Hydrangea bush. Garden hydrangea: planting rules and plant care

Do you want to decorate your garden with unusual shrubs? Try to plant a hydrangea flower, planting and caring for it in open ground is simple; even novice gardeners can reproduce and grow hydrangeas. You can choose a fantastically beautiful flower by reading the description of the variety and taking into account its combination with other plants in the landscape design. In the photo, hydrangea looks like the queen of the garden.

Hydrangea is an undoubted favorite among flowers in summer cottages. The long flowering period, variety of shapes and tones attract special attention to it from gardeners and designers; increasingly, various varieties of this perennial are used in landscape design.

Blue hydrangea

Hydrangeas can be spherical, racemose, and in color - white, lilac, red, two-color. The most common tree hydrangea in our latitudes. An unpretentious plant, quite easy to care for and grow, recommended for beginning gardeners. Breeders have developed several varieties of shrubs:

"Bella Anna"— a new variety of tree-like hydrangea, has fairly large spherical inflorescences, the crown grows in diameter up to three meters, the color of the petals is from pale pink to crimson pink, blooms throughout the summer season and September;

Variety "Bella Anna"

"Annabelle"- a wildly flowering spreading shrub about 1.5 m high, ball-shaped inflorescences of snow-white color, blooms in early July and retains color throughout the summer season until September. After flowering ends, the leaves of the plant remain bright green throughout the fall. The “Anabelle” variety is adapted for wintering, does not require special shelter for the winter, and is frost-resistant;

"Annabelle"

"Grandiflora"- distinguished by large crystal-white inflorescences, blooms for 4 months;

"Grandiflora"

"Invincible Spirit"- a new variety of hydrangea with pink petals;

"Invisible Spirit"

"Sterilis"- a variety with hemispherical, dense, heavy inflorescences; during the flowering period - from July to October - the petals radically change color: from pale green to crystal white.

"Sterilis"

Also quite a common variety of perennial is Paniculata hydrangea, planting and caring for which is quite simple. This flower is attractive for its unusual paniculate-shaped inflorescences, is frost-resistant, and is characterized by rapid recovery even in unfavorable climatic conditions. An interesting feature of this hydrangea variety is its particularly long flowering period, during which the inflorescence changes color. Does not need mulching for the winter. The most common varieties of paniculate hydrangea:

"Vanilla Fraze"- a variety with soft white-pink petals;

"Vanilla Fries"

"Limelight"— the plant blooms in autumn, distinguished by large inflorescences of a pale lemon shade;

"Limelight"

"Pinky Winky"- hydrangea with pale red petals.

"Pinky Winky"

How to plant correctly

Even novice gardeners can grow hydrangeas in open ground. If you choose hydrangea for your flower garden, planting and caring for it will never be a burden and will become your favorite pastime. To plant a shrub, you should choose the right location. Hydrangea does not tolerate long-term shading; the best place to plant it is on the sunny side. Hydrangea is propagated by individual bushes or cuttings. It is recommended to plant a flower in spring (in May) or autumn (in warm September).

Even a novice gardener can plant hydrangeas.

To plant a hydrangea bush in open ground, you need to dig a planting hole about 60 cm deep, about half a meter wide and long. The distance between bushes is at least 1.5 meters. The flower, growing with proper care, will occupy a much larger area than when planted. The pits should be filled with a special mixture, including peat, sand, soil, humus (1: 1: 2: 2) and fertilizers (landscape design specialists recommend combining 20 g of urea, potassium sulphide, adding about 60 g of superphosphate in granules and 10 kg of humus ).

Attention: do not add lime to the soil mixture for hydrangea - it is destructive for this plant.

When planting, it should be taken into account that the root collar of the plant should be at ground level. After planting hydrangea in open ground, it needs to be watered abundantly.

Suitable care

Caring for hydrangea consists of weeding and loosening the soil around it, organizing a timely and correct watering regime. In addition, to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture, it is recommended to mulch the bush at the beginning of summer with peat or sawdust.

Fading flowers must be cut off so that they do not draw strength from the plant.

The perennial needs proper pruning. The plant should be pruned in the spring before the growing season begins, removing old shoots and leaving young and strong shoots, shortening them by 3-5 buds. Faded and dried inflorescences of the bush must be removed. Old perennial bushes must be cut almost to the root, leaving only low stumps from which young shoots will develop.

Feeding and fertilizing hydrangea

Hydrangea planted in prepared and fertilized soil need not be fertilized or fed for the first two years.
Then the procedure for feeding hydrangea is as follows:

in the spring it is necessary to apply a complex fertilizer containing micro- and macroelements (phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen) to each bush;
for the second time during the season, fertilizing (potassium sulfate along with superphosphate) is applied during the period when buds appear on the bush;
It is advisable to feed the perennial a couple more times with diluted chicken droppings or cow manure.

Hydrangea responds very well to feeding

Attention: excessive amounts of nitrogen applied as fertilizer can lead to greening of hydrangea petals and problems with wintering the plant.

It should also be taken into account that hydrangea responds well to lactic acid, so when growing it, it is important to periodically water the bush with soaked sour bread, whey, sour milk, and kefir.

Hydrangea propagation

Like other perennial shrubs, hydrangea can be propagated vegetatively (cuttings, dividing the bush, layering) and seeds.

To grow shrubs from cuttings, it is necessary in mid-July to cut the tops of young non-woody shoots and root them in specially prepared soil consisting of coarse sand and peat. Experts recommend taking measures to increase the soil moisture under the cuttings. To do this, sphagnum moss is added to it. Cuttings are planted in such soil at a slight angle, at a small distance (up to 5 cm), and they are provided with a temperature regime of 16-20°C. 4-5 weeks are enough for rooting. After this, the hydrangea is planted in a permanent growing location and provided with proper care.

