Hydrangea planting technology
You can breed a hydrangea in different ways: grow from seeds, plant cuttings or layering, divide the bush.
Dividing the bush
In early spring, you can sow seeds shallowly in various containers. The soil for this will be a mixture of leaf and peat soil with the addition of sand, in a ratio of 4: 2: 1.
Containers are filled with an earthy mixture, seeds are spread over the soil surface and lightly sprinkled with soil. A spray bottle is used to moisten the crops. The containers are covered with glass to retain moisture and heat.
One should not forget about crops for a long time, they require mandatory ventilation and moistening as needed. It will take 1-1.5 months for seeds to germinate. Then the shelter is removed and the first pick is carried out in the phase of cotyledon leaves. The second transplant is done in May in separate pots.
Hydrangea grown from seeds is grown at home for two years. In winter, they are kept in a bright and cool room, and in summer they are taught to fresh air - they are taken out into the street or balcony.
In May, you can sow seeds in open ground, on a high heated bed. Seedlings will appear in about a month, but such seedlings will be able to bloom no earlier than in three years.
To immediately get a spectacular flowering plant, you should buy high-quality seedlings, which can be planted both in spring and in autumn. In the northern regions, it is recommended to plant hydrangeas in the spring, and in the southern regions, you can do this in the fall.
In any case, before planting, the seedlings should be slightly pruned, and the spring seedlings should also shorten the annual shoots, leaving no more than four pairs of buds on each.
The preparation of the cuttings should be done in July by cutting the branches that thicken the crown. The lower cut of the cuttings is made beveled, and the upper one is straight, not forgetting to leave a couple of internodes and upper leaves. Then they are rooted in fertile soil in a greenhouse or boxes. In August, they are transferred to a growing bed or a wintering box is transferred to a cool room. You can also propagate hydrangea by layering, but this is less effective.
It is possible to plant hydrangea seedlings in autumn only with a healthy root system.
For planting, a fertile and humus-rich soil with an admixture of clay is required, and an optimal acidity level of pH 5.2-6.0. Pits about 0.5-0.5-0.6 m in size are filled with soil mixture as for seeds, but you can also add 20 g of urea, 20-30 g of potassium sulfate and 60-70 g of superphosphate.
Saplings are planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other. After planting, the bushes are spilled with warm water about 8-12 liters per bush, then the trunk circle is mulched with sawdust, bark or peat chips.
Reproduction
Garden hydrangea can be propagated in many ways. Each of them has its own characteristics, which are recommended to be taken into account.
Growing from seeds
This method allows you to get a lot of young seedlings, but it is considered the most laborious. During seed propagation, the species properties of hybrid varieties are not preserved.
You need to sow seeds in seedling boxes without embedding in the soil. After that, the containers should be covered with foil and rearranged in a bright place with a temperature of +25 degrees. The sprouts germinate in 20 days. Seedlings should be grown for 2 years, and only for 3 years can they be planted in a permanent place.
By cuttings
This method is considered the fastest and most effective. Cuttings are recommended to be cut in July when buds appear. Young side shoots of the last year are best suited for this.
Each stalk should have 2-3 leaves, with the lower one removed, and the upper one should be shortened by half. Before planting, powder the cut with any root former, and then plant it in a soil mixture of peat and sand in an equal volume.
Rooting of seedlings occurs in about a month. They can be planted in open ground only next spring.
Cuttings retain all the specific qualities of the mother bush
Layers
This method does not pose any particular difficulties.For reproduction, it is necessary in the spring, before bud break, to loosen the top layer of soil under the bush and make furrows 5-7 cm. After that, put side shoots in them and pin them to the ground. Sprinkle with earth on top, leaving only the top on top.
Important! It is possible to separate the layers from the mother bush only next spring.
By dividing the bush
This method is used when transplanting a bush in the spring. It is suitable for all types of garden hydrangea except paniculate.
Before the procedure, the bush should be watered abundantly per day. Then dig up and thoroughly clean the roots from the earth, wash.
After that, divide the bush into parts so that each division has 2-3 shoots and well-developed root processes. After the procedure, parts of the shrub should be planted in a permanent place, having previously shortened a little of the branches and roots.
Garden hydrangea is a perennial shrub that can decorate any plot, flower bed or garden with its appearance. And when planting plants in pots, they can be used for landscaping balconies, terraces, gazebos. But in order to achieve a lush and long flowering culture, you need to take into account its basic requirements.
Growing hydrangeas in the garden
You can start planting in early spring, when the soil warms up enough. Depending on the climate, this period may occur in late April - early May, and in the northern regions, autumn planting of seedlings in the ground is recommended - in September.
Choosing a place to grow hydrangeas
The culture loves moisture and sunlight. It is good if groundwater is located close to the soil surface. Nutritious clay soil is ideal for growing, unlike sandy soil.
