Growing blue hydrangea indoors: basic rules for care and propagation. Hydrangea blue "Spike"

Hydrangea is one of the most beautiful and luxurious ornamental plants that you can grow in your garden. In the summer-autumn period, beautiful bright green bushes with large spherical inflorescences attract the eyes of passers-by, and the pleasant aroma makes their heads spin. The variety of colors of hydrangea inflorescences is simply amazing, among which varieties with blue flowers stand out.

Hydrangea of blue color- this is not a separate type of crop, but only a group of shrubs united by the colors of the inflorescences. Among them are hydrangeas with one color or several that change throughout the season. In addition, this plant has one very interesting feature. You can paint your hydrangea blue to make it more vibrant.

In this article, we will look at the features of growing blue hydrangea varieties on your site, as well as their main characteristics. Note important points planting and caring for blue hydrangea.

Features and description of blue hydrangea

Hydrangea is a member of a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family. This group of plants contains approximately 80-100 species that differ different features cultivation, as well as the size and color of the inflorescences. Natural habitat habitat is the territory of East and South Asia, namely Japan and China. There are some varieties of hydrangea in the Far East in North America. In all these territories you can find the most different varieties hydrangeas - tree forms, shrubs, vines, climbing plants, deciduous and evergreen, dwarf and tall forms of hydrangea. Blue hydrangea is most often found in the large-leaved species of this crop, which are famous for the brightest and most impressive inflorescences.

The flowering plant hydrangea has several interesting stories the origin of its name, which accurately describe the appearance and growth characteristics of the plant. According to one legend, the name of this ornamental shrub was given in honor of Princess Hortensia, who was sister Holy Roman Empire of Karl Nassau-Siegen. This girl was famous for her beauty, so her name became identified with this magnificent plant. Yours scientific name The plant received hydrangea because of its important growth characteristics - in Greek it is translated as “vessel with water”. This is due to the fact that hydrangea loves to grow in damp areas, and can die from drying out.

In our gardens you can find garden hydrangea with blue inflorescences and large-leaved blue hydrangea. Most often, these varieties are famous for their large bright blue flowers. In addition, they can be grown not only in the garden and on the plot, but also at home.

Description of blue hydrangea:

Blue-flowered hydrangeas are considered deciduous flowering shrubs for the most part, which belong to the popular variety Bigleaf Hydrangeas.
Large-leaved hydrangeas have been cultivated for quite some time. Initially they were cultivated as a pot crop, since the first varieties were very delicate and capricious. Subsequently, breeders developed more frost-resistant varieties that can withstand severe frosts.
In nature, blue hydrangea bushes can reach approximately 1-3 meters, but garden plot the bushes of this plant can grow only 100-150 cm.
Throughout the season, bushes of large-leaved hydrangea varieties with blue and blue flowers are covered with large and oval leaves with a wavy edge. The leaf blade has a bright green color.
The main decoration of blue hydrangea are large spherical inflorescences, which are slightly flattened on top.
The inflorescences consist of fairly large flowers that have several beautiful petals and a vessel-like base.
The buds of this variety of hydrangea are formed on the shoots of the current year, and flowers are produced on next year. This is why it is so important to carefully monitor the condition of the shoots throughout the season.
The group of hydrangeas with blue inflorescences includes varieties with sky-blue flowers, bright blue, and also with flowers that change 2 or 3 colors per season.
You can often find questions on the Internet about how to make hydrangea blue. Don't be surprised, this plant has a very interesting feature. If it grows on your site pink hydrangea, you can get from a non-two-color hydrangea with pink and blue flowers, the color of which changes according to your desire. How can you water hydrangea for blue color? For this purpose, fertilizers with a high content of sulfur or iron are suitable, i.e. you just need to increase the acidity of the soil. This is due to the presence of anthocyanin in the plant, which helps change the color of the buds. In the same way, you can enhance the color of flowers with initially blue inflorescences. Many gardeners simply bury rusty iron objects next to the hydrangea bush, which will stain the inflorescences through natural oxidation.
Many varieties of large-leaved hydrangea are not suitable for growing in central Russia, but breeders have developed a large number of frost-resistant varieties with which you can decorate your plot. And since blue hydrangea varieties are most often found among large-leaved varieties, if you want to grow this gorgeous bush in a temperate climate, give preference to frost-resistant varieties.

Hydrangea varieties with blue flowers

Blue hydrangea is not a separate species ornamental shrub, but a whole group of different varieties with blue or blue inflorescences. Mostly all varieties of blue hydrangea are large-leaved, which is famous for its beauty and splendor. Let's look at the characteristics of the most popular hydrangea varieties with bright blue inflorescences.

Hydrangea "Endless Summer". This is the first remontant hydrangea to gain popularity around the world. The height of the shrub can reach 120-150 cm, the width of the plant also grows very strongly - about 100-120 cm. This ornamental shrub will delight you with large and beautiful inflorescences, which can reach about 10-15 cm in diameter. Depending on the acidity of the soil , this variety of hydrangea can have blue and light blue colors. Sometimes on one bush you can see flowers of two colors.
Hydrangea "Nikko Blue". This is the next variety after the “Endless Summer” hydrangea, which is characterized by long and abundant flowering. It is a medium-sized and fast-growing shrub that can reach 1.5 m in height. Important feature This variety of hydrangea is that the inflorescences appear on the shoots of the current year and the previous one. Depending on the acidity of the soil, the inflorescences may be white or sky blue. The flowers are collected in large, up to 15-30 cm in diameter, spherical inflorescences. If you want to get deep blue flowers, you can water the bush with aluminum sulfate so that the soil pH is 5.2-5.5.
Hydrangea "Mini Penny". This is a remontant variety of hydrangea, which is a compact bush. Hydrangea Mini Penny is perfect for growing in containers due to its small sizes. This ornamental shrub forms flowering buds on the current year's shoots. The inflorescences have a pink or blue tint depending on the acidity of the soil.

