Raspberry hydrangea planting and care. Proper planting and care of garden hydrangea in open ground

Garden hydrangea is a beautiful bush plant with abundant flowering and many colors. She is not very light-loving, prefers partial shade. Abundant watering and fertilizing are a must. Depending on the acidity of the soil, the shade of the inflorescence may change, which is often used in landscape design for creating flower arrangements. In some varieties, several shades of inflorescence can be achieved simultaneously.

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Garden hydrangea

Hydrangea is rightfully considered the queen of any garden; this capricious crop is a favorite of gardeners. An island will be made from bushes of these flowers attractive anyone shady corner in the garden. Hydrangea (water container) - comes from the Hydrangeaceae family and belongs to the genus of flowering plants, which has more than 75 species of varieties. It got its name in Latin because it loves moisture very much.

This plant creates a feeling of beauty, lightness and airiness thanks to its huge fluffy colored caps, which look very beautiful if planted along garden path. IN wildlife hydrangea grows in Japan, China and South Asia, also in North America. In Russia, hydrangea can be found on Far East, Urals, North-West and even Moscow region. This plant blooms very beautifully, and after that it can be placed in a vase as a dried flower, which looks gorgeous.

Appearance of the plant

Hydrangea has large inflorescences in the shape of a ball or pyramid; they are paniculate or corymbose. They consist of two types: large sterile (sterile) ones that bloom at the edges. And small fertile (fertile) ones, which are usually located in the middle of the inflorescence and have small flowers.

It is thanks to such inflorescences that she became famous for her beauty. The size of the inflorescences can be up to 30 cm, and each flower up to 3 cm. The flower grows mainly in shrubs or trees, but liana-shaped hydrangeas are also found. Hydrangea leaves are opposite, large, oval-shaped and have a sharp tip; they usually have jagged, veined edges and are odorless.

The plant mainly has white flowers, but the large-leaved hydrangea variety can bloom not only in white, it can be red, purple, blue, cream, pink and lilac. Hydrangea leaves are as attractive as flowers. At proper care they grow bright, large and juicy. The seed capsule has 2-5 chambers with small seeds, which are fruits. The height of the bush can reach two meters. Flowering begins in mid-summer and continues until late autumn. Garden hydrangea is usually planted in open ground; it tolerates frost well.

Hydrangea

The plant has bright green oval-shaped leaves and large spherical inflorescences 15 cm in diameter. This variety is one of the most unpretentious.

The most popular types include the following:

Variety	Description
Annabelle	The bush reaches a height of 1.5 m, the leaves are of a rich green hue, the flowers are spherical white, with a greenish tint towards the end of the flowering period, up to 20 cm in diameter. Blooms from May to October. Prefers acidic soil and partial shade
Grandiflora	Sprawling bush reaching 2 meters in height. The leaves are light green, the inflorescences are cream, up to 20 cm in diameter. Flowering continues from June to September. The plant is frost-resistant, loves partial shade
Sterilis	The color of large (up to 25 cm) inflorescences gradually changes from greenish to snow-white, blooms profusely from July to October
Pink Bella Anna	A bush reaching a height of 120 cm, the inflorescences are large, with pink tint. The plant quickly adapts to any conditions and continues to bloom until frost. Does not require shelter even at very low temperatures
White House	Large snow-white inflorescences up to 25 cm in diameter delight with their presence from June to September. Spreading bush, up to 1.5 m in height
Invincible Spirit	The color of the inflorescences is pink, during the flowering period the shade changes from light to rich (up to 20 cm in diameter). The plant is unpretentious and tolerates pruning and partial shade.

Paniculata

Bushes of this variety grow up to 1.5 m and have inflorescences that look like pyramids. It is considered quite unpretentious for the middle zone. Most of the varieties are frost-resistant and are able to recover even after the loss of a significant part of the shoots.

The best varieties:

large-leaved

The incredible beauty of the plant is due to its huge leaves and spherical flowering, but it needs to be looked after. Afraid of frost and direct sunlight. In winter they are stored indoors, so they are planted in special containers.

The most beautiful varieties of large-leaved hydrangea:

Fertilizer

Types of colors depend on the pH level, on acidic soil flowers grow blue in color because it contains aluminum, which the plant absorbs; in alkaline soil they are pink or lilac, and in neutral soil they are white or cream. Therefore, if you need to create colorful flower beds, you just need to change the acidity of the soil under each individual bush.

In order for the plant to bloom in full force and continue flowering all summer, you need to apply a complex of fertilizers; this can be done almost at any time of the year or 2 times a year - during the flowering period and after it. At the very beginning of spring, the plant is fed with a solution of 20 grams of urea per bucket; an adult bush needs 3 such buckets.

After the hydrangea fades, mineral fertilizers are added. All summer long the bushes are fertilized with slurry from manure, but it is important not to overdo it; if you overfeed the flower, the large inflorescences will break the fragile branches of the plant with their weight.

If fertilizers were added to the hole when planting the plant, then the hydrangea does not need to be fed for the first two years. Before July, it is necessary to add solutions that acidify the soil, these include potassium and ammonium sulfates, and from the beginning of July to the end of October - superphosphates and bone meal.