Propagation of hydrangea by cuttings

When propagating hydrangea by dividing the bush, part of it is separated, it is important that there are 2-3 buds on the young shoots, they are dug up and transplanted to a new place.

To propagate hydrangea by layering, you need to bend one of the young shoots of the growing bush to the ground and bury it in a previously dug hole (up to 15-20 cm deep). To prevent the shoot from straightening, it can be secured with staples. To speed up the rooting process, experienced gardeners recommend making an incision on the part of the shoot that will be in the ground. It is necessary to water the branch regularly, and it can also be mulched. After the branch has formed its own root system, it is separated from the mother bush and planted in a new place.

Propagation of hydrangea by layering

Diseases and pests

As a rule, hydrangea is quite resistant to various types of pests and diseases. However, it can also become infected with chlorosis, downy mildew, spider mites, and green leaf aphids may appear on it.

Chlorosis is expressed in a sharp lightening of the leaves of the plant, loss of their natural color. The reason for its development is the excess content of lime or humus in the soil. To eliminate chlorosis, it is enough to water the plant with solutions of potassium nitrate and copper sulfate in turn with an interval of three days.

Hydrangea disease - chlorosis

The cause of hydrangea disease downy mildew is excess air humidity. For treatment, it is recommended to treat the leaf surface with a solution of copper sulfate with the addition of soap.

An infusion of garlic will help drive aphids away from the plant. It is necessary to prepare a garlic infusion (200 g of chopped garlic per bucket of water, let it brew for 2 days), add laundry soap (40 g) and irrigate the perennial with this infusion every 5-7 days until the aphids are destroyed.

Hydrangea: combination with other plants

In a flower bed or garden, hydrangea is quite impressive both on its own and in combination with other flowers. For example, paniculate hydrangea looks great next to clumps of purple-leaved, viburnum-leaved plants. The beauty of tree hydrangea is emphasized by clipped barberry and low-growing juniper.

Hydrangea in flowerbed design

Hydrangea in landscape design

Hydrangea is a fantastically beautiful flower that inspires the creation of beautiful compositions in landscape design. Taking into account climatic conditions, in our latitudes it is recommended to plant tree, paniculate and petiolate hydrangea. Hydrangea looks magical in photos in large compositions when it grows in squares, surprising everyone with the size and beauty of its inflorescences. To emphasize the beauty of hydrangea, you can surround it with borders of cotoneaster, cotoneaster, and other shrubs. Hydrangea should be planted in the flower garden in the background so that it does not obscure other plants.

Hydrangea in landscape design

It is not recommended to combine hydrangea with yellow, red, orange flowers. Plants with bluish flowers, needles or leaves - for example, cereals, low-growing junipers - can successfully shade the shrub.
A classic of landscape design is the combination of hydrangea with round pink inflorescences, thujas, and microbiota. Hydrangea is also used in mixborders to create compositions along garden paths, and can be grown as a hedge.

Hydrangea is the basis of a beautiful garden. With proper care, it will delight you for many years. Experiment with different varieties of this shrub, try decorating your gazebo with climbing hydrangeas, planting tree-like ones along the paths, or creating a living fence using paniculata.

Caring for garden hydrangea: video

Hydrangea is a widely used crop for decorating a personal plot or garden. There are many types of this plant. Among them there are shrubby and climbing species, and even dwarf trees. The bush hydrangea flower grows very quickly and blooms for a long time. In most cases it blooms with white or cream inflorescences. White bush hydrangea does not require special care and is resistant to low temperatures. Hydrangea shrub planting and care will not cause any effort to the gardener. Bush hydrangea will bloom even in the harsh climatic conditions of the Urals.

Methods of culture propagation

Hydrangea can be propagated in several ways. When asking the question: “how to plant hydrangea from a large bush?”, you should know that it can be propagated both by cuttings and layering.

Cuttings of this perennial usually take place in the summer. The most optimal time will be the beginning of sap flow and bud formation. A green shoot that has not yet become woody is cut from a bush flower. Only the lower part of the young shoot is allowed to become woody. The shoot is cut with three pairs of leaves. The bottom two are immediately removed, and the upper part of the rest is cut off. After this, the cuttings are dipped for a short time in a diluted growth stimulator. Then the cuttings are planted in a container with sand and covered with film. It will take a month to form the root system. After the roots appear, the plant can be planted in open, well-moistened soil, in partial shade.

Hydrangea bush perennial

The method of propagation by layering is most relevant to use in the summer, before the buds open. For layering, the lowest branches are selected and buried to a depth of 10-15 cm. At the beginning of the shoot, an incision can be made, this will help the rapid formation of roots. You should constantly ensure that the soil in which bush hydrangea is planted is moist. In the fall, the cuttings are dug up and transplanted into a container for growing in greenhouse conditions. This happens because the layering is not yet strong enough to overwinter in the open ground. But during its development in greenhouse conditions, it will gain strength, and already in mid-spring it can be planted in a permanent place on the site. Planting and caring for perennial bush hydrangea will not take much time from the gardener.

Seed planting of hydrangea

Hydrangea seeds are selected only fresh. They should be purchased from trusted sources or certified centers.

Important! Before planting, the seeds are not soaked in water as they are too small.

They are sown at the beginning of winter, in special containers filled with a suitable substrate. You can prepare the soil for hydrangea seeds yourself.

To do this you will need the following ingredients:

2 parts of turf;
2 parts leaf soil;
2 parts humus;
1 part sand;
1 part peat.

Before sowing the seeds, the substrate is sprinkled with water. The seeds are not sprinkled with anything on top. After sowing, the containers are covered with glass or film to create a greenhouse effect.

Note! Remove the film or glass from the container once a day for ventilation.

