Is it possible to grow large-leaved hydrangea at home?

Street and indoor hydrangea is an ornamental plant, which is loved by many growers for its abundant and long flowering.

These unique flowers will bring original beauty and home coziness and comfort to the interior.

Is it possible to grow a hydrangea at home in a pot

Hydrangea is planted not only in the open field, but also grown in a pot as a houseplant.

There are many varieties of this plant, designed specifically for growing and keeping in an apartment. At home she able to bloom in large flowers of different colors.

It is important to follow some recommendations for planting and care to maintain its maximum decorative effect and good flowering.

There are many varieties of this plant, designed specifically for growing and keeping in an apartment.

Description and characteristics of a large-leaved flower

Hydrangea is a perennial shrub, which is decorated with oval leaves framed by cloves. The stem is colored deep green and grows up to one meter.

Depending on the variety, there are corymbose, umbellate, racemose inflorescences, which reach a diameter of 30 cm.

The bush can have from 1 to 7 large, showy inflorescenceslocated above the apical leaves of the shoots. In the center are fruitful flowers, and fruitless ones are placed at the edges.

The peculiarity of hydrangea lies in the color of its flowers, which does not depend on the variety or other selection factors, but on the composition and structure of the soil.

Soil with a high level of acidity stains the flowers blue. Neutral soil gives the inflorescences a white or cream color. Flowers planted in alkaline soil take on a pink or lilac hue.

The flowering period begins in early spring and lasts until late autumn., and during cold weather the plant is dormant, which lasts about 80 days.

About indoor hydrangea:

Planting process of home potted plant

You can propagate plants cuttings, seeds and dividing the bush... For planting, cuttings are mainly used, since seed propagation is a laborious and long process.

It is necessary to choose planting material from the root shoots of adult plants. They should have leaves but not bloom.

The pot can be made from any material... The plant will thrive in both ceramics and plastics.

It is important to choose a capacity that is low and wide enough, since the root system of the flower tends to grow in width. The size of the pot should correspond to the roots of the plant. Very large containers cannot be selected.

Hydrangea prefers slightly acidic soil compositionwhich contains peat, leafy soil and coarse sand in equal proportions.

Landing consists of the following stages:

1. Put drainage at the bottom of the pot, which can be fine expanded clay, which helps to remove excess water into the pan.
2. Put a small layer of soil substrate on top of the drainage.
3. Place the roots in a container and gently straighten, then sprinkle with soil.
4. Thoroughly compact the earth and water abundantly.

Transplant a flower every year in the spring into a pot, the diameter of which should be 2-3 cm larger.

Reproduction of room hydrangea:

How to care?

In order for a hydrangea to grow healthy and delight with its lush flowering, you need to provide it with proper care after planting.

Determining the correct location

The flower does not tolerate direct exposure to the rays of the sun... She is more impressed by partial shade, where diffused light enters during the day in the required amount.

Compliance with soil moisture conditions

Regular and abundant watering of the potted plant should be carried out during the growing season, in the spring and summer.

In the fall, the frequency of watering should be reduced. Winter will require performing the operation only to maintain soil moisture.

Water using only rain or melt water at room temperature.

Regular and abundant watering should be carried out during the growing season.

Nutrition with complex fertilizers, winter care

The plant at the time of growth, during the formation of the first buds, needs fertilization. Therefore, it should be fed every two weeks with nutrients to maintain the strength of the growing flowers.

Funds to bring under the root, being careful not to hit the flowers and leaves.

To enhance the effect of the awakening and beauty of future flowers, winter preparation is needed - fertilize periodically during the cold season.

Pruning and shaping in fall and spring

Maintenance involves performing such an important operation as correct and regular pruning, which must be done twice a year:

1. In autumn, after flowering, weak shoots are to be removed at the root, and strong shoots are shortened by half the length. In the area of ​​the roots, new shoots should be removed, keeping no more than five of the best shoots.
2. In the spring cut off too elongated weak shoots, leaving only strong, well-developed shoots.

To create a compact and decorative shrub, it is necessary to cut off the tops of the hydrangea, stimulating the development of lateral shoots. This will make the bush more lush.

