An elegant plant for a personal plot, pink hydrangea will certainly become the main decoration of the summer garden. Despite the luxurious appearance of the shrub, caring for it is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Hydrangea is a shrub that reaches up to 1 m in height in cultivation. It has very densely spaced, oval, slightly pointed leaves. The plant blooms with lobed, large inflorescences in the form of umbrellas.

The bush blooms already in mid-summer, and blooms almost all autumn, standing out sharply against the background of other inhabitants of the garden with its rich foliage and pink buds.

Depending on the type of soil, hydrangea can change the color of its flowers. So, in an acidic environment, flowers can become bluish, and in an alkaline environment, bright pink.

Popular varieties of flowers

Today, many different garden forms hydrangeas.

The most popular varieties:

• Annabelle. Reaches a height of up to 1 m. The crown is very spreading, up to 3 m. It blooms in huge caps, very profusely.
• Sterilized. Reaches up to 1.5 m in height, crown up to 2.5 m in diameter. The inflorescences are very heavy, up to 25 cm in diameter.
• Grandiflora. It has a luxurious crown up to 3 m in diameter. Blooms from June to the end of September. It can grow up to 2 m in height.
• “White Anna”, “Invincible Spirit”, “Hayes Sturburst” bloom with luxurious pink inflorescences and have double flowers.

These are just a few of the hydrangea varieties that can be grown in middle lane.

Planting in open ground

Rose hydrangea is planted in the spring so that the plant has time to take root in its new location before wintering. In warm regions where autumn is warm and long, you can plant hydrangea in the fall.

The planting site is chosen so that the area is illuminated by the sun in the first half of the day, and in the afternoon it is in the shade. Hydrangea also likes partial shade.

In the shade of trees, the bush will feel very bad.

Therefore, places under spreading trees or with north side buildings

If several seedlings are planted, then a minimum distance of 1.5 m is left between them. Hydrangea is also planted at the same distance from buildings.

Holes for planting are dug according to the size of the root system, the seedling is lowered into the hole and covered with soil, which is slightly compacted. The planted bush must be mulched so that moisture does not leave the soil. An excellent mulch for hydrangea is tea leaves.

The planted bush is topped with a weak solution of superphosphate or fed with organic matter. Loves hydrangea and urea.

It is very important to ensure that there are no pests or fungi in the mulch, otherwise the hydrangea may get sick.

How to care for pink hydrangea in the garden

Caring for pink hydrangea in the garden is quite simple. The main rule of care is regular watering, because the shrub loves water very much. You need to water abundantly, while spraying the leaves. Young specimens especially need moisture. Before watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil near the roots to a depth of 5 cm in a diameter of 0.5 m around the plant.

In the first year after planting, garden hydrangeas are not fed. Then every year spring period contribute mineral compounds according to the norm stated in the instructions for the drug. Hydrangea loves potassium sulfate.

When the first buds appear in the summer, the bushes are fed a second time before flowering. The last fertilizing of the season is done in the fall.

To increase the strength of the shoots in the summer, the bushes are topped up with a weak solution of manganese once.

If the bush grows in too acidic soil, it should be limed. To do this, dolomite flour is embedded in the soil around the bushes 3-4 times per season. To prevent the bushes from losing the bright pink color of the buds, the bushes are fed once with nitrogen.

Pruning and winter care

Pink garden hydrangea does not need radical pruning, as this can reduce the number of buds set. When pruning, only old, dry branches are removed down to living buds. Too weak shoots that grow very densely are also pruned. The period for carrying out such sanitary pruning is March-April.

Hydrangea is a very heat-loving plant, so even in the southern regions it needs to be covered before frost. It is especially important to cover the bushes in the middle zone, since the bush can die in frost.

In autumn, the bushes are hilled up to 20 cm and then covered with peat. The top of the bush is covered with film or lutrasil. Before covering the film, the bush can be covered with spruce branches.

It is especially important to cover well young bushes, which in the first years of life have very low winter hardiness.

Protection from diseases and pests

Most often, garden hydrangeas suffer from chlorosis - brittleness and severe yellowing of foliage and shoots. This disease develops from excess lime in the soil. You need to fight chlorosis by adding fertilizers to deoxidize the soil.

If air humidity is increased, powdery mildew may appear, causing yellow spots and blackening. If the climate in the region is too humid, then hydrangea is planted in a sunny place.

Hydrangea is often attacked by insect pests, especially spider mites. Shrubs are treated with insecticides against pests several times a season.

Plant propagation

On your own personal plot You can propagate hydrangea in several ways. The simplest and least traumatic is propagation by cuttings.

Only young shoots are selected for cuttings. They are cut into short pieces and buried in a mixture of peat, sand and humus, taken in a ratio of 2:1:2. Deepen the cuttings to the level of the buds.

The plantings are shed generously and covered with film and placed in the sun. This way you can propagate the plant until mid-summer.

The lightest and quick way, but traumatic for the bush is the division of the rhizome. In spring, the bush is completely dug up and divided into sections. The cut roots are sprinkled with coal, and then planted in prepared holes immediately in a permanent place.

The best way when it is not possible to root cuttings and dig up a bush is propagation by layering.

Select annual shoots and strip them of bark. Then each shoot is pinned to the ground with a wooden spike and dug in. After just 3 weeks it will be possible to separate young plant and drop off.

