Hydrangea paniculata magical moonlight

Diseases and pests

Powdery mildew

Signs: the leaves are curled, covered with a gray bloom, similar to flour.

Reason: high humidity, sudden temperature changes.

Treatment: the use of biological products (Baktofit, Fitosporin, Topaz).

Powdery mildew

Aphid

Signs: punctures from insect bites are visible on the leaves, the flowers are deformed, quickly wither.

Control methods: mechanical treatment (manual removal of pests), biological treatment (attraction of birds and insects that feed on aphids), chemical treatment.

Folk remedies:

• Soap solution. To prepare it, mix a couple of tablespoons of liquid soap, two glasses of warm water and ½ cup of vegetable oil. Spray the resulting mixture with hydrangea 2 times a day for three days.
• Garlic spray. Make gruel from three cloves of garlic and insist it in a glass of water for 24 hours, then add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and liquid soap. To combat aphids, 1 spoon of the infusion is diluted in a liter of water and sprayed on the affected areas of the plant.

This type of hydrangea goes well with other plants, therefore it is popular among landscape designers. It is used to create mixborders (flower beds from multi-tiered plants), hedges and as an independent decoration of the site.

Thus, planting a panicle hydrangea Magic Candle will be an excellent option to not only green the site, but also saturate it with bright colors.

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Pruning

The formation of the crown is necessary to maintain the decorative effect of flowering shrubs, which include the Magic Moonlight hydrangea. The gardeners' comments on the annual pruning are unambiguous: they noticeably increase the beauty of the plant, stimulate the formation of flower buds. The number of inflorescences and their size depend on the shaping procedures: the more radical the pruning, the larger and more effective they are.

Pruning is carried out in two stages: in the fall, all inflorescences are removed, making the bush lighter, and in the spring, before the sap flow begins, it is necessary to thin out the adult culture, cutting out "into a ring" all the weak, frozen or growing branches inside the crown. One-year-old shoots are shortened so that 3-5 pairs of growth buds remain on them. Such pruning is important not only for enhancing the decorative qualities of the hydrangea. It will help to avoid thickening of the bush and prevent the occurrence of diseases of various origins.

Agrotechnics

The Magical Moonlight hydrangea variety prefers bright light but can also grow in shade. The plant prefers acidic, airy, loose soil, does not tolerate lime, sand. An ideal soil option for a plant is a clay substrate with a high pH. A high alkali content in the soil can lead to plant disease. It is always worth remembering about the acidity of the soil. To avoid chlorosis, the soil is acidified artificially with the help of ammonium sulfate, ferrous sulfate. Peat, needles, poured next to the bush are approved.

The growing area must be protected from the wind. You should also provide the flower with sufficient illumination, then the plants will delight the eye with a soft green tint. In the shade, a lack of light affects, so the buds become pale.

Immediately after planting, the plant needs to be well watered. Until complete rooting, regular irrigation is needed so that the soil is saturated with moisture by 15-20 cm. After watering, it is reduced to 1 time per week.

Important! You should periodically pay attention to the condition of the soil, watering as needed. The flower does not like drying out. Lack of moisture affects the spring appearance of the flower

Lack of moisture is reflected in the spring appearance of the flower.

It is recommended to cover young plants from above with a 7-centimeter layer of tree bark, peat, needles. This is necessary so that you do not have to constantly loosen the soil.

Care

Panicle Hydrangea needs regular watering. Water starvation leads to a sharp decrease in decorative effect. If the summer is hot, the flower is watered once every 7 days at the rate of 15-20 liters per copy; in a temperate climate, the interval between procedures is increased to 2-4 weeks.

Top dressing

The culture is fed several times per season, depending on the stage of development:

• In autumn, phosphorus-potassium mineral complexes are introduced.
• During active growing season, fertilize with infusion based on rotted manure at the rate of 10 liters per bush.
• In the spring, a young plant is watered with a solution of urea (20 g per 10 l of water) in the amount of 1 bucket, an adult - 2-3.

Mulching and loosening

Panicle Hydrangea responds well to mulching the topsoil. This slows down the evaporation of moisture and prevents the growth of weeds. Wood chips, peat, pine needles or compost are used as materials. The recommended mulch thickness is 7-8 cm.

