What do gardeners advise?
Panicle hydrangea is a real indoor decoration and in the absence of your own garden, you can grow it right on the windowsill. Indeed, even in winter, you can make beautiful bouquets by cutting and drying inflorescences.
Amateur flower growers are ready to reveal some secrets for growing hydrangeas:
- If you want to get inflorescences of different flowers on one bush, you can carry out the following procedure: plant a hydrangea bush in a square large flowerpot with a side of up to 1 sq. m and a height of 50-70 cm. Divide the flowerpot in half with a partition. Apply fertilizer to each part, water the first part, season the second with earth. Then plant 1 pink hydrangea bush. At the moment of growth and flowering, they will begin to intertwine with each other, visually look with different flowers on the same bush.
- In order for moisture to remain in the ground longer and feed the plant, then when mulching the layer must be made 10-12 cm high.
- Hydrangea needs abundant watering, because people call it a vessel with water, so drying out of the bushes is unacceptable.
- It is necessary to fertilize the shrubs in moderation, and it is enough to carry out top dressing 3 times a year: when the buds swell, at the time of the opening of the leaves and during the flowering period of the inflorescences.
- Hydrangeas have fairly large flowers, and the stems underneath can quickly break. You should not feed the seedlings too much. Here is a perfectly acceptable remedy: urea + nettle infusion.
- The root system is most resistant to frost, since it grows strongly in width. Before wintering, you need to carefully cover the roots, for which rotted manure and dry leaves, laid in a layer of up to 25 cm, are suitable. It is also advisable to protect the branches by bending to the ground and thereby creating a shelter for the roots.
- It is desirable to form a bush at the end of March, for which you need to choose 5-10 of the most powerful shoots and pin them, leaving 4-5 buds each. Other shoots must be removed.
The color of the leaves will directly depend on the prepared soil for planting. To obtain a rich green mass, the soil must be sufficiently fertile, but with a low pH level. It will not be superfluous to install drainage when planting bushes and moisten the soil abundantly.
When keeping a house on a windowsill, it is important to maintain room temperature and follow the watering rules: in summer it should be abundant, and in the cold season - moderate. Under such conditions, the plant will delight with incredible beauty almost all year round.
Hydrangea Bombshell is a real decoration of the landscape. Lush inflorescences look great both for single and group plantings. Spreading forms can turn the site into a real lush paradise. Hydrangea looks good in combination with a cuff, astilba, hosts. Several dozen varieties of this plant are known. Having grown at least one of them, you will no longer want to part with the lush airy bushes.
How to care for panicle hydrangea in the country (with photo)
Caring for paniculate hydrangea in the open field is not at all difficult, because this shrub is simply "unkillable". It grows everywhere, except for swamps and clean sand. True, he does not really like alkaline soils, but in central Russia it is still necessary to look for them.
Baby hydrangea, like a kitten, you can caress, just kill with your attention and care. For example, drag around the site in search of the most suitable place
Or in the process of growing a panicle hydrangea, you can feed it so that it simply cannot survive the winter. Hydrangea can be trivially poured, this plant, despite the name, which is translated from ancient Greek as "a vessel with water", simply cannot withstand frequent watering on clay soil. Nor should you use imported prolonged-release fertilizers. They are certainly good, but they are designed for a longer growing season, and can prevent the plant from preparing for dormancy in time.
Of course, it is possible to feed the panicle hydrangea when leaving in the garden, but it is better just not to rake last year's foliage under the plant and mulch the bush with pine needles.
Should you loosen the soil under panicle hydrangeas? Better not. You can, of course, three centimeters deep, but why? The root system of the hydrangea is superficial, only accidentally damage the roots. But mulch will only be useful for this beauty. And there will be no weeds.
The photo of caring for paniculate hydrangea shows all the main agricultural practices:
Panicle hydrangea Mega Mindy: description and characteristics of the variety
Mega Mindy - this variety will not leave anyone indifferent. She is prized for her beauty. When the inflorescences bloom, they show white petals, which, at times, have a slight shade of blue, after a while they turn pink or acquire a rich cherry color. The shoots reach one and a half meters in height, the bushes themselves are compact in size, but the oval-shaped crown amazes with its density. The stems are arranged vertically, they are very strong and, despite the large inflorescences that grow on them, they do not bend. This greatly distinguishes the variety from its "brethren". The leaves are dark emerald color and 11 centimeters long can be ovoid and elliptical in shape. The outer side of the sheet is rough.
It is interesting to know that the stems grow by 25 centimeters a year, the inflorescences show their flowering only on the shoots that have appeared in the current season.