It is recommended to ensure that the soil does not dry out. If necessary, the substrate is watered again. When two full leaves appear, the sprouts are transplanted into small peat cups. There they remain until May, until they need to be planted in open ground. The sprouts are transplanted to the site when the temperature returns to normal. Before this, they can be hardened. This process consists of taking the sprouts out into fresh air for 15 minutes a day.

Cultivation care

For abundant flowering of bush hydrangea, you need to monitor the main indicators, such as:

Soil moisture;
Penumbra;
Soil composition;
Fertilizers.

Hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant, so the soil should not dry out.

In strong sun, hydrangea leaves will burn, and if there is a lack of sunlight, the growth of the bush will slow down. Therefore, partial shade is considered the optimal planting location.

Hydrangea needs care

If the soil is highly acidic, hydrangea flowers will be cream-colored, and if the soil is neutral, they will be white.

Fertilizers should be applied no more than once a year. As a rule, this happens in the fall.

If there is a need to move a perennial bush hydrangea, you will need certain knowledge when planting and caring for the plant. It can delight you with its color in one place for many years, but does not tolerate transplantation very well. How to transplant a hydrangea bush to a new place with the least loss to the flower? The place to which the bush is transferred should be equivalent to the one in which it has grown for several years. If the transplant takes place in the spring, then the soil should be fertilized in the fall. If the bush needs to be replanted in the autumn, then the soil is prepared at least one month before planting. Mineral fertilizers should be added to it and watered well. It is also necessary to add drainage to the planting hole. The bush can be deepened by 20 cm, and the root collar should be turned to the northwest and be above the ground. After planting, mulch should be added to the root hole. It will protect the soil from drying out and the roots from sunlight.

Preparing hydrangea for winter

In the fall, after the plant has flowered, it can be prepared for winter frosts. There are types of hydrangeas that are resistant to low temperatures, and there are those that do not tolerate frost.

Preparing hydrangea for winter

Depending on the type of hydrangea on the site, plant care varies. If a frost-resistant species is planted in the garden, then preparation for winter will only consist of pruning the old branches of the flower. Throughout the winter, after heavy snowfalls, you will need to ensure that there is not a lot of snow on the branches of the flower, as they often break under its weight. If a type of hydrangea that is not frost-resistant is planted on the site, it will need to be covered. To do this, the branches of the plant are pressed to the ground and sprinkled with leaves or dry grass. If the flower is weak, then it would be best to put a barrel on it, in which there is no bottom, and cover it with polyethylene or agrofibre on top. At the beginning of spring, when the danger of severe frost has passed, the barrel should be opened.

Note! Whatever type of hydrangea is on the site, if the plant is not three years old, it needs shelter for the winter.

Caring for hydrangea is quite easy. It is necessary to constantly ensure that the soil does not dry out. If you follow the basic rules for caring for bush hydrangea, it will bloom luxuriantly for a long time, until late autumn, and delight the gardener with the bright colors of its flowers.

Hydrangea is one of the most beautiful garden shrubs. Growing this plant is not difficult, but in order for the bushes to bloom beautifully, several conditions must be met. A description of the garden hydrangea shrub (large-leaved), planting and care in open ground, propagation, pruning, are presented in this article.

Description of the bush

According to legend, the history of the name of this ornamental plant is romantic. During a voyage to the Far East - Asia in 1768, there was a young French woman on the ship, dressed as a boy. Her name was Hortensia. Later she became the wife of one of the expedition members. In honor of this young, brave lady, it was decided to name one of the recently discovered plants during a trip to Japan.

The Latin name comes from the word "hydrangeam", from the Greek words hydor - water and angeion - vessel, a combination of words meaning a container for water - which is why the plant is often called a water shrub.

The first specimens of hydrangea were brought from Japan by J. Banks to the botanical garden in Kew (England) in 1970. The shrub quickly spread throughout the yards and gardens of Europe. Since then, hundreds of varieties have been created in Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Varieties have appeared with completely different shapes and colors of inflorescences, adapted to unfavorable conditions, including those resistant to low temperatures. Since the appearance of representatives of a series of hydrangeas that bloom on annual and biennial shoots (the forever & ever series), the gardening world has become fascinated with these flowers.

Popular types

The genus has more than 50 species. The most famous types:

Most often we grow garden and paniculate hydrangeas. They are sometimes confused.

Differences between paniculata and garden species

Tree and paniculate hydrangeas can withstand severe frosts, and thanks to the setting of flower buds on annual shoots, their flowering is reliable.

Large-leaved hydrangea (garden) - description

This is the most popular species, much loved, but not the easiest to grow. In its homeland, Japan, the bush reaches a height of 4 meters. The plant is a dense shrub growing up to one and a half meters in height with large fleshy leaves, blooming in white, pink, red and, in special conditions, blue flowers. The color of hydrangea depends on:

soil pH;
applied fertilizers have a significant impact on color change;
the petals of the bush lose water and gradually acquire shades of purple, green and brown, giving the plant a peculiar charm.

Garden hydrangea was once considered a seasonal house plant, and was grown in pots at home. Today it also decorates window sills, especially east or west windows, but only in winter. When spring reigns outside, pots and containers are moved into the garden and onto the balcony, into slightly shaded corners.

Large-leaved hydrangea is found in 2 varieties:

the first - with spherical or flat inflorescences, in which all or almost all flowers are fruitful;
the second - with disk inflorescences, in which sterile flowers are located around the fruitful flowers.

Under certain conditions, garden hydrangea flowers change color from pink to blue. This shrub does not have genetically blue flowers, but some pink varieties change color with certain care. Red, pink and white flowers require a substrate with a pH of 5.5-6. To achieve blue flowers, you need very acidic soil. This can be achieved by adding a significant amount of peat (pH 4-5). Mulching with pine needles, crushed bark of coniferous plants helps increase the acidity of the soil.

