How to properly water hydrangea at home and in the garden

Varieties that change color

Among the common types of hydrangeas are:

• Tree-like;
• Paniculate;
• Oak-leaved;
• Sadovy, etc.

Each of them looks gorgeous, but only a garden hydrangea has the ability to change the shade of the petals.

Garden hydrangea

The more common name is large-leaved. Shrub-flower stretches up to 1.4-1.8 m. The shape of the bush resembles a ball. The peculiarity of this species is in bright emerald leaves. They are large, oval. Notches are present. The caps of the inflorescences are fleshy. The diameter of each inflorescence is about 15-20 cm. Shoots begin to woody only after a year. Because of this feature, the garden hydrangea needs shelter for the winter. Fortunately, dwarf varieties have now appeared. They are intended for breeding in apartments.

Garden hydrangea

Note! The uniqueness of hydrangea is that it grows well both in acidic soil and in slightly acidic, neutral and alkaline. Among the varieties of large-leaved hydrangea, there are those that can change color, depending on the acidity of the soil and the content of aluminum metal in the soil.

The color changes due to the pigment substances anthocyanins. They are the ones that react to the pH of the soil. In addition, such flowers contain another pigment matter - delphinidin-3-monoglycositis. The pigment also reacts to the conditions in which the cultivation of a flowering crop takes place, in particular, to the presence of aluminum in the ground.

Among the varieties of large-leaved hydrangea, there are those that can change color, depending on the acidity of the soil and the content of aluminum metal in the soil. The color changes due to the pigment substances anthocyanins. They are the ones that react to the pH of the soil. In addition, such flowers contain another pigment matter - delphinidin-3-monoglycositis. The pigment also reacts to the conditions in which the flowering crop is grown, in particular to the presence of aluminum in the ground.

In order for the hydrangea to bloom blue, the gardener is advised to buy the following varieties of large-leaved flower:

• Endless summer;
• Blue Wave;
• Masya;
• Renata Steiniger, etc.

All of these varieties have a long flowering period. The first inflorescences are observed in the middle of summer. Flowers delight summer residents before the onset of frost.

How to feed hydrangeas in spring and summer for flowering: options

There are many effective ways to feed hydrangeas in spring and summer. Some are more expensive, others are less, in any case, the choice is yours.

Let's move on to the point, namely, we will consider in detail and list the main fertilizers suitable for feeding hydrangeas in spring and summer (as well as in autumn):

Nitrogen fertilizers

Mineral nitrogen fertilizers:

Urea (Urea) - 46% nitrogen (10-15 grams for 10 liters of water or 1 sq. m);

Ammonium nitrate - 33-35% nitrogen (15-20 grams per 10 liters of water or per 1 square meter);

Ammonium sulfate - 21% nitrogen (acidic fertilizer, which means it is ideal for hydrangeas).

Organic fertilizers

• infusion of chicken manure (as a rule, it is initially diluted with water 1 to 20, and before adding another 1 to 3);
• infusion of cow dung or mullein (1 in 10, and then another 1 in 2);
• green fertilizer (nettle infusion).

Complex mineral dressing

It is very convenient to use complex mineral fertilizers, which contain all the macronutrients.

So, hydrangeas can be fed in spring the following fertilizers:

Nitroammofosk (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium - all 16% each). Prepare the solution at the rate of 20-30 grams per 10 liters of water. Pour about 5 liters under an adult bush.

Diammofoska - 10% nitrogen, 26% phosphorus and potassium each (20 grams per 10 liters of water).

Potassium monophosphate - 50% phosphorus and 33% potassium (10-15 grams per 10 liters of water).

Phosphate-potassium fertilizing

An excellent option for feeding hydrangeas during the budding period for lush flowering, as well as during direct flowering (and in autumn), can be the following combination of mineral fertilizers:

Superphosphate - nitrogen 6-9%, phosphorus - 26-30% (10-20 grams per 10 liters of water or per 1 square meter).

Potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate) - 46-52% potassium (10-20 grams per 10 liters of water or per 1 square meter).

Fertilizers with humates and microelements

It is very good to use humates, which contribute to the better assimilation of mineral fertilizers. Therefore, you can first prepare a solution of Potassium Humate, and then add a complex mineral fertilizer to it, for example, the same nitroammophoska or potassium sulfate + superphosphate.