The high need for nutrients in hydrangea is due to the fact that this is required for the flowering of luxurious caps of inflorescences and tall growth. Mineral fertilizers are well diluted with organic fertilizers, such as manure or cow dung, on a one to one basis. You need to feed again after 12-16 days. While the hydrangea is blooming, you also need to repeat feeding; this is done in order to prolong the process itself, and this also ensures the formation of new buds in the plant.

It is not recommended to use wood ash to feed bushes. Fertilizers are suitable for other plants, such as heather rhododendrons. You should not allow an excess of nitrogen; it leads to a decrease in the winter hardiness of the plant, the development of rot and a deterioration in flowering. It is very important to know that if you overdo it with fertilizers, especially manure and mullein, which are considered organic, there can be more harm than with their deficiency.

Growing, care and planting in open ground

The best time for planting is spring, early May and autumn, in September. At the same time, the most favorable period to plant a plant in a cold climate is only spring, and in warmer southern regions it can be planted in spring and autumn.

Garden hydrangea is usually planted in open ground; it tolerates frost well. It loves moisture very much, so you should always keep an eye on it and not let the soil dry out. Watering should be plentiful, about 40-50 liters of warm and preferably settled water, preferably rainwater, it should be soft, because hydrangea does not tolerate lime. It is better to settle water from the tap. For each mature plant Twice a week you need at least two buckets to water the bush.

You should not plant hydrangea in direct sunlight, because of this its petals can quickly burn out, most the best place for this bush it is light shade or partial shade even at the height of midday. Otherwise, its inflorescences will become small, and the plant itself will begin to slow down its growth. Not only the watering regime is very important, but also the correct, timely pruning of a bush or tree.

It is important to prepare hydrangea for frost, because even the best cold-resistant varieties really need shelter for the winter; they are covered with dry leaves or spruce branches, or you can put a box or box on top. If the hydrangea is still frozen, do not despair; after winter, with the onset of the growing season, it will certainly begin to recover. It is very convenient because it is almost never affected by pests or diseases.

It is best to plant bush outdoor hydrangea after winter, in spring. You just need to wait until the soil warms up and time will pass night frosts. The hole for hydrangea needs to be dug fifteen days before planting. When planting in a dug hole, add minerals and organic fertilizers, there must be loose soil. You need to place a hydrangea seedling on the soil mixture (you can add sand and turf soil), straighten the roots at the required depth, carefully fill the hole and compact the soil. Hydrangea is usually planted singly or in patches on the lawn. The distance between plants should be at least one meter.

After this, you need to water the shrub with water (10-12 l), preferably sprinkle it with peat, bark or sawdust to a depth of 8-10 cm. In the first two years after planting, the inflorescences at the bud stage (“peas”) need to be cut off. This is done so that the plant directs all its forces to the development of the above-ground part and root system, which will give better flowering on next year.

The flower is covered from strong wind and direct sunlight. To keep the soil loose and to improve root growth, aeration is necessary. Several times in the spring summer period you need to loosen the soil near the bush to a depth of five centimeters. Although hydrangea is considered resistant to diseases and pests, it is sometimes attacked by spider mites, powdery mildew or aphids, most often in closed ground.

Reproduction

There are several ways to propagate the plant:

Dividing the bush. Produce it better in autumn or in the spring. The bush is dug up and divided into several parts, each division should have a renewal bud, after which the hydrangea is planted in the prepared places in the holes.
Winter cuttings. This is carried out only for garden large-leaved hydrangeas. In October, the mother plant is dug up and planted in a pot, which is brought into a warm room. At the beginning of February, last year's shoots ripen, and cuttings with two internodes are cut. Be sure to remove the lower leaves, cut the upper ones in half. The cut is treated with a root formation stimulator, the cuttings are planted in pots to which a nutritious soil mixture is added. Each cutting breaks glass jars or plastic bottles.
By layering. An escape that doesn't more than a year, bend it to the ground and dig in. A top is left on the surface, the length of which is less than twenty centimeters. In the fall or spring of the next year, when the shoot takes root, the mother bush is separated from the rooted shoot and replanted.
By cuttings. Cuttings begin to be harvested in April or June. An annual shoot about 12 centimeters in length is taken from the crown of the plant and cut at an angle. The leaves are removed from the lower part of the cutting, then it is treated with a growth stimulator, planted in a fertile mixture and placed in a greenhouse. In the first year after planting in a permanent place, the plant is covered for the winter, all flowers are cut off.
Today, hydrangea practically does not reproduce by grafting and seeds.

Trimming

It is recommended to trim dry foliage, branches and faded flowers. Pruning of the plant in the spring is done only after 3-4 years. The procedure is also performed in the spring, when the buds are swollen. So that young shoots can withstand the winter cold, they are pruned to four buds. Old plants that look already large bushes, are cut at the root so that the plant is renewed. If a hydrangea is formed by cutting cuttings, then after 4-5 years a beautiful flowering tree will eventually grow instead of a bush.