This is interesting! Previously, people advised burying a handful of rusty nails or copper wire under a hydrangea.

Before flowering, plants are watered 4-5 times a week:

ammonium alum solution,
aluminum sulfate solution,
ferrous sulfate solution.

These solutions can be mixed with the top layer of soil. Today there is a wide selection of special flower fertilizers. You can also acidify the substrate with special preparations with a pH of 4.5-5.5. The formation of blue pigment in hydrangea flowers is explained by the fact that sulfates absorbed by plants from the substrate form, together with the dye contained in the plant sap, a blue tint.

The pink petals of the shrub contain pigments called anthocyanins, which turn blue when exposed to sulfates. Flowers of white varieties do not contain this pigment.

Varieties

Name and description of the variety	Photo
"Sybilla" - pink flowers
"Leuchtfleuer" - intense red flowers
“Bouquet of roses” (Boquet rose) – blue or pink flowers
"Mirai" - pink flowers
Papillon – pink shades
"Frau fujiyo" - pink flowers
"Ayesha" - light purple inflorescences
"Tricolor" (tricolor) - with variegated tricolor leaves
"Nymphe" - white inflorescences
“Magical revolution” – with tubular flowers

In addition to multi-flowered varieties with large spherical inflorescences consisting only of fruit flowers, hydrangeas with sterile flowers surrounded by fruit flowers are interesting, for example:

"Blue bird"
"Blue sky"
"Libelle"

Choosing a place in the garden, soil requirements

This shrub is planted in a quiet, slightly shady place. The garden type of hydrangea prefers a sunny position or diffused light, while the petiolate type prefers partial shade. Direct harsh sun can burn flowers and leaves. To protect flowers from being burned by the sun, you should not plant shrubs near walls that heat up quickly. However, lack of light causes yellowing of the leaves and pale color of the flowers. In case of hot weather, caring for the shrub should include intensive watering.

The plant has the following soil requirements:

Large-leaved hydrangea grows best in light, moist, well-drained soil.
The soil should be slightly acidic (pH 5.5-6).
The shrub does not grow well in heavy, clayey and flooded soils, often called cold soils.

Landing

Proper planting of hydrangea gives the plant a better chance of being established in a new location. The shrub will bloom poorly and may become sick in an improperly prepared planting site.

When to plant?

It is difficult to determine the best planting date. Hydrangeas are sold in pots and planted from spring to late fall (April to November). This shrub does not tolerate low temperatures very well, so it is best to avoid planting in late fall to give the plant enough time to take root and acclimate to its new location.

Since in our climate garden hydrangea species may not have time to take root before winter, the plant should be planted when it is dormant. It is better to plant in the spring, when the soil warms up - in late April-early May. If severe frosts occur, young plants need shelter.

Hydrangeas planted in spring require regular and abundant watering during the growing season. Planting in the fall helps reduce the frequency of watering, but creates a risk of freezing of the bushes. When choosing an autumn planting date, it is necessary to carefully protect young plants for the winter.

It is better to plant hydrangeas on cloudy days early in the morning, then the plants are not threatened by rapid temperature changes.

From the time of purchase until the time of planting in the soil, seedlings should be stored in shaded and wind-protected areas and watered regularly to prevent the root ball from drying out.

Soil preparation

Before planting, the area should be cleared of stones, construction debris, and weeds, especially deeply rooted ones, should be removed.
Soil with too high a pH (above 6.5) should be acidified with peat or mulch. It is worth bringing the soil pH to 4.5-5.5.
Light soils, highly permeable, low in nutrients and humus are enriched with compost, rotted manure or peat substrate at a dose of 40-60 kg per 10 m² of substrate. The addition of organic matter increases the water capacity of the substrate, enriches it with nutrients, improves density, and creates favorable conditions for the development of the root system of the planted shrub.
Immediately before planting seedlings in the ground, it is worth adding hydrogel, fertilizers and substances that improve the soil structure. The hydrogel increases the water capacity of the soil, so the soil stays moist longer and the plant is less susceptible to drying out.
In the case of heavy and compacted soils, preparation should begin a year earlier. To lighten the soil structure, it is mixed with a 10-centimeter layer of pine bark, gravel, peat or compost, and dug in the fall to a depth of 20-30 cm.

Planting technique - step by step

Dig a hole with the same depth as the flower pot and 2 times its diameter. Plants are often planted in a hole with a diameter of 60-70 centimeters and a depth of 40-50 centimeters.
Spread a few centimeter layer of manure or compost, acidic humus and garden soil. The components are mixed in a ratio of 1:1:2. If hydrangea is planted on heavy soil, the bottom of the hole is covered with a layer of drainage 10-12 centimeters thick, made of coarse gravel, vermiculite, and small pebbles.
The seedling and pot should be immersed in a container of water. When the soil is wet, carefully remove the plant from the container, making sure that the root ball does not fall apart. Roots that are too long or damaged must be cut off. Root pruning encourages stronger root growth, making newly planted seedlings better accepted.
Hydrangeas are planted to the depth at which they grew in the container. Only on sandy and very loose soils are they planted 3-4 cm deeper. The planting density of bushes depends on the vigor of growth:
- If several bushes are planted, the distance between them, depending on the type, should be 70-100 centimeters. Then caring for hydrangea will be easy.
- Dwarf varieties are planted at intervals of 50 × 50 cm.
- Strongly growing varieties are planted at a distance of 100 × 120 cm.

Care after landing

After planting, the soil around the bushes is compacted and a small edge is made in which water will collect. Then the planted plants should be watered abundantly, preferably with rainwater, so as not to increase the pH of the substrate. When the water is absorbed, the soil should be replenished if small roots are exposed. A layer of mulch 6-10 cm thick is poured around the planted bushes. Mulching the soil helps maintain moisture in it, ensures cooling of the roots in the summer and protects them from frost in the winter. In addition, organic mulch increases the humus content in the substrate and improves its structure.