Problems in indoor growing

Indoor hydrangea can infect diseases and pests... Common problems:

• high air humidity can provoke the occurrence of diseases such as gray mold and powdery mildew;
• dry air can cause aphids and spider mites;
• light spots on the leaves will signal that the location of the plant is too illuminated;
• lack of nutrients will lead to a lack of flowering;
• from poor watering and a low level of humidity, the flower will begin to dry out, after which the foliage will massively fall off.

Indoor hydrangea can be attacked by diseases and pests

Therefore, subject to such conditions as timely watering, lack of direct sunlight and competent planting, there will be no problems. And then the flowers will delight and surprise with their incredible beauty for a long time.

Growing room hydrangeas is pretty simple. This process does not require the application of a lot of effort and a lot of time, you just need to take proper care of it, and the result will not be long in coming.

Subject to simple agricultural techniques, this is an amazing large-leaved plant will decorate the room with its beautiful flowering, and will delight you with a delicate aroma.

Once, on March 8, I was presented with a large-leaved hydrangea bush of extraordinary beauty with bright large inflorescences. And along with it and the problem: how now to preserve this miracle?

In the first year, the length of flowering amazed me. I immediately acquired several more varieties of various colors. Information on cultivation at that time was sparse, and I simply planted the bushes in the garden, adding peat and semi-rotted coniferous litter to the garden soil. The bushes have grown well over the summer, for the winter I carefully covered them. But all the shoots were still frozen.Over the next summer, the bushes again grew large and strong, but did not bloom - the old varieties of large-leaved hydrangea do not bloom on the shoots of the current year. No matter how I covered the bushes, the result was always the same: they froze out in harsh winters or vomited out in mild winters almost to the ground. And if they overwintered, they bloomed very sparingly, because the flower bud is laid at the top of the shoot, which is just the most difficult to preserve.

Pot culture

In the fall, I planted hydrangeas in pots of a suitable volume in a mixture of equal parts of garden soil, semi-rotten coniferous litter and peat (it is important that it is loose and has an acidic reaction) and put it in the cellar. The hydrangeas overwintered well and preserved all the shoots. Now I plant all varieties in pots, even those that bloom on the shoots of the current year. I just don't want to risk such beauty!

Every autumn, hydrangeas stand outside until the onset of a slight frost. When, after the frost, the foliage on them dries up and falls off, I tie the shoots and send the pots to winter in the cellar in complete darkness at a temperature of 0 ... + 5 ° С. When the soil dries up in pots, I water or lay snow. I leave heavy pots (more than 10 liters) to winter on a cold terrace, where temperature fluctuations are greater. Sometimes, but not for long, the temperature drops to –5 ° С, and during the thaw it rises to + 10 ° С. In such conditions, the shoots and the root system are not damaged.

In March, I take out the pots of hydrangeas from the cellar, spill them with lukewarm water with the addition of Fertika Lux, and replant them if necessary. Be sure to add granular fertilizer for long-acting hydrangeas. I mulch with a thick layer of coniferous litter. It protects the soil from crusting on the surface and helps to retain moisture. When decomposing, the needles acidify the soil.

Hydrangea grows in the same pot for up to 5 years - I transplant them not because they stop blooming or develop worse, but out of pity. When I see a huge bush, I want to have a corresponding pot under it. Plants start growing quickly. At the end of April, I expose hydrangeas outside, but I always cover them with spunbond from spring frosts.

Exposition

Hydrangeas do not like direct sunlight. In the sun, they wither, even when well watered, and the flowers fade and become stained. Growing hydrangeas in pots has another plus - mobility. In the spring, it is advisable to keep them on the eastern or southeastern side of the buildings, so that they are covered from the scorching southern and western rays of the sun. And when their buds are colored, it is better to put them under the canopy of a terrace or gazebo, so that the sun hits the flowers only early in the morning. Then hydrangeas will delight you with their bright flowering for more than two months.

Moisture and watering

It is better if the rain does not fall on the bushes at all - the huge caps of flowers become very heavy, lie down, and the bush loses its shape. But it is advisable to water the plants with soft rainwater, since hard tap water shifts the pH of the soil to the "uncomfortable" alkaline side. From spring to autumn, I make sure that the soil in the pots does not dry out, and on hot days I water the plants daily and abundantly. But even if the hydrangeas are slightly tucked up, after good watering they quickly recover, although this is undesirable. I never pour water out of the pallets - the plants use it for 2-3 hours.