The best neighbors for a sprawling flower garden are shrubs and trees. The lower tier can be filled with hosta and fern.
Having chosen a place, you can start preparing the soil, oxidizing or deoxidizing it to the required level, and adding the necessary minerals. This is done to change the color of the hydrangea buds to match the overall garden design.
Preparing the soil for hydrangea
The most important feature of the plant is that the inflorescences can change their color depending on the acidity of the soil:
- the plant can have white and beige flowers - if the soil is pH neutral;
- lilac and pink inflorescences are characteristic of alkaline soil;
- blue and blue for sour.
The brightness of blue shades depends on the level of iron in the soil, the more it is, the more saturated blue flowers will be. To enhance the shade, the soil under the bush is watered with solutions of iron salts, and sprinkled with metal shavings.
In alkaline soil, iron is not absorbed by plants, so the flowering takes on delicate pink tones. White inflorescences practically do not change their color.
Planting hydrangea seedlings
The seedlings are placed in the soil along with an earthen lump, respectively, the size of the hole should be 2 times larger than it. A mixture of peat and soil with the addition of minerals and organic matter is introduced into the depression.
The roots of the seedling are slightly straightened and planted so that the upper part of the root system is just above ground level. Then the planting is sprinkled with soil, watered and mulched with bark.
Description of room hydrangea
It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the description before purchasing the variety - some varieties differ significantly from each other in height, size, colors and other parameters.
Indoor hydrangea
Are there indoor hydrangeas
Indoor hydrangea will adorn any room - lush inflorescences, wide leaves of a juicy green color, lack of aroma (therefore, it does not attract bees and other insects).
Domestic varieties are dwarf subspecies of garden varieties. Small bushes vary significantly in height, although individual owners grow domestic species up to 1.5 m.
Origin
Home hydrangea is a subspecies of the plant introduced to Europe in the XIV century.Initially, it was intended exclusively for wealthy segments of the population - luxurious inflorescences were associated with wealth and the special position of the owner. Hydrangea gained particular popularity in England and France.
The shrub is widespread in Asia and America. The largest number of varieties grows in Japan and China. Some frost-resistant species are also found in Russia - mainly in the Far East.
How is it different from a garden hydrangea
The plant looks most familiar on the plots, but there is no need to be afraid to grow shrubs at home - home hydrangea is considered a rather unpretentious flower (if you know certain nuances).
Care differs only in scale. Indoor varieties love water, do not tolerate extreme heat (in summer weather that is too sunny, it is better to remove it from the windowsill).
For reference! The main difference between garden and indoor hydrangea is size, some varieties grow only up to 20 cm.
Peculiarities
Those familiar with the garden hydrangea know that it is a large bush with lush inflorescences of various shades. Popular names - "destiny", "bride". Miniature varieties practically do not differ:
- inflorescences are spherical, flowers are racemose in shape, in the form of an "umbrella", corymbose;
- leaves are large, saturated green, framed with small teeth;
- the root system is rapidly developing (often visible from underground in pots).
With proper pruning, the leaves are arranged in a heap from below, and flowers bloom from above, forming a bright cap.
Advantages and disadvantages
Hydrangea is a special flower. In order not to ruin the plant, you need to know about the basic rules and requirements for care.
Flowers of purple hydrangea close up
Shrub Disadvantages:
- increased requirements for acidity and composition of the soil (abrupt changes, an overabundance or absence of minerals leads to a complete absence of inflorescences, the death of the bush);
- abundant watering - the hydrangea needs to be watered often (leaving it for a few days for the sake of a trip will not work);
- the need for a permanent place of growth - the plant does not like frequent transplants, a change in its habitat.
For some growers, grooming can be difficult - this often scares off beginners. You should not worry, many care products are sold ready-made, the main thing is to get ready.
Benefits of indoor hydrangeas:
lack of aroma - does not attract bees, other insects;
bright, saturated shades that you can change yourself (from pink to blue, for example);
lush inflorescences will look great in any interior, attract the attention of others.
Hydrangea is a perennial shrub, so it will delight the attentive owner for several years in a row.
Causes
If there are indoor flowers in the room and their development is proceeding correctly, then it means that the care and conditions are completely suitable for them. When geranium does not bloom, it is worth understanding the reason for this in order to quickly remove it and allow the plant to fully grow and please the eye. Let's take a look at a few of the most common reasons.
Lack of required fertilizer. Geranium prefers potassium supplements and does not need organic ones, therefore, when choosing fertilizers, you should be careful.
Failure to comply with watering conditions
It is important to correctly introduce moisture into the pot; with an excess of moisture, the plant deteriorates very quickly. It is easier for a flower to be completely without water than with an excess of it.