For mulching use:

compost pine bark,
softwood sawdust,
a mixture of bark and peat,
oak leaves.

Low-growing ornamental groundcover plants with shallow roots can also be planted around the hydrangea for mulch:

periwinkle,
ivy,
pachysandra apex.

Growing and care

Hydrangea is one of the most beautiful garden shrubs. Growing the plant is not very difficult, but in order for the bushes to bloom for a long time and beautifully, you need to perform several care measures.

Watering

Shrubs produce a lot of green mass and flowers, which requires constant replenishment of moisture. Often, lack of water causes leaves to wilt in hot weather, reduce flowering intensity, and weaken the plant.

During the summer heat, hydrangea should be watered regularly and intensively (preferably 2 times a day). The plant loves not hard water without excess calcium and magnesium salts.

Fertilizer

Hydrangeas have special requirements for fertilizers. Fertilizers should be a mixture of:

ammonium sulfate,
potassium sulfate,
superphosphate.

During periods of strong growth, bushes should be fed even every 10-14 days. At the end of July, for good development of flower buds, special fertilizers for hydrangeas with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium are applied.

Natural fertilizers are rarely used. Manure applied under the bush should be well rotted, because hydrangea does not like fresh fertilizer, especially horse manure. There are multi-component fertilizers for hydrangea on the market in liquid and bulk form, for example:

Florovit,
Substral.

You can also purchase natural fermented manure.

Care in autumn, wintering

In order for the shoots to become woody, fertilizing is completed in mid-August and watering is gradually limited. When severe frosts occur, plants shed their leaves and go to rest. Systematic care of the bush also ends.

Garden hydrangea is only somewhat resistant to frost. Its flower buds have thin scales and therefore freeze more easily than leaf buds. It happens that in spring the plant is green, but does not bloom. In our climate, the shrub often freezes, so when caring for it, you should consider protecting the plants for the winter. To do this, the lower parts of the bushes are buried in soil, preferably mixed with bark, leaves, and sawdust. The upper part is covered with mesh or agrofibre. In case of severe frosts, you also need to wrap the shoots with agrofibre.

It is important! Covering the bushes is done after the first severe frosts, and not before.

Sheltering hydrangeas for the winter begins at the end of November. When the soil freezes to a depth of 3-4 cm, they begin to protect the plants from severe winter frosts. Covering too early will increase the temperature of the substrate and thus push the plants further into the growing season, which will lead to freezing of the bushes during the first severe frosts.

Remember! Before winter shelter of hydrangeas, dry shoots damaged by diseases and pests should be removed. It is also important not to prune healthy shoots - this is done in the spring.

Protecting hydrangea for the winter using agrotextiles - the bush is wrapped in 2-3 layers of fabric and tied with rope. It is better to use white agrotextiles that allow air and water to pass through. To beautifully cover a shrub in winter, you can tie a colorful ribbon on it or tie it with multi-colored thread (example in the photo).

Winter protective caps made of agrotextile can be purchased at garden stores. They already have thread sewn together with the fabric, so the hood just needs to be pulled over the hydrangeas and tied. Agrotextile caps come in different designs and colors.

Another solution for covering several bushes is to surround a group of bushes with an agrotextile fence. The fence is designed to protect hydrangeas from the wind and blow away accumulated snow from their area.

Other types of garden hydrangea, such as paniculata and petiolate, are characterized by high frost resistance.

Pruning - autumn, spring, summer

Hydrangea is pruned three times - in spring, summer and autumn.

In the spring. It should be remembered that garden (large-leaved) hydrangea, unlike paniculate and petiolate ones, sets flower buds in the fall of last year; this species blooms on last year’s shoots. Therefore, in the spring, only frozen fragments of shoots are removed, and not completely, because the buds may be located in the lower part.
In summer. Cut off all faded inflorescences at a height of 10 centimeters above the base, or just above the first upper leaves.
in autumn more intensive pruning is carried out. Leave annual shoots with well-developed buds. Young, thin shoots with weakly defined buds are pruned right at the ground. Thin and underdeveloped shoots are also removed from two-year-old branches.

Propagation by cuttings

Garden hydrangeas are easy to propagate - the plant is propagated by green cuttings taken from side shoots. The shrub can be propagated by seeds. However, from a practical point of view, propagation by cuttings is easier and results will be obtained faster.

The date of propagation by cuttings is from February to June. Until April, hydrangea cuttings should be stored under cover, for example in a greenhouse.

Cuttings are cut from non-lignified shoots 10-15 centimeters long with 2-3 pairs of leaves. The location of the cutting is not important in this case, since the plants take root easily and are cut both at the internodes and under the knot.

The cuttings are planted to a depth of 2-3 centimeters in pots or boxes with peat mixed with sand in a 1:1 ratio. The optimal soil temperature is 18-20 degrees Celsius, air temperature is 16-18 degrees.

To propagate hydrangeas, a lot of moisture is required, so the containers are covered with film or a jar. This creates a specific microclimate that has a positive effect on plant rooting. Seedlings need to be watered frequently to keep the soil constantly moist. It is also necessary to irrigate them even several times a day. If the room is warm, the cuttings will take root within a month. In order for the shoots to be strong, the cuttings must be provided with good lighting.

Transplantation of seedlings to a permanent place is carried out in August. In autumn, young plants are covered, first with a large pot or wooden box, and then with leaves.

Hydrangea requires frequent watering, especially after planting. The water should be as soft as possible, preferably without calcium salts. In the first year of growing season, the plant is watered abundantly every 2 weeks.