Why doesn't pink hydrangea bloom?

Amateur flower growers often make mistakes due to which the bushes do not bloom.

Reasons may be:

• The location may have been chosen incorrectly. The bush will do better in partial shade.
• The bush may be too flooded with water or suffer from a lack of moisture.
• After planting, some varieties do not bloom for quite a long time - they need acclimatization.
• The kidneys could freeze in winter.
• The bushes were pruned incorrectly.
• The plant is sick or is attacked by insects, which also stops flowering or stops altogether.
• Also, incorrectly applied nutritional compounds or fertilizers applied to shrubs can stop bud setting and flowering. It is important to choose fertilizers wisely and not to overdose.
• If a flower variety is chosen incorrectly and does not perform well due to the climate of the region, the plant may not bloom.

Growing hydrangea is a very exciting and rewarding activity, because in return for attention and care, the shrubs will bloom magnificently and become the highlight of the garden plot.

Flowering hydrangea bushes are a real decoration of our gardens and summer cottages. This flowering southern shrub feels great in our rather harsh climate, although it requires appropriate care and mandatory winter shelter for some varieties.

Hydrangea retains its decorative properties for a long time, delighting us with its flowering almost all summer. A tall, spreading bush, decorated with large inflorescences that can be very different color, decorates our gardens from July until autumn.

I really love hydrangeas, which cannot be compared with anything in their beauty. However, the very first and most important condition for the abundant flowering of this plant is the obligatory pruning of hydrangea in the fall. Without proper trimming good flowering you won't get it from your beauty. Autumn pruning is the key to the health and beauty of your plant, and should not be neglected.

Let us immediately note that most often in our gardens there are two types of hydrangeas - large-leaved hydrangea and paniculata hydrangea, although in nature there are many species and varieties of this plant.

And these two garden varieties hydrangeas differ not only appearance, although both are beautiful, the pruning rules are fundamentally different. And for beginners, it is important to know what kind of hydrangea grows in your garden and how it should be pruned.

Why do hydrangeas need pruning?

This is not to say that a hydrangea that is not pruned in spring or autumn will not bloom or will completely wither away. No, the hydrangea will survive without pruning and will bloom at its usual time. But only pruning will give the plant a beautiful shape, and will ensure not just the appearance of several shoots with inflorescences, but abundant and long-lasting flowering.

If the hydrangea is not trimmed to form its crown, after a few years it will take on a sloppy, unkempt appearance, as a result of which it will look neglected. Such a hydrangea will not become a real decoration of the garden. In addition, in a hydrangea that is not pruned, the size of the inflorescences and the flowers themselves will always be significantly smaller than that of a formed one. proper pruning bush.

Therefore, to the question of whether it is necessary to prune hydrangea for the winter, the answer is definitely affirmative.

Why do you still need to prune hydrangeas in the fall? There are several answers to this question:

• to form a beautiful shape of a hydrangea bush;
• so that your plant blooms long and abundantly, delighting you with lush inflorescences;
• to rejuvenate the bush and keep it healthy and beautiful for many years;
• to ensure the growth of new shoots.

Proper pruning of hydrangeas

The answer to the question of how to properly prune hydrangeas is simple. Almost all types of hydrangeas bloom on shoots current year, so you don’t have to be afraid to cut off the shoots too much - the bush will bloom in any case.

Hydrangea loves to be pruned, and the shorter you cut the old shoots, the denser and longer the new ones will be. You can safely shorten your bushes by 2/3, they will feel great!

You need to be careful when pruning only one variety of hydrangea - large-leaved hydrangea. Sometimes its owners complain that they planted a bush a long time ago, but it still doesn’t bloom. And they take care of it and prune it every autumn, but the bush does not bloom and does not bloom.

Incorrect pruning is to blame for this. The fact is that, unlike other varieties, large-leaved hydrangea blooms on last year’s shoots.

Such a hydrangea practically does not need pruning; the shoots should simply be shortened slightly and the dried ones should be removed, and this should be done preferably in spring, after the bush has overwintered, solely for cosmetic purposes.

For such a hydrangea to bloom well, it is imperative to preserve the flower buds at the ends of the shoots so that they do not freeze in the winter, and in the spring, under cover, they do not begin to rot - it is from these buds that new inflorescences will appear in July. Therefore, the condition of the buds determines how abundant and beautiful the flowering of your bush will be.

And if large-leaved hydrangea is not touched or pruned, it will provide a large increase in new shoots and will be very decorative.

With this hydrangea you just need to remove the dried inflorescences, and this can be done both in spring and autumn. It is still preferable to remove them in the fall so that the hydrangea can winter without them. However, dry inflorescences look so beautiful in winter garden that sometimes you just don’t raise your hand to cut off this luxury.

If you are one of those lovers of flowers in the snow, then simply spray your hydrangeas with Bordeaux mixture in the fall. And then they will overwinter well with dried flowers. And they can be removed in the spring by cutting them off with sharp pruning shears. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the shoot.

At the same time, spring pruning large leaf hydrangea different from autumn. If you decide to prune your bush in the spring, then you need to cut about a quarter of the existing shoots that are more than three years old to the base. On the remaining shoots, you should simply cut off the inflorescences themselves that remain from last year.