Hydrangea paniculata magical moonlight

In the absence of a protective layer, it is necessary to regularly loosen the substrate to a depth of 5 cm to improve the degree of air permeability, taking care not to damage the roots of the culture.

Pruning

Formative pruning Magic Moonlight is carried out in order to improve the decorative characteristics and stimulate the formation of buds. At the same time, the dimensions of the inflorescences depend on the degree of haircut: the more radical it is, the more lush flowering can be observed.

Correction is done in several stages:

• In the spring, before the start of sap flow, the crown is thinned out, removing the inner and damaged segments, stopping them on a ring. Additionally, the shoots of the current season are shortened so that 3-5 pairs of growth points remain on them.
• In the fall, the inflorescences are cut, thereby lightening the load on the shrub.

Preparing for winter

In regions with severe winters, a horizontal method of shelter is used for insulation before the onset of cold weather. To do this, at the base of the flower, flooring is made of straw or spruce branches, branches are distributed over the top, covered with polyethylene or waterproof non-woven material and burlap.

Hydrangea magical moonlight photo and description

If the area is characterized by a temperate or warm climate, there is no need for such an event - hydrangea can withstand temperatures down to -30 ° C.

Diseases and pests

Magic Moonlight has excellent resistance to various diseases and harmful insects. However, in case of deviation from the prescriptions of agricultural technology, the plant may fall into the zone of risk of infection by fungi and bacteria.

How to properly feed?

Like any other plant, Magic Moonlight needs feeding. It is carried out in the spring, summer, and autumn periods. Top dressing is carried out with mineral complexes and manure diluted in water. In the spring, fertilizers are applied during the budding period, while the buds have not yet swollen, in the summer, when the hydrangea begins to bloom, and in the fall, to prepare for the upcoming winter.

Fertilizers differ depending on the season. In autumn, mineral fertilizers should have a large amount of phosphorus and potassium, but be devoid of nitrogen in the composition. In the spring, a urea solution is introduced. Place 20 grams per 10 liters. An adult specimen needs two buckets, while a young specimen needs one. During the growing season, it is recommended to feed the hydrangea with manure at the rate of 10 liters per 1 copy.

To achieve lush abundant flowering, Magic Moonlight should be fertilized with a solution prepared from superphosphate, urea, potassium sulfate. Each component is taken in an amount of 30 g. Everything is thoroughly mixed, and then poured with 10 liters of water. The bush is watered with the prepared composition around the root system.

Description of the variety

The botanical name is hydrangea paniculata Magical Moonlight.

It is a sprawling perennial shrub, reaching a height of 2 m with a crown diameter of 0.5 to 1.5 m. Oval-shaped leaf plates, carved along the edge, are painted in a rich green color. Pronounced veins are characteristic.

Shoots are fast growing, covered with brown thin bark. Strong leafy.

During the flowering period, large inflorescences are formed, reaching a length of 30 cm. At the first stage, they have a rounded shape, as the plants develop, they acquire a conical shape. Initially, they are painted in a pale cream color with a light green tint, which changes to almost white by the end of the season. In the case of the location of the culture in the shade, such changes are not observed.

Reproduction

The plant reproduces in the same way as other varieties with paniculate inflorescences. There are two ways.

The first option is reproduction using bends. For this you need:

• dig a hole for a twig;
• secure it with a hairpin, pressing down at the end with a heavy object.

For faster rooting, it is worth making several cuts on the seedling. The land with a buried branch must be watered, preferably by making a separate hole. Then you can irrigate at the same time as the plant from which the twig was taken.

Hydrangea seedlings

Spring-autumn is a good time to dig in seedlings. To do this, the bush is completely disconnected from the parent plant when a formed root system appears. When transplanting a newly-made shrub, it is carefully dug out of the ground so as not to hurt the roots of an adult plant. Together with the soil, the seedling is transferred to a new place. Before transplanting, fertilizer must be added to the hole, moistening it so that the root system immediately finds itself in a favorable environment for it.

The second option is flower propagation using cuttings. The procedure is carried out as follows:

• Cut off shoots are placed in a container of water for 3-4 days.
• After cutting off the cutting, which has 3 nodes.
• An agent that stimulates growth is added to the water.
• When the roots appear, the cutting is planted in a pot.
• Cover with glass or special film.