Diseases and pests

Although hydrangeas rarely cause problems, they can be attacked by several diseases and pests. Proper fertilizer and conditions in the growing area are very important for their health. Hydrangea diseases usually appear as a result of improper care. For healthy growth, bushes should be planted in lightly shaded positions, in areas with fertile, humus-rich, fairly moist soil with a slightly acidic to acidic pH.

Chlorosis

In soils with too high a pH, hydrangea develops leaf chlorosis, which manifests itself in a light color or yellowing of their tissues. Leaf veins remain dark green during chlorosis.

In case of leaf chlorosis, an acidifying soil fertilizer should be used (it is better to enrich the soil with acidic peat). Chlorosis can be prevented by using hydrangea fertilizers that contain all the macro- and microelements necessary for this plant, but with a low calcium content. The soil under the bushes should also be mulched with pine bark, which is also acidic and slowly decomposes, helping to maintain the soil pH lower. Pine bark also plays a decorative role. Iron chelates are very effective for chlorosis.

Sunburn of leaves

Sometimes hydrangea leaves can burn. In hot and sunny weather, the leaves located on the outside of the bush become yellow or brown, and some fall off. Hydrangeas are shade-tolerant plants, their leaves are sensitive to excess sun, so they can be damaged in very sunny places, on too dry soil. To prevent the leaves from burning, the plant should be given more shade and watered regularly.

Gray mold

The cause of another hydrangea disease, called gray mold, is overwintering the plant in the wrong conditions. Frequent rainfall and dense planting of shrubs also contribute to the development of this disease. Gray mold, caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, leads to rotting of buds and flowers, and death of the tips of shoots or individual leaves. The youngest leaves turn black and the rot spreads to the stem. The tops of old leaves turn brown and black. Some flowers may turn brown, and a gray coating of mycelium and spores appears on their surface. Infected parts of plants must be cut off and burned. For spraying, when fighting gray mold, fungicides are used:

Topsin M 500 SC,
Captan.

Leaf spot

When affected by this disease, spots of varying sizes appear on hydrangea leaves, usually round, first light brown, then brown and gray-brown, often surrounded by a red border. The leaves die.

To prevent the development of the disease, you need to avoid:

excessive thickening of plants;
wetting the leaves during watering (you need to water the soil).

The first leaves with spots should be removed and burned. In the fall, all fallen leaves should be raked to prevent them from becoming a source of infection the following season. Affected leaves should not be put into compost; it is better to burn them.

In late autumn, the bushes should be sprayed with 1% rapeseed oil. If there are a lot of infected leaves during the growing season, it is necessary to use fungicides:

Dithane NeoTec 75 WG),
Systemik 125 SL,
Topsin (Topsin M 500 SC).

Spraying is repeated 2-3 times with an interval of 7-10 days, using 2 alternating preparations.

Powdery mildew

The most dangerous is powdery mildew caused by the fungus Erysiphe polygoni, whose mycelium in the form of a powdery coating first appears on stems and inflorescences, causing them to die. Initially, the disease manifests itself in spots; over time, plaque can cover the entire leaf blade. Over time, the surface of the leaves becomes covered with a brownish coating. Infected leaves grow more slowly, and the apical shoots are deformed.

Having noticed the first symptoms, you need to remove the infected parts of the plant, and in the fall, carefully collect fallen leaves so that they do not become a source of infection in the next season. For spraying, the same fungicides are used as for controlling spotting. You can also use sulfur preparations.

Pests

Hydrangea may suffer from pest attacks, but they do not cause significant damage. Only two pests can be found on hydrangeas - aphids and spider mites.

Why doesn't hydrangea bloom?

Garden hydrangeas set flower buds in the second half of summer and bloom the following summer. Sometimes shrubs do not bloom for the following reasons:

One of the reasons is freezing of the tops or entire shoots with flower buds set.
Another reason why hydrangeas do not bloom is improper pruning. It must be remembered that hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots. Therefore, if you cut off woody stems with flower buds, the plant will not bloom in this season. For this reason, only shoots that have frozen after winter need to be removed.

Application in landscape

Hydrangeas look good even in small gardens. They are especially well presented against the background of dark green plants. All hydrangeas go well with the following types:

ferns,
hosta,
noble liverwort,
primroses,
periwinkle,
honeysuckle,
shrubs with small leaves.

The plant can be planted in the ground or in decorative containers that can be easily moved or brought into a greenhouse for wintering. Hydrangeas planted in containers are transferred for the winter to a cool room with a temperature just above zero.

Hydrangea, planting and care are of no small importance when growing, since an unsuccessfully chosen location and soil composition of the soil can lead to disease and poor development, in some cases, death. In addition, you need to properly care for the shrub after planting in order to achieve lush flowering and healthy growth...

Site selection and soil preparation

When to plant hydrangea? The best time for planting is spring, when the ground thaws, the buds have not yet bloomed, and autumn - in September. When choosing a place for an ornamental foliage plant, keep in mind that it is better to plant hydrangea in the shade or partial shade, since bright sun causes slow growth, as a result of which the inflorescences become smaller.

Some types of hydrangea can be grown in open, sunny areas, but require plenty of watering. It is advisable to protect young shrubs from bright sun and high winds. It is not recommended to place under trees that absorb water strongly.

The soil for hydrangea should be well-drained and moist, consist of a balanced mixture of humus, leaf soil, peat chips, river sand (2:2:1:1). Regardless of the type and variety of hydrangea, remember that lime in the soil negatively affects development. The soil should have a Ph level of approximately 5.0.