Pruning

I let the hydrangeas bloom to the end - over time, the flowers change color, some turn pink-green, which is also very attractive. After flowering, I cut off all the inflorescences to the first pair of strong buds. This is perhaps the most difficult procedure, because on a large bush there are up to 90 caps. I carry out the main pruning in early spring, without delay - the hydrangea quickly begins sap flow, and the slices “cry” for a long time. I remove weak shoots, and old branches from bushes older than 5 years.I thin out the bushes of varieties with a large shoot-forming ability. I do not touch the ends of the shoots, or once again I cut them to the nearest pair of strong buds. After such pruning, the bushes bloom very generously. But for the first 5–6 years, you can leave them alone.

Reproduction

In July, I cut green cuttings with two pairs of leaves. I make the lower cut oblique, the upper one straight. I remove the lower leaves completely, and cut off half of the leaf blade from the upper ones. The rooting rate of cuttings is very high. They easily give roots in any acidic substrate for indoor plants, in peat tablets and just in water. Planted in July, the plants develop rapidly and many bloom the next year.

As you can see, growing large-leaved hydrangea in pots is not at all difficult. You may have to listen to your husband's grumbling as the hydrangeas rise and fall from the cellar, but this is a trifle. For the long-term beauty that these plants will give you, you can be patient. Decorate your life with hydrangea easily and abundantly!

Garden or large-leaved hydrangea is a gorgeous shrub in every sense. Despite the fact that this plant is initially not hardy, the fashion for it has spread to our gardens as well. The magnificent caps of the inflorescences with unique shades of color, the luxurious leaves and silhouettes of this queen among the hydrangas are enchanting. And only after planting a bush or two of large-leaved hydrangea in their garden, many gardeners discover all the "pitfalls". This, the most difficult to grow, hydrangea requires systemic care and attention, careful selection of conditions and, in general, is quite capricious.

Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Content:

• Botanical features of large-leaved hydrangea
• Criteria for choosing a garden hydrangea, or large-leaved
• Conditions required for large-leaved hydrangea
• Planting large-leaved hydrangeas
• Large-leaved hydrangea care
• Wintering large-leaved hydrangea
• Pest and disease control of large-leaved hydrangea

Botanical features of large-leaved hydrangea

Large-leaved hydrangea, or garden (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a highly decorative and fast-growing type of hydrangea native to Japan and China. The maximum height in a region with severe winters is limited to 1-2 m.This species has erect shoots, ovoid, large, bright green leaves and flat wide inflorescence shields up to 15 cm in diameter and up to 10 cm in height, consisting of fruiting lilac or blue and large pink, with irregular bright strokes, reaching up to 3.5 cm in diameter, sterile flowers.

Hydrangea inflorescences, the flowering of which starts in July, remain highly decorative until next spring: they dry out, but still remain very attractive.

Large-leaved hydrangeas, the fashion for which came to us from the West, so captivating in tubs and pots, so unique in their beauty of their almost spherical dense inflorescences and bright foliage - shrubs are still capricious and unadapted to the harsh climate. But this does not prevent them from growing even in regions with harsh winters.

And although these beauties need special care and protection for the winter, their beauty, nevertheless, is unmatched. And it doesn't matter if you decide to transplant a potted hydrangea into the garden or originally purchased a garden plant - the principles of growing and caring for the shrub will still be the same. The main difficulty in growing large-leaved hydrangeas is associated with the need to preserve last year's shoots, on which this type of hydrangea blooms, during a long and harsh winter, not only without freezing, but also without drying out.

Criteria for choosing a garden hydrangea, or large-leaved

Choosing the right variety is a key success factor in growing large-leaved hydrangeas. This plant has more winter hardy and less hardy varieties that can only winter indoors.The declared frost resistance of this type of hydrangea is up to -18 ° C, typical only for varieties adapted to the harsh climate and mainly modern ones.

When choosing hydrangeas, you should give preference to plants not according to the degree of their decorativeness, but according to the factor of adaptability to your climate - the plants of local garden centers and nurseries. Imported large-leaved hydrangeas are more likely to cause disappointment.

Be sure to check if the variety has been tested in your area or is grown in a climate similar to yours. When choosing a variety, you should pay attention to one more very important factor: remontability or common cultivar.

Repaired varieties, to which the majority of modern macrophylls belong, are hydrangeas, which can boast not only a variety of colors, but also the ability to bloom both on last year's and on young shoots. Such hydrangeas are guaranteed to bloom: even if something fails or winter protection is not enough, young branches will still give at least a few inflorescences.