Hydrangea variety "Tvist-n-Shout". A low bush that can reach 100-120 cm in height. The plant is formed by reddish shoots with bright green foliage, which autumn time become burgundy. The color of the inflorescences changes from pink to blue depending on the soil. The inflorescence consists of an openwork core, which is surrounded by large flowers.
Hydrangea "Blue Wave". This hydrangea variety was bred in Holland. A medium-sized variety with a thick and rigid stem and beautiful inflorescences that have almost white flowers, which only acquire a bluish tint towards the end of flowering. This variety does not change color as intensely.
Hydrangea "Bluebird". Hydrangea Blue bird is a very popular variety of ornamental shrub, which is perfect for decorating a site. This variety of hydrangea is different big amount inflorescences even on young bushes. The inflorescences are openwork cores surrounded by beautiful sterile flowers. The color of the inflorescences may change: on acidic soil the flowers will be white or light blue, and on alkaline soil they will be pink.

Hydrangea "Ramars". Very interesting variety hydrangeas, main feature which is considered to be multicolored. Some plants become completely covered in purple or purple flowers, I delight others with white-blue or blue inflorescences.
Hydrangea variety "Freedom". This is a two-color variety. At the very beginning of flowering, the lush bush is covered with pink inflorescences, the core of which eventually becomes blue and the edges white.
Hydrangea "Jomari". Beautiful variety hydrangeas with large double flowers, delicate blue color. Inflorescences appear on the shoots of the second year.
Hydrangea variety "Compeito". Refers to hybrid varieties. It is a compact medium-sized shrub. The inflorescences are large, spherical, lilac-blue in color with a snow-white core.
Hydrangea 'Hopcorn Blue'. A very unusual variety of hydrangea, which is characterized by its short growth. On average, the height of such a bush is 60-80 cm. The inflorescences have an interesting tulip-like shape of blue color. Inflorescences form on shoots of the second year.

Propagation of blue hydrangea: the most common methods

Blue varieties of hydrangea reproduce in the same way as other varieties of this crop. Several methods are suitable for self-propagation of hydrangea: seed propagation, propagation by cuttings, dividing the bush and layering. Each method has its own characteristics that you need to know to obtain a beautiful and flowering plant.

Seed propagation of blue hydrangea

This method is suitable for breeding species of hydrangeas. It is used by breeders to develop new varieties. Plus it's pretty the hard way which takes a lot of time.
Sowing blue hydrangea seeds should be done in the fall.
To do this, prepare a container and fill it with a soil mixture, which should consist of leaf soil, peat and river sand.
The soil is moistened and hydrangea seeds are sown on the surface, after which they are covered with a small layer of soil.
The container must be covered with film or glass to create greenhouse effect and place in a sunny place, since hydrangea seeds need a temperature of 14-20 degrees to germinate.
You need to regularly ventilate the crops and moisten the soil with a spray bottle. The soil should always be kept moist.
The first shoots appear after about 1-1.5 months, only after this the cover is removed.
Seedlings need to be picked twice. The first time this is done when a pair of leaves appears, and the second time in May.
In May, young seedlings are planted in separate pots and periodically exposed to Fresh air for hardening.
At home, hydrangea seedlings are grown for two years, after which in the fall the grown seedlings can be planted in a permanent place.

Propagation of blue hydrangea by cuttings

This method of propagating hydrangea is considered the most popular, and it is also a fairly simple option.
It is necessary to harvest cuttings from April to June, while planting material should be 10-15 cm and should be cut from young shoots, or rather from their tops.
The cut should be at a right angle.
For rooting, you need to prepare special containers with soil mixture or you can plant the cuttings in greenhouses.
The soil mixture should consist of river sand and peat, to which it is recommended to add a little moss to increase humidity.
Before planting, cuttings must be treated with growth stimulants.
The cuttings are rooted at a slight angle at a distance of about 5 cm between them.
For complete rooting, approximately 4-5 weeks are enough. During this time, young plants acquire fairly strong and developed roots.
In the first year after planting, seedlings need to be covered and the inflorescences cut off.
You can study winter cuttings, however, this is only suitable for large-leaved hydrangea, to which most varieties of blue hydrangea belong.
Cuttings can be harvested in February, but for this you need mature plant transplant into a container and move into the house. And then cut the ripened shoots into cuttings.
There should be 2 nodes on the cuttings, lower leaves are completely cut off, and the top ones are partially removed.
Before rooting, the cuttings are treated with a growth stimulator.

Reproduction of blue hydrangea by layering

Blue hydrangea is propagated by layering in the spring.
To do this, it is necessary to select strong lateral shoots on an adult shrub, and prepare furrows under them, the depth of which should be approximately 15-20 cm.
The shoots are bent into these furrows and secured with staples.
After this, you can make small cuts on the part of the shoot that comes into contact with the soil.
The central part of the shoot is covered with soil.
Further care consists of regular watering.
The cuttings take root around the next spring or fall, when young plant can be disconnected from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Preparation before planting blue hydrangea

Hydrangea of all varieties, including those with blue inflorescences, are not distinguished by their capricious character, but for their full growth it is necessary to strictly follow some features and rules. First of all, it is important to carry out thorough preparatory work, including purchasing quality seedling and find it on your site perfect place for landing.

