Why the hydrangea does not bloom in the garden: what to do, how to care for the bush to bloom magnificently. Garden hydrangea: cultivation, reproduction, types How to make hydrangea hydrangea does not grow

GROWING HYDRANIA

Even those who do not know the name of this magnificent flowering shrub must have come across hydrangea in botanical gardens, dendo parks, summer cottages, garden plots or indoors in pots.
But even flower lovers may not suspect that there are more than 70 types of hydrangeas that grow in various climatic conditions. All of them make up the genus Hydrangea (Hydrangea). Each of them requires an individual approach during cultivation. Only on the basis of the large-leaved Hydrangea species, breeders have created hundreds of varieties, and the number of varieties of all types is difficult to imagine. All of them may also require compliance with some of the nuances in the care that are peculiar to them.
From the lips of gardeners who have successfully grown hydrangeas, diametrically opposed opinions are often heard. Some argue that the hydrangea prefers to grow in partial shade and shade, others say that only under the direct rays of the sun does the hydrangea bloom most abundantly and does not suffer from it at all. Where is the truth? Under what conditions is the cultivation of hydrangea most successful?
Photo: Hydrangea paniculata, frost-resistant species.

BEAUTIFUL LEGEND ABOUT HYDROENSIA

According to Japanese legend, hydrangea is a gift given for fidelity and love.
Once in the garden, a brave warrior who knew battles, victories and glory met a beautiful girl and immediately fell in love with her. But the girl disappeared as suddenly as she appeared. The next day, the guy again came to the garden, located near the temple, hoping to meet a beautiful stranger and waited for her! The girl appeared again suddenly, but this time she did not disappear, but spoke to the warrior. They met and fell in love with each other, and the warrior could no longer imagine life without his beloved. Each time she said goodbye to him without leaving the garden, and disappeared as soon as the sun began to go down.
The persistent guy, who did not know how to lose and was used to achieving goals, wanted to marry the girl at all costs, but first he decided to find out her secret. Saying goodbye and pretending to leave, he hid in dense thickets and watched. He noticed how the girl went towards the temple, and rushed after her. When the beloved had already crossed the threshold, the warrior caught up with her and grabbed her hand. At that moment, the last ray of the sun disappeared over the horizon, and the girl disappeared into the air along with it, becoming only a picture on the wall. In the end, her lips said: “Farewell, darling, we will not meet again! In memory of myself and our love, I will leave you a flower. The heartbroken warrior left the temple and saw that a magnificent bush with pale pink inflorescences, reminiscent of the skin of his beloved, had blossomed on an empty green lawn. It was a hydrangea.

CONDITIONS FOR GROWING HYDROANGIA

Temperature Photo: Large-leaved hydrangea, requires shelter for the winter
Hydrangea, including evergreen species, is a seasonal plant. She needs a rest period. At this time, its growth partially or completely slows down, it does not form flower-bearing shoots and does not bloom. This fact is also important when growing hydrangeas in apartments or houses. One of the reasons why the plant does not bloom indoors may be precisely the lack of a dormant period with a low temperature of + 10-13 °.
Definitely, hydrangea cannot be attributed to heat-loving or frost-resistant plants, since some species begin to freeze already at -3-5 °, while others, for example, paniculate hydrangea, can withstand temperatures up to -40 °.
The most popular among decorative types of hydrangea is large-leaved, the most demanding on temperature. Even specially bred cold-resistant varieties need to be covered in winter. They tolerate without damage to health only a temperature of 8-10 ° and withstand in snowless winters its short-term decrease to - 20 °. Growing heat-loving hydrangeas is impossible without sheltering them for the winter. Like roses, long shoots are bent to the ground and covered with spruce branches or covering material.
However, the hydrangea also does not like strong heat, because of this the leaves of the plant can droop and the buds crumble. A temperature of + 20-23 ° is considered comfortable for her.

Lighting
Without exception, all types of hydrangeas love good lighting, although they can grow in partial shade. Despite the love of light, most do not tolerate direct sunlight. The summer midday sun can be dangerous for the plant, burns form on the leaves from it.
A good option for the location of hydrangeas is under the protection of neighboring plants in light shade. Growing hydrangeas near buildings is also justified. Planting hydrangea in this case should be carried out in such a way that it receives a maximum of morning or evening sunlight, but not midday.
When growing hydrangeas on a south window in the summer, it should be shaded; a transparent curtain is suitable for this. When growing hydrangeas in greenhouses in the summer, a special net is pulled over them or the glass is whitened with lime.

substrate
Successful cultivation of hydrangea is possible in certain soil. For normal growth, good development and abundant flowering, hydrangeas need a rich nutrient substrate, loose enough to avoid stagnant water, but not sandy. Otherwise, the water will immediately go into the depths, bypassing the roots of the plant.
Hydrangeas are pronounced mycotrophic plants. They grow well only in the presence of soil microscopic fungi, which in turn require an acidic reaction of the substrate. Therefore, the acidity of the soil for growing hydrangeas must necessarily be below 7, optimally pH 5.0 - 5.5.
If the substrate is made independently, then peat, humus (or compost), leafy soil (or forest soil), sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1 will be required. ash never applied to the soil, it reduces acidity.