Macrophylla hydrangea is grown differently from other types of hydrangeas, including treelike and paniculate. If other species have much more in common than excellent in the requirements for care and selection of conditions, then the large-leaved hydrangea requires a special approach to itself.

Large-leaved hydrangeas should only be bought in containers or pots: seedlings with an open root system do not take root well and should not even be experimented with in regions with harsh winters (injuries sustained by the root system will not allow the plant to fully adapt and grow the root system sufficient for to withstand the winter even with shelter).

Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Despite the status of shade-tolerant shrubs, inherent in all hydrangeas without exception, macrophylls do not belong to such. Even in southern regions with mild winters, this plant can be planted only in partial shade, and not in the shade, and in regions with severe winters, plants should be classified as light-loving.

But when choosing a place for a large-leaved hydrangea, you should not rush to plant it on hot sunny areas, protecting it from midday and lunch rays. So that the large-leaved hydrangea does not suffer from heat and overheating of the roots, the plants are planted in a place where they will be illuminated not by the daytime, but by the morning or evening sun (but not less than 6 hours a day). Ordinary sunny areas will lead to the fact that in summer the leaves and inflorescences of the bush will wither and wither every day, and the latter may not recover even at night.

When choosing a place, it is worth considering the location in relation to trees and shrubs. Despite the fact that in most landscape projects hydrangeas can be seen under the trees, planting macrophylls in such a company is still not a good idea. Hydrangea is moisture-loving and under woody ones it can suffer from a lack of moisture, which will be pulled from the ground by giants.

Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Planting macrophylls requires great care and careful preparation. The main attention should be paid to the preparation of the site and the soil mixture, which will be filled with the planting pit.

The optimal planting dates in regions with severe winters (including in the middle lane) is spring. Planting hydrangeas is carried out as soon as the weather permits, the soil will not only thaw, but also warm up, and the threat of severe frosts will pass.

For large-leaved hydrangea, the recommended planting distance is about 1 m.

Hydrangea is not simply covered with soil removed during the digging of a hole, but a special soil mixture is prepared in which the roots adapt and germinate faster. Peat, humus, coniferous soil are added to the garden soil in equal shares, preparing a loose and super nutritious soil mixture.

The garden soil removed from the hole, in turn, can be replaced with a mixture in equal proportions of sod, leafy soil and sand. But the key point is to determine the acidity of the soil, which, in turn, will provide the color of the inflorescences. If you want to grow those very blue, blue or purple hydrangeas (you can get them only from varieties with a pink or red color, but not from white-flowered hydrangeas), then you need to prepare in advance such a soil that will provide the original high acidity.

For blue colored hydrangeas, the pH should be between 5.0 and 5.5. For hydrangeas with white, pink and red inflorescences, the permissible value is from 6.0 to 6.2 (in acidic soil, the color of non-white varieties will change to lilac or blue).

In any case, large-leaved hydrangeas should not be planted in soil with a calcareous reaction (maximum permissible pH value is 6.4). If you want to get blue or lilac colors, then you need to add aluminum sulfate to the soil. At the same time, if the soil is changed specifically to obtain blue hydrangeas, it must be remembered that such an addition is only the first step. In the future, it will be possible to save the colors only with proper watering and fertilization. In addition to the acidifying additive, a full portion of complex mineral fertilizers is also applied to the soil. Today, the addition of hydrogel has become fashionable, which allows you to more effectively retain moisture.

The size of the planting pit should correspond to the size of the root ball of a large-leaved hydrangea: about 35 cm deep and wide for small bushes in small containers and half-meter holes for larger specimens. Preparing the landing pit will also require additional tweaks. To avoid the risk of water stagnation even on ordinary clay soils, improve water and air permeability, create an optimal environment at the bottom of the planting pits, you need to lay a drainage layer (expanded clay or pebbles, but not crushed stone).

Before planting, the upper free layer of the substrate is carefully removed from the container (usually it is quite dirty), and the plant is watered abundantly for at least a few hours. When taking out a hydrangea, you need to be very careful and try not to destroy the earthen lump. In a cramped container or pot, strong young roots tend to curl around the perimeter of the earthen coma, as if entangling the substrate. They need to be straightened, straightened carefully, without injuring the small roots.