Incorrect selection of the pot
If you pick up too large a container for geraniums, then the presence of a significant earthen coma will force the root system to grow actively, and the bush will begin to stretch upward, completely forgetting about flowering. If it is not possible to purchase a suitable pot, then you can place several bushes in one container so that they help each other.
No clipping. If pruning is not carried out in time, the geranium may not bloom.The flower grows actively, and in case of thickening it gives only foliage, completely stopping flowering. The optimal timing is spring or autumn.
Lack of light. Pelargonium refers to light-loving flowers, and if it does not receive the proper amount of light, it actively stretches upward to get an extra ray of the sun or lamp light.
Unsuitable winter conditions. It is important to reduce the air temperature to 16 degrees, prevent drafts, water with a small amount of water and light the plant for at least 5 hours a day.
If the geranium grows normally, but you can't wait for flowering, then you should pay attention to other factors.
The soil. The soil for geraniums should be loose and fluffy; in the case of clay soil, the plant will not bloom. The most suitable soil for pelargonium will be the ratio of garden soil, sand and humus in proportions of 2: 1: 1. The problem may lie not only in the composition of the soil, but also in its density. If you do not transplant the flower for a long time, then the soil will be compressed and will be unsuitable for the normal development of the plant. At least once a year, you need to transplant or renew the topsoil.
Diseases. If the flower is healthy, then checking all the factors described will help identify the reason for the lack of flowering.
If we are talking about a disease, then you need to pay attention to the appearance of the geranium. If its leaves change color, stains, mold or white bloom, ulcers, abrasions appear on them, then there are clear signs of the disease
To properly fight a disease, you need to understand its nature, it can be bacterial, viral, fungal. Timely treatment will help save the flower and achieve normal growth and flowering.
Photos of hydrangea varieties and their description
Tree-like
This species does not have a large number of varieties, but it is the most unpretentious of all existing ones, and it is he who is recommended to plant for novice gardeners. This bushy type of hydrangea has flowers of delicate color - from snow-white to dark pink. The most common variety of this species is Annabelle, whose bushes grow up to two meters and bloom with large white inflorescences.
Paniculata
Long blooming species that tolerates winter cold well. It is subdivided into a significant number of varieties and is very popular for decorating squares, parks, and adjoining territories. Bushes of hydrangea paniculata grow up to one and a half meters in height. The most common variety is "Grandiflora", which blooms with white inflorescences, eventually acquiring a pinkish tint. The color range of other varieties of this species is quite diverse - from white to dark red, from cream to pale lemon.
Indoor (large-leaved)
One of the capricious species. It is popular due to its qualities to change the color, which depends on the acidity of the soil. This species is often grown as an indoor flower, it can also grow in a garden bed. Recently, more frost-resistant varieties of large-leaved hydrangeas have appeared, which tolerate the winter conditions of the middle zone well. A series of such varieties can be attributed to "Endless Summer" or "Endless Summer". Inflorescences can have different colors, depending on the soil or on what compounds the plant will be watered with.
Petiole (curly)
Curly or petioled hydrangea looks like a tree-like liana. It is great for growing in trellises and arches, grows up to two meters in length without support, but is able to rise to a height of 15-20 meters. This species does not tolerate cold winters, therefore it did not receive much distribution in Russian latitudes.
Groundcover (Himalayan)
It grows as a bush up to 3 meters high, although it is called a ground cover. The shrub blooms with numerous inflorescences-caps, when opened, they are gently greenish, then white, and as they grow, they turn purple.
Dubolistnaya
This is not a winter-hardy type of plant, it does not have individual varieties. It grows in height up to one and a half meters.
The flowering months of all species are June-August.
Optimal months for planting hydrangeas: late April - May.
Beneficial features. The plant is used as a decorative decoration of flower beds in areas, in addition, it also has special useful properties. Hydrangea decoctions have a beneficial effect on the kidneys and the entire genitourinary system, cleansing the body of toxic substances, uric acid, stones and sand. The plant helps to relieve cramps and pain in the premenstrual period and joint diseases.
Garden hydrangea
Garden hydrangea, which is often called large-leaved, is an ornamental perennial shrub. The average plant height is about two meters. It is characterized by an erect stem, flowers of white, lilac, pink or blue shades. The color of the petals depends on the state of the plant, on the soil with what acidity it grows. Florists note that garden hydrangea cannot stand limestone soils! Among its characteristics are light and thermophilicity, average frost resistance. This plant feels best in the southern territories of Russia, but thanks to the efforts of breeders, it is able to develop in the central part of Russia. For the winter period, it is recommended to cover the plants so that they can withstand the most severe cold snaps. What does a garden hydrangea look like? Photos of representatives of different varieties are presented in the article.