HYDRANIA CARE

Humidity and watering Photo: frost-resistant hydrangeas tree and paniculate

Hydrangea loves moist soil, but, as befits a princess, she is very naughty:
The water should not be too cold;
Water should not be hard, because when watered with such water, the soil can gradually change its acidity (become neutral or alkaline);
Water should not stagnate, so as not to cause rotting of the roots;
You need to water only when the sun is not too active (in the evening or in the morning);
Water should not fall on flowers and buds when watering;
Water should not be from the tap, even settled water causes leaf chlorosis in hydrangeas due to the high content of chlorine.
Mulching facilitates hydrangea care, it reduces the frequency of watering. To avoid moisture loss, the soil under the shrub is mulched with hay, chopped straw, sawdust or needles. Mulching is usually carried out in early spring, after the first fertilizing. Plants planted nearby also help to retain moisture, covering the soil with leaves from moisture evaporation.
Hydrangea care in the fall may include re-mulching. This will help retain moisture in the spring when the snow melts.
If the cultivation of hydrangea takes place indoors, watering should be reduced if the air temperature drops.

fertilizers
Growing hydrangeas requires fertilizers, they improve the decorative qualities of the plant and contribute to the formation of beautiful inflorescences. Adult hydrangeas must be fertilized with mineral and organic components. Feeding begins in early spring, but not before the plant begins to vegetate. Complex fertilizers are applied in liquid form, watering the hydrangea with dissolved potassium sulfate and superphosphate. Organic fertilizers are applied a week or a half later.
During the active growth of buds, it is advisable to apply mineral fertilizers again.
With the introduction of nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds, you need to be very careful, they can cause the growth of green mass at the expense of flowering. They are mainly applied in early spring.

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Hydrangea pruning
When growing hydrangeas, be sure to prune the shrub. In different types of hydrangeas, flowers can form on different shoots: last year's and this season. Depending on this, hydrangea pruning is possible in spring or autumn.
In large-leaved hydrangeas, Sargent and serrate inflorescences grow on the shoots of the second year. Therefore, during spring pruning, the shrub will not bloom. Hydrangea pruning of these species is carried out in the fall, and in the spring only dead or damaged branches and last year's dry inflorescences are removed.
Hydrangeas drooping (paniculate) and tree-like form inflorescences at the ends of new shoots. For these hydrangeas, spring pruning is necessary, it will stimulate the growth of shoots and increase the number of inflorescences.

REPRODUCTION OF HYDENSIA

Photo: Large-leaved hydrangea, varieties with pink and blue inflorescences

A beautiful plant that has taken root in your garden will definitely want to propagate. Like all flowering plants, hydrangeas have two main types of reproduction: vegetative (with the help of vegetative organs) and generative (with the help of seeds).
Growing hydrangeas from seeds is a very long and laborious process. In addition, many hydrangea seeds do not have time to ripen due to the cool climate. And most importantly, most varietal hydrangeas do not have fertile flowers from which seeds are formed. This happened because, as a result of selection, scientists created more decorative inflorescences with a predominance of sterile flowers. They are brighter, larger, attract insects and human attention. Generative reproduction of hydrangeas is mainly carried out by scientists who create new hybrids and varieties.
Vegetative propagation of hydrangeas is an easy and quick way to get a seedling. It could be:
The division of the bush;
Cuttings of annual green shoots ();
Cuttings of lignified shoots (2-3 years old);
Cloning (performed only in the laboratory).
It is better to divide the bush in the fall, then plant it in a new place. But you can first plant the hydrangea in a container, and plant it in open ground in the spring.
If, when planting hydrangeas, mineral fertilizers were applied to the substrate (and this is desirable to do), then the next year or two the hydrangeas are not fed, they only mulch and add organic matter to the soil.