Planting hydrangeas in open ground

In the northern regions of the country, it is preferable to plant hydrangea in open ground in the spring; in the southern regions, including Kuban, the procedure is carried out in the fall. It is recommended to arrange a planting hole for a beautiful shrub, the dimensions of which are 0.4 m in diameter and 0.4-0.5 m in depth. When planting, be guided by the size of the root system; if it is too large, increase the volume of the hole. It is worth noting that the roots of hydrangea are quite branched.

choosing a location and planting hydrangeas with a closed root system - pictured

It is necessary to add the prepared soil mixture into the hole and make a small mound, on which the seedling is then carefully placed and the roots are straightened, backfilled without deepening the root collar, which should be flush with the soil. A slight deepening is acceptable, but not more than 20-30 mm; too deep a planting can subsequently lead to rotting of the neck.

The soil in the tree trunk area must be compacted well. Watering hydrangeas after planting is mandatory; it is necessary that the water penetrates well to a root depth of 30-40 cm. It is better to water in a hole next to the plant.

Fertilizing and mulching as the basis of care

To retain moisture after planting in a permanent place, the hydrangea is mulched in a circle around the trunk. Mulch also inhibits the growth of weeds and protects the roots from overheating. Peat chips, wood chips or bark are used as mulching material, placing a uniform layer of 8-10 cm.

The mulch will decompose over time and become part of the soil, slightly acidifying it. It is best to lay mulch in late spring, at a time when the ground has already warmed up well, but is still moist.

watering hydrangeas - pictured

In order for the shrub to grow well and delight with abundant flowering, garden hydrangea is fertilized when planting, then in the spring in the third decade of May or in early summer - early June. Use a solution of mullein or chicken manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. Don’t forget to fertilize with a complex of mineral fertilizers or add at least the most basic components - 20 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of potassium nitrate and urea. Subsequent feeding of hydrangea is carried out at intervals of 17-20 days and ends at the end of July, so that the young shoots have time to become lignified by the winter period.

For strong and flexible shoots, decorative shrubs are watered with a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate. In addition, garden stores sell special fertilizers for hydrangea, which contain magnesium and iron, which the plant needs.

mulching hydrangea with wood chips - pictured

Paniculate hydrangea, large-leaved and ground cover mostly have pinkish, cream colors, which can be changed if desired. The color of hydrangea is directly determined by the acidity of the soil. If the soil has a slightly alkaline reaction, the flowering will be pink and crimson; on acidic soils, hydrangea blooms with blue flowers.

To obtain blue flowers in alkaline soil, the bush is watered with solutions of iron salts. To get a more intense blue color under the hydrangea, you should bury rusty metal cans.

Pruning hydrangea - continue to care

Do I need to prune hydrangeas and how to do it? In order for the care to be correct, it is necessary to remember that pruning of large-leaved, serrated, prickly, Sargent, liana-shaped, oak-leaved hydrangeas is carried out taking into account the fact that flowers appear on the shoots of the second year, which means that you need to cut off old branches and weak ones to strong buds.

Pruning paniculata and tree hydrangea involves removing old and faded shoots, which are also weak. At the same time, experienced gardeners do not recommend removing a large number of shoots at the same time; it is better to spread out the procedure for a year or two so that the plant does not lose strength and does not die from excessive cutting operations. As a rule, the main branches are not touched; only those that are bad and grow inside the bush are cut off.

autumn pruning of hydrangea - in the photo

You can prune hydrangeas in spring and autumn, but it is preferable in autumn, since sap flow slows down, and pruning will promote lush flowering in the spring. During the spring months, improper pruning can slow down growth and delay flowering. In addition, in the spring, processes in the bush begin to actively start; juice is released when pruned, so be careful not to harm the plant. In spring, pruning is best done as early as possible, before the buds swell and constant warmth sets in.

Pruning hydrangeas for the winter is carried out as usual, with only one difference - it is better not to touch young shrubs and let them overwinter without surgical intervention, otherwise you risk ruining the plant. Hydrangea, planting and caring for which is not at all difficult, will certainly delight you with its lush flowering if you suddenly decide to grow an unpretentious plant in your garden.

Gotensias: photos on the topic

Varieties and varieties of hydrangea

Blue hydrangea

"Bella Anna"- a new variety of tree-like hydrangea, has fairly large spherical inflorescences, the crown grows in diameter up to three meters, the color of the petals is from pale pink to crimson pink, blooms throughout the summer season and September;

Variety "Bella Anna"

"Annabelle"- a wildly flowering spreading shrub about 1.5 m high, ball-shaped inflorescences of snow-white color, blooms in early July and retains color throughout the summer season until September. After flowering ends, the leaves of the plant remain bright green throughout the fall. The “Anabelle” variety is adapted for wintering, does not require special shelter for the winter, and is frost-resistant;

"Annabelle"

"Grandiflora"- distinguished by large crystal-white inflorescences, blooms for 4 months;

"Grandiflora"

"Invincible Spirit"- a new variety of hydrangea with pink petals;

"Invisible Spirit"

"Sterilis"- a variety with hemispherical, dense, heavy inflorescences; during the flowering period - from July to October - the petals radically change color: from pale green to crystal white.

"Sterilis"

"Vanilla Fraze"- a variety with soft white-pink petals;

"Vanilla Fries"

"Limelight"- the plant blooms in autumn, distinguished by large inflorescences of a pale lemon shade;

"Limelight"

"Pinky Winky"- hydrangea with pale red petals.

"Pinky Winky"

How to plant correctly

Even a novice gardener can plant hydrangeas.

Attention: do not add lime to the soil mixture for hydrangea - it is destructive for this plant.

When planting, it should be taken into account that the root collar of the plant should be at ground level. After planting hydrangea in open ground, it needs to be watered abundantly.

Suitable care

Fading flowers must be cut off so that they do not draw strength from the plant.