If you decide to prune a large-leaved hydrangea bush in the fall, then you should limit yourself to cutting off the inflorescences from the shoots without touching the stems themselves. If any of them dry out or lose their leaves, you can cut them back in the spring.

But paniculata hydrangea, which is also very common in our gardens, requires pruning almost to the root.

The more you prune the paniculate hydrangea, the better the bush will feel and the more decorative it will look.

Such a hydrangea is pruned according to the following scheme - 5-7 of the strongest and strongest shoots are selected, and cut down to the third to fifth bud. The remaining shoots can be removed.

If your bush is very old and needs to be rejuvenated, then in the fall you just need to greatly shorten all the shoots, leaving stumps of five to six centimeters. On next year your bush will produce many young shoots.

When is the best time to prune hydrangeas?

A very often asked question is when to prune, in spring or autumn. In general, there are no prohibitions on this matter, since it is a matter of the priorities of the garden owner. But, in my opinion, autumn pruning is still preferable. Personally, I always prune my plants in the fall, before covering.

At this time, the plant is already preparing for hibernation, does not produce new shoots, and life in it freezes. Besides. pruning is always a kind of injury to the bush, and the plant will have time to recover from it until spring.

But in the spring, when juices already begin to circulate through the branches of any plant (and this process begins already in February), it will be more difficult for hydrangeas to tolerate pruning with the same ease.

Therefore, in the spring it is better to limit yourself to cosmetic cleaning of the bush, simply removing all the shoots and inflorescences that have dried out over the winter, if they remain on the branches. It is with the help of spring pruning that the bushes are given shape, and they become well-groomed and beautiful.

However, if you prefer spring pruning, there is nothing unacceptable in it. Just take a sharper pruner and cut the branches at an acute angle - in this case, infections or fungal diseases are less likely to get there.

In a word, autumn pruning is about the health of your bush and its abundant flowering, and light spring - the formation of a beautiful shape of the bush and giving it a well-groomed appearance. Therefore, the most correct thing is to combine autumn and spring pruning.

Climatic features that need to be taken into account when pruning

You should also keep in mind that pruning technology depends not only on the variety or time of year, but also on the climate in which your hydrangea grows and blooms.

If you live in a warm region, with long summers and autumn, which does not begin until November, then your hydrangea can be trimmed quite short.

But if you are a resident of Siberia or the North, then the hydrangea is pruned more superficially, by no more than a third, because in conditions of a hot but short summer it simply does not have time to grow enough green mass and bloom.

These circumstances must be taken into account before taking up the pruning shears.

Preparing the plant for winter

Another circumstance that should be taken into account is that regardless of when you still intend to prune your hydrangea, in any case it needs to be prepared for winter.

Despite the fact that hydrangea is a frost-resistant plant, the climate of our country is not very suitable for it, so it is advisable not only to cover the bushes for the winter, but also to prepare them for it. This is especially important for hydrangea varieties that do not tolerate frost well and for those bushes on which you decide to leave the inflorescences for the winter.

This is not difficult to do - preparing the plant for winter comes down to the fact that all the leaves from the lower part of the inflorescence should be removed, but the upper ones should be left. These leaves will protect the bud at the end of the branch from the cold. Hydrangea varieties that are not frost-resistant enough prefer just such manipulations.

Winter shelter

What to do with hydrangeas for the winter? Firstly, you need to understand that only young bushes up to three years old need major winter shelter. as well as varieties that are not resistant to frost. The rest of the hydrangeas simply need to be lightly covered near the roots with a layer of mulch, peat and humus.

Secondly, it should be remembered that much more important in spring Remove the cover in time. The tender hydrangea buds cannot tolerate overheating and will simply begin to rot under the covering material. Therefore, the cover from any variety of hydrangea should begin to be removed quite early, as soon as the sun begins to warm up.

By the end of April, all hydrangea bushes should be fully open.

At a time when new plants were considered treasures and botanists hunted for exotic species, hydrangea was brought from Japan. Like in a fairy tale about a scarlet flower, it was not easy to get it. Swede Carl Peter Thunberg, who worked on a Japanese island, obtained large-leaved hydrangea under the guise of food for his goat. She was later spotted in France. The French began breeding rose hydrangea. But a unique type of large-leaved hydrangea, Style Pink, was bred by Dutch breeders who set themselves the goal of creating the ideal hydrangea.

Features of the view

Large-leaved pink hydrangea is a mysterious plant. No longer in nature flowering bushes, capable of changing flower color.

Important! Pink hydrangea can turn blue if the soil type changes from slightly alkaline to acidic.

This can happen due to the external influence of precipitation or when applying appropriate mineral supplements.

Cultivation technology

Growing large-leaved hydrangea (macrophila) differs from growing other species. The thing is that pink hydrangea flower buds are laid in the fall and flowers appear on last year's branches. In other words, if after an unsuccessful overwintering or improper pruning the old woody shoots die, the hydrangea will not please you with flowering.

Other types of hydrangea are more unpretentious to grow; their inflorescences appear on the shoots of the current year. Large-leaved pink hydrangea is the most spectacular of the species and the work put into growing the plant is rewarded with luxurious flowering.