You can also use cuttings cut from green bushes at the end of June. To do this, before planting, you need to pour peat soil and river sand prepared in advance into the pot (in a ratio of 2: 1).Next, gently stick the stalk, water and make sure that the soil in the pot does not dry out.

Note! Only after a year can sprouted cuttings with a full-fledged root system be planted. Those that have not grown stronger over the summer should be wrapped in special agrofibre for the winter, the roots should be covered with straw, leaves

The flower acquires resistance to cold weather after the first flowering.

An already well-grown plant is frost-resistant and does not need additional wrapping measures. In the case of severe frosts typical of the Russian winter, humus, peat or leaves are used, laying them around the roots in a layer of 20-30 cm.

During the first 2 years, the inflorescences are cut. This is done for better rooting of the plant, so that it gains strength for further growth and growth. Thus, beautiful shrubs will be provided for 3 years.

Description of the plant

Magical Candle is a compact yet lush shrub with densely spaced flowers. In height, it can reach 3 meters, and in diameter - 1.5 m. With regular pruning of the shrub, the height of the hydrangea will be no more than 2 m, but the number of flowers will not change. Shoots are covered with dark green leaves with serrated edges.

The flowering phase begins in summer and lasts until mid-autumn. During this period, the lime-white color of the flowers turns into pinkish or even bright crimson.

Magical Candle variety

The inflorescences themselves, 25-30 cm high, are arranged in the shape of a pyramid and grow strictly vertically, so that the whole plant looks harmonious.

Hydrangea Magic Candle is characterized by high frost resistance. It tolerates a drop in air temperature to -29 ° C well, and does not require shelter.

Additional information: it is believed that the color of hydrangea depends on the acidity of the soil: on slightly alkaline soil, the flowers are pink and crimson, and on sour soil, they are blue and blue.

Is it possible to change the color of the flowers?

As we have already said, the flowers of the Magical Moonlight hydrangea have a white-green color, but in some cases you can get flowers of an uncharacteristic color. To do this, you can use special dyes, dissolve them in water for watering flowers, but you can achieve the desired result by another method.

So, the blue color in flowers on acidified soil appears if crystals of iron or aluminum salts are added to the irrigation water. It is even easier to bury an iron or aluminum object in the ground under a hydrangea bush, sprinkle the ground with shavings from these metals.

The inflorescences will acquire a pink tint if, with slightly alkaline soil, they are watered with water with potassium permanganate and peat.

If the bush is too sprawling, you can achieve that the flowers on it will be of different colors - on the one hand pink, on the other - blue. To do this, one part of the plant is watered with potassium permanganate, and the other with water infused with iron shavings. In this case, the flowers on the hydrangea will be white, blue, and pink.

To be able to experiment with the colors of hydrangeas, when planting, the hole must be divided by a partition, and soil of various compositions - alkaline and acidic - should be poured into them. After that, it will be possible to water different parts with water with dyes dissolved in it.

Diseases and pests

Gray rot is a fungal disease of the plant, which manifests itself on young branches with brown spots, if the hydrangea grows in a wet area, then these spots turn gray. From the shoots, gray rot spreads to foliage and flowers. This disease persists in the soil for up to two years and spreads rapidly in high humidity.

To combat gray rot, you need to remove the affected branches and leaves and disinfect the plant with antifungal drugs. Be sure to ventilate the hydrangea.

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects the pot hydrangea. It appears as a white bloom on leaves and stems. The pours dry up and fall off, the buds dry up.

Often, the development of this disease is provoked by an excess of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil, as well as excess moisture.

To get rid of powdery mildew, you need to remove the affected leaves and branches, and also spray the plant with fungicides

It is important not to overmoisten the plant.

Hydrangea can also be affected by pests, such as:

• Aphid
• Mites
• Snails
• Weevils

For pest control, you can use special treatment compounds or use an alcohol or soap solution.

Subject to all the conditions for planting and caring for a hydrangea, it will take root in the garden for a long time and will delight with its lush and bright flowering. And with a craving for experimentation and even greater beauty of your garden, you can try experimenting with the flowers of plants, painting them in different colors with special dyes or using improvised means.