Feeding and fertilizing hydrangea

Hydrangea planted in prepared and fertilized soil need not be fertilized or fed for the first two years.
Then the procedure for feeding hydrangea is as follows:

in the spring it is necessary to apply a complex fertilizer containing micro- and macroelements (phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen) to each bush;
for the second time during the season, fertilizing (potassium sulfate along with superphosphate) is applied during the period when buds appear on the bush;
It is advisable to feed the perennial a couple more times with diluted chicken droppings or cow manure.

Hydrangea responds very well to feeding

Attention: excessive amounts of nitrogen applied as fertilizer can lead to greening of hydrangea petals and problems with wintering the plant.

Hydrangea propagation

Like other perennial shrubs, hydrangea can be propagated vegetatively (cuttings, dividing the bush, layering) and seeds.

Propagation of hydrangea by cuttings

When propagating hydrangea by dividing the bush, part of it is separated, it is important that there are 2-3 buds on the young shoots, they are dug up and transplanted to a new place.

Propagation of hydrangea by layering

Diseases and pests

Hydrangea disease - chlorosis

The cause of hydrangea disease downy mildew is excess air humidity. For treatment, it is recommended to treat the leaf surface with a solution of copper sulfate with the addition of soap.

Hydrangea: combination with other plants

In a flower bed or garden, hydrangea is quite impressive both on its own and in combination with other flowers. For example, paniculata hydrangea looks great next to clumps of purple-leaved barberries and viburnum-leaved bladderwort. The beauty of tree hydrangea is emphasized by daylilies, clipped barberry, and low-growing juniper.

Hydrangea in flowerbed design

Hydrangea is a fantastically beautiful flower that inspires the creation of beautiful compositions in landscape design. Taking into account climatic conditions, in our latitudes it is recommended to plant tree, paniculate and petiolate hydrangea. Hydrangea looks magical in photos in large compositions when it grows in squares, surprising everyone with the size and beauty of its inflorescences. To emphasize the beauty of hydrangea, you can surround it with borders of spirea, cotoneaster, and other shrubs. Hydrangea should be planted in the flower garden in the background so that it does not obscure other plants.

Hydrangea in landscape design

It is not recommended to combine hydrangea with yellow, red, orange flowers. Plants with bluish flowers, needles or leaves can successfully shade the shrub - for example, clematis, cereals, hostas, low-growing junipers.
A classic of landscape design is the combination of hydrangea with pink phlox with round inflorescences, thujas, and microbiota. Hydrangea is also used in mixborders to create compositions along garden paths, and can be grown as a hedge.

Caring for garden hydrangea: video

Garden hydrangea: photo

Even in a very large garden plot, it is impossible not to notice a flower bed decorated with large and colorful hydrangea caps. This wonderfully beautiful plant is so captivating to look at that you simply cannot pass by it. There are more than 35 species of hydrangeas, among which there are varieties that grow well and winter in the Urals and Siberia. But no matter what latitude of our country your garden is located, before buying a beauty, you need to study all the features of its planting, care and cultivation.

Garden hydrangea: photos, types, varieties

Most types of hydrangea are shrubs, but vines and small trees are also found. All of them have beautiful large or small leaves, and flowers collected in paniculate or corymbose inflorescences. All inflorescences are located at the tips of the shoots and have sterile or fertile flowers. Most often their color can be white, pink or blue.

Among them, only tree and paniculate hydrangea is grown as perennial plants in the gardens of central Russia.

Hydrangea tree - photo

The shrub, growing up to one and a half meters in height, has large oval leaves, the length of which reaches 20 cm. The slightly pubescent leaf plates are distinguished by a heart-shaped notch at the base and jagged edges. They are green above and bluish below. Large sterile and small fertile flowers are collected in corymbose inflorescences, which bloom in the first half of July.

Most suitable for planting in the garden the following varieties of tree hydrangea:

The White House variety is a bush with a height of one to one and a half meters. At the ends of its shoots, large shield-shaped inflorescences are formed, consisting of snow-white sterile and creamy-white fertile flowers.
The variety "Invincibelle Spirit" grows up to 0.9-1.2 m. Its large inflorescences consist of sterile flowers. At first they are bright pink in color, and over time they fade to light pink.
The Incrediball variety is a bush that reaches a height of 1.2-1.5 m and has large spherical white inflorescences.
The Hayes Starburst variety is a low bush with thin shoots that can break under the weight of large inflorescences. The inflorescences, consisting of double flowers, reach 25 cm in diameter.
The Annabelle variety blooms with white sterile flowers that form large inflorescences with a diameter of up to 25 cm.

Hydrangea paniculata - varieties, photos

Paniculate hydrangea differs from tree hydrangea in inflorescences, which consist of large sterile and small fertile flowers, and grow up to 20-25 cm in length. During flowering they can change color. For the first days, the flower petals are white, after a while they acquire a pink tint, and by the end of flowering they turn green. The large leaves of paniculate species are ovoid or elliptical in shape. They are heavily pubescent below and slightly pubescent above.

Garden varieties bloom from June to July and bloom for a long time. Among them are:

Features of growing garden hydrangea

Those who decide to grow hydrangea in their garden plot need to follow certain rules its planting, placement and care. It should be remembered that only tree-like and paniculate hydrangeas grow in Siberia.

Planting and care

The plant loves well-lit places with slight shading. In sunny areas, hydrangeas grow well and bloom quickly, but due to excessive heat they suffer from drying out of the soil and lose their turgor. Small inflorescences form in full shade.

The soil for planting shrubs must be acidic. Plant on alkaline soil will suffer from chlorosis and bloom poorly. Neutral soil for hydrangea is unacceptable.

Hydrangeas planted on nutritious loams will take root well and grow. Therefore, during planting, it is recommended to add clay to the bottom of the hole.

Hydrangea is a moisture-loving plant; however, it is not recommended to plant it in areas with high groundwater levels. In addition, the wintering of the shrub directly depends on the moisture intake of the plant roots. The less moisture they accumulate in the