In the first year, when the cuttings bloom, the flowers must be cut so that the hydrangea gains strength and blooms profusely the next year.

Plant hydrangea (lat. Hydrangea) belongs to the genus of flowering plants of the Hydrangeaceae family, which according to various sources includes from 30 to 80 species of shrubs, vines and small trees. In nature, hydrangea can most often be found in East and South Asia - in Japan and China. It also grows in the Far East and North America. The hydrangea flower received its name in honor of the princess of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Latin name Hydrangea was given to the plant by taxonomists for its excessive love of moisture (hydrangea is translated as “vessel of water”). The Japanese call hydrangea “ajisai,” which in Japanese means “purple sun flower.” Of the wide variety of hydrangea species, only garden hydrangea, or large-leaved hydrangea, is grown indoors. compact shapes, all other types and varieties of hydrangea in our latitudes are grown in gardens.

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Planting and caring for hydrangea

Landing: in the fall, sowing seeds for seedlings and then planting the seedlings in open ground in early spring in two years. In the south, seedlings can be planted in the ground in the fall.
Bloom: from early summer to late autumn.
Lighting: partial shade in the southern area, bright sunlight in the middle zone and more northern regions.
The soil: rich and moist, free of lime (pH 5.0).
Watering: weekly and abundant, water consumption - from 15 to 20 liters per plant.
Feeding: in early spring - with a urea solution, after flowering - with complex mineral fertilizer.
Trimming: annually from 3-4 years. Paniculata and tree-like - in March-April.
Reproduction: seeds, dividing the bush, grafting, layering and green cuttings.
Pests: spider mites.
Diseases: peronosporosis, chlorosis.

Read more about growing hydrangeas below.

Hydrangea flowers - description

Hydrangea flowers in natural conditions There are shrubs up to 3 m in height, medium-sized trees and vines that can climb tree trunks to a height of up to 30 m. In addition, depending on the species, they can be either evergreen or deciduous plants, and in our climate, flower growers prefer to grow deciduous ones. Hydrangea leaves are usually large, opposite, oval with a sharp tip, often with serrated edges and noticeable venation. Hydrangea blooms from spring to frost with large spherical inflorescences, corymbose or paniculate, consisting of two types of flowers: small fertile (fertile), usually located in the middle of the inflorescence, and large sterile (sterile), blooming at the edges. There are, however, species in which all the flowers in the inflorescence are fertile.

Most hydrangeas bloom with white flowers, but a species such as large-leaved hydrangea (or large-leaved hydrangea) blooms not only with white and cream, but also with red, blue, lilac and pink flowers, and the color directly depends on the soil pH (level pH): on neutral soil hydrangeas grow with beige and cream flowers, on alkaline soil - with lilac or pink flowers, on acidic soil - with blue ones due to the aluminum contained in the soil, which the plant can absorb. The fruit of hydrangea is a 2-5-chambered capsule with small seeds. Sometimes plants from the close genus Schizophragma are confused with hydrangea, but you should know that the so-called petiolate hydrangea is actually a schizophragma.

Growing hydrangea - features

Well, now we can talk about the features of growing hydrangea in the garden. So:

The color of large-leaved hydrangea flowers depends on the pH of the soil in which it grows: in neutral soil the flowers will be white or cream-colored, in acidic soil they will be blue or blue, in neutral soil they will be pink or lilac. Therefore, to create multi-colored bushes, it is enough to change the acidity of the soil under each of them;
hydrangea is very moisture-loving, so take watering the plant seriously;
Bright light is very important for hydrangea, but in direct sun the delicate petals quickly fade, so it is best to plant it where there is light partial shade in the hot afternoon;
the most important factor in caring for hydrangea after the watering regime is timely and correct pruning;
do not overfeed hydrangeas with organic matter, otherwise they, growing rapidly, will almost certainly not bloom;
even cold-resistant varieties of hydrangea need warm shelter for the winter, but if your beauty is frozen, don’t despair: most likely, it will recover during the growing season;
Hydrangea is very rarely affected by diseases or pests.

Planting hydrangea

Hydrangea from seeds

Species hydrangeas are successfully propagated by seed (generative) method. The method of seed propagation is also used for the purpose of selection experiments. How to grow hydrangea from seeds? Very simple, but you will need time.

Sowing of hydrangea seeds is carried out in the fall: hydrangea seeds are sown in a nutritious loose substrate consisting of a mixture of leaf and peat soil with river sand in a ratio of 4:2:1, which are then covered with a light layer of the same mixture and moistened with a sprayer. The container is covered with glass or film, which is periodically removed to ventilate the crops and moisten the substrate, which should be slightly damp all the time. The temperature required for germination is 14-20 ºC. As soon as the shoots appear (this usually happens after a month and a half), the glass can be removed.

Hydrangea seedlings need to be picked twice: the first time in the stage of development of cotyledon leaves, the second time in May. Moreover, during the second picking, each seedling is planted in a separate pot with a diameter of 7 cm. After the second picking, young hydrangeas are set out during the day for hardening Fresh air to a place where straight lines do not reach Sun rays, rain moisture and drafts. In the evening, the seedlings are brought into the room.