Unusual fertilizers

The following non-standard acidifying fertilizers can be quite effective means for feeding hydrangeas in spring and summer:

kefir;

• fermented baked milk;
• sour milk;
• curdled milk;
• milk serum;
• infusion of rye bread;
• yeast infusion (10 g of dry yeast and 3-5 teaspoons of sugar per 10 liters of water).

In other words, any acidic foods are suitable. However, they should not contain salt.

It is also very good to feed hydrangeas with potassium permanganate (slightly pink solution). Such top dressing will strengthen the shoots, they will be more flexible, make the flower stalks larger, and the flowering itself will last longer (due to the potassium included in it).

When to fertilize, timing

In spring, hydrangea wakes up when the snow melts - in April. This is a good time for the first feeding. It is aimed at supporting the active growth of shrub shoots, and contains the most nitrogen.

2 weeks after the first feeding, the hydrangea is watered with compounds that strengthen the wood tissue. If necessary, acidify the soil.

The next spring feeding is aimed at accelerating the growth of young shoots of the plant. It is held in late May - early June.

An approximate fertilization scheme for all types of hydrangea looks like this:

• April 10-18 - application of nitrogen fertilizers to accelerate the growth of foliage and shoots;
• throughout May, hydrangea is sprayed with preparations containing manganese to strengthen and flexible the shoots;
• at the end of May - beginning of June, they give a complex feeding, containing all the basic elements, to improve growth and increase the number of young shoots.

Frequent mistakes when watering hydrangeas and their consequences

It is important to always remember about acidification, as it helps the plant to absorb iron - an important trace element. Its deficiency leads to foliar chlorosis, when the plate begins to turn yellow in the center, and remains green around

Therefore, watering only with water is not correct. Lack of iron can ultimately lead to death.

Attention! In a situation of iron deficiency, iron vitriol or iron chelate, which can be purchased at the pharmacy, can quickly help. Excessive watering in cold weather is contraindicated

This will lead to stagnation of moisture and decay. Fungus infection is also possible. With frequent use of chemicals for irrigation (when planting hydrangeas in the open field), the site will not be suitable for other plants

Excessive watering in cold weather is contraindicated. This will lead to stagnation of moisture and decay. Fungus infection is also possible. With frequent use of chemicals for irrigation (when planting hydrangeas in the open field), the site will not be suitable for other plants.

Hydrangea is a beautiful flower that can easily decorate a garden, an apartment or a house. Interesting in that it can change the color of flowers. Good growth and flowering requires careful watering and acidification, as well as timely feeding.

vote

Article Rating

How do I change the color?

Changing the color of hydrangea inflorescences is not an easy task that requires care, patience and endurance. It is far from always possible to get flowers of exactly the same color as you would like the first time. The process is further complicated by the fact that the results of labor become evident only when the flowers begin to bloom. If the hopes are not justified, you will have to wait until the end of flowering or next spring to continue the experiments.If it did not work right away, you should not stop trying to paint the hydrangea in the desired color, because sometimes only one, the very last, decisive step is missing.

Most often, the first flowering after planting, if the shrub is already quite developed, this is exactly what happens, since the most suitable environment was created during its cultivation. The next flowering, most likely, will occur under the influence of trace elements of the soil in which the plant was planted. If there are enough anthocyanins in the cells, which is determined by the characteristics of the variety, the hydrangea will begin to change the color of the petals.

If the soil in the area is acidic, the hydrangea inflorescences will become more blue with each flowering. Nothing needs to be done to make it blue. But if the flowers began to turn pink, violating the gardener's plans, it is necessary to immediately begin work on giving the petals the desired shade. For hydrangea to be blue or have a blue tint, you will need to provide it with free aluminum ions. To make aluminum ions more accessible, it is necessary, first of all, to increase their number. There are several ways to do this.

• Water the bushes with aluminum alum. Dissolve 3 g of alum in 1 liter of water. It is necessary to prepare 10 liters of solution for the bush. Watering is carried out regularly once a week for a month. In no case should you increase the dose of alum, this can cause the death of the plant.
• Feed the hydrangea with aluminum sulfate. In dry form, it is necessary to add 500 g of substance per 1 square meter. You can also water the hydrangea with a solution of this substance at the rate of 3 g per 1 liter of water. Some formulations designed to make it blue, produced by well-known companies (for example, "Rainbow" or "Blue Hydrangea"), contain aluminum sulphate.
• It is necessary to remember about the phosphorus content in mineral dressing, it should be minimal. In no case should superphosphate be used, and bone meal is also undesirable.