To save flower buds on the branches of pink hydrangea, just follow these simple recommendations:

• Throughout the season, it is optimal to moisten the plant and fertilize it to ensure the development of a strong bush ready for wintering;
• When covering for the winter, handle the branches carefully so as not to damage last year’s shoots with flower buds;
• Properly and timely pruning.

Reproduction

You can propagate pink large-leaved hydrangea in several ways.

Propagation by cuttings. Short cuttings are cut from young shoots and placed in pots with a mixture of peat, sand and humus in a ratio of 2:1:2, deepening them at the level of two buds, after watering. Pots with cuttings are covered with polyethylene or glass and placed in a sunny place for rooting. In this way, pink hydrangea can be planted until mid-summer.

Dividing the bush is the most easy way reproduction. A pink hydrangea bush is dug up in the spring and divided according to rooting buds. The separated roots must be sprinkled with charcoal to eliminate the possibility of disease. The holes for planting are prepared in advance. Dig to a depth of 50cm and fill with humus, sand, peat and removed topsoil in a ratio of 2:1:1:2.

Reproduction by layering. If you want to propagate a beautiful hydrangea bush, but are afraid of damaging it, this method is the most optimal. To do this, annual shoots need to be cleared of tree bark, treat the roots with wine, press them to the ground with a hairpin and dig in middle part with kidneys. After three weeks, you can separate the rooted part and plant it separately.

Landing rules

In order for pink large-leaved hydrangea to quickly take root and delight you with lush flowers, follow some rules:

• Plants, if there are several of them, are planted at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other and at the same distance from buildings;
• To root system was constantly moistened, it is necessary to mulch the soil with peat and sawdust. Good mulch comes from used tea leaves;
• The new bush is additionally fertilized with organic, superphosphate fertilizers and urea.

Important! It is necessary to control the quality of the mulch so as not to introduce pests and fungal diseases to the plant.

Landing location

Choose a place to plant pink hydrangea taking into account shade preferences.

The plant will feel good near buildings that are illuminated by the sun in the first half of the day, being in their shade the rest of the time.

Macrophiles love partial shade.

Watering

Pink hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant. It needs to be watered regularly, abundantly, with spraying. Drought depresses the plant and causes marginal leaf burn. Young bushes especially need abundant watering; this significantly reduces the soil temperature at the roots, protecting them from overheating in hot weather. Before watering, the soil near the bush is loosened to a depth of 5 cm and 0.5 m from the plant.

Agrotechnical rules

• Constantly monitor soil acidity. For pink hydrangea flowering, the norm is 4.5-6.5;
• In spring trunk circle It is imperative to apply complex fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and microelements;
• Summer feeding contains only potassium and phosphorus. This guarantees a successful winter.

If you want to change the color of the hydrangea, it is enough to fertilize the plant with mixtures of iron alum. The reverse effect is achieved by slightly alkalizing the soil.

Pruning and winter care

Pink hydrangea is a heat-loving plant, so it is covered for the winter. To do this, in the fall, at the end of October - beginning of November, peat is poured into the center of the bush, the branches, without cutting, are pinned to the ground, insulated with spruce paws and covered with greenhouse film.

An option for wintering is transplanting into a tub. The plant is transplanted and lowered into the basement without lighting at temperatures up to +50C.

Large-leaved hydrangea is pruned in early spring minimal. Only damaged branches and weak, thickening shoots are removed.

Important! This type of hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots; they must be carefully preserved.

Many peoples have a belief that hydrangea drives away sadness and illness, and brings happiness into the home. Perhaps this will become motivation to grow this magical plant in your garden.

Hydrangea is a beautiful, abundantly flowering shrub that has a variety of flowers - white, pink, blue, purple. This heat-loving plant has been loved by our gardeners for a long time. But in order to successfully cultivate it on your site, hydrangea requires certain care, not only in summer, but also in autumn and winter.

There are special frost-resistant varieties, which include tree hydrangea. But even she will not survive the winter without shelter in the northern region. Therefore, you should find out in advance how to prepare hydrangeas for winter in the garden so that the bush can withstand low winter temperatures well.

Autumn watering

Like many inhabitants of the garden and flower garden, hydrangea requires a sufficient amount of moisture throughout the entire flowering period. But the closer things move to autumn, the less water gotta get a bush. Immediately before frost, it is watered abundantly again and at this point the watering should stop. If it’s a wet autumn, then watering the plant will be inappropriate.

Hydrangea fertilizer

In order for bright clusters of small flowers to bloom wildly next season, nutrients will be required for the development of buds. For this, hydrangea in autumn period fed with various fertilizer complexes, excluding nitrogen ones. Like most garden inhabitants, this chemical element contraindicated in autumn.

And here potassium-phosphorus fertilizers in the form of granules will be very appropriate, because they will prepare the plant for winter and allow it to restore strength after summer flowering.

Bush pruning

Caring for garden hydrangea in the fall in preparation for winter includes mandatory pruning. It must be done correctly so as not to harm the plant. This is necessary for sanitary cleaning of the bush from unnecessary growth, as well as for removing all damaged and unhealthy branches.

Young bushes are pruned by only a third, and all lower and middle leaves, which may contain pathogenic fungal spores, are removed. The leaves at the ends of the shoots are not torn off, as they protect the buds from freezing and damage.