Video: Growing hydrangeas

PROBLEMS IN GROWING HYDROANGIA

With proper care, garden hydrangeas rarely get sick. With high humidity and a decrease in temperature, they can become infected with fungal infections that affect mainly flowers and leaves. Among fungal diseases, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and rust fungi are most common.
In order to prevent hydrangea can be treated with Bordeaux mixture. But to treat an already diseased plant, a more effective specialized fungicide .
When growing hydrangeas in open ground, the plant can infect aphids. In this case, you can use folk methods: treatment with infusion of tobacco or garlic (100 g per 5 liters of water, leave for two days). In such tinctures, it is better to add a little soap so that the solution sticks to the leaves. If you do not want to mess with tinctures, you can use a modern insecticidal preparation.
Slugs and snails can be a real disaster. The best way to deal with them is mechanical collection and destruction.
When grown indoors, hydrangea is often affected by red spider mite . This pest is very dangerous, and it is difficult to destroy it even with special means. In this case, preventive measures are important: take the hydrangea out to fresh air, spray it with water, and ventilate the room.
Knowing types and varieties of hydrangeas , and following the rules for caring for them, growing hydrangeas will turn out to be a grateful occupation for you - a garden princess named Hortensia will demonstrate her beauty every year and bring aesthetic pleasure to you and guests at home.

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Hydrangea is a favorite flower of many gardeners. Pleases with flowering from early spring to late autumn, before the arrival of the first frost. Hydrangea is grown at home in indoor pots and in an open-air garden. To a frequent question of gardeners: why hydrangea does not grow in a garden plot, the answer follows - hydrangea is demanding in care.

Description

There are about 80 varieties of hydrangeas in the world. In room conditions, a small hydrangea is grown: garden or large-leaved.

Hydrangea is divided into two types: artisanal or tree-like, capable of growing up to 3 meters in height, and in the form of a liana, winding along a tree trunk up to 30 meters or as long as the height allows it. Types of hydrangea: deciduous and evergreen. In the temperate zone of Russia, a predominantly deciduous species grows.

The color of the flowers of the plant is different: white, pink, cream, purple, blue, indigo and red. Inflorescences are in the form of a ball or umbrella. The fruit with seeds in hydrangea is in the form of a box with 3-5 sections.

Interesting. The color of the hydrangea flower depends on the acidity of the soil. In a neutral soil mixture, cream or beige flowers bloom, in a more alkaline mixture, pink and lilac flowers, in acidic soil, with a predominance of aluminum, blue hydrangeas grow.

Hydrangea is very resistant to diseases and pests.

Hydrangea flowers in the garden

Growth after planting

Hydrangea is planted in early spring or autumn in fertile and loose soil. It is better to choose a landing site protected from the winds and with slight shading, without direct sunlight. Under the sun, the plant does not grow well, the flowers become small and faded.

Hydrangea is propagated in three ways: cuttings, dividing the bush and layering.

Growing seedlings in a healthy and fine a flowering plant is possible subject to certainXconditionsthlandings:

• A pre-prepared mixture of peat, turf and sand is poured into a hole 30x30x30 cm. Next, mineral fertilizer is poured. The root does not completely fall asleep, a neck remains on the surface.
• After planting, regular and moderate watering is required.

Pdividing

The bush must be separated with strong roots so that the plant takes root in a new place.

The time is autumn or spring.

Pcuttings

Cuttings, in the form of young shoots, are cut from the plant. Leaves are removed from the lower part, the cut site is treated with a solution to accelerate growth and planted in nutrient soil. With the petiole method, the stalk is covered with a jar to create a greenhouse effect. After taking root, the stalk is transplanted to a permanent place.

Time is February. The parent bush is transplanted into a pot in late autumn and placed in a room, up to +2 degrees Celsius, the temperature is gradually increased to +10 degrees by February.

Hydrangea cuttings

Pri layering

Young shoots, without separating from the mother bush, are dug into the ground. The length of the shoot is about 20 cm. After six months or a little earlier, the young shoot is separated from the bush and transplanted. The time is late autumn.

Atwalk in autumn and winter

In autumn, watering hydrangeas should be reduced and vitamin and mineral phosphorus-potassium fertilizers should be added. Roots are mulched with sawdust, dry leaves, needles, crushed pine bark. In winter, the roots can be additionally sprinkled with snow.

When hydrangea does not grow well after winter, the reason lies in its pruning in the fall. It is necessary to prune so that the branches are not damaged in the winter: cut off the lower and middle leaves, which can be infected and damaged by fungal spores, and shoots, leaving only up to five healthy and strong ones.