Stage 1. Selecting a variety and seedling of blue hydrangea

First of all, you need to decide on the variety of blue hydrangea that you want to grow on your site. For middle zone Russia needs to select modern frost-resistant hydrangea varieties with blue inflorescences. You can turn your attention to varieties such as “Bluebird”, “Early Sensation”, “Endless Summer” and others.
It is necessary to purchase blue hydrangea seedlings from specialized garden centers and nurseries that engage in professional plant breeding. Only purchasing planting material in such a place will bring you the desired result.
You can buy blue hydrangea seedlings with either an open root system or a closed one. You just need to remember that young plants in a container can be planted at any time, but with bare roots they need to be planted as soon as possible.
Before purchasing, be sure to carefully check the condition of the planting material. The shoots of the plant should be strong, and young growing branches should also be visible.
If you buy a seedling with an open root system, pay attention to the condition of the roots. They should be elastic and soft. They can remain this way for some time.

Stage 2. Choosing a place to plant blue hydrangea

For the full growth of hydrangea, it is important to choose right place for landing.
It is important to remember that this plant prefers to grow in slight partial shade, which allows the hydrangea to reveal all the beauty of its leaves and inflorescences.
You should not plant hydrangea seedlings blue flowers on the open sunny side, as the inflorescences may become smaller.
A moist place is suitable for this plant.
If you decide to plant several hydrangeas side by side, be sure to leave some space for each plant. required space, which should be approximately 2 m for a bush.

Stage 3. Selection and preparation of soil for planting blue hydrangea

The most important thing is to choose the right soil for planting hydrangeas. The condition of the plant and the color of its inflorescences will directly depend on this.
Blue hydrangea prefers to grow in well-moistened, drained soils. Ideal if the soil moisture is natural.
The soil should not contain lime even in small quantities - this can affect the full development of the plant.
For hydrangeas with blue or light blue inflorescences, the soil should have a pH of 5-5.5. This will contribute to a brighter and more saturated color of the flowers. You can bury some rusty iron next to the bush, this will enhance the color of the flowers.
Before planting, it is important to carefully prepare the site. To do this, carefully dig up the selected area, loosen the soil and level it. This can be done a couple of weeks before planting.

Blue hydrangea planting technology

IN open ground Hydrangea is planted in spring or autumn. For central Russia, it is recommended to do spring planting so that young plants can get stronger before the onset of cold weather.
In the prepared area it is necessary to dig a planting hole. It is best to do this one day before planting. The planting hole should be approximately double more sizes root system with soil. You can focus on the parameters 50 cm in depth and 50 cm in width.
also in planting pits you need to pour out about 3-5 buckets of water.
Prepare a soil mixture, which should consist of leaf soil, high-moor peat, sawdust compost, which can be collected under spruce and pine trees, as well as river sand for drainage.
You also need to add to the substrate mineral fertilizers and organics.
You need to pour a small mound of soil mixture into the prepared planting holes and place blue hydrangea seedlings on it.
After this, carefully fill the holes with soil and compact it with your hands around the plants. At the same time, keep in mind that the root collar should be flush with the soil.
The trunk around the plants needs to be mulched. To do this, use a mixture of tree bark and sawdust.
Be sure to water the planted seedlings well.

Agricultural technology for growing blue hydrangea: secrets and nuances of care

Watering. Hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant that does not tolerate even the slightest drought. Therefore, it is important to strictly observe the watering regime. It is necessary to water each plant approximately 2 times a week, while 30-50 liters of warm and settled water should be used per plant.
Loosening and mulching. Periodically, it is important to loosen the soil around the plant well, thereby ensuring oxygen access to the roots of the plant. However, you should be very careful when loosening, because the root system of hydrangea is superficial. The permissible loosening depth is 5 cm. At the very beginning of summer, it is worth mulching the tree trunk circle, which will protect the roots from overheating and drying out.
Feeding. For full growth of hydrangea, it is important to carry out regular feeding. At least twice a year, plants are fed with complex mineral fertilizers - before flowering and after. You can use urea for this. During flowering, you can use slurry, but not often, so as not to overfeed the plant.

Hydrangea color change. If there is a pink hydrangea growing on your site, and you want to get a blue one, then you can try repainting your flowers. For this, use aluminum sulfate, approximately 1 tbsp. aluminum per 5 liters of water. You can water the plant with this mixture every 2 weeks.
Trimming. First of all, in the first year after planting, all flowers on the plant must be cut off. Pruning is carried out in the spring before the buds swell. Before winter, the shoots are pruned to 4 buds, and if you need to renew an old bush, cut the shoots to the very root. Formative pruning is needed to obtain a beautiful bush.
Wintering hydrangea. If you planted blue hydrangea of frost-resistant varieties in the first years, you should still cover the plant for the winter. To do this, all shoots must be carefully bent to the ground and covered with spruce branches, sawdust and fallen grass. If a large amount of snow falls in winter, it is recommended to remove it, as its weight can break the shoots.

Photo of blue hydrangea

Hydrangea is a very bright and spectacular plant that will be an excellent decoration for your garden. Particularly notable are varieties with blue colored inflorescences, the brightness of which can be changed independently at will. It is not difficult to grow such a miracle on your own plot, the main thing is to pay attention to the plant and take care of it.