A thin layer of soil is poured at the bottom of the hole and a small mound is created. A hydrangea is placed on it, straightening long roots. Then the seedling is carefully covered with the prepared soil mixture, carefully tamping the soil and gently compacting it around the root ball. When planting, you need to ensure that the depth of the root collar does not change.

Planting large-leaved hydrangea is completed with abundant watering and mulching: the trunk circle is covered with a layer of peat or a mixture of peat and compost with a height of 7 to 10 cm.

Planting a large-leaved hydrangea

Humidity and watering requirements

Large-leaved hydrangeas, like any other species of this shrub, are not accidentally named hydrangeas. But if some types of hydrangeas are content only with watering in a drought, then the large-leaved beauty needs a more careful approach. For this hydrangea, the soil in the trunk circle must be kept constantly moist.

Since uniform moisture can be achieved only by systemic irrigation, the macrophylla hydrangea is watered regularly (at least once a month), teaching procedures in drought and heat (the optimal strategy is 1 watering per week). For each hydrangea bush, 20-25 liters of water are used, deeply soaking the soil under the plant. Hydrangeas are watered at the root, so that both the garden soil and the lump of earth that was saved during planting are saturated.

Shrubs need watering not only in spring and summer, but also in autumn.Lack of moisture during winter preparation can cause severe damage to the plant. But excessive humidity in autumn is also very dangerous. If the weather is rainy and there is a lot of precipitation, then the large-leaved hydrangea is protected from getting wet, because it should go under the shelter with low soil moisture and dried crown.

You can simplify the watering process by taking care of mulching: it will more effectively retain moisture and protect the root system from overheating. For mulching garden hydrangeas, materials are used that play the role of an acidifying additive - coniferous litter, coniferous soil or pine bark. Refill mulch 2-3 times per season.

The characteristics of the water for irrigating hydrangeas are of great importance. For blue and lilac hydrangeas, watering can only be carried out with soft or acidified water, the pH value of which does not exceed 5.5. But for any other hydrangeas, it is preferable to use soft or rain, warm, settled water.

For large-leaved hydrangeas, drip irrigation systems can be installed that effectively direct water to the roots and maintain a stable soil moisture.

Watering large-leaved hydrangea

Pruning and shaping large-leaved hydrangea

As is the case with most flowering shrubs, garden hydrangeas should not be pruned immediately and started from the first year on. In the first three years, the shrub builds up the root system, and while the rooting process lasts, you should not expect lush flowering, there is no need to carry out regular pruning procedures to stimulate it. The only thing that the bushes will need is sanitary pruning or cleaning, during which dry and damaged shoots are removed.

Only after three years do they begin to carry out regular procedures. Hydrangea inflorescences can be removed both in autumn and spring, but it is better to leave them for the winter, like the upper leaves, for optimal protection of the buds. Pruning on remontant and ordinary, blooming only on the shoots of the previous year, hydrangeas, is different:

1. In ordinary varieties, pruning is carried out in early spring, after removing the shelter, combining sanitary pruning with the removal of last year's inflorescences to the first living bud on the branches (if the inflorescences were not removed in autumn).
2. In remontant hydrangeas, pruning is carried out to the second or third bud on all shoots, stimulating the development of several lateral peduncles and increasing the number of inflorescences.

On old bushes of large-leaved hydrangea, for rejuvenation, a partial cut is carried out in the spring: 2-3 of the oldest shoots are removed (but not more than a quarter of all branches), in place of which new replacing branches will gradually grow. Radical rejuvenation will not only make you wait for a new flowering for several years, but also increase the risk of losing hydrangeas. It is better to rejuvenate the plant gradually, removing the oldest shoots in a few years.

Pruning hydrangea large-leaved

Top dressing and acidification for macrophylla hydrangea

When choosing the type of fertilizer for feeding, the desired color of large-leaved hydrangeas should be taken into account. For blue and lilac hydrangeas, only fertilizers with a low phosphorus content can be used, an excess or even the usual amount of which can prevent discoloration. For intense and clean red and pink hydrangeas, on the contrary, fertilizers with a high phosphorus content are chosen.

For hydrangeas, it is better to use special fertilizers, which are in the product lines of all popular manufacturers of garden dressings. Fertilizers are also suitable for other plants that love acidic soil - rhododendrons, heathers, etc. But you can use a complex universal fertilizer, and separately nitrogen, potash and phosphorus fertilizers, mixing them yourself.