Reproduction of hydrangea. offshoot

Hydrangeas in the winter months should be covered as soon as the first frosts come. This is especially true for small plant bushes. Rain film can be used as a cover material. During severe frosts, wooden boxes are used, sheathed from the inside with heat-insulating material.

Note. Especially it is necessary to monitor the upper branches. At night, the temperature often drops, and the branches can freeze.

Varieties of hydrangea, such as paniculate and treelike, need spring pruning. Otherwise, the branches grow strongly and quickly in height and may break off under their own weight.

To help the plant grow well, the earth needs to be fed with ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate - physiologically acidic fertilizers. Under the root you need to pour 2-3 buckets of fertilizer solution.

Be sure to weed weeds, remove old leaves, loosen the ground and mulch the bush with a thick layer of peat.

As soon as the snow melts, the hydrangea must be released from the shelter so that its debate does not occur. During spring frosts, so that the plant does not freeze, you need to cover it again, otherwise the shoots that began to grow rapidly in the fresh air may die.

If gortensia grows poorly

What to do if the hydrangea has poor growth and flowering?

hydrangea wrongpreparedautumn:

• As a rule, due to improper care of hydrangea, damage to the root system occurs. The root in winter in frosts should be in dry soil. If you water the hydrangea abundantly, then the root will freeze and rot.
• You can not hill the plant due to the fact that its root system is located high, it can be easily damaged.
• Untimely protection of hydrangeas from cold and frost can damage a healthy plant as a whole.
• The plant has recently been transplanted into the ground, the root system is not yet strong enough, you need to wait a while until the hydrangea gains strength.

Henough sun

Hydrangea loves the sun, but its excess in the form of constant direct sunlight contributes to the fading of the flowers, the plant may begin to turn yellow, the lack explains the reason why the hydrangea grows slowly and its flowers are small.

Important! It is better to plant a hydrangea in a place where the plant will be protected from the sun at noon by a shadow.

Hincorrect watering

When a hydrangea is watered with hard water, why the hydrangea has stopped growing becomes clear. For irrigation, only soft water is used, which can be collected in a tank from rain or tap water can be defended for five days. The water temperature should be within +15 degrees, since the hydrangea root system is very sensitive to watering. Watering time - morning or evening. An adult plant requires about 15 liters of water per week.

Watering hydrangeas in a pot

This is especially true for a newly purchased plant that is used to drip irrigation. A quick change in the usual regimen will adversely affect the plant's survival in the garden and even threaten its possible illness. Therefore, it is worth gradually adjusting the plants to the new watering regimen within two months.

It is detrimental when the plant is thirsty with insufficient watering.

Tosoil acidity

Hydrangea does not grow in some soils, what should I do to correct the situation? Do not plant the plant in alkaline soil with an abundance of lime and a lack of iron, which can lead to leaf chlorosis and further death of the plant, as well as in black earth or manure-humus soil.

You can improve the condition of hydrangeas in not entirely favorable soil by fertilizing with iron sulphate, in a proportion of 5-6 grams. to a bucket of water.

Hydrangea Anabel

Himproper top dressing / fertilizer

An excess or lack of fertilizer and micronutrients adversely affects the plant, leading to its oppression or disease.

Ready-made top dressing can be bought at the store or prepared independently.

Trebovaniato growing conditions

Amateur gardeners give special preference to large-leaved hydrangea for its royal flowers.

The best transplant time to grow a beautiful plant is spring. From a pot, it is transplanted into open ground, without disturbing the root earth. The soil may be clayey and podzolized, well-drained, fertilized with humus, slightly acidic.

Sunlight exposure should not exceed several hours a day: only in the morning or evening. It is impossible for a plant to grow next to a tree, which will take moisture from the soil in hot weather and dry it out.

Important! The plant cannot be pruned, because. flower buds are laid on last year's shoots. You can only cut the faded inflorescences of this year in the fall, and remove the broken branches in the spring.

In September, leaves are cut off from the plant, except for the top ones. It wraps itself well from frost, the bush binds, bends down to the ground and falls asleep with leaves.

The tree-like hydrangea has large inflorescences of almost 15 cm. It is considered winter-hardy and grows well after severe frosts.

The most famous varieties are Anabel, Grandiflora and Invincibelle. They are distinguished by especially large and beautiful flowers.

Most suitable is slightly acidic soil with an admixture of lime.

Hydrangea Invincibell Spirit

Planting and growing conditions, as in large-leaved hydrangea. Annual pruning of the plant, in early spring, with shortening of all branches by 20 cm, young shoots by a third of the height. For the winter, the plant is covered, with a slight freezing, it is quickly restored.