Hydrangeas have been cultivated in Europe since the 14th century. Even then, gardeners, primarily monks, noticed that the shrub can change color if transplanted to another place. Soon the first experiments on coloring hydrangeas began. Many methods of the Middle Ages for "repainting" hydrangea are still used today as folk remedies.

• The simplest is the introduction of so-called acidic organic matter into the soil: peat, rotted needles, sawdust or crushed pine bark. Like many folk remedies, this one requires methodology and constancy, and its effect will not be noticeable immediately.
• There is also known such a simple method that causes the appearance of a blue tint, such as burying iron objects under the roots: nails, cans, and so on. Iron oxidation can also cause an increase in soil acidity near the hydrangea roots. The method, like the previous one, is effective, but very slow.
• Another popular method is to water plants with rainwater with lemon juice or dissolved citric acid. It is clear that watering once is not enough. This process should become regular.

Often, gardeners use complex methods to give inflorescences a blue tint, while simultaneously introducing acidic organics, increasing the aluminum content and reducing the introduction of phosphorus. This complex method may be the most effective. If the study of the reaction of the soil on the site revealed its alkaline reaction, you can get rid of this almost invincible factor by using containers for growing blue hydrangeas. They create conditions favorable specifically for blue inflorescences, and the effect of an external, unfavorable environment for this can be completely excluded.

How to change the color of hydrangea, see below.

Hydrangea discoloration

It is possible to give light semitones to hydrangea inflorescences without much investment of effort.The color change will be temporary, and only the veins of the petals will be colored in new colors.

1. In order for the hydrangea to turn pink, the near-stem circle must be watered with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.
2. A solution of ferrous sulfate (1 tsp for 7 liters of water) with regular watering will give a beautiful purple tone to the petals of the inflorescences. Digging in metal shavings under the bush leads to a similar shade.
3. A weak alum solution will give the hydrangea inflorescences a noble blue tint.

Nevertheless, such measures are not enough for the inflorescences to acquire a bright and rich color. In this way, you only color the veins of the petals, while the color may turn out to be uneven and slightly sloppy.

Blue hydrangea

Obtaining the noble blue and blue color of hydrangea inflorescences is troublesome. First, you need to measure the PH of the soil under the bush and make the necessary manipulations to acidify it. At a level above 5.0, it is required to apply moor peat on the ground around the plant with a layer of at least 20 cm or spill it with a solution of agricultural sulfur according to the instructions.

Having achieved the desired PH values, do not stop - constantly monitor the level of acidity of the soil and, if necessary, spill the soil around the bush with a solution of aluminum sulfate (500 grams of powder per 1 sq.m., 20 liters of water per 1 plant) twice a week. Also, to maintain the achieved results, it is recommended to mulch the near-stem circle of hydrangea with needles or fresh sawdust.

Gardeners use superphosphate to obtain lush hydrangea inflorescences, but now this fertilizer will be prohibited for you. For the summer period, select other formulations, with a low phosphorus content and a high potassium content.

You will learn more about changing the color of hydrangea and what measures should be taken to maintain the achieved decorative result from the following video:

Pink hydrangea

To get a pink color in hydrangea flowers, you need to measure the PH level of the soil first. Ideally, it should be in the range of 6.0-6.5: at these rates, the shrub still feels comfortable, but its root system cannot assimilate aluminum salts.

If the soil is acidic, it can be deacidified carefully, without excessive entrainment, using lime, dolomite flour or ground limestone. The main thing is not to overdo it, since a highly alkaline environment will lead to hydrangea diseases - in particular, to chlorosis

After reaching the desired soil PH values, you will need to constantly maintain the obtained level. For this, fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus are traditionally used. The use of these elements will have a positive effect on the health of the plant, as well as on the size of the inflorescences.

How to feed hydrangea to change color

Large-leaved hydrangea has an attractive, in terms of decorativeness, feature - the ability to change the color of flower petals, depending on the acidity of the soil. A gardener, introducing certain compounds into the soil, can achieve the appearance of white, pink or blue inflorescences on the bush.

For the color of the petals, special substances are responsible that are found in the cell sap of the plant, these are anthocyates. Depending on the acidity of the soil, these substances change color:

• if the hydrangea grows in a neutral soil, the flower petals will be white;
• acidic environment will give flowers blue or blue shades;
• in alkaline soil, hydrangea blooms with pink flowers.

In addition to the acidity of the soil, the brightness of the color is influenced by aluminum, enhancing the brightness of the blue.

