Possible problems
Hydrangeas are subject to a number of problems that need to be addressed.
- Light leaves. Blanching of foliage can be the result of alkaline soil, lack of minerals, or damage by pathogenic bacteria. Most often, this problem occurs due to the poor quality of the soil. The pH must be kept between 4.0 and 6.5. If parasites or chlorosis have become the cause of the lightening of the foliage, then the treatment will consist in the use of high-quality dressings or insecticides.
- Poor growth. Sometimes gardeners complain that hydrangea grows poorly on their plots. There can be a lot of reasons for this - from poor wintering of a flower to a damaged root system. There may be a lack of oxygen or fertilizers, and the acidity level of the soil may be lowered. Such an ailment occurs due to drying out of the soil, improper pruning. It is better to look for the cause of the trouble that has arisen in the spring, when the growth phase is active.
- Leaves dry. Hydrangea foliage may dry out if the soil is too dry, a careless transplant was carried out, the soil is too wet, the air humidity is too low. This problem arises due to drafts, in conditions of excessively dense and heavy soil.
- Leaves turn yellow or black. If black or yellow spots appear on the leaves, this may indicate watering with too hard water. Such consequences are caused by a low level of acidity of the earth, too much sunlight. Care should be taken to ensure the presence of all the necessary trace elements in the soil so that this problem does not arise.
- The flower withers. This ailment can manifest itself for the following reasons: lack of regular watering, lack of lighting, lack of top dressing in the ground, poor wintering, damage to the roots, water fell on the leaves during watering, chlorosis.
Landing in open ground
It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the rules for planting and caring for pink hydrangea in the open field in advance - the plant is demanding in choosing a place, does not tolerate frequent transplants.
Site and soil selection and preparation
Place is the first and rather important point. Hydrangea of all varieties does not tolerate shade (some allow partial shade - a rare feature), constant transplants, as a result, ceases to grow and bloom. The soil should be clayey, acidic enough. Peat, sawdust or pine needles can be added to neutral soil.
Attention! The plant does not tolerate direct sunlight - in such places the flower will not have enough moisture
Therefore, it is important to choose a location that is sufficiently lit but not bright (for example, next to a larger tree)
The planting hole is prepared in advance - 50 * 40 * 40 cm. Fertilizers (humus, river sand, superphosphates and others) are added.
Planting hydrangeas
Next to which plants it is better to plant
Hydrangea is a large-leaved perennial shrub, so annual varieties should not be planted nearby (if there is no desire to update the design of the site annually)
It is important to take into account not only the color scheme of the "neighbors", but also the general compatibility - similar requirements for the soil, the frequency and abundance of watering, and other points. Most often used:
- ferns - allow you to create an interesting foliage pattern on several levels;
- periwinkles, ivy - undersized varieties frame the bottom of hydrangeas;
- the cuff is soft - they have lighter leaves, add radiance to the composition.
Other options are badan, hosts, lilacs, chubushniks, hydrangeas and many others. The most colorful combination is considered to be cereals (hakonehloa, falaris, millet).
When and how to plant
In the southern regions and the Moscow region, hydrangea is planted in the fall, in Siberia - only in the spring.
In a previously prepared hole, a small mound is formed, where the seedling is placed - the roots are carefully distributed around. The planting hole is completely filled up, abundant watering is required
Caring for pink hydrangeas
Watering mode
Watering is the main component of plant care from the first days after planting it in the ground. Each bush should get 20-25 liters of water. Before watering, once a month, you need to loosen the soil.
Top dressing
It is recommended to mulch the soil to avoid drying out the roots. To do this, you need to mix freshly cut grass, needles, semi-rotten leaves and wood chips.
Inflorescences of pink hydrangea
Top dressing is carried out in the spring, when the temperature rises above + 10 ° С. Shoots grow quickly: in a season they can reach half a meter. It is recommended to fertilize the plant with nitrogen fertilizers. They are done as follows: 1 tablespoon of calcium nitrate is diluted in 10 liters of water. Water the plant with this mixture.
Dung, superphosphate, urea and potassium nitrate are also used for fertilization. At first, the frequency of feeding the plant is once every two weeks, then you can reduce the frequency of fertilization to once every three weeks until the end of July.
Flowering care
It is very important to actively water the hydrangea correctly during the flowering period. Also at this time it is necessary to fertilize the soil with a weak solution.
In this case, you cannot overdo it, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow, and the plant will get sick.
Important! During the dormant period, the plant is not so dependent on watering. It is enough to occasionally provide the hydrangea with water so that the shoots do not dry out.
Preparing for winter
For the winter, the hydrangea must be transplanted into tubs and transferred to a cool room. But this does not apply to frost-resistant varieties.
Thus, pink large-leaved hydrangea is an excellent plant that can be grown both independently and in an ensemble with others. It is not very difficult to care for it, although it blooms incredibly beautifully.
Reproduction
The easiest way is to buy seedlings in special bins. The disadvantages are the cost, the lack of the desired grade. Hydrangea can be propagated independently by the following methods.
Growing from seeds
The seeds of the plant do not require pre-treatment, they are immediately planted in pots (boxes, other). The soil is moistened, the seeds are not buried, they are covered with foil or glass. The first shoots appear on average after three weeks.
Cuttings
The best way to propagate pink hydrangea is by cuttings. The time of bud formation (mid-July) is considered suitable. A green stalk is used - the part of the stem with leaves and buds.
Attention! Cuttings are cut only from young bushes. If there are "old" plants on the site, preliminarily carry out "rejuvenating" pruning
Cutting hydrangeas at home
Dividing the bush
This method is used only during plant transplantation. It is permissible to separate bushes of all types of hydrangea (except paniculate).
Period - spring (with the onset of heat, but before flowering). First, the bush is well watered, then dug out. The roots are washed from the ground and separated.
Layers
The method is used in early spring, before the formation of kidneys. Stages of work:
- Spud the bush, level the earth.
- Make radial grooves, depth no more than 2 cm.
- Put one stem in each, sprinkle, but leave the top on the surface.
Attention! So that the stems do not "pop out", they are sprinkled with earth or pinned with wooden cuttings. During the summer, sprinkled shoots are watered, achieving light soil moisture
Hydrangea oakleaf
Latin name: Hydrangea quercifolia
Looking at the oak-leaved hydrangea, it is easy to guess why it got its name. Of course, its leaves are not identical to those of an oak, but a clear similarity in shape is guessed.
It blooms all season: from early summer to autumn.The advantageous difference between the oak-leaved hydrangea and its "sisters" is that the foliage with the onset of autumn acquires a crimson color. It looks very impressive!
In height, this plant usually reaches 2-2.5 m. The bush is lush, spreading. The leaves of this type of hydrangea are about 25 cm in length, the diameter of the inflorescences is usually 15-20 cm.
Oak-leaved hydrangea is notable for its enviable frost resistance: it tolerates temperatures as low as –29 ° C. True, it is still advisable to spud and cover young plants for the winter.
Common varieties of oakleaf hydrangea:
- Snowflake is a 1.5-2 m bush with large clusters of white inflorescences, which become burgundy-red by the end of flowering, blooms in June-October.
- Snow Queen is a bush up to 2.5 m high with drooping white inflorescences up to 30 cm long, which turn pink by the end of the season, blooms in June-September.
- Applause is a bush up to 2 m in height with large white paniculate inflorescences, blooms in July-September.
- Harmony is a bush 1.5-2 m high with creamy inflorescences about 20 cm long, blooms in June-September.
Review of the best hydrangea varieties for the middle lane
Find out which varieties of different types of hydrangea are suitable for growing in the middle lane.