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Hydrangea grows naturally in South Asia, North America and the Far East. Its life form is represented mainly by shrubs, but there are also hydrangea lianas. There are almost a hundred species of hydrangeas in the world. They differ from each other in color, height and splendor of flowering. Large and attractive flowers leave almost no one indifferent. Therefore, this flower took its place of honor in landscape design and on summer cottages. IN this review we will talk about proper planting and care of this flower.

In cold climates, hydrangea is not able to grow to the size with which it pleases the inhabitants of southern Asia and Japan. Dense thickets of vines entwining trees and evergreen varieties of shrubs will also not please the eye. But compact hydrangea bushes, with proper care, will look no worse than if they grew in their homeland.

Hydrangea leaves are quite large, the veins are clearly visible on them, the edges are often jagged, and the leaves are located opposite each other on the stem.

Flowering begins in early summer and ends with the onset of frost. The flowers are large, spherical or paniculate. Most varieties bloom with white flowers. But large-leaved hydrangea can change color depending on the acidity level of the soil.

The color of a plant is affected by aluminum in the soil, which plants are capable of accumulating.

Another plant very similar to hydrangea is schizophagma. It is also called petiole hydrangea. But it should be remembered that in fact it is not a hydrangea and belongs to a completely different genus.

Features of cultivation

To change the color of large-leaved hydrangea inflorescences, it is necessary to adjust the acidity of the soil. For getting blue flowers the soil must be acidified, and for pink ones, deacidified with lime or dolomite flour.

Hydrangea loves moisture very much, so there is no need to spare water for it and water it abundantly.

Flowers love the sun in the morning, but at noon they need partial shade so that the petals do not burn out.
Hydrangea must be covered for the winter. This is especially true for large-leaved hydrangea, which blooms on last year’s shoots.

But this plant is not very often affected by pests and diseases.

How to grow from seeds

Species hydrangeas can be grown from seeds. But, as is known, during seed propagation the properties of the mother plant can be lost. That's why this method used for breeding new species. Seeds are sown in autumn. The soil mixture for planting should consist of four parts leaf soil, two parts peat and one part river sand.

The seeds should be sprinkled with a light layer of soil and moistened with a spray bottle. Then the box with the sown seeds must be covered with film or glass. Periodically, condensation is removed from them, and the crops are also opened for ventilation and moistening. After all, the soil should always be moist. The most favorable temperature for seed germination is 14 - 20 degrees. In a month or a month and a half, shoots will appear.

After this, the glass is completely removed. As the plants grow, pick them twice. The seedlings dive for the first time at the cotyledon leaf stage. And in May, a second picking is carried out with each plant being transplanted into a separate container with a diameter of 7 centimeters.

After the last picking, the seedlings begin to harden. They are taken out into the fresh air during the day, protected from direct rays of the sun, rain moisture and drafts. At night, hydrangeas are brought into the room. For the first two years they will grow at home. In a cool and bright room in winter, and on the balcony in summer, but you should try to take them out into the fresh air. The buds should be cut off to prevent flowering from weakening the young plants.

Transplantation into the ground

After two years, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden. Planting is done in early spring.

In autumn, plants are planted only in areas with a cold climate.

The planting site should be sunny, shaded during the midday hours. Hydrangea prefers slightly acidic or neutral soil, rich in organic matter and quite loose. High-moor peat must be added to alkaline soil. There should be no trees or shrubs growing near the planting site.

The size of the hole for the flower should be twice the size of the hydrangea's earthen ball. Fertilizers, peat and turf soil are added to the pit. Then you should remove the seedling, lightly shake off the soil and straighten its roots. Place the hydrangea in the hole so that the roots are freely located in it. You need to fill the hole with soil mixed with compost. The root ball should be slightly higher than the site level. The soil around the plant is tamped down, watered and mulched with bark or pine needles.

Video about planting hydrangea in open ground

Care and cultivation

The main rule is very abundant watering.

You can pour 30-50 liters of water on one adult plant if the weather is hot. Watering should be reduced if the soil around the bushes is mulched. Several times during the summer the soil is loosened to a depth of 5 centimeters to improve its aeration. During flowering, it is worth removing faded shoots.

Fertilizer

Feed hydrangea 2 times a year. In the spring, 20 grams of urea are diluted in a bucket of water and the flower is watered with this solution. Three buckets of it must be poured onto one adult bush. And after flowering, hydrangea is fed with the full complex mineral fertilizers . In the summer, you can water the flowers with slurry, but it is very important not to overdo it, because too large inflorescences can break the stems. To avoid breaking the stems, it is better to tie them up.

Trimming

For the first four years, hydrangea does not require pruning. Further carry out pruning in early spring, when the buds are slightly swollen. The paniculata is cut off by a third, the tree-leaved one - leaving from three to six buds, but the large-leaved one should not be pruned. This type of hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots, so in the spring only old shoots growing inwards are removed. Cuttings obtained from pruning can be rooted.