The main advantage of special fertilizers for hydrangeas is the correct ratio not only of the main elements, but of microelements that fully meet the characteristics of the shrub.

If you mix fertilizers yourself, and do not use ready-made preparations, then for blue hydrangeas, mix 25 g of nitrogen fertilizers with 5 g of phosphorus and 30 g of potash for 1 feeding, and for pink and red ones - 10 g of nitrogen with 40 g of phosphorus and 10 g of potassium ...

For large-leaved hydrangeas, three dressings are usually applied:

1. Spring, which is introduced at the very beginning of the growth of a large-leaved hydrangea and contains all three trace elements (you can replace it with organic fertilizing or combine both dressings).
2. Two summer dressings (in June for setting the buds and a few weeks after the beginning of flowering), which can be carried out both with special fertilizers for hydrangeas, and exclusively with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, which improve the ripening of shoots and preparation for winter.

For all hydrangeas, from which they want to achieve blue, blue or purple flowering, in addition to the usual dressings, acidifying procedures are carried out by watering the plant with special fertilizers. During the entire active season, with a frequency of 1 time in 7-14 days, the plant is watered with aluminum sulfate, or rather, with an aqueous solution of aluminum sulfate in the ratio of 1 tablespoon of the drug to 1 liter of water.

Iron or aluminum alum is also used (8-10 crystals per 2 liters of water per plant). For hydrangeas that want to get a bright pink or red color, when the color changes and signs of soil over-acidification, it is better to carry out the reverse procedure in time - alkalinization, adding a handful of ash or dolomite flour to the soil.

Aluminum sulphate for acidifying the soil and coloring the flowers of large-leaved hydrangeas

The easiest way to protect low-hardy large-leaved hydrangeas for the winter is to dig and carry them into pots and containers, keeping them either in a cool room with tubs, or on a windowsill in a room with at least 2 months of full shading.

However, constant digging and planting will not allow the plant to build up a normal root system, and the lack of a full-fledged dormant phase will still affect flowering, and the risk of infection with diseases and pests will increase. If you want to keep the macrophylla hydrangea indoors in winter, then it is better to grow it initially as an indoor or garden container plant, the care of which is somewhat different from the general rules.

For successful overwintering in the soil, any macrophylla hydrangea, without exception, needs protection and shelter; even the newest varieties with increased resistance or remontant varieties bloom more luxuriantly due to the ability to release inflorescences on young twigs. Indeed, even in the best hydrangeas, winter hardiness is limited to only 18 degrees of frost. Shelter for garden hydrangeas is often compared to sheltering roses, and they do have a lot in common.

The classic method of protecting large-leaved hydrangea for the winter involves the creation of several layers of shelter:

• in mid-September, leaves are removed from the bottom of the bushes of large-leaved hydrangea to improve lignification, and before the first frost, leaves are removed up to half of the shoots (if it is rainy autumn, then a frame is additionally built over the plant to protect it from waterlogging);
• in late October or early November (if autumn is cold and the first frosts are observed earlier, then in mid-October), the hydrangea bush is spud with peat, using about 1 bucket per plant;
• when the temperature drops greatly, spruce branches or a board are laid on the soil, the shoots of the plant are tilted and pinned;
• the bush is covered with a dense layer of nonwovens;
• from above the bushes are covered with dry leaves;
• non-soaking protective materials (roofing material or film) are laid on the leaves.

Each stage of the shelter is created in a few days, completely closing the hydrangeas only with the onset of stable frosts: damping off threatens the shrub no less than freezing. The holes in the shelter are left until severe frosts, if possible, opening them up during periods of thaw.

Hilling large-leaved hydrangea for the winter

There are other options for sheltering a large-leaved hydrangea:

• the huddled bushes of large-leaved hydrangea are bent to the ground, covered with leaves or covered with spruce branches, and covered with boxes or wooden boxes on top;
• after hilling, spruce branches are laid out around the bushes or wooden flooring is installed, shoots are pinned and the bushes of large-leaved hydrangea are covered with spruce branches or dry leaves, covering from above with non-woven materials; the last layer of shelter is created from peat or sawdust, covered with waterproof materials

Removal of the shelter is carried out gradually, layer by layer, with a difference from 2 to 3 days to 1 week. They begin to remove the shelter in April, and finish only after the threat of spring frosts has completely disappeared.