To get a hydrangea with blue inflorescences on the site, it is necessary to increase the acidity of the soil to the level of 5.5 units and below from April. For this:

1. the soil around the plants is mulched with pine needles or sour peat;
2. water the hydrangea with an aqueous solution of ammonium chloride;
3. give a solution of aluminum sulfate 15 g per 1 liter of water;
4. make ammonium nitrate or urea solution;
5. water the plant with a solution of citric acid - 2 tbsp. tablespoons of powder in a bucket of water, spending 1 bucket per bush.

It is necessary to introduce acidifying solutions into the soil before the end of the hydrangea flowering.

It is impossible to use superphosphate and manure solution for feeding.

Garden and flower shops sell special fertilizers containing aluminum alum and other elements that increase the acidity of the soil.

To get a bloom in pink-red tones, the acidity of the soil is reduced. To do this, watering hydrangeas with manure infusion is used, lime or wood ash is added in a small amount. The pH level is checked using litmus paper, bringing it to an indicator of 6.5-7 units. It is not recommended to exceed this level, since the risk of hydrangea disease with chlorosis is high.

How to make bloom

Hydrangia of all kinds and varieties love moisture. Mature shrubs are the most demanding for lighting and tolerate cold much easier than young ones. They are strict in nutritional value and soil composition. Sandy and calcareous soils are unacceptable for them. All this must be taken into account when choosing a place for disembarkation. Hydrangea feels good, grows quickly on clay soils. It forms much worse on red earth.

The following techniques will help a culture gain strength and reveal its beauty.

Pruning

Why and when do you need to prune: in the spring or in the fall? It depends on the species of the plant. By the type of flowering, Hydrangia are divided into two groups. The first group includes large-leaved varieties, the second includes paniculate and tree-like varieties.

On the shoots of the current season, the bushes of the first group bloom, and on last year's - the second.

Pruning

On large-leaved hydrangia in the fall, you need to partially cut out old branches at the root. Then, for the next season, powerful replacement shoots will form, they will give good flowering. The task of the autumn cut is the reorganization of the plant and its rejuvenation.

On the treelike hydrangia, inflorescences form on the shoots of the current season. Therefore, they cut it in early spring. In mature and strong plants, 3/4 of the shoot is cut off, keeping up to 5 buds. All frozen and weak shoots are removed at the same time. In the fall, remove all wilted buds and damaged branches so that in winter the snow does not break the shrub.

On a note! The paniculate view can be arranged as a small tree on a low trunk.

Pruning is carried out in the spring: all the branches that are frozen, weakened and growing towards the middle of the bush are cut off. Young growth is pruned, leaving up to 10 buds. All inflorescences are harvested in autumn.

Preparing for winter

In colder regions, when a cold snap hits, many gardeners take steps to protect hydrangeas in winter.

Treelike is the most frost-resistant species, therefore, shelter is needed only for young seedlings that came from warm regions. In the fall, add several compost buckets under each plant. This will protect the roots from freezing.

Preparing for winter

Large-leaved - not particularly resistant to frost, so it needs to be helped to hide from them. The shoots are laid on boards or coniferous paws and attached to the ground with metal studs. Then they are covered with crumbling leaves or spruce branches. In the spring, when the threat of frost has passed, the shelter can be removed. In order to protect the plant from sunburn, it is better to remove the cover in the evening.

Panicle hydrangea overwinters easily without insulation. You just need to mulch each shrub with humus. The plant can bloom for over 50 years. The rejuvenation of the shrub is ensured by its complete cutting under the stump.

Watering

All hydrangia need systematic, generous watering and mulching of the soil. This is especially important when planting in sunny places or sandy soils. The most drought-tolerant large-leaved hydrangea. Large panicle hydrangeas can easily tolerate a fairly long drought.

Soil acidity

For a garden hydrangea, the most suitable pH level is 5-6. It is strictly forbidden to lime the ground. The acidity level of the soil will gradually decrease as the nutrients are absorbed.

Soil acidity

Organic and mineral groundbaits oxidize the soil. If necessary, you can acidify the soil by mixing 10 grams in ten liters of water. food acid.

Often, the desired shade is obtained by artificially changing the soil pH by watering the plant with alkaline or acidic solutions.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are needed for development and lush flowering. There are special hydrangea dressings. Fertilizers enrich the soil not only before planting plants, but also during their intensive growth, in order to accelerate it.

Feeding hydrangeas is definitely part of the puzzle, but if you add too much hydrangea fertilizer, you run the risk of increased leaf growth and very few flowers.