Atwalk for hydrangea after wintering

As soon as spring comes and the snow melts, the hydrangea shelter can be removed and access to the air can be provided.

Watering

The plant needs to be watered with plenty of water - up to 15 liters per week, so that the soil is well moistened. It is recommended to add a little manganese to the water for disinfection for the first watering.

top dressing

The soil of the hydrangea still retained nutrients from top dressing when winter came, and fertilizers were applied. In the middle of spring, after the formation of green stems, it is worth feeding with complex fertilizer and helping the hydrangea grow into a healthy plant. It is worth fertilizing the soil after watering to avoid erosion of micronutrients.

Hydrangea paniculata Grandiflora

Loosening and mulching

Provides non-drying of the soil and aeration of the roots. You need to dig shallowly so as not to damage the roots. Mulching is suitable for any variety of hydrangea. Mulch is made from wood, peat chips and crushed bark. It is poured in a thick even layer of several centimeters.

pruning

It is necessary to get rid of old leaves, broken branches and prune with an individual approach to each variety of hydrangea.

With careful and attentive care of a beautiful hydrangea plant, its flowering bushes will decorate any garden plot and will please the eye and cheer up others.

How to grow hydrangea in the garden

Hydrangea (lat. Hydrangea) belongs to the Hortensia family, and has more than 70 species. It is valued for its variety of colors and unpretentiousness and many ways of self-breeding.

How to propagate hydrangeas

There are several ways to breed hydrangeas: green cuttings, layering, dividing the bush. The seed method is less commonly used, since growing a seedling takes about 2 years.

Propagation of hydrangeas with green cuttings

The cuttings are cut in July, when the buds are formed:

• choose the lower lateral last year's shoots;
• cut the rod in the morning;
• then the shoot is divided into parts, leaving 2-3 pairs of leaves on each;
• finished cuttings are placed in a solution of a root growth stimulator for a couple of hours;
• then they are planted in peat soil, and covered with glass jars.

Cuttings should be watered regularly. In a month, new leaves will appear on them.

Reproduction of hydrangea by layering

Layering is recommended to be done in the spring, before bud break. The soil around the bush is dug up and leveled, furrows are formed into which the lower side shoots are laid. They are pinned to the ground, and sprinkled with povoi. By October, the layers will form roots and sprout young shoots - then they can be separated.

Division of a hydrangea bush

The method is not applicable to paniculate hydrangea. In early spring, the bush is well watered, dug up, and washed off the soil from the roots. Then it is divided into several parts, and immediately planted in a new permanent place.

Seed propagation method

Growing from seeds begins in the fall:

• garden soil, peat and sand 4:2:1 are used as a substrate;
• sowing is covered with a thin layer of soil mixture, moistened, and covered with glass;
• planting is regularly ventilated and irrigated;
• the first shoots appear after 4-6 weeks;
• at the stage of development of the first leaves, the first pick is carried out;
• in May, a second pick is carried out, planting the plants in individual containers with a diameter of at least 7 cm.

During the summer, young sprouts are hardened in the fresh air, but without drafts and direct sunlight. So the seedlings grow for 2 years, regularly removing the buds - this will preserve the strength of the young sprout. In winter, flower seedlings are kept in a bright, cool place.

Growing hydrangeas in the garden

You can start planting in early spring, when the soil warms up enough. Depending on the climate, this period may occur in late April - early May, and in the northern regions, autumn planting of seedlings in the ground is recommended - in September.

Choosing a place to grow hydrangeas

Culture loves moisture and sunlight. It is good if groundwater is located close to the soil surface. Nutritious clay soil is ideal for growing, unlike sandy soil.

The best neighbors for a sprawling flower garden will be shrubs and trees. The lower tier can be filled with hosta and fern.

Having chosen a place, you can begin to prepare the soil, oxidizing or deoxidizing it to the required level, and introducing the necessary minerals. This is done to change the color of the hydrangea buds to match the overall design of the garden.

Soil preparation for hydrangea

The most important feature of the plant is that the inflorescences can change their color depending on the acidity of the soil:

• the plant may have white and beige flowers - if the soil has a neutral pH level;
• lilac and pink inflorescences are characteristic of alkaline soil;
• blue and blue - for sour.

The brightness of blue hues depends on the level of iron in the soil, the more it is, the more saturated blue the flowers will be. To enhance the shade, the soil under the bush is watered with solutions of iron salts, and sprinkled with metal shavings.

In alkaline soil, iron is not absorbed by plants, so flowering takes on delicate pink tones. White inflorescences practically do not change their shade.