Pest and disease control of large-leaved hydrangea

Large-leaved hydrangeas can hardly be called the most persistent and hardy. This type of hydrangea often suffers from:

• from chlorosis, which occurs on alkaline soil and when irrigated with hard water, most often manifests itself in yellowing of the leaves (you can fight by acidifying the soil);
• from downy mildew, which manifests itself in oily yellow spots (it is better to fight with copper-containing preparations and fungicides);
• from rust (the main method of control is spraying with copper sulfate);
• from septoria (fungicides, burgundy and Bordeaux liquid);
• from spider mites, which, in drought and low humidity, easily entwine all shoots (requires the use of insecticides);
• from mice and other rodents who are attracted by a warm winter shelter (it is better to set traps in advance or spread the appropriate means).

In the first year after planting, it is advisable to water any large-leaved hydrangea with a weak solution of a fungicide of complex action to protect it from rot and diseases (you can also use a weak solution of potassium permanganate).

Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

In the fall, as part of the procedures for preparing for the winter for large-leaved hydrangeas, it is better to carry out preventive spraying with Bordeaux mixture, which will improve the preservation of the branches, reduce the risk of overheating and prevent fungal diseases.

In the previous article on hydrangea, I talked about the most popular varieties and rules for growing in the garden. Many gardeners, unfortunately, do not have their own plot, but they would dream of growing a luxurious hydrangea bush in an apartment. Despite the fact that hydrangea loves an abundance of light and space, perhaps you will find a suitable window sill where it can grow in a pot. Naturally, you should not expect from a "domesticated" hydrangea the same abundant flowering as from a garden form. In a pot, in the cramped space of the roots, with less light than on an open surface, hydrangea inflorescences will be much smaller in size. But at the same time, they will not lose their charm, incredible colors and a tendency to long-term flowering. Only, if possible, send hydrangea to an open space - a loggia or balcony during the summer months. It is also worthwhile to foresee a place for the wintering of your pet in advance.

In the article where we tamed the "obstinate" orchid, I already said that the flowering program in plants "turns on" after several successive natural signals. For hydrangea, such a signal is winter rest for 2–2.5 months. During this period, the hydrangea bush is kept in a cool room (basement, glazed loggia, unheated storeroom) at temperatures ranging from 5 ... 10 ºС. And only after coming out of 2-month sleep, the hydrangea will delight you with flowering from April to November.

Hydrangea will delight you with flowering from April to November

Conditions for growing hydrangeas at home

Substrate
Hydrangea is grown only in acidic soil. A ready-made substrate for azaleas, citrus fruits, conifers, or a special one for hydrangeas, bought in a store, is suitable for her. Therefore, I recommend growing hydrangeas in a mixture of turf, black peat, humus or leafy soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 0.5.

Transfer
We spend it every year after the plant wakes up. If you regulate the growth of your hydrangea, leaving it constantly in the same frame, then you do not need to increase the diameter of the pot. After wintering, some of the thinnest roots dry up irrevocably, only the most powerful ones remain viable. Without a twinge of conscience, we remove the "cobweb" of roots together with the waste soil and plant it again in an old pot, but with fresh soil. And so every year.

Watering
During flowering, water the plant abundantly, ensuring stable soil moisture. Complete drying of the coma is not allowed until a dormant period occurs, in which the hydrangea is introduced gradually, reducing watering to nothing. Watering should be done only with soft water. For hydrangeas, this is very important, because it does not tolerate alkaline soils, and they become so and lose the necessary acidic reaction, especially with frequent watering with hard water with a high calcium content. Rainwater, from a well or spring, is best. As a last resort, stand the tap water for 24 hours before watering the hydrangea. Acidify it occasionally with citric or oxalic acid.

Fertilizer
Every 10-14 days, watering with water is replaced with fertilizer. We begin to water the fertilizer only when small inflorescences appear on the tips of the shoots. Universal fertilizer for flowering plants or any complex fertilizer is diluted in the proportion indicated on the package. After flowering, two dressings are made with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer or, in the absence of, they are skipped altogether.

Light
The balcony or window should be very light, with a minimum of direct sunlight. If your hydrangea looks "grafted" every day at noon, but the earthen lump is still wet, change the window on which it grows.