Propagation by cuttings

There must be two nodes on the cutting: the lower cut is made oblique, and the upper one is straight. The distance from the cut to the node is about 2 centimeters.

Cuttings must be chosen that are healthy, strong, and without damage.

Plant them in a small container with moist sandy-peaty soil. The cuttings are buried three centimeters; you can first powder them in Kornevin to stimulate root formation. The seedlings should be watered and the soil should be kept moist at all times. The cuttings are covered with a film on top, from which condensation must be removed regularly. In about a month, rooting will occur and it will be possible to plant the hydrangeas in a permanent place. In the first winters, even frost-resistant varieties will need shelter.

How to prepare flowers for winter in autumn

In autumn, plants growing in pots must be brought indoors. Garden hydrangeas are mulched and hilled. Inflorescences and lower leaves must be removed. Removal lower leaves promotes lignification of shoots and improves their frost resistance. Ground cover and paniculate hydrangeas are the most frost-resistant and do not require shelter. Also, in the central regions, tree hydrangea can do without shelter.

Hydrangeas need to be covered in October after the first frost.

It is enough to cover young plants with a thick layer of dry soil and foliage. Boards are placed around adult plants and shoots are pinned to them. Covered with leaves on top spruce branches, spandbond and boards. You can also put tree branches on the bushes so that the snow stays in this place longer. After winter, the shelter is removed gradually. Spandbond is removed last, when there is no danger of return frosts.

Video about sheltering paniculate hydrangea for the winter

Thanks to its luxurious hemispherical inflorescences of different colors, hydrangea in the garden is a wonderful design element. In Europe, the shrub, named after the sister of the prince of the Roman Empire, Karl-Heinrich of Nassau-Siegen, appeared in 1820. Latin name plants - “Hydrangea” (hydrangea) - “a vessel with water”: the shape of the seed pods resembles a jug, and besides, hydrangea is moisture-loving.

Description of the bush

There are about 80 species of hydrangea in the world. Large-leaved (also known as garden or macrophila) is especially popular among Russian gardeners. This is a two-meter perennial with simple ovate leaves of bright green color, the stem is erect. Large flowers (up to 3.5 cm) form lush (in some varieties 30 cm in diameter) inflorescence caps at the ends of the shoots. The color palette ranges from the most delicate white to deep purple. Macrophila flowering time is July and August.

Dates and place of landing

Hydrangeas are planted in the spring, when the threat of secondary frosts has passed (northern and central regions). In the southern regions it is allowed autumn planting(until the end of September). Growing a garden charm requires some effort from the gardener. The plant loves warmth and light and is demanding on the soil. Therefore, when choosing a place for planting, you should focus on the illumination of the place and the composition of the soil.

For macrophiles, it is preferable to choose an open sunny area. It is great if the bush is illuminated for 6 hours a day, especially in the morning and evening. On hot days the plant will need light shade - it grows well in diffused light. In semi-shaded places, hydrangea will also feel good, but it blooms later and produces fewer flowers. It must be taken into account that drafts are unsafe for her. Hydrangea should not be planted under tall trees, otherwise the “neighbors” will deprive it of a sufficient amount of moisture.

The shrub grows well on loose, moisture-permeable soil with good access to oxygen, rich in humus. Dense clay areas with poor air permeability and which take a long time to dry must be diluted with peat. There is not enough humus in sandy soil - peat and humus are added to it. Ideal soil for hydrangea is a mixture of leaf soil, well-decomposed compost, peat and coarse river sand in proportions 2:2:1:1.

Attention: garden hydrangea absolutely does not tolerate calcareous soils- lime causes the plant to develop chlorosis (yellowing of leaves).

The soil should be slightly acidic (pH 5.2−6.0), then the color of the inflorescences will be as bright as possible.

Reproduction methods

There are several ways in which garden hydrangea propagates. Planting it is possible using:

growing from seeds:
cuttings;
dividing the bush.

In the first planting method, seeds are sown on the surface of heated fertile soil without tillage. Using a spray bottle, irrigate and lightly sprinkle sand. This usually happens in May. Sprouts can be expected in 3-4 weeks.

Macrophila grown from seeds will delight you with its flowering only in the third year. Therefore, most connoisseurs of this flower propagate it by cuttings. You can prepare the material yourself by cutting off the top of a side shoot with 2-3 pairs of leaves from your favorite bush. After removing the two lower leaves below the node, a cut is made at an angle of 45°, which is treated with a root growth stimulator (Kornevin and the like). The top cut should be straight, the remaining leaves are shortened by half.

The cuttings are then rooted in containers in previously prepared soil (part coarse sand and 2 parts peat) to a depth of 3 cm. Distance between cuttings - 5 cm. The seedlings are lightly sprayed with a spray bottle and covered with film. Future bushes should be in a shaded place at a temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius during the day and up to 15-18 degrees at night. As soon as the length of the regrown roots reaches 2 cm, the plants can be planted in separate pots. For the winter, they are taken to the basement, buried in the ground so as not to freeze, and stored at temperatures up to 5 degrees Celsius.