Old plants are pruned more thoroughly for rejuvenation - only the five healthiest and most powerful shoots are left on a large bush, and the rest are cut out at the root.

Hydrangea shelter

The main work of caring for hydrangea in the garden in autumn comes down to its careful covering. It should not be airtight, so that accumulated condensation during a thaw does not give rise to rotting of the buds and shoots.

It is best to use spunbond or lutrasil, which will simultaneously protect the bush from severe frost, and allow the plant to breathe, getting rid of excess moisture under cover.

Spruce or pine spruce branches, as well as all kinds of wooden or arched frames made of polypropylene pipes, are well suited as natural covering materials.

With the onset of cold weather, after preliminary pruning, hydrangea branches should be carefully tied. Near the bush, spruce branches are lined as a springy layer or small logs are laid, which will prevent the branches from contacting the soil.

After this, the tied bush is wrapped in two layers of synthetic non-woven covering material and laid on the prepared substrate. To fix the bush in this position, you should use large construction staples or drive homemade fasteners from a bent metal-plastic water pipe into the ground.

In this position, the plant overwinters until the spring thaw begins in March. If the winter is very harsh or snowless, then in addition to shelter, you can also throw spruce branches over the hydrangea over the entire structure.

As soon as the first sun comes out in the spring, you should gradually dismantle the shelter so that the plant wakes up. If some branches are frozen, they are cut off with pruning shears before the sap begins to flow.

Garden hydrangea is a luxurious shrub strewn with small flowers collected in large inflorescences. This plant is perfect for decorating gardens, parks; sometimes it can grow on balconies and even in rooms. Hydrangea grows well in temperate climates and is quite easy to care for. It pleases with its flowers from about mid-summer until autumn. The shrub loves moisture and partial shade. Growing hydrangea is not difficult, just remember its characteristics. If everything is done correctly, she will decorate the garden with a variety of flowers. different shades. This plant has a unique quality: thanks to simple techniques you can change the color of garden hydrangea.

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Description of hydrangea species

Hydrangea is not only a shrub, sometimes it is a tree or vine. But most often gardeners grow bushes. Garden hydrangea is a genus that is divided into a large number of species. The plant has two types of flowers: large sterile and small fruiting ones. Flowers usually have no scent.

The plant came to Europe from America and Far East and quickly gained popularity. The first hydrangea flowers were brought from the island of Mauritius. IN wildlife the plant has pale green or white flowers, but in gardens you can find flowers in the following shades:

1. 1. Cream.
2. 2. White.
3. 3. Pink.
4. 4. Red.
5. 5. Blue.
6. 6. Purple.
7. 7. Blue.

The shape of the inflorescences depends on the type and variety. These can be hats, pyramids, cones. Also, the height of hydrangea can be different. Since the plant loves water very much, it has another name: hydrangea.

Among the types that are most often used in landscaping gardens and parks are the following:

1. 1. Large-leaved hydrangea;
2. 2. Hydrangea paniculata;
3. 3. Tree hydrangea;
4. 4. Petiolate hydrangea;
5. 5. Ash hydrangea;
6. 6. Hortense Bertschneider;
7. 7. Hortense Sargent and others.

The large-leaved variety is the initial basis for indoor hydrangeas. Flowers white, pink, blue. Hydrangea paniculata is a tall bush up to 5 meters in height. This plant tolerates frost well, is very unpretentious, and grows even in swampy places and in gas-polluted conditions. The plant has interesting feature: throughout the growing season, the branches change their color from white to burgundy.

Among the varieties it is worth mentioning Frost-resistant Vanilla. She has especially large inflorescences of white- Pink colour. The bush grows up to 2 meters. Flower pyramids look very impressive and change color from white to burgundy.



Terry tree hydrangea is a shrub about 1.5 meters high, but there are also specimens that grow up to 3 meters. Its leaves are ovoid in shape, the upper side is green, and the lower side is bluish in color.

Hydrangea petiolate is a vine. It has aerial roots and suckers with which it attaches to the support. If the plant does not have support, it begins to creep along the ground. Grows up to 25 meters in length.



Planting garden hydrangea

Hydrangea prefers acidic soil filled with moisture. Therefore, before boarding you need to find for her optimal place. It grows well in both sun and shade, but works best in partial shade. Excessive sun can cause burns. The plant should be planted in early spring so that it can take root well and survive the winter.



In the place intended for planting, a hole measuring 30 by 30 by 30 centimeters is dug. Mineral and organic fertilizers. The soil should be loose, mixed with sand. After all, peat is poured.

The roots of the seedling need to be shortened a little; there is no need to deepen the root collar. In order for the plant to retain moisture well, the soil must be compacted and mulched with humus, sawdust, pine needles. When planting, annual shoots should be shortened by three or four buds. After this, you should water the plant with rainwater. All soil should be saturated with moisture.



Mulching and fertilizing

Mulching the plant must be done in spring and autumn. Bark, sawdust or humus should cover the ground, taking into account the projection of the plant crown. The material used for mulching is poured in an even layer 7-10 centimeters thick. Over time, the mulch will break down into the soil and acidify it.



From May to July it is necessary to regularly make complex fertilizing with potassium nitrate, superphosphate, and urea. Bird droppings are also used. Stores sell special fertilizers for hydrangeas.