Trimming and shaping
Can be carried out before or after dormancy. Remember that the hydrangea lays flower buds at the top of the shoot of the current year. So your plant should always have two types of branches: the first - last year's and flowering and the second - with the prospect of flowering next year. This is important to know when pruning. We do not cut off new shoots; we shorten the faded ones to 2-3 internodes or cut them out altogether. Hydrangea needs to ration the number of shoots. We leave only powerful, well-developed shoots. In the root zone, in the fall, we pluck out new shoots, leaving no more than 5 best shoots.

Your plant should always have two types of branches: the first - last year's and flowering and the second - with the prospect of flowering next year

Reproduction
If desired, the hydrangea can be easily propagated. Most willingly, hydrangea reproduces by green cuttings. The best time for this is mid to late summer. In the root zone, select well-developed shoots and cut them off at the base with a sharp knife. We also take side shoots from last year's branches. Cut the cuttings up to 10 cm long with several pairs of leaves, which are removed from the bottom of it and shortened to half at the top. The survival rate of such cuttings is very high - 80–90%. To guarantee this result, we dip the end of each cutting into a root stimulant, the range of which is now very large. But even without the help of a stimulant, cuttings root remarkably within 4-5 weeks. We plant the prepared cuttings in an acidic substrate based on peat, any of the above will do.To maintain high humidity, put a transparent plastic bag on top of the pot with several holes for ventilation. After two months, remove the bag and take care of the small shoots like a regular houseplant.

Cuttings root remarkably within 4-5 weeks

"Magic potion", or how to change the color of hydrangea

To transform one hydrangea into another, we cannot do without a "magic potion". To prepare it, we need water and potassium alum (these are derivatives of various alkali metals) or aluminum sulfate. These components can be purchased at any gardening store.
The color change occurs only with the simultaneous presence of two factors: acidic soil and the presence of aluminum. So, we dilute potassium alum as follows: 5-10 g per 1 liter of water, and aluminum sulfate - 15 g. Water the pot with hydrangea with this solution from the moment the small inflorescences appeared, alternating watering with ordinary water, fertilized and "magic".
Delicate pink hydrangea blooms with blue flowers, deep pink - with lilac or lilac (it depends on the intensity of the original pigment), red - purple. And if you water the dark pink varieties with aluminum sulfate or iron, then you can count on blue flowers.

The color change occurs only with the simultaneous presence of two factors: acidic soil and the presence of aluminum

To make it easier to understand what we will have in different months, and how our hydrangea will look like at the same time, I have compiled a calendar for keeping hydrangea at home for you.

Note to flower growers

December to January – rest period. Hydrangea stands in a cool room at a temperature of 5 ... 10 ºС with a dry or slightly damp lump of earth. Branches without foliage.

February - ntimidity. The buds swell on the branches, the hydrangea gives a signal that it will soon begin to bloom. It's time to transplant it into fresh soil, possibly by increasing the size of the pot, and transfer it to a light window. We accustom to watering gradually, carefully and reasonably as the earth dries out, letting the earth dry out a little from above. We avoid the accumulation of excess water in the pan and do not leave the pot in it to get wet. Choose a window that is very light, without direct sunlight.

March to April – active growth... Hydrangea is becoming greener every day, actively increasing its green mass, preparing for flowering. We take care of the hydrangea as usual: we water and fertilize.

May to October – bloom... Hydrangea goes through different stages of flowering: development, blooming, coloration and color change. If possible, we take it out to the balcony in partial shade. During this period, we carefully monitor the moisture content of the earthen coma, never allowing it to dry out, we regularly fertilize the plant. Enjoy the beauty of hydrangea to the fullest.

November – the end of flowering. The inflorescences can dry out and wither. It's time to cut them off and give the plant a break from depleting flowering. We fertilize a couple of times instead of nitrogen or complex fertilizers with phosphorus-potassium. We gradually reduce the number and frequency of watering.

December - rest time... Hortense threw off all the leaves, she fell asleep. The clod of earth is barely wet. We carry out pruning of frail and disproportionately grown shoots and send them to a cool place until February.

If you once tried to grow a hydrangea, then, I am sure, you will forever remain a fan of it. This plant is interesting to grow not only for aesthetic purposes, but also as an experiment. After all, every florist is, in fact, in something and somewhere a magician, only thanks to his care and love can a plant bloom, not to mention changing color. Give time and care to your plants and they will surely respond with lush bloom! The word of an experienced florist.