The first feeding should be done in late May or early summer. Then the plants are fed every two weeks. So that the plants can have time to turn numb before winter, from the second half of summer, all feeding is stopped.

Change the color of the garden queen

Knowing the acidity of the soil in your garden can help you achieve the desired hydrangea color. Acidic soil, with a pH level below 7, will allow you to grow a blue, moisture-loving beauty. An alkaline medium (acidity above 7) is good for pink hydrangea. Values ​​of 5, 5 - 6.5 pH will give shades or a pink-blue mixture.

However, knowing the pH value of the soil and choosing a particular type of shrub is not enough. An important factor is the presence of aluminum in the soil. With an acidity above 6.5 (neutral and alkaline), aluminum is not available to the plant, so the hydrangea will release pink flowers.

Blue hydrangea needs acidic earth to help dissolve aluminum. In this case, the presence of aluminum is more important for the flower than the pH level of the soil. In addition, the availability of the element is influenced by the nutrients contained in the earth.

In general, the color of the hydrangea is influenced by the type of shrub, the level of acidity of the soil, aluminum and the fertilizers used.

After planting, the hydrangea, adapting to the new environment, can change color on its own. And a year later, the queen of the garden can please you with several shades at once on one bush.

To control the color of the shrub, it is necessary to adjust the pH level of the soil. This begs the question of what to water to change the color of the queen of the garden.

There are special agrotechnical techniques that help to achieve a change in the shades of inflorescences, which are best used at an early stage of shrub growth. Let's consider them in more detail.

Pink hydrangea

To change the color of the hydrangea from white to pink, you need to maintain a pH above 6.5. If the acidity of the soil of your site is such, the hydrangea will throw out pink inflorescences. However, there is no need to take additional measures.

Fertilize acidic soil several times a year with chalk, limestone or dolomite flour. However, do not overdo it: it is enough to achieve acidity indicators at the level of 6-6.2. At values ​​exceeding these values, the formation of soil chlorosis or iron deficiency is possible.

To saturate the soil with the necessary nutrients, feed the soil with fertilizers with a high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus, but a low concentration of potassium. Aluminum in combination with phosphorus form insoluble compounds, which will prevent the appearance of blue inflorescences. Choose a N: P: K fertilizer in a proportion close to 25:10:10. Ammonium monophosphate is great.

If your area is too acidic, then professional gardeners recommend planting hydrangeas in large pots, using a peat substrate with a small amount of aluminum salts as soil. The best in this case is recognized as a universal substrate sold in specialty stores.This will greatly simplify the cultivation and care of the pink large-leaved garden queen.

Blue moisture-loving beauty

To change the color of the inflorescences to blue, it is necessary to maintain an acidic environment (below 5.5 pH) with a soluble form of aluminum available for hydrangea.

If acidic earth with a sufficient concentration of aluminum prevails in your garden, then the hydrangea will independently fulfill your desire by releasing blue caps.

To increase the acidity of the soil, you can specially acidify the root zone. To do this, it is enough to add moor peat or sulfur used in agriculture to the planting hole. Then it is enough to regularly water with aluminum sulfate in a proportion of 15 g per liter. Make sure that the soil is moistened before watering with a special solution.

To change the color of a previously planted hydrangea, add peat or coniferous bark to the soil near the shrub.

The change in shade can be affected by feeding with complex fertilizers containing potassium (high concentration), phosphorus (low percentage), nitrogen (medium value). The ideal ratio would be N: P: K, close to 10: 5: 20. Do not use bone meal or superphosphate.

It is allowed to grow blue hydrangeas in huge vessels using ready-made substrates. Professionals advise opting for an acidic substrate for conifers.

Video "How to change the color of a hydrangea to blue"

By adhering to the above recommendations, you will definitely get the desired result. However, don't expect hydrangea to change color instantly. This period can take from several months to a year, depending on weather conditions, fertilizer quality and other factors.

General recommendations for changing the color of the shrub

After changing the color of the plant, you need to provide it with full support.

For this, it is important to control the parameters of soil acidity and maintain them at the desired level.

Experts advise against experimenting annually with the color of the petals. A strong change in acidity creates stress for the plant. Therefore, it is recommended to plant flowers in different shades in the garden.

Changing the shade of a hydrangea can be done in different ways. To achieve good results, it is necessary to determine the parameters of soil acidity and take measures to change the indicators. High-quality flower care is of great importance. It should be comprehensive.