The plant needs magnesium and iron. Fertilizers must be applied every two weeks. When lignification begins on the branches, fertilizing should be stopped.



Watering

Garden hydrangea is a calcephobe. This must be taken into account when watering the plant. The best option will use rainwater, tap water needs to be defended. If lime gets on the plant, it may develop chlorosis of the leaves. This is expressed in the fact that the surface of the leaves becomes lighter.



If the season is particularly wet, the plant may develop powdery mildew. But usually hydrangea is quite unpretentious; pests rarely bother it. The most important thing when caring for it is good, abundant watering. Each bush needs 2 buckets of water per week. If the plant is in the sun, then it needs to be watered more.

Wintering

For the winter, some species that grow in open ground, must be protected from the cold. To do this, you need to cover the hydrangea with sawdust or dry leaves. You can put a box on top. Some species require the shoots to be bent to the ground on a board or with a coniferous spruce branch. The top of the plant should be covered with leaves.



Indoor hydrangea should be moved indoors; it can survive the winter in a cool but ventilated basement. It is necessary to remove protection from the cold no earlier than mid-April. This must be done carefully so that the rays spring sun did not cause burns to the bushes.

Trimming

Pruning should be done in the spring, during the period when swollen buds appear. If the bush is old, then the plant can be pruned at the root. Experts recommend removing the inflorescences in the year when hydrangea begins to bloom for the first time so that it gains strength.



The bush needs pruning to ensure that the inflorescences are large and strong. During this operation, old or frozen branches can be removed. The root variety of the shrub begins to branch strongly after pruning.

By properly removing unnecessary shoots, the bush can be given the desired shape. This operation is performed with paniculata hydrangea. A two-year-old plant is taken, from which all shoots are removed except one, the strongest. It is also shortened to the most viable bud. As a result of these actions, a trunk about a meter long should appear.

Over time, hydrangea paniculata regular pruning grows in shape small tree with several strong branches. All excess shoots are regularly removed.

Reproduction

Reproduction in most cases is done by cuttings. Green annual shoots are taken and cut at right angles. All lower leaves are removed. The lower tip is treated with a growth stimulator and planted in a pot with a soil mixture of peat and sand.



For large-leaved hydrangea, winter cuttings are also used. The parent plant is taken, transplanted into a pot and brought into the house. The temperature in the room where it stands should be from 0 to plus 2 degrees Celsius. In January, the room temperature should rise to plus 7-10 degrees Celsius. Next month shoots should appear, from which cuttings are cut.

There are other methods of reproduction. This is the division of bushes and layering. Dividing the bush is very simple. It is important that there are buds on each branch. When layering, a young shoot no older than 1 year is taken, bent to the ground and dug in. There should be one top 20 centimeters high, from which a full-fledged plant should develop in a year.

Gardeners rarely use grafting or seeds to propagate a plant. The seeds of the shrub are quite small; they are planted in a box filled with a mixture of sand, peat, humus and leaf soil. The seeds are planted superficially and lightly covered with sand. It is necessary to water regularly, using a sprinkler. In a month the first shoots will appear.



Change in flower color

The change in color of hydrangea flowers may be associated not only with its appearance. A person can also help it change color. It has been noted that the color depends on the acidity of the soil. If the bush is well fertilized with peat, the flowers may turn blue.



However, gardeners like to work through other means. You can change the color of garden hydrangea by adding aluminum sulfate to the water for irrigation. Iron crystals are also suitable for this purpose. You can bury small iron objects or metal shavings under the bush. As a result of these actions, the flowers will acquire a blue, blue or purple hue.

The intensity of the color depends on how much bright flowers were originally. The flowers can also be made pink or red. To do this, you need to water the plant with water with potassium permanganate. In specialized stores you can buy ready-made compositions that are designed to change color.

Paniculate, large-leaved and groundcover hydrangeas are suitable for color changing operations. If you water special composition If the bush is on one side only, then inflorescences of two different shades may appear on the plant, which will look very original.



Conclusion

Garden hydrangea is undemanding in care and has a very attractive appearance. You can collect stunning bouquets from branches with lush inflorescences. They will be able to decorate the house and add comfort to it. Still, hydrangea is much more appropriate in the garden. It can be planted along paths either in groups or alone.

Bush of this plant on my summer cottage so far in the singular, since the flower is quite demanding and requires a lot of attention. But in the near future I plan to start growing it closely, because its flowering is simply gorgeous, and hydrangea can rightfully be called the queen of my flower garden.

The garden looks especially beautiful when the bush blooms with large fluffy tassels of a soft pink color. It's simply impossible to pass by!

I want to tell you in more detail about pink hydrangea, its main varieties and how to care for it, and photos and videos will help you choose the most suitable one. suitable option, although they are all simply incomparable.

Hydrangea belongs to the genus of flowering plants in the Hydrangeaceae family. It appeared in the European part of our continent in the 14th century, had only white or scarlet inflorescences and was planted only by wealthy people, first in England and France.