The inflorescences hang like brushes beautifully, demonstrating all the charm of large flowers. Flowering begins in mid-July and ends only in October. However, if the plant is grown in warm regions, the flowering may last until the cold weather sets in. From dried inflorescences, you can make interesting bouquets or make compositions and decorate the house with them. If, during the autumn pruning, the inflorescences are left on the bush, then they will not change color and will serve as an ornament throughout the winter. All this suggests that the plant is able to maintain its decorative effect throughout the year. In addition, mega mindy is highly resistant to frost, which allows it to be planted in many regions.
How to properly prune a panicle hydrangea in spring
How to prune a panicle hydrangea is perhaps the most painful topic for lovers of these plants. You can discuss it for hours. The main questions are: when to cut and how many buds to leave so that the plant "gives out" worthy exhibition caps of inflorescences.
Before the first snow, so that the bush does not break, the largest inflorescences are cut off
To prune the panicle hydrangea in the spring, as an experienced gardener advise, you need to wait until it becomes obvious which buds are alive, because it is important not to disturb the plant once again. Cut off everything that is dried up and the thinnest. You can shorten a branch that is too long or ugly.
You can shorten a branch that is too long or ugly.
- The first option is strong pruning (two buds are left);
- The second is moderate (4 kidneys are left),
- The third is weak (old inflorescences are removed, the so-called "decapitation").
In the first case, plants bloom very late, forming huge caps. But such pruning is not suitable for all varieties, sometimes the branches do not stand up, and the plant lays down.
The ‘Vanille Fraise’ and ‘Limelight’ require a medium, gentle option. But the 'Pinki Winki' variety needs some serious pruning. The conclusion is simple: some varieties of panicle hydrangea during care when growing in the garden require an individual approach. And, of course, do not forget that with strong pruning in the conditions of our climate, flowering can not be expected at all. Or get as huge as, for example, the ‘Phantom’ variety can give, that the bush will simply break from heavy rains.
Watch the video of trimming a panicle hydrangea to better understand how to shape a plant:
Suitable for lawns and paired plantings
Hydrangea Mega Mindy - photo, description, care:
Characteristic:
- dense compact bush 140-170 cm high and 150 cm in diameter oval;
- large green pointed ovoid leaves;
- the leaf plate is rough, by autumn it becomes yellow;
- large panicle inflorescences 20-40 cm with large boiling white flowers;
- during the flowering period they change color several times, by autumn it acquires a cherry color;
- depending on the quality of the soil, the color may be less or more saturated;
- not deep ramified root system;
- tough upright red shoots;
- the plant is frost-resistant, takes root in central Russia;
- refers to fast-growing, gives an increase of up to 25 cm;
- blooms from June to October;
- the more acidic the soil, the brighter the flowers;
- moisture and heat-loving;
- inflorescences retain their attractiveness throughout the winter;
- responsive to frequent feeding
Characteristic:
- the optimal time for planting in open ground is early spring or late August;
- autumn planting is suitable only for the southern regions of Russia;
- hydrangea is demanding on moisture;
- the planting pit should be made voluminous with a good drainage layer;
- before planting in the hole, fertilize and prepare rich soil;
- after planting, water the plant abundantly;
- the culture does not tolerate direct sunlight, therefore, partial shade should be chosen for planting;
- the soil should be rich in nutrients, loose, moderately moist and acidic;
- you can create an acidic environment with milk whey, pine sawdust or peat;
- loves the neighborhood with ground cover plants;
- every 2 weeks, carry out root feeding with humus, potash or phosphorus fertilizers;
- a young plant must be covered for the winter
Characteristic:
- a young bush needs regular abundant watering;
- the soil under the bush should be moist and loose;
- to preserve moisture, mulch the root circle with sawdust;
- carry out the first feeding immediately after the snow melts, for this it is good to use slurry;
- the second feeding is carried out during the ripening of the buds with potassium superphosphate and urea;
- the third feeding is carried out with mineral fertilizers during abundant flowering;
- the fourth before wintering with a special composition for hydrangeas;
- before feeding, pruning is carried out: sanitary molding and rejuvenating;
- sanitary and molding is carried out in the spring before bud break, rejuvenating in the fall, so that young shoots appear in the spring;
- in order to maintain the strength of the plant for future flowering, faded inflorescences should be cut off in the fall
Characteristic:
- even taking into account the rather high frost resistance, the plant needs protection for the winter;
- cut leaves from branches;
- remove the sick and broken;
- the root system needs special protection, especially in those regions where little snow falls and the ground freezes;
- the soil should be mulched with peat, sawdust or rotted manure to a height of 10-20 cm;
- Tie the branches into bunches and press them to the ground;
- on top they can be covered with spruce branches or a frame can be built, which can be covered with burlap or non-woven material
Characteristic:
- the most common method is grafting;
- put the cut branches in water for 5-7 days;
- then form a stalk with 3-4 internodes from them;
- treat the lower cut with a growth stimulator;
- plant in a soil mixture of peat and sand 1: 1;
- cuttings should be grown indoors until spring;
- when the ground warms up in spring, then the grown plants can be planted in a permanent place; the division of the bush is carried out every 5-6 years;
- it is necessary to carefully separate the part of the plant with the root system, trying to injure less;
- sprinkle the cut with ash or crushed coal;
- watering with the addition of potassium permanganate
Characteristic:
the variety is often exposed to various diseases, therefore, special attention should be paid to prevention;
at the first signs of powdery mildew (the appearance of spots with an oily structure and a dark bloom), treat the bush with a solution of copper sulfate and laundry soap;
for severe lesions, use fungicides;
with tracheomycotic wilting, diseased shoots should be removed;
process the sections with a solution of potassium permanganate;
to promulgate the land with wood ash and powdered sulfur;
you should also monitor the infestation of insects and apply appropriate chemicals in a timely manner
Landscapers prefer to plant Mega Mindy in group plantings with other plants as a hedge or for bright flower beds.