In the spring, with the first signs of growth, the seedlings begin to be watered, gradually warmed up in the sun, and then planted in their permanent “place of residence.” The procedure for harvesting cuttings begins in late spring or summer. Hydrangea will bloom in a year. You can also buy ready-made overwintered material. Seedlings of four-year-old plants are able to bloom in the year of planting.

It is better to propagate hydrangea by dividing the bush in the spring, even before the buds open: such bushes have time to take root by autumn and become stronger by winter. The dug up mother plant is carefully divided into “divisions”, making sure that each of them has a growth bud. The roots and shoots are slightly shortened and planted at a distance of a meter from each other. The hole for the bushes is made with a diameter of 50-60 cm.

For heavy soils, drainage must be done; small pebbles and expanded clay are suitable. The hole is half filled with prepared soil. “Delenki” are planted without covering the root collar. Then the soil is compacted, watered abundantly and mulched with peat.

Note: when planting, hydrangea should be “fed” with nutrients. Add 1 tbsp to each well. l. urea, 2 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 200−250 gr. bone meal.

Hydrangea care

Macrophila - pretty unpretentious shrub. However, a number of measures are required for its normal development and decent appearance. Such procedures include:

watering;
feeding;
pruning

For a shrub that loves moisture, its excess is nevertheless harmful. Therefore, it is normal to use up to one and a half buckets of water at the root of each plant once a week when watering. During drought, watering is increased. The water should be soft, it is good to use settled or rainwater. You should remember about timely loosening around the plant for aeration (depth - 7-10 cm).

Before budding, hydrangea is fed with potassium sulfate (30 g per bucket of water) and superphosphate (50 g) or complex mineral fertilizer (for example, “Lux”). Before wintering, it is also fertilized with a complex of minerals without nitrogen.

Experienced gardeners have learned to adjust the color of inflorescences. It directly depends on the acidity of the soil. You can increase the acidity of the soil and achieve blue and blue shades of flowers with alum (the composition includes heptahydrate of aluminum and potassium salts) at the rate of 3-5 pieces per liter of water. Light alkalization of the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate, on the contrary, will give a pink palette of hydrangeas.

To speed up the flowering of the bush by 2-4 weeks, use an aqueous solution of gibberellin. Spraying is carried out 2 times, the interval is a week, the solution concentration is 50 mg/l.

Hydrangeas need pruning as a cosmetic and health procedure. To form a crown, the shoots are shortened to a strong bud, and the roots are mulched. In September, weak branches are pruned so that the remaining shoots accumulate strength by spring. Overwintered frozen branches are pruned in early spring to healthy wood. In July, strong branches are shortened to lower growths.

In subsequent years, care must be taken to promptly rid the bush of dried and old branches. For varieties that bloom on last year's shoots, it is recommended to remove already faded shoots with 4 leaves in mid-summer - by August flower buds will still form on them. At correct pruning in the 5th year the perennial will produce up to 30 inflorescences.

Preparing for winter

With the end of leaf fall, macrophyla are prepared for wintering. Small bushes are tied into a cone, tall shoots are divided into 2 parts and bent to the ground, securing them with wire. Peat, fine bark, and spruce branches are added to the base of the bushes and under the branches.

To insulate shoots, you can use agrofibre, straw mats or other non-woven material. The structure is covered with film and tied. The plant rests until spring; when the frosts end, it can be “unpacked.”

Diseases and pests

Macrophila is resistant to fungal diseases.

Her main enemies are white rot, affecting roots, gray rot and powdery mildew. The presence of white rot is detected by the uncharacteristic brown color of the stems and leaves of the plant. Gray fluffy coating and watery stems indicate gray rot. Powdery mildew appears as oily dark spots on the leaves. Rot is combated with fungicidal preparations (Fitosporin, Fundazol). From powdery mildew hydrangea is saved by treating it with a soap-copper solution (15 g copper sulfate, 150 g of soap per bucket of water).

Of the pests, the greatest damage is caused by snails, which with great pleasure feed young shoots, leaves and buds. Voracious snails should be treated with insecticides(for example, the drug “Thunderstorm”), poured into containers and placed near the bushes. A regular soap solution works well with spider mites (the leaves turn yellow and a peculiar marble-colored pattern appears on them).

With proper care of hydrangea and proper care for it, the plant will definitely thank the gardener with the captivating splendor and rich colors of its flowers.

Hydrangea is the dream of many gardeners. To decorate your site with this extraordinary shrub, you need to learn everything about hydrangea: types, planting, care, pruning, watering and fertilizing.

And then choose the variety you like, plant a hydrangea and after a while enjoy large, lush flowering inflorescences, shaped like balls or candles.

The most commonly grown hydrangeas are paniculate, large-leaved, tree-like and petiolate.

Some admirers of this ornamental plant You can find oakleaf, ash, serrate and sargent hydrangea in the areas.

Growing them is somewhat difficult, so we will focus on the first four species.

It got its name because of the shape of the inflorescences, which resemble large panicles (or candles). It has a bushy form, but the size of the bushes varies depending on the variety.

In nature, paniculate hydrangea occurs in the form of small trees. Garden forms Not only do they bloom amazingly, but they smell great too.