Pink, blue, white, purple? What can you expect?
Hydrangeas have a reputation for being chameleon-like, but not all species change color. Although many hydrangeas turn mauve as they age, if you have beautiful white, lush blooms, you won't be able to change them to pink or blue. To get pink or blue flowers, you will need grandiflora hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla.
You can control the color of your hydrangea. To do this, you don’t need to become a chemist at all, you need to understand why hydrangeas change their color.

How to make hydrangea blue?

Hydrangeas turn blue in response to aluminum in the soil. This requires two conditions:

1. Soil pH should be slightly acidic (5.2-5.5).
First, do a soil test to determine the existing pH. Adding aluminum sulfate to the soil will help lower the soil pH if necessary. Caution: Not all plants tolerate acidic soil, and nearby plants may be affected. Always follow package directions when adding soil amendments.

2. Aluminum must be present in the soil.
If your soil has aluminum and its pH is low, your hydrangeas are likely already blue. But if you only have naturally acidic soil, you may need to add aluminum sulfate.
Fertilizer - A fertilizer high in potassium and low in phosphorus will help maintain the blue color. Avoid superphosphate and bone meal, which are sometimes used to improve lush flowering.

How to change the color of hydrangea to pink?

Hydrangeas turn pink when they are stripped of aluminum. This can be done as follows:

1. Add dolomitic lime (lime with magnesium oxide) to raise the soil pH to 6.0-6.5. During this period, hydrangeas cannot obtain aluminum from the soil, but do not suffer from lack of other nutrients and chlorosis. You don't need to make your soil truly alkaline, as many people mistakenly believe.

2. Grow hydrangeas in containers. In all seriousness, soil-free potting mixes typically lack aluminum, so your hydrangeas have no chance of turning blue.
Fertilizer - Use a fertilizer high in phosphorus, as phosphorus prevents hydrangeas from obtaining aluminum.

Once your hydrangeas have turned blue or pink, adding more amendments to the soil will not help enhance the depth of color. Color may vary from season to season due to weather conditions, plant stress, and environment. Plants planted near a concrete foundation or concrete walkway may never turn blue due to lime leaching from the concrete.

Changing the soil for hydrangea color does not one-time job. You will have to maintain an amended soil condition.

The most interesting

Not all beginning gardeners know that the “natural” color of hydrangea is white or pink. But other colors can be obtained artificially. And it's not difficult at all. At the very beginning of flowering, all its flowers have the same color - pale green. It is at this stage that you can intervene to change its color. However, it should be noted that white flowers, due to a lack of pigment, rarely change color. But you can successfully experiment with pink ones.

Many gardeners really like blue hydrangea, others prefer pink. But today we will talk about how to grow blue hydrangea. In nature and in flower beds, hydrangeas reach a height of up to three meters.
The color of the spherical flowers fascinates with its beauty. It happens that you purchased a blue or blue hydrangea, but a pink hydrangea grew. Now we will share tips on what to do so that your blue hydrangea still blooms.
Great importance The color of hydrangea is influenced by the composition of the soil.
If you put a little effort into changing the soil chemistry, you can easily change the color of these amazing flowers.
Here are some tips on how to change White color hydrangeas to blue, and pink to lilac.

1. Before flowering hydrangea, water the plants with aluminum alum. Dosage: 5 grams of alum per 1 liter of water. Iron salts, enriching the soil, give hydrangea flowers shades from blue to blue.
2. With the same success, aluminum alum can be replaced with iron filings or simply stick old nails into the ground next to the hydrangea bush.
Like this simple methods you can change the color of the chic hydrangea balls.

Hydrangeas have a reputation for being chameleon-like, but not all species change color. Although many hydrangeas turn mauve as they age, if you have beautiful white, lush blooms, you won't be able to change them to pink or blue. To get pink or blue flowers, you will need grandiflora hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla. Hydrangea can change color (white to blue, and pink to blue). To do this, aluminum or iron sulfate is added to earth mixtures when replanting plants - up to 15-20 g per 1 kg of land

What's better? Aluminum alum or aluminum sulfate? They write about iron that it does not always stain.

To obtain blue flowers, water pink hydrangea with a solution of potassium alum (5-10 g per liter of water). If you water dark pink specimens with the same solution, the flowers will turn lilac, and the red ones will turn purple. When using aluminum or iron sulfate, a blue color can be obtained. A good effect is obtained by spraying with a solution of aluminum citrate (50 grams per liter of water), once a week from the moment the buds appear. Also, the color may change when the soil pH decreases to 4.5 (at normal 5,5).

Change Appreciation of pink color Change to cyan and blue color

Hydrangea will have pink flowers in case it cannot form a blue pigment, which requires aluminum. That is, aluminum in the soil must be converted into a form inaccessible to plants. For this, the soil pH must be above 6.5.

To obtain blue hydrangea flowers, aluminum must be present in the soil in a form accessible to plants. This is possible in the case of an acidic soil pH below 5.5 and the presence of a sufficient amount of aluminum itself.

If the soil pH in the garden is above 6.5, you don’t need to do anything, the hydrangea will bloom pink(possible iron deficiency).

On acidic soil, add chalk, fluff lime, ground limestone or dolomite flour several times a year to raise the pH to around 6.0 to 6.2 (be careful not to let the pH rise much above 6.5, which is when iron deficiency and chlorosis become a problem). Try to maintain the substrate pH between 6.0 and 6.2.