What diseases are dangerous for Mega Mindy?
Like any plant, Mega Mindy is susceptible to various diseases. The greatest danger to a wondrous flower is posed by several ailments:
- 1 The spider mite affects the leaves of the shrub from the underside. First they turn yellow, then dry up and fall off. The optimum temperature for the pest is 29-31 ° C and humidity 35-55%. With such indicators, it actively multiplies and quickly affects the bush. To fight the tick, it is necessary to spray the hydrangea with thiophos. To process a flower, 5-7 g of this substance is diluted in 10 liters of pure water.
- 2 Downy mildew attacks leaves and stems. Symptoms of the disease are oily, yellowing spots that gradually grow in size. A yellowish bloom forms on the lower part of the leaves. The development of the disease is favored by a temperature of about 18-20 ° C and increased air humidity. To combat the disease, the bushes should be treated with a mixture consisting of 15 g of copper sulfate, 150 g of green soap, 15 g of copper sulfate and 10 liters of water.
- 3 The main symptom of chlorosis is the lightening of the leaves, only the veins remain dark on them. Bushes that grow on soils with a high lime content are especially susceptible to the disease. A large amount of humus in the soil can also lead to plant disease. To combat the disease, it is necessary to treat the bush 2-3 times with a solution of potassium nitrate, prepared at the rate of 40 g of a substance per 10 liters of water, and after 3 days water the flower with a solution of ferrous sulfate. The proportions are the same.
- 4In greenhouse conditions, when forcing bushes, hydrangea can be attacked by green leaf aphids. The presence of this pest is indicated by mucous spots on the back of the leaves. An effective means of fighting the conqueror is the double spraying of shrubs with anabazine sulfate solution. For its preparation, 15-20 g of the substance is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
A beautiful, colorful and well-groomed garden is a real dream for any gardener. If you want to acquire spectacular and unpretentious plants, you can safely choose hydrangeas. The Mega Mindy variety will definitely not disappoint you. Throughout the season, it will delight the eye with a riot of colors and a variety of forms.
When should you prune shrubs?
Pruning is another must-have for hydrangea care. It is recommended to carry out this procedure twice a year - in spring and autumn. At the beginning of the season, the bush should be pruned before the buds have blossomed. If this moment is missed, flowering will be less abundant.
There are a few simple rules to follow when pruning:
- it is imperative to get rid of all frozen and damaged stems;
- weak branches, which only slow down the growth of the shrub, also need to be cut;
- annual shoots must be shortened to 4 buds.
In the fall, the procedure is much easier. It is only necessary to remove all dry inflorescences from the bush. This will prevent the plant from breaking down under a layer of snow in winter. If you want to rejuvenate the bush, you should leave only 3-5 of the strongest shoots. The rest must be cut at the root. Already at 2 years old, you will notice that the flower cap has become much more magnificent, and the flowering is more abundant.
Landing
Like any other variety of hydrangea panicle "Mega Mindy" requires the creation of the most comfortable conditions, which must be provided at the stage of planting.
Seat selection
These southern beauties prefer moderately humid and lighted places, but you should not plant Mega Mindy in direct sunlight. The best option is the eastern side of buildings, structures and fences, where the bush will be illuminated with soft light in the morning, and then will receive diffused light.
It is better to choose a drier place for the plant and control the moisture content of the earth, watering according to indications, than to risk an expensive variety.