The paniculate hydrangea has gained the reputation of an excellent honey plant. The leaves of the shrub are elliptical in shape, pubescent below.

Blooming paniculate varieties abundantly and for a long time. The plant is frost-resistant. Recommended for cultivation in the southern, central and even northern regions of Russia.

For paniculata hydrangea, choose a place protected from the wind. She prefers partial shade.

There are many varieties of it. But several are the most popular among gardeners and landscape designers:

Grandiflora with large sterile flowers, collected in wide pyramids. Over time, their cream color turns into snow-white, then into soft pink, and then, in the fall, it turns red-green. True, flowering begins a little later than that of other paniculate “brothers”.
Vanilla frieze with cone-shaped inflorescences, similar to vanilla ice cream. Its crown is asymmetrical, and the juicy green leaves with a slight roughness have oval shape. Hydrangea paniculata Vanilla freise also changes the color of the flowers - from white, which gradually becomes pink, to dark crimson. Flowering lasts from July to September. For seedlings of the Vanilla Fraise variety, planting in slightly acidic soil is preferable. Withstands frosts down to -35°C.
Pinky Winky, which has two-color panicles (purple-pink at the base and snow-white at the top). Blooms from late June to September. Dark green leaves, pubescent along the veins, add spectacularity to the shrub. In the fall they turn purple-red, which makes the Pinky Winky hydrangea even more beautiful.
Vanilla Strawberry with lush paniculate inflorescences in the colors of strawberry and vanilla. And such a bright palette remains on the hydrangea for a month. Ideal for cutting.
Darts Little Dot is great option for small areas. Miniature pink hydrangea has a rounded, slightly spreading crown.

Caring for paniculata hydrangea consists of watering, fertilizing and periodic pruning due to its rapid growth.

Large-leaved hydrangea (garden)

This ornamental shrub with erect stems grows up to 2 m in height. Depending on the variety, it blooms with pink, lilac, blue or white flowers.

The leaves are simple, green. The frost resistance of large-leaved hydrangea is average, therefore it is mainly grown in the southern regions.

But if you provide careful care for garden hydrangea and apply appropriate fertilizers, it can be grown in the Moscow region.

Moreover, there are remontant varieties specifically designed for central Russia.

The shrub loves sun and warmth; does not tolerate limestones. Depending on the acidity of the soil, it, like a chameleon, changes the color of the inflorescences.

The most common varieties of garden hydrangea:

Expression with double water-lily flowers collected in corymbs. They may have pink color(alkaline soil environment) and blue-violet (acidic environment). Flowering is long, from July until the onset of cold weather.
Red Sensation- a small bush with burgundy inflorescences. Their color does not depend on the acidity of the soil, unlike the similar Red Baron variety. Blooms large leaf hydrangea twice: first on last year's shoots, then on this year's shoots.
Endless Summer (endless summer)- this is a series remontant varieties, capable of blooming on last year’s shoots and on new ones that have just grown. Large-leaved hydrangea flowers are large, white or blue in color.
Bodensee mesmerizing large flowers from soft blue to pink and even purple. The plant is disease resistant. Blooms from July to September. For the winter, Bodensi needs shelter.

This hydrangea is also called smooth and wild. Due to its unpretentiousness and good winter hardiness, the plant is very loved by mid-latitude gardeners.

The shrub can reach a height of 2.5 m. Prefers shade or partial shade. A lover of acidic soils, it does not tolerate drought at all.

Responsive to abundant watering and fertilizers. Needs pruning, which is carried out in winter. If desired, it can be easily grown on a trunk.

Tree hydrangea is propagated by cuttings, layering and dividing the bush.

You can grow it from seeds, but the purity of the variety will be lost. Flowering period: June-September.

Annabelle. It ranks 1st in the ranking of tree species. perennial shrub grows up to 1 m. Frost-resistant, light-loving, but afraid of drafts and cannot tolerate stagnant moisture. These qualities of Anabel hydrangea should be taken into account when planting and caring. Large spherical dark pink inflorescences consist of 5-lobed petals of regular shape. Flowering is very long. If you add dyes when watering and fertilizing, the color of the inflorescences can be changed.
Hayes Starburst It is distinguished by its delightful double snow-white flowers, collected in irregularly shaped inflorescences. The flowering period is from July to September. The height of the bush is 130 - 150 cm. It has good frost resistance. Weakness of this variety are too thin shoots that do not always hold lush inflorescences.
Sterile (or infertile)- also blooms with snow-white spherical inflorescences, but at the very beginning of flowering the flowers have a greenish color.
Bella Anna belongs to new varieties and, according to breeders, is the most frost-resistant. A bush with straight shoots blooms in early July and does not stop blooming until frost. The color of the inflorescences is pink, which over time acquires a dark purple hue. Another feature of the Bella Anna hydrangea is the bright yellow color of the foliage in the fall, adding a colorful touch to the garden design.
Invincibelle Spirit is an innovation in the field of breeding. When blooming, the inflorescences are dark pink, and then the flowers become bright pink. There are still few reviews from gardeners about the Invincible Spirit hydrangea, but they all note the compactness and light airiness of the ornamental bush.