Planting hydrangea seedlings

Seedlings are placed in the soil along with an earthen clod, respectively, the size of the hole should be 2 times larger than it. A mixture of peat and soil is added to the recess with the addition of minerals and organics.

The roots of the seedling are slightly straightened, and planted so that the upper part of the root system is slightly above ground level. Then the planting is sprinkled with soil, watered and mulched with bark.

How to care for hydrangeas in the garden

The soil under the hydrangea bush should always be moist. In hot summer time, irrigation should be carried out twice a week with warm settled water in the amount of 30-40 liters under an adult bush.

Using mulch will retain moisture longer, so you can reduce the frequency of watering. The surface root system needs oxygen, so in spring and summer the soil should be loosened several times to a depth of 5 cm.

Fertilization under hydrangeas

• before flowering: 20 g of urea per bucket of water, the consumption rate is 3 buckets per adult plant;
• after flowering: top dressing with a complex mineral composition.

During the summer it is good to fertilize the soil with organic matter. It is important not to overdo it, as plants can activate uncontrolled growth.

Pruning various types of hydrangea

Plants that have reached 3-4 years of age are subject to pruning. The procedure is carried out in the spring before the start of active sap flow.

Tree-like varieties are pruned earlier than others: shoots are shortened at a height of 3-4 buds. The cut remains can be used as cuttings.

In paniculate hydrangeas, only last year's shoots are cut, shortening them by a third. Plant residues are used for propagation.

Large-leaved subspecies slightly rejuvenate and thin out: every 4th shoot is cut out to avoid thickening. Remove diseased, broken and growing shoots inside the bush.

Diseases and pests of hydrangea

Growing hydrangeas in the garden is rarely accompanied by disease. They are mainly associated with improper care, or depleted soil.

Hydrangea diseases

Hydrangea chlorosis - occurs when there is a lack of iron in the soil. The leaves turn yellow, the buds shrink. With chlorosis, the bushes should be watered with soft rainwater, and fed with iron-containing preparations.

White rot is a fungal disease that causes the plant to rot, the leaves and shoots turn brown, and are covered with a white bloom that looks like cotton wool.

With the defeat of septoria on the leaves, brown spots of a rounded shape are formed, which gradually merge. The affected leaf dies.

In case of fungal diseases, plants are treated with Fitosporin or copper sulphate.

Ring spot: a viral disease. Black spots of necrosis in the form of rings protrude on the leaves. There is no cure for viral hydrangea diseases.

Hydrangea pests

The most common hydrangea pests:

• snail grape and amber;
• spider mite;
• gall nematode.

Insects feed on leaves, buds and roots of plants. To combat them, insecticides and acaricides are applicable: Typhos, Lightning, Vermitek. Snails and their clutches are destroyed mechanically.

Prevention of diseases and pests of hydrangea

• compliance with the rules of care;
• acquisition of high-quality planting material;
• timely removal of dried and diseased plants;
• weed control;
• processing in the spring with 1% Bordeaux mixture.

Preparing and sheltering hydrangeas for the winter

The culture has a superficial root system, which is prone to freezing. In autumn, it is necessary to prepare the flower garden for wintering. Bushes should be high up and well mulched.

In October, you need to take care of winter shelter. Young bushes are bent to the ground, and covered with roofing material, pressing the edges of the sheet with stones or bricks.

Adult bushes are tied and wrapped with spunbond. Around them, frames are constructed from a grid in the form of cones. The space between the net and the shelter is filled with dry leaves.

Outcome

Growing hydrangeas in the garden is very easy. The unpretentious culture develops well on different soils, has high winter hardiness, and does not get sick much. A unique feature of the plant - to change the color of the inflorescences depending on the acidity of the soil, allows you to use it in the design of any garden design.

Hydrangea is a beautiful garden flowers with fluffy multi-colored caps. They are represented by several species: by the type of shrubs up to 3 m high, small trees and vines that can braid a tree up to 30 m in height. Hydrangea will bloom from spring to frost, delighting with its spherical inflorescences. However, there are species in which this time is shorter. - everything about her in the article!

Hydrangea planting rules

Hydrangea can be planted in early spring or autumn. In this case, the first option would be preferable. For hydrangeas, you need to choose the right landing site. It prefers acidic soil with good moisture. As for lighting, these flowers can feel comfortable both in the sun and in partial shade.

The whole landing process can be divided into several stages:

After planting a hydrangea bush, it is better to cover it from sunlight for several days. This will allow the plant to take root faster. Hydrangea can be planted both singly and in groups. In this case, the distance between the bushes should be about 1 meter.