Do not plant plants that require an acidic soil reaction (azaleas, rhododendrons, heathers) next to pink hydrangea.

Use a fertilizer that is relatively high in phosphorus and nitrogen but low in potassium. Phosphorus forms insoluble chemical compounds with aluminum. Select a fertilizer type with an N:P:K ratio close to 25:10:10. Monoammonium phosphate (11:53:00) can be used.

In areas with very acidic soils, pink hydrangeas are easier to grow in large pots using soilless (eg peat) substrates that are low in aluminum salts. Do not add components containing aluminosilicates - clay, mineral soil, expanded clay - to the peat substrate. In a container it will be much easier to maintain conditions favorable for growing pink hydrangeas; in addition, you can grow varieties that require shelter for the winter.

For growing pink hydrangeas, the best choice would be a UNIVERSAL substrate.

If natural garden soil If the pH is sufficiently acidic, less than 5.5, and contains aluminum, the color of the hydrangea will automatically tend toward shades of blue or purple.
. If the soil in the garden is neutral or alkaline, it is necessary to artificially acidify it in the root zone to a depth of 20-30 cm or replace the soil in the planting hole with previously prepared soil acidic soil. Non-carbonate soil can be acidified to pH 5.0-5.5 with high-moor peat or agricultural elemental sulfur before planting hydrangeas. Subsequently, the low pH is maintained by regularly watering the plant with a solution (15 g/l) of aluminum sulfate throughout growing season. Do not water dry soil; first moisten it well with clean water.
. Mulch the soil near the hydrangea with acidic materials - high peat, coniferous bark. Do not use marble chips or expanded clay.

It is important that irrigation water does not “contaminate” the soil with calcium. The pH of the water should not be higher than 5.6.
. Soil alkalinity can rise significantly due to lime leaching from building materials. That's why concrete foundation or the sidewalk next to which the hydrangea is planted can affect the color.

Fertilizer also affects color change. Feeding with a physiologically acidic complex fertilizer that is low in phosphorus, high in potassium and moderate in nitrogen levels will help produce good blues. The optimal N:P:K ratio is close to 10:5:20. Do not use superphosphate or bone meal.
. Difficult long time maintain a low pH value in alkaline carbonate soils, or soils contaminated with alkaline building materials. In this case, it is better to grow blue hydrangeas in large pots using special acidic peat substrates with aluminum sulfate. To enrich the substrate with aluminum, you can add 5-10% clay by volume. Best choice there will be an ACID substrate FOR CONIFEROUS PLANTS AND RHODODENDRONS. In a container it will be much easier to maintain conditions favorable for growing blue hydrangeas; in addition, you can grow varieties that require shelter for the winter.

Per liter of acidic substrate, you need to add 1.5 g/l of powdered aluminum sulfate. Mix well, moisten and leave for several days. Another method is to water plants in pots with a solution of aluminum sulfate (concentration 10-15 g/l) at the rate of 100 ml of solution per liter of substrate. Control the pH of the substrate. For peat substrate optimal value pH 4.0-4.5. If necessary, repeat the procedure after two weeks. To avoid chemical burns to the roots, fill only the pre-moistened substrate with aluminum sulfate solution. Protect the leaves from contact with the solution.

Even in a very large garden plot, it is impossible not to notice a flower bed decorated with large and colorful hydrangea caps. This wonderfully beautiful plant is so captivating to look at that you simply cannot pass by it. There are more than 35 species of hydrangeas, among which there are varieties that grow well and winter in the Urals and Siberia. But no matter what latitude of our country your garden is located, before buying a beauty, you need to study all the features of its planting, care and cultivation.

Garden hydrangea: photos, types, varieties

Most hydrangea species are shrubs, but vines and small trees are also found. They all have beautiful large or small leaves, and flowers collected in paniculate or corymbose inflorescences. All inflorescences are located at the tips of the shoots and have sterile or fertile flowers. Most often their color can be white, pink or blue.

Among them it is grown as perennials in the gardens of central Russia only tree and paniculate hydrangea.

Hydrangea tree - photo

The shrub, growing up to one and a half meters in height, has large oval leaves, the length of which reaches 20 cm. Slightly pubescent sheet plates They are distinguished by a heart-shaped notch at the base and jagged edges. They are green above and bluish below. Large sterile and small fertile flowers are collected in corymbose inflorescences, which bloom in the first half of July.

Most suitable for planting in the garden the following varieties tree hydrangea:

The White House variety is a bush with a height of one to one and a half meters. At the ends of its shoots, large shield-shaped inflorescences are formed, consisting of snow-white sterile and creamy-white fertile flowers.
The variety "Invincibelle Spirit" grows up to 0.9-1.2 m. Its large inflorescences consist of sterile flowers. At first they are bright pink in color, and over time they fade to light pink.
The Incrediball variety is a bush that reaches a height of 1.2-1.5 m and has large spherical white inflorescences.
The Hayes Starburst variety is a low bush with thin shoots that can break under the weight of large inflorescences. The inflorescences, consisting of double flowers, reach 25 cm in diameter.
The Annabelle variety blooms with white sterile flowers that form large inflorescences with a diameter of up to 25 cm.