Propagation of hydrangea paniculata Magical Moonlight

Hydrangea is distinguished by its ability to several types of vegetative reproduction:

1. Layers.
2. Cuttings.
3. By dividing the bush.

Vegetative propagation allows the gardener to get a large number of new plants identical to the mother, or to grow a full-fledged plant with only 1 hydrangea stalk.

Layers

Layering propagation is a safe and easy way to breed plants, but its effectiveness is still in doubt.

Methodology:

1. In the spring, a small hole is dug next to the mother plant (15 cm deep).
2. Next, you should select one branch of the shrub and clean it from the woody layer.
3. The branch is bent to the ground and lowered into the hole, after which it is covered with earth.
4. After the first shoots appear on the cut, the branch is cut off from the mother plant.

Despite the appearance of shoots, it is possible to dig up a hydrangea and transplant it to a new place only after complete acclimatization, when the young bush gets stronger.

Cuttings

Cutting is the most popular and used method, characterized by high efficiency and simplicity.

Methodology:

1. After spring pruning, the shoots should be saved and placed in water for several days (pruning is carried out until June).
2. The shoot is cut from 2 ends so that 3-4 buds remain, the lower cut is treated with a solution to stimulate root growth.
3. The finished cutting is planted in a container with a prepared earthen mixture and covered with a large jar (or brought into a greenhouse).
4. Further strengthening of the cutting takes place in a dark place with good watering.

Planting in open space is carried out only in August, by which time the cutting acquires a developed root system and becomes more resistant to changes in temperature conditions in the winter months.

Shrub division

Bush division is also a common and uncomplicated method of asexual reproduction of plants.

Methodology:

At the end of flowering (in autumn), the shrub should be carefully dug up and divided into 2-3 parts, keeping the buds on each of the parts.
The root system is trimmed to reduce root length and remove dead tissue.
Shrubs are planted in pre-prepared holes with an earthen mixture.

Dividing a bush is the fastest way to get new plants.

It is interesting: Hydrangea Magic Sweet Summer: description, planting and care

Is it possible to change the color of flowers

You can grow hydrangeas not only in a creamy green hue. Florists have learned to artificially obtain other interesting colors. To do this, it is worth watering the plant with water with special dyes dissolved in it. It is possible to achieve the same effect using other methods.

To obtain blue flowers, you need to slightly acidify the soil and water the plant with water with the addition of salt crystals of iron and aluminum. A simpler option is to place an object made of iron or aluminum in a dug hole under the flower. Sprinkle the ground with metal shavings (from the same metals) on top.

Seedling hydrangea

If the shrub is spreading, it is possible to get flowers of two different colors at once. For example, make the buds blue on one side and pink on the other. In this option, one half of the plant should be watered with potassium permanganate, the other with water infused with iron shavings. The result is a shrub with three shades of flowers: blue, pink and natural.

If you have the opportunity and desire, you can experiment with the color of flowers. To do this, you need to create a partition in the hole. Pour soil of different composition into the formed sections: acidic, alkaline. After planting the plant in the ground, water it with water as described above.

Hydrangea paniculata Magic Moonlight: planting and care

In northern and temperate latitudes, planting hydrangeas is preferable in spring, in areas with mild winters. It is better to acquire well-developed 3-5-year-old seedlings: these young plants will take root more successfully and bloom faster. Before planting, the soil is fertilized: 10 kg of humus, 100 g of superphosphate, 60 g of potassium sulfate are applied per square meter. A planting hole is dug out commensurate with the volume of the root system of the seedling, on average its width is 0.4-0.6 m, and its depth is 03-0.4 m. The intervals between the bushes are kept within 2-2.5 m, and when a live hedges - 0.7-1 m.

Before planting, the seedlings are examined, dried and broken ones are removed, and shortened a little. In spring plantings, annual stems are shortened in plants, leaving 3-4 pairs of growth buds on each.

Planting and pruning

This variety of hydrangea is recommended to be planted in a slightly shaded area, where the sun is scorching all day. Before planting a plant in the ground, you should prepare the soil in advance by digging it up, add ready-made compost. The best time for such procedures is spring.

Important! In order for the plant to quickly take root and bloom, you need to purchase 3-year-old seedlings. To fertilize the soil, you should add (per 1 m²):

To fertilize the soil, you should add (per 1 m²):

• humus - 10 kg;
• superphosphate - 100 g;
• potassium sulfate - 60 g.