Planting seedlings

To grow hydrangea in the garden, you first need to decide on a place. After all, the right place plays important role for healthy growth ornamental shrub and him lush flowering in future.

Shade or partial shade is suitable for seedlings, because in the sun the inflorescences become smaller. And only some types of shrubs love open sunny spaces, but they need to be watered abundantly.

The second condition is that the hydrangea being grown must be protected from the wind.

After choosing a location, we proceed to preparing the soil for the planting hole. It should consist of a balanced mixture of humus, leaf soil, crushed peat and river sand (2:2:1:1).

Optimal level Ph of soil for hydrangea is 5.0. Lime in the soil will negatively affect the development of the plant.

The planting pit must be at least 0.5 m deep and at least 0.4 m wide. But in any case, you need to focus on the size of the root system of the seedling. The distance between plantings depends on the height of the future bush. After planting, the soil is compacted and watered abundantly.

It is better to mulch the trunk circle of the transplanted hydrangea, as this will protect the roots from overheating and inhibit the growth of weeds.

You can use wood brushes, peat chips or bark. The layer of mulching material is 8 - 10 cm.

Over time, the mulch will slightly acidify the soil, and garden hydrangea loves an acidic environment. Best time for mulching - late spring, when the soil is still wet, but already well warmed up.

Replanting hydrangeas also involves mulching with wood waste.

There are no fundamental differences in planting and caring for tree hydrangea. The only thing you need to pay attention to is that other trees should not grow nearby, as they dehydrate the soil, suppress and prevent young plantings from developing.

Autumn is usually chosen for planting paniculata hydrangea. And only in the northern regions - spring.

And for hydrangea tree planting can be carried out both in autumn and spring. Oakleaf hydrangea is planted in late spring, and it is recommended to replant it in October.

Feeding and pruning

For healthy growth of shrubs on the site, they need to be fed periodically. From organics, you can use an aqueous solution of mullein or chicken manure (1:10).

From mineral fertilizers, 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium nitrate and urea are added to the soil.

There is a special complex fertilizer with magnesium and iron on sale, intended for caring for hydrangea in the garden.

The first feeding is done at planting, the second occurs at the end of May - beginning of June. Subsequent applications of fertilizer - every 1.5 - 2 weeks until the end of July.

To keep the shoots strong and flexible, the bushes are watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

In large-leaved, oak-leaved, petiolate and serrate hydrangeas, flowers bloom on the shoots of the second year, so old and weak branches, as well as shoots up to strong buds, must be pruned. Oakleaf hydrangea needs pruning twice - in spring and autumn.

Pruning paniculata hydrangea involves removing spent shoots. However, it is not recommended to remove many branches at the same time, otherwise the plant will lose its vigor. You also need to get rid of old, weak and inward growing shoots.

When pruning tree hydrangea, leave 2/3 of the shoot length.

The best time for pruning is autumn, when sap flow slows down. If it was not possible to complete the work in the fall, then pruning is carried out in early spring, even before the buds swell. Cut branches need to be burned.

Young plants do not need pruning.

Hydrangeas in site design

Any of the hydrangeas in the landscape design of the garden plays the role of the main favorite. Its long flowering, diversity color range, the ability to grow in shaded areas and combine with other plants make it a favorite plant among professional landscapers.

It is easy to care for; just select the desired acidity of the soil and apply fertilizers on time.

Any hydrangeas - paniculate, tree-like, large-leaved - can become a luxurious decoration of the site.

They create a wide variety of compositions - from tapeworms to flowering vertical plantings.

This unique plant can not only become a bright accent of the site, but also emphasize the advantages of other plantings.

For example, paniculate species in landscape design go well with dried flowers. You can plant annual flowers of the appropriate color nearby.

Petiole varieties are used for landscaping walls, fences, and terraces. Without supports, plants are used as ground cover. Tree species can be planted as a hedge.

Paniculata hydrangea in landscape design, they are often used for the background of flower beds, and low-growing large-leaved flowers can decorate the front. They create from standard forms Japanese gardens.

You can add picturesqueness to your garden by planting perennial Pinky Winky or Red Baron hydrangea on the shore of a natural or artificial pond.

An interesting design is oakleaf hydrangea, which got its name due to its similarity with oak leaves. Its shoots are colored red.

And it blooms with white panicles starting in June. Keep in mind that the soil for oakleaf hydrangea must be rich (no lime).

Large-leaved plants can be planted in containers and installed where the ground is covered with a layer of concrete or tiles.

Hydrangea goes well with conifers - blue spruce trees or green juniper.

Creating white garden with hydrangea, you can use bushes with snow-white or white-green inflorescences.

Successful combination- white birch trunks and white panicles. Or snow-white hydrangea Endless Summer and the same color ground cover roses.

Knowing everything about hydrangeas (types, planting, care, pruning), it is easy to decide on the variety that is suitable for a particular landscape. And a beauty grown with your own hands will become the pride of an amateur gardener.