If in the process of growing "Mega Mindy" it seems to you that the chosen place does not like the shrub, it can be painlessly transplanted to a new one. When digging, keep in mind that the root system is located almost at the surface and grows to the sides, not going deep into the ground.
Landing pit
In order for Mega Mindy to reveal all its varietal qualities, the soil must be loose, fertile and rich in organic matter. Hydrangeas do not like alkaline soils: they are more suitable for neutral, and better for moderately acidic, in the latter, the color of the inflorescences becomes brighter and more pronounced.
Regardless of what kind of soil is in your area, it is recommended to prepare a planting site for hydrangea. Dig a hole 80 cm deep and 80 cm in diameter, then fill it with 3-year-old compost, add a bucket of sawdust and stir.
If you have the opportunity to "get" riding sod from a pine or spruce forest - bring at least a bucket of this land into the planting pit, and the ornamental shrub will certainly thank you for such a useful and natural feeding.
The top layer of soil from coniferous plantings will become an effective and mild acidifier, which will provide a bright and rich color of Mega Mindy inflorescences.
The planting pit is spilled abundantly, if you wish, you can add 2-3 tbsp into it. superphosphate. After 2-3 days, you can proceed directly to planting panicle hydrangea in a permanent place.
Landing
Ideally, the planting of a young panicle hydrangea should be done in early spring before the start of the growing season. To stimulate active growth of shoots, it is recommended to cut all branches by 2/3 with a sterile instrument.
If a hydrangea seedling grows in a pot, then it should be carefully removed from the container along with an earthen lump.
Then the bush is carefully lowered into the spilled planting hole and sprinkled with nutritious soil so that the root collar remains above the ground.
If you yourself cut off the cut branches and grew the root system at home in a container with water, a small mound is organized in the planting place, and the roots of the future bush are carefully straightened and covered with earth.
Hydrangea Care Mega Mindy
Caring for this plant can be called standard, since no special actions are required from the gardener. It is enough to comply with a few requirements regarding watering and fertilization.
Watering mode
This variety of ornamental shrubs does not tolerate severe drought and waterlogged soil. In most cases, watering once a week is sufficient. This is done by introducing water into the root circle. A single watering requires 7-10 liters of water. On days of extreme heat, you can increase the number of waterings up to 2 times a week.
Note! Plants planted in an open area without shading need to protect the soil from drying out. To do this, sprinkle the trunk circle with bark, needles or sawdust
Water the hydrangea by adding water to the root circle
Top dressing
The flowering of hydrangea paniculata Mega Mindy lasts from spring to late autumn, which requires a lot of energy from the plant.
For this reason, it is important to provide ornamental shrubs with regular feeding, especially if the soil on the site is sandy. It is better to choose a fertilizer composition taking into account the season.
- In early spring, NPK can be added to the soil, which provides enhanced growth of new shoots.A mixture of potassium sulfate and urea is used as an additional fertilizer. To prepare the solution, 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp are required. spoon of the named components. This amount is enough for five bushes.
- June is the time for the appearance of inflorescences, so for feeding it is better to choose superphosphate or any other complex containing phosphorus and potassium.
- During the summer months, it is recommended to apply fertilizer for flowering plants 2-3 times. In the list of the most demanded - flower kemira.
- In the fall, shortly before the cold weather, the plant must be prepared for wintering. For this purpose, the bushes are watered with a solution of superphosphate and potassium (for 10 liters, 1 tablespoon of each substance).
Features of care during the flowering period
During active flowering, the Mega Mindy hydrangea does not need special care, but you need to remember a few nuances.
regular watering 1-2 times a week;
feeding at least 3-4 times during the warm season;
loosening the soil. After watering, a dense crust often forms on the surface of the soil, which prevents air from reaching the roots. Loosening the soil completely solves this problem.
It should be remembered that the root system of the bush is on the surface, so you need to act carefully.
Features of care during the rest period
In the spring, even before the start of active sap flow in the stems, you need to prune. Last year's dry, crooked branches are removed at the base. It is best to leave a small amount of skeletal branches. In this case, the plant acquires an erect, even crown, its branches do not fall to the side. In addition, a large number of stems negatively affects the quality of flowering - the brushes become smaller.
Important! If you are late with pruning, it is better to postpone the procedure until foliage appears. Pruning while the juice is moving can damage the plant
Preparing for winter
Hydrangea is a perennial plant, therefore, with the onset of cold weather, it must be prepared for winter. Experienced gardeners recommend cutting off all inflorescences. On stems from which the brushes have not been removed, new panicles will not form the next year.
Thus, growing Mega Mindy is not that difficult. It is enough to follow the elementary rules, do not overmoisten and cut the shrubs in time.