• The homeland is considered to be the south and east of Asia, the northern and southern parts of America, especially in China and Japan. Some species are found in Russia and the Far East.
• The name itself has several versions of origin. It is officially believed that it was given by the Frenchman Philibert Commerson. And comes from lat. hortus - "garden". According to another legend, this beautiful shrub was named female name Hortense in honor of the princess - sister of the prince of the Roman Empire K. G. Nassau - Siegen.
• Subsequently, in Europe, this plant received another name Hydrangea - “water vessel” for its moisture-loving nature and because its flowering resembles a wide vessel.
• Since 1900, breeders have taken up hydrangea in earnest, and by the second half of the 20th century there were already more than 100 varieties. The plant quickly gained popularity and became famous, although the first hybrids and varieties were obtained from species that were not resistant to frost and cold.
• In Japan, hydrangea is called Ajisai - "purple sunny flower“, and, indeed, this flower looks so rich and colorful that, like the sun, it decorates any flower garden.

Botanical description

Let's take a closer look at what this plant is. What are his characteristics, and why it is so remarkable.

1. Shrubs are divided into evergreen and deciduous, although the latter are the most famous and can be more often found in gardens and flower beds. Basically, they reach a height of one to three meters. Some species are represented by trees, but there are also vines that creep upward, reaching almost 30 meters.
2. Hydrangea flowering begins in the spring, continues throughout the summer season and ends only in late autumn.
3. The flowers are large paniculate inflorescences resembling balls. They are located on the top of the branches. Most flowers are white, but large-leaved hydrangea can bloom with pink, purple, blue inflorescences and has one distinctive feature: Depending on the composition of the soil, it can change its color.
4. If the bush grows in acidic soil, then the flowers have a blue or blue tint; if the soil composition is neutral, they are milky-beige; alkaline soil gives bright pink shades. And thanks to the ability to accumulate aluminum in tissues, sometimes hydrangea blossoms acquire a rich violet-blue tone.
5. Flowers are divided into two types: sterile (large, sterile), located at the edges of a paniculate spherical raceme, and fertile (fertile).
6. The fruit of the bush is a capsule consisting of two to five sections, in which there is a lot small seeds brown tint.

At first, hydrangea was grown exclusively in indoor greenhouses and rooms, since intolerance to the harsh climate and cold winters did not make it possible to plant the bush outdoors.

Only then did breeders develop varieties that grow safely in our gardens and withstand rainy off-seasons and snowy winters well.

Popular varieties and care features of pink hydrangea

There are more than several dozen species in total, but even scientists don’t know the exact number, and there are generally a great many varieties: for example, large-leaved hydrangea has more than 600!

In Russia there are only a few species that grow in open ground, capable of withstanding harsh winters and adapting to a rather difficult climate:

• Hydrangea.
• Paniculata.
• Ground cover.
• Large-leaved.
• Chereshkova.
• Sargent.

Let's consider varieties where the inflorescences amaze with all shades of pink. Each species has its own favorites, which have become favorites among flower growers not only in Russia, but throughout the world.

Invincible beauty

It belongs to the large-leaved species and was bred in North Carolina by Thomas Early (USA). Characterized by the following features:

• The shrub reaches a height of more than one meter (1.2 - 1.3), and the width of the bush is about one and a half meters.
• Flowering is characterized by huge inflorescences with a diameter of 15 cm to 20 cm.
• The flowers on the bush are only sterile. Shades range from pink with an ashy tint to rich bright pink tones.
• It is recommended to plant in a sunny and spacious area, but partial shade is also possible.
• Flowering occurs only on branches that have grown this year. It is also possible to re-bloom several times a season - from July to the first half of September.
• The variety does not belong to winter-hardy shrubs, so it is necessary to cover it for the winter, preferably with special material, since the plant can simply “suffocate” under the film.

Red Baron

Perennial large-leaved plant. The flowers of this variety are four-petaled. Prized for its bright crimson hue. When the flower blooms, its core has a slightly greenish tint, and then turns pale.

The stems are dense and grow vertically, the inflorescences are located on the top of the shoot. The shrub actively blooms from the second half of July until the end of September.

The composition of the soil must be neutral in order to preserve the pure varietal color. On winter period It is recommended to mulch the soil around the trunk and over the expected area of ​​the root system. In summer this helps to retain moisture, and in winter it protects the plant from freezing of the root.

Matte - pink

The flowers are large and delightful, pink in color with a slight matte lilac tint.

• Can be planted under straight lines sun rays, and in partial shade or in places with mixed lighting.
• Looks great as a single bush, as well as in mixed group plantings or with other varieties of hydrangeas.
• Inflorescences bloom both on the shoots of the previous year and on the branches of the current year, which is convenient and increases the number of spherical flowering clusters.
• Preference is given acidic soils, and this variety does not need shelter for the winter.
• Propagated by all means: dividing the bush, lateral layering, cuttings.

Papillon

This variety is double, the inflorescences resemble roses and are simply charming. From the beginning of flowering it has a bright pink tint, but when flowering fades it changes color to greenish-red.

The bush is compact and dense in size, not spreading. In many ways it resembles a rose. It looks very beautiful, gentle, on the one hand, on the other - the inflorescences are bright.

Pink Diamond

Refers to paniculate hydrangeas. It has large pyramid-shaped inflorescences of a pinkish-beige hue. The height of the bush can reach about 2 meters.

The shoots are straight and rigid; this variety has almost no branches. Sheet plates small, jagged at the edges, dark greenish in color.