Basic rules for caring for hydrangea

Hydrangea care comes down primarily to proper watering, timely feeding, pruning and loosening. If you do everything right, then the bushes will be lush, and the inflorescences will be large and bright.

Watering

Hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant that requires frequent watering. It should be plentiful, 15 - 20 liters for each adult bush. In hot weather, this should be done once a week. In hot and dry summers, you can increase up to two times a week. In this case, you need to focus on the condition of the soil, given how quickly it absorbs moisture and dries.

For irrigation, it is best to use settled soft water at room temperature. Periodically, a little potassium permanganate should be added to it, which will prevent the appearance of rot. Hydrangea should be watered in the morning or evening, when it is still not too hot.

top dressing

For good development and lush flowering, hydrangeas need to be fed. Both organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable for this. It is especially important to use them during the period of intensive growth. You can buy ready-made fertilizers that are rich in magnesium and iron. A good composition is top dressing in the form of a solution of bird droppings with water in a ratio of 1:10 in combination with a mineral composition of 20 g, 10 g of saltpeter and 10 g. You can use any slurry as a fertilizer, just follow the measure, otherwise the buds will be too large, because of which fragile branches can break.

It is necessary to fertilize hydrangea not only during planting, but periodically as it grows. The first such top dressing should be carried out at the end of May. It should be repeated after two weeks. You can fertilize flowers throughout the summer, but in August it is advisable to stop feeding so that the shoots can become woody by winter.

Mulching

Thanks to the mulching of the near-stem circle, the roots of the hydrangea will be protected from overheating and the rapid growth of weeds. You must first make an organic mulch consisting of wood chips or. It should be scattered in an even layer around the shrub. This will help make the soil more acidic, which is what hydrangeas need. This mulch will gradually become part of the soil.

It is best to apply mulch under the bushes in late spring, when the soil is well warmed up. It is also possible to mulch in late autumn, when negative temperatures set in. Periodically, shrubs need to be loosened so that the soil is more moisture permeable.

pruning

Pruning is done on plants that have reached the age of 3 - 4 years. This should be done in early spring - before the sap flow and bud break begin. If the procedure is carried out too early, the cut cuttings will be unsuitable for further rooting, and if too late, the plant may die. That is why it is important to prune when the buds just start to swell.

When pruning in adult plants, 3/4 of the height of each shoot should be cut with secateurs. At the same time, 2 - 3 pairs of kidneys should remain on them. Old bushes can be updated at the root. Everything will depend on the condition of the bush or tree. You need to cut off old or frozen shoots. During pruning, you can form a beautiful little tree with a certain shape. In the first year of hydrangea growth, its flowers should be removed, because. this will encourage more abundant blooms next year.

Preparing hydrangeas for winter

Hydrangea belongs to heat-loving plants, so it must be protected in the winter season. Young shoots and insufficiently winter-hardy varieties need special protection. If the bush is very young, you can simply cover it with earth, fallen leaves or sawdust from above. Older plants must be bent to the ground and covered with roofing material or lutrasil. To prevent the wind from blowing it away, you need to press down the covering material with bricks.

Mature bushes require more careful shelter. You have to try not to break them. The bush should be tied and then covered with spunbond or lutrasil, after which a frame can be built around it from a metal mesh or other improvised materials. It should be at a distance of about 20-25 cm from the bush. Free space must be filled with dry foliage. Such an insulated frame will protect the hydrangea well even in severe frosts. You can remove it in the spring, when there is a stable positive temperature.

Reproduction of hydrangea

Hydrangea is propagated in several ways:

Popular types of hydrangea

Before planting a hydrangea, you need to decide on the choice of a suitable species. Each of them has its own growing characteristics, which must be considered when planting and caring. The most popular among gardeners are: Hydrangea large-leaved, Hydrangea paniculata, Hydrangea petiolate, Hydrangea tree.

Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

It will delight with flowering in July-August. Such a hydrangea has bright dense foliage. The shoots of the current year look grassy, ​​which is why the plant has a low cold resistance. Flowers are umbrella shaped. They can have a different color depending on the variety, the intensity of which depends on the acidity of the soil. The more acidic it is, the brighter the hydrangea will be. The height of the bush reaches up to 2 m.

Hydrangea paniculata (Hydrangea paniculata)

Blooms from mid-summer to the onset of cold weather. Inflorescences of this type have a pyramidal shape. They can reach a length of up to 30 cm. Paniculata hydrangea grows as a shrub that can reach a height of 5 m or as a small tree up to 10 m. This species is considered more frost-resistant and unpretentious.