Hydrangea paniculata - varieties, photos

Paniculate hydrangea differs from tree hydrangea in inflorescences, which consist of large sterile and small fertile flowers, and grow up to 20-25 cm in length. During flowering they can change color. For the first time the flower petals are white, after a while they become pink tint, and by the end of flowering they turn green. Large leaves paniculate species are distinguished by their ovoid or elliptical shape. They are heavily pubescent below and slightly pubescent above.

Garden varieties bloom from June to July and bloom for a long time. Among them are:

Features of growing garden hydrangea

Those who decide to grow hydrangea in their garden plot need to follow certain rules its planting, placement and care. It should be remembered that only tree-like and paniculate hydrangeas in Siberia.

Planting and care

The plant loves well-lit places with slight shading. In sunny areas, hydrangeas grow well and bloom quickly, but due to excessive heat they suffer from drying out of the soil and lose their turgor. Small inflorescences form in full shade.

The soil for planting shrubs must be acidic. Plant on alkaline soil will suffer from chlorosis and bloom poorly. Neutral soil for hydrangea is unacceptable.

Hydrangeas planted on nutritious loams will take root well and grow. Therefore, during planting, it is recommended to add clay to the bottom of the hole.

Hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant, however, in areas with high level groundwater It is not recommended to plant it. In addition, the wintering of the shrub directly depends on the moisture intake of the plant roots. The less moisture they accumulate in the fall, the better plant will overwinter. That is why in the fall the soil around the bushes must be partially covered from precipitation.

Landing garden hydrangea produced in spring in pits approx. the dimensions of which should be 50x50x70 cm. The plant is planted after the last frost has passed.

Store-bought plants with a closed root system can be planted until the end of summer, preparing deeper and wider holes for them. After planting, the bushes are well watered, and the soil around them is covered 6 cm with sawdust or peat mulch.

The distance between plants should be from one to one and a half meters. If the group planting was conceived as a “living” hedge, then the bushes are planted more densely.

Watering and fertilizing

During the open ground season, the bushes are watered once a week. In hot months, the frequency of watering increases to 2 times a week.

Caring for hydrangea includes mandatory feeding, which are produced twice a year:

In May or June, during the budding period, the plant is fed with nitrogen fertilizers.
In summer, the bushes need potassium, which is added according to the instructions.

It is better not to apply ash under hydrangea bushes, as it reduces the acidity of the soil.

When caring for hydrangeas, you need to be especially careful when pruning the bush. Pruning is carried out every spring. Some gardeners cut the bushes very short, as a result of which the most flower buds. You can't do this. It is recommended to approach each bush individually.

First of all, the frozen parts of the shoots are cut out from the plant. If after this there are enough powerful shoots left, then last year’s branches can be cut back to the upper branch. If there is a small number of annual shoots, only inflorescences are removed from faded branches.

Shoots that are too old and thicken the bush are completely cut out. It is not recommended to cut out annual shoots at all. It is worth noting that inflorescences for bouquets can be cut throughout the entire period until autumn.

What can I do to make hydrangea change color?

Experienced flower growers know that by feeding bushes with pink inflorescences with certain fertilizers, the result can be a plant blooming with blue or light blue flowers. To do this, starting in September, the following is added to the soil once every two weeks:

aluminum alum solution (2 pieces per 1 liter of water);
iron or aluminum sulfate (20-50 g).

If fertilizers are applied irregularly, both blue and pink inflorescences will begin to form on the bush.

Preparing hydrangea for winter

Unfortunately, without shelter in the Urals and Siberia, hydrangea will not be able to survive the winter. Therefore, caring for it in regions with cold winters includes preparing the bushes for wintering.

Before covering the plants, it is necessary to feed them with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and remove all leaves from them, leaving only the top ones. This will help speed up the process of lignification of the shoots.

Paniculata and tree hydrangea grown in the southern regions, you can simply hill up high or cover with peat. For regions with unpredictable and cold winters, you can choose one of the following methods:

When growing hydrangea, you should know that every year it winter hardiness increases. Therefore, in some regions, over time, covering bushes for the winter can be abandoned. But young plants must be covered.

Diseases and pests of garden hydrangea

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, however, may be affected:

The most beautiful hydrangea plant is excellent suitable for single and group plantings, goes well with low conifers and looks great against the background of stones. At correct landing and caring for it, you can admire the magnificent blooms and be proud of your flower garden all summer until autumn.

Garden hydrangea

At the dacha, gardeners grow a variety of beautiful plants. They are able to decorate the garden and turn the landscape into a real fairy tale. One of the popular types similar plants is the blue hydrangea. It is distinguished by beautiful azure-colored buds. This species requires certain requirements to be met when growing. About it we'll talk Further.

general characteristics

Blue hydrangea (photo below) is a representative of the Hydrangeaceae family. Plants are found in wildlife in Europe, Asia, North America. They differ significantly in their shape, inflorescences and method of growth. There are tree and shrub hydrangeas, vines and climbing, evergreen, dwarf and tall varieties.

The large-leaved species is famous for its bright blue buds. They can be painted. Translated from Greek, the name of the plant is translated as “vessel of water.” It accumulates water and likes to grow in moist soils.

Large-leaved blue hydrangea includes several species. They are distinguished by the special color of their buds. Some species are able to change the shade of inflorescences during growth. Blue flowers can decorate any area. This plant is the dream of almost every summer resident.

Description

Blue hydrangea, the photo of which is presented below, belongs to the category of deciduous plants. This flowering shrub. It belongs to the category large leaf hydrangeas. In nature, the plant can grow up to 2-3 m in height. In a garden plot they grow only 1-1.5 m.

