, spunbond) without a plastic film can be left under cover until the soil is completely thawed and buds begin to germinate. In May and early June, frosts often occur in the Northwest, from which hydrangeas, especially large-leaved ones, suffer greatly. Freezing of young buds and leaves retards the growth of plants, impairs flowering, and newly planted plants after severe frosts may even die. After removing the winter shelter, hydrangeas can not be untied, lifted and covered with dense lutrasil or thin in several layers. Immediately after the start of bud break and the start of shoot growth, the bushes of large-leaved hydrangeas must be raised, because. otherwise the young shoots will bend. During this period, if there is a danger of frost, hydrangeas can be briefly covered with non-woven material.
Summer
During the growing season, hydrangeas do not require special care. All you need is regular watering, weed control, and moderate fertilization. During budding (usually at the end of June), it is advisable to fertilize all hydrangeas with organic or complex mineral fertilizer with trace elements (one tablespoon per 1 sq. M). If necessary, the shoots need to be tied up. Large inflorescences in rainy and windy weather can lean. This is especially important for large-leaved hydrangeas with more flexible shoots and large inflorescences.
Autumn
On all hydrangeas, the usual autumn work is carried out: pruning inflorescences, mulching the soil under the bushes, hilling the bases of the bushes. Winter-hardy hydrangeas: paniculate, tree-like, etc. are usually not covered for the winter, but young plants and new varieties whose winter hardiness is unknown, it is advisable to bend to the ground and cover with spruce branches or lutrasil. For paniculate hydrangeas, heavy snowfalls and snow falling from roofs are dangerous, because. their wood is very fragile. It is advisable to tie the branches and tie the plant to a support. For paniculate hydrangeas, pruning of inflorescences is required before the first heavy snowfalls. In our climate, all large-leaved and serrated hydrangeas need at least the simplest shelter.

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