Before planting flowers, you need to carefully examine and sort out the shoots, removing dry, broken branches, cutting the roots. The area of ​​the planting hole should correspond to the size of the seedlings. When planting several bushes at once, a distance of 2 m between them should be maintained, and if a "hedge" is planned, 1 m is enough.

In order for the Moonlight hydrangea to perform its decorative function, decorating the space, you need to prune. In addition, it serves as the prevention of various diseases. Thanks to pruning, the bush blooms more abundantly, the number of inflorescences and the size of the flowers themselves increase. After the procedure, the formation of kidneys is accelerated.

Pruning hydrangea

Pruning has two steps:

• in the fall, all dry inflorescences are pruned;
• in the spring, it is enough to remove the sluggish, frozen branches, thus thinning the shrub. Annual shoots are pruned, leaving at least 6 growth buds on them.

Planting instructions

High-quality seed and planting material is one of the most important components in the process of growing a strong and healthy plant.

This variety prefers nutrient soils with a slightly acidic or acidic reaction and does not take root in sandy areas. If the soil is alkaline, you need to acidify it. This can be done with high-moor peat or potash salt.

Too humid and shady places are not suitable for Magic Candle, it is necessary to ensure the supply of sufficient light. It is also not recommended to plant hydrangeas next to treelike plants that have a shallow root system, as they can compete with each other for moisture and nutrients.

Important! You need to buy seedlings and seeds only in specialized stores. Before buying a seedling, you must carefully examine it for pests and dried shoots, which may indicate a plant disease

Landing technology

The best time for planting seedlings is in early spring, when the buds are not yet swelling, or in autumn, when flowering has already ended. Since the plant is unpretentious, planting is carried out according to general recommendations:

1. Dig a hole twice the size of the seedling earthen clod
2. Gently transplant the hydrangea, having first straightened its roots
3. Mix soil with compost and fill the hole with it
4. Tamp the soil and water the plant abundantly

Note! If group plantings are carried out, the distance between the pits should be 1.5-2 m

Hydrangea Magic Moonlight: description

Like many representatives of paniculata, Magic Moonlight is an erect shrub that grows with quality maintenance up to 2 meters. Strong, fast-growing shoots, covered with brown peeling bark, generously leafy and crowned with luxurious inflorescences, build up a spreading crown with a diameter of up to one and a half meters. Hydrangea Magic Moonlight blooms on this year's shoots. Flowering, generous and long lasting, begins in July and pleases gardeners until mid-September.

The flowers are collected in magnificent dense inflorescences in the form of a wide cone, the base width of which reaches a very impressive size (25-27 cm), and the height varies from 20 to 28 cm.In the inflorescences there are two types of flowers: sterile - larger, giving sophistication to the plant, and fertile - small, subsequently forming seeds. The color of the flowers is remarkable: blooming, they become greenish-white, over time they acquire pinkish shades, and closer to autumn they are painted in deep crimson tones.

Blooming shoots are excellent when cut, and properly dried inflorescences are often used in interior decoration and popular winter bouquets. But not only the inflorescences are decorative in this plant, they emphasize the elegant beauty of the culture and dense rough leaves of a deep dark green color, oblong with a pronounced top and a finely toothed edge.

Top dressing

It is imperative to feed the hydrangea. Mineral fertilizers, manure diluted with water are best suited.

To get abundant, lush flowering, you need to prepare a mixture of potassium sulfate, urea, superphosphate. Mix everything in equal volumes - 30 g per 10 liters of water. Water only the root part, in no case pour on the foliage.

Feeding hydrangeas

In autumn, the plant especially needs potassium and phosphorus, so the best solution during this period will be the use of complex mineral fertilizers. In the spring, urea is used in an amount of 20 g per 10 liters of water. For a young plant, one bucket of substance is enough, for an adult - 2. During the growing season, it is recommended to feed with manure infusion - 10 liters per bush.

Important! Top dressing is carried out 3 times a year: in spring, summer and autumn. The first - before the buds swell and during budding, the second - with mineral fertilizers during flowering, and the third, preparing the plant for wintering - by fertilizing without the use of nitrogen

That's all! Now, knowing what care and growing conditions are required for the Magic Moonlight hydrangea, you can get a beautiful bush and admire its long and lush flowering all summer and autumn.

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