The leaves of the bush are large and bright green. They have oval shape. The edges are wavy. The inflorescences are large, spherical in shape, slightly flattened on top. They consist of fairly large flowers. Buds appear on the shoots of the current year. Flowers - a year after planting.

This group of plants includes plants with light, rich blue inflorescences. They can be almost blue in color. This also includes species whose inflorescences change color two or even three times per season. If pink hydrangea grows on the site, it can be painted blue. To do this, the acidity of the soil changes. You need to purchase special fertilizers. The same action allows you to give the flowers a more saturated shade.

Varietal diversity

Before considering planting and caring for blue hydrangea, you need to pay attention to the varietal diversity of the plant. In our climate, not all types of flowers can be cultivated. The most popular varieties are presented below.

Hydrangea Mini Penny is remontant variety. The inflorescences are pale blue. The Ramars variety is also grown in our country. This shrub is quite compact. It is distinguished by multi-colored blooms. May have flowers that are violet, magenta, or bright blue and white.

The Freedom variety is a two-color variety. At first the inflorescences are pink. Mid-season they change color to blue. The edges of the flowers are white. Hybrid variety is Compeito. It has lilac-blue inflorescences with a white center.

The Perfection variety is distinguished by rose-like flowers. They first have a pinkish tint. After some time, the buds change color to blue. Compact size The Jomari variety is different. It has blue inflorescences with a terry texture.

Choosing the time to land

Planting blue hydrangea in the ground requires the gardener to adhere to certain rules. First of all, you should choose the right time to perform such a procedure. Planting into the soil can be done both in spring and autumn. The choice of season depends on the preferences of the gardener.

IN spring period Hydrangea is planted in the soil immediately after the snow melts. The earth should warm up a little. After this you can start working. This method is chosen by gardeners whose summer cottages are located in the northern regions of the country. Spring planting will allow the plant to take root well and settle down in a new place before the onset of cold weather.

If the climate in the area where the dacha is built is moderate or warm, it is quite possible to perform this procedure in the fall. Planting takes place in September. The plant will have enough time to establish roots in the soil before the cold weather sets in.

Selecting a location

Planting blue hydrangea in open ground requires the right choice places. To do this, you need to take into account the growth characteristics of the flower. Hydrangea loves semi-shaded places. She can't stand direct hits sun rays. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the variety. Some plants do not grow well in the shade.

Almost all types of hydrangeas love semi-shaded places. Here they will bloom magnificently and will not get sick.

When choosing a place to plant, you need to consider what plants are nearby. The fact is that hydrangea will take up quite a lot of space during its development. Therefore, you should not plant it next to others. ornamental plants close. There should be at least 2 m of free space around the hydrangea. This will allow the plant to develop properly and bloom luxuriantly.

Soil preparation

Blue hydrangea is planted in prepared soil. You need to know what kind of soil is on the site. You can take a soil sample to a special laboratory. This will allow you to properly grow almost any ornamental plants.

The main rule when growing hydrangea is its proper moisture. The soil should be moist but well drained. Stagnation of moisture is also unacceptable. It is best that the soil contains 2 parts humus and 2 parts leaf soil. You should also add one part peat chips and one part river sand to the mixture.

If there is too much lime in the ground, hydrangea will not grow here. The pH level considered ideal for this plant is 5.0. If an excess or deficiency of some element is determined in the soil, appearance hydrangeas will change.

Landing

After preparatory work You can start planting blue hydrangea. You need to dig a hole about 45 cm deep. The width depends on the size of the roots. Hydrangeas can be planted in a row. In this case, they dig a trench. It's easier. If you want to make the flowering lush, you can reduce the distance between plants. Each of them is then planted at a distance of 60-70 cm.

A day before planting, you need to pour about three buckets of water into the hole. The nutrient substrate is also prepared. 50 g of mineral fertilizers are added to each hole. You can also use special bait for hydrangeas.

A hole is made in the center of the hole. The plant is placed in the hole. Root system carefully covered with earth. The root collar remains above the surface. After completing the procedure, the plant is watered. The entire earthen lump should be saturated with moisture. The soil near the plant is mulched with tree bark or peat.

Watering

Will need to provide proper care blue hydrangea. Watering is carried out regularly. If there is not enough moisture, the plant will immediately begin to wither. If the owners of the dacha see that the hydrangea has begun to fade, they urgently need to water it. The plant will quickly return to normal.

Watering is carried out once or twice a week. At the same time, they take into account what the weather is like outside. In the summer heat, watering should be more frequent. During this period, you may need to moisturize the hydrangea three times a week.

During this procedure, you need to pour at least two buckets of water under each hydrangea bush. If you mulch the soil around the plant, watering can be reduced. Moisture will not leave the soil as quickly. In this case, the number of waterings will be reduced. This figure will be once every 10 days. The soil will need to be mulched thoroughly.

Top dressing

Blue hydrangea requires proper feeding. Not only its healthy appearance, but also the color of the buds will depend on this. The plant responds well to the application of fertilizers to the soil. The procedure can be performed up to 3 times in one season.

The process of introducing bait begins at the end of May. To do this, prepare a mixture of 3 components:

superphosphate (2 parts);
urea (1.5 parts);
potassium sulphide (2 parts).

The prepared substance is carefully applied under each bush. After this, you need to wait for a period of active budding. It is also advisable to fertilize at this time. A mixture of superphosphate (2 parts) and potassium sulfide (1 part) is suitable. This effect will allow the plant to bloom magnificently, delighting its owners with beautiful blue inflorescences.