This hydrangea is not afraid winter cold, grows well and blooms in partial shade. Adult plants no longer need shelter for the winter, but young plants must be protected from frost. If the branches have frozen a little over the winter, they are removed in early spring. Loves well-moistened soil; you should monitor the soil moisture on sultry and hot summer days.

Vanilla Frize

Paniculate plant, frost-resistant. It stretches up to several meters in height. The inflorescences are pyramidal, tapering upward, at first they bloom with white flowers, but quickly become soft pink.

The bush has branched branches and is spreading. It blooms profusely, but active flowering begins quite late. It is better to plant in well-lit places; it loves watering and moist, fertile soil.

Pink hydrangea has been offered in many catalogs since 2008. This one is presented as a new product, blooming on the shoots of the current year and suitable for growing in central Russia.
Some gardening magazines state that such hydrangeas are grown only as container plants.

I want to talk about pink hydrangea, which has been successfully growing and blooming in the gardens of flower growers in our city for at least ten years. Once upon a time, this magnificent hydrangea was brought from the botanical garden of St. Petersburg.

Planting and wintering hydrangea

Pink hydrangea has been growing in my garden for seven years. I bought it at the city market, in the form of a flowering seedling with a small lump of earth.

When planting hydrangeas, I prepared a hole 30*30cm. I put half a bucket of peat on the bottom, a handful full mineral fertilizer. After removing the inflorescence, I planted hydrangea.

It was the end of July. The weather was hot. However, the hydrangea tolerated the transplant quite calmly. Until now, it grows in this place, content with general feeding.

In the first years, I diligently preserved the shoots of pink hydrangea in the winter, pinning them to the ground with wire, covering them with peat and covering them with spruce branches. The shoots were preserved. But the flowers blooming from the buds of these shoots were stunted and small.

Now I do it easier. Before the onset of autumn frosts, I cover the pink hydrangea (to a height of 15 cm) with earth or cover it with a bucket of dry peat. I cut off the parts of the shoots that are higher than the shelter.
In this case, the hydrangea lays many buds just above the roots. It is from them that replacement shoots grow, which are crowned with huge caps of inflorescences.

Hydrangea blossom

Flowering of pink hydrangea begins with the most powerful shoot in mid-July and continues until autumn.
First, the “caps” of the inflorescences are colored green color and consist of small (1-1.5cm) flowers. Over time, the flowers increase in size and gradually turn pink, reaching a surprisingly pure pink color. The peduncle also becomes the same color.
As a result, each individual pink hydrangea flower grows up to 3 cm; “caps” of inflorescences with a diameter of up to 30 cm are formed.

With abundant watering moisture-loving hydrangea It grows well in a sunny place, forming strong shoots - even more powerful than in partial shade. But in the sun pink flowers they burn and lose their decorative effect.
For this reason, pink hydrangea is best planted in partial shade.

Hydrangea propagation

Pink hydrangea of ​​this variety takes excellent cuttings.
We have a mother hydrangea bush growing in a greenhouse. We don’t let it bloom, so it produces a lot of shoots.

I start cutting hydrangea cuttings when the shoots grow to 15 cm, usually in early June.
There is a little trick with hydrangea. The lower pair of leaves must be cut off without damaging the buds, and the cutting should be cut 1-1.5 cm below these buds.

I keep chopped hydrangea cuttings in Epin solution for 12 hours.
Then I plant them at a depth of 3 cm. The lower buds of the cuttings must be underground. It is from them that the first replacement shoots will come.

Hydrangea cuttings root well in soil with neutral acidity. That's why we don't create for them special conditions and place it in a common cutting. We cover it with a thin covering material, and on top with a film.

With such cover for the cuttings, it is enough to water the seedlings once every 2-3 days without having to worry about constantly spraying the cuttings.

Caring for young hydrangeas

For young hydrangeas, the most difficult moment is the first wintering, we treat it very carefully.

In autumn, we remove leaves from young hydrangeas. We trim the grown plants to a height of 5 cm. Cover the plantings with dry peat with a layer of 4-5 cm. Place several spruce paws on the peat; cover with covering material, and on top of it with film.
The spruce branches serve to ensure that the film remains air gap– then the covered plants will not become moldy.

In the spring, after the snow melts, we remove the spruce branches, and again raise the film with covering material onto the arches above the cuttings with overwintered hydrangeas.

A small number of young plants can be taken home for the first winter.
Pink hydrangea of ​​this variety does not like the dry air of city apartments. Therefore, this plant is difficult to grow indoors.
It is advisable to place pots of pink hydrangea on a cool north window.

Spring cuttings of hydrangea

You can take home an adult hydrangea for wintering for early cuttings. But you must keep the plant in a cool place.

We have for wintering garden plants an insulated loggia has been prepared. In winter, the temperature here does not drop below +5 degrees.

The growth of shoots of pink hydrangea overwintering in the house begins around mid-March.
By the end of April, hydrangea shoots can be cut, and at the beginning of June they can be planted in open ground. Such plants become strong by the end of the season. They will easily survive the winter in the garden, and may bloom next year.

It's so large-leaved pink hydrangea with large “caps” of inflorescences, it grows and blooms well in our area, although in winter thirty-degree frosts are not uncommon in our country.

Lyubov Vasilievna Teslenko (Udmurtia, Votkinsk)
www.lubates.narod.ru

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