Hydrangea petiolaris (Hydrangea petiolaris)

It is a shrub vine. It will require an additional support, to which it will be attached with air suction cups. In length, it grows up to 25 m. This is a suitable species for planting near arches and arbors. Inflorescences are corymbose up to 25 cm in size.

Hydrangea tree (Hydrangea arborescens)

It grows up to 3 meters in height. The flowers are predominantly white or cream in color. There are several varieties of this species, differing in different colors. In winter, the plant can freeze slightly, so it must be carefully wrapped. In April, the bushes need to be severely cut. The flowers grow in large fluffy clusters.

Ground cover hydrangea (Hydrangea heteromalla)

It is also called the Bretschneider hydrangea. This species is considered frost-resistant and unpretentious. The bush reaches 2 - 3 m in height. Inflorescences are corymbose here. At first they are white, and at the end of flowering they become pink. Such a hydrangea blooms in mid-summer.

Recommendations for planting and caring for hydrangea in the garden - video

Hydrangea is a wonderful plant that can be grown both outdoors and in a pot as a houseplant. But sometimes after the winter it does not grow again, and does not begin to bloom - why is this happening, what is the reason for this phenomenon, and what should be done to start these processes?

If the hydrangea does not grow after the winter, most likely its roots during the winter period were damaged by pests, fungi or other pathogenic bacteria. Hydrangea, like any plant with a healthy and normally developed root system, cannot but grow with the onset of spring. Therefore, it is necessary to remove it from the pot and inspect the roots - you may notice rot or pests on them.

Remove spoiled fragments, and if there are no healthy areas left, you will have to buy a new plant. If all is not lost, soak the remains of the roots in a disinfectant solution, such as a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).

Pour out the soil from the pot, wash the pot with detergent, and fill it with a new soil mixture, after laying a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot. Drainage in the pot is a must. Why? Do hydrangeas love moisture? The fact is that hydrangea, although it is a moisture-loving plant, does not like stagnant water, its roots deteriorate from this.

If the hydrangea grows after the winter, but badly, it means that part of the roots is damaged, or she doesn’t like something in your care. What to do in these cases? Start by inspecting the root system, and if damaged areas are found, remove them and process the roots, soil and pot.

After that, the hydrangea should be fed with nitrogenous fertilizers - from them it will quickly begin to grow in height and gain green mass. At the beginning of budding and during flowering, the flower is fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.

Well, in order to create the proper conditions for hydrangeas, you need to know the features of caring for her - what she loves and what she cannot stand.

The roots of the hydrangea lie just below the surface of the soil, if you plant it in a pot that is too spacious and deep, it will not begin to grow in height until all the earth in the pot is filled with its roots. This is another answer to the question: why does hydrangea grow poorly? A pot for planting hydrangeas does not have to be too spacious, a small but stable pot made of unbaked clay will suffice.

For planting hydrangeas, it is better to use a special mixture with an acidic reaction, since alkaline soils for hydrangeas are far from the best option.

Indoor hydrangea will grow well in a cool room, in the summer it is taken out into the fresh air, but not under the direct rays of the sun, but in a shaded place. In winter, they are kept in a cool room with a temperature in the range of 5-10 degrees Celsius. If there is no suitable place for her in the apartment, after flowering the stems are cut off, and the pot is placed under the bath. After winter, the flower is removed from the "imprisonment", they begin to water and feed.

As for the garden hydrangea, it may refuse to grow after the winter, or it will grow, but slowly, for the same reasons - the poor condition of the root system. Therefore, in the fall, before the onset of frost, the flower is no longer watered so that the roots are in dry soil. Roots are mulched with sawdust, dry leaves, needles, crushed pine bark. Hilling the plant should not be - this can damage the root system, which is located high in the hydrangea. In winter, hydrangea roots can be additionally sprinkled with snow.

And in this case, it is necessary to check the condition of the hydrangea roots, perhaps in winter they froze and the plant died. But maybe some of the roots remained healthy. In this case, they are dug up, the damaged areas are removed, treated with coal powder and planted again in the ground.

In order for the hydrangea to grow well after the winter, in the spring it, like a houseplant, is watered with a solution of nitrogenous fertilizers, and during the period of flower formation they are fed with phosphorus and potassium.

What you can not do is to feed the hydrangea with ashes. Why? Because it alkalizes the soil, which the flower does not like at all. The best fertilizers for hydrangeas are soil acidifiers - nitrophoska, ecofoska, azofoska, Kemira.