At the end of summer, you can fertilize the bushes again. The plant is still in its active flowering period at this time. Applying fertilizers will prolong it. You can apply the same mixture as in the spring. Manure or other organic fertilizers are also suitable for these purposes.

Do not add too much bait to the ground. If the flowering is too abundant, the shoots may not withstand such weight. They will break. Therefore, everything needs to be done in moderation. A very small amount of fertilizer is enough for the plants to enjoy lush, long-lasting flowering.

Having considered the features of growing a plant such as blue hydrangea, you can choose the right tactics in the process of cultivating it on your site. The flower will become a real decoration for the cottage or personal plot. Blue lush hydrangea caps will look impressive both along the paths and on decorative flower beds. At proper cultivation and care, the plant will delight you with flowering for a long time.

Hydrangea is a beautiful plant that surprises with its diversity color range. The flowering period begins in spring and ends by frost, and the flowers themselves are spherical and hairy. They consist of two types - small fertile ones (most often located inside the inflorescence) and large sterile ones (bloom on the edges). Most hydrangeas bloom with white flowers, but species such as bigleaf hydrangea can have red, blue , pink and lilac inflorescences.

Their color depends on the pH level in the soil. Grow hydrangeas on neutral soil with beige or cream flowers, on alkaline soil with pink or lilac flowers, on acidic soil with blue flowers, due to aluminum, which absorbs the plant very well.

Blue hydrangea: care and growing at home

The color of hydrangea inflorescences depends on the pH of the soil in which it grows.

Therefore, to create colorful bushes you just need to change the acidity in the soil under each of them. So that the hydrangea is blue or blue, enriching the earth with sulfur and iron will also help. If the application is uneven, the flower may acquire two colors at once. Another proven method for obtaining the desired shade is to bury rusty nails or other metal objects in the soil.

The plant loves moisture very much, therefore, it needs frequent watering. They should be plentiful, approximately 40 liters of warm water for each adult bush, twice a week. Watering should be done especially abundantly in hot weather. In order to avoid frequent watering, you can mulch the ground with peat, as it for a long time stays moist.

Planting hydrangea

The best time For planting hydrangeas, spring is the time of flowering.

In a pot planting holes should be deeper and twice as large as the roots themselves. If the soil is infertile, the hole should be even deeper and should be filled with humus and peat with the addition of mineral fertilizers in small quantities.

Dig up blue hydrangea with a pile of earth so as not to damage the roots, and cut off broken branches. First, pour soil into the pot, place the plant in it, while directing the roots into different sides, and then cover it with earth until the “neck” is deepened by no more than 3 cm. The earth around the bush needs to be compacted, which will help to avoid excess air from appearing in the root system. This in turn can lead to drying out of the roots, and if there is too much moisture, to rotting. Next, the bush needs to be watered thoroughly.

Plant care

For development and lush flowering, it is recommended to feed hydrangea with organic and mineral fertilizers. Fertilizers that contain iron and magnesium are well suited for the plant, or you can buy special fertilizers for hydrangeas in the store. Feeding is needed most during the period of flowering or intensive growth. A good organic fertilizer can be chicken droppings in a ratio of 1:10. This will be useful for the first feeding in April. Other complex mineral fertilizers will not interfere. In summer, it is best to “feed” flowers every two weeks.

Pruning is an important part care behind the hydrangea. Thanks to the annual procedure, you can regulate the height, density, number and size of inflorescences. In order for everything to be done correctly, old inflorescences should be removed before new and strong buds appear. Pruning strong and fast-growing shoots promotes strong branching of the plant. It's best to trim them in early spring, since future inflorescences are formed on shoots in last year’s buds. You also need to cut off frozen, weak and dry shoots.

To prevent the inflorescences from freezing in winter, the plant should be protected from frost and insulated.

This can be achieved by root mulching with leaves, straw, sawdust and a small layer of soil. It is better to do this immediately after frost - in dry weather. For more heat-loving species with more flexible shoots, you can use another method: carefully bend the shoots to the ground, attach with hooks and cover with branches or fallen leaves.

Reproduction blue hydrangeas

There are several different ways hydrangea propagation:

The easiest method of propagation is cuttings. Hydrangea with cuttings blooms in the second year of life. For propagation by cuttings, fresh planting material is needed. To a greater extent, young shoots are used, which are planted directly into a very moist and loose substrate. When cutting a plant into cuttings, it is necessary that each cut is 4 mm below the node or bud.
Another current method- this is the division of the bush. Young plants obtained by division most often bloom in the first year of life. By using this method reproduction can rejuvenate plants and support their intensive development. When dividing a bush, each part must have ground shoots and roots.

To prepare the bush you need:

dig up a plant;
shake off the soil from the roots, wash the remaining soil in water;
trim the shoots, leaving the plant height up to 10 cm from the root;
Woody stems must be trimmed completely.

One of the oldest methods is propagation by layering. This method is very often used by gardeners, and its essence is to stimulate the growth of the root on the stem before separating part of the stem from the mother plant. The greatest disadvantage of propagation by layering is considered to be a rather lengthy process. But there is also a significant advantage - you do not need to constantly monitor environmental conditions in order to ensure root formation.
Another way is propagation by seeds. This method consists in obtaining a new plant that arose due to pollination. The new plant begins development with all the transformations and changes that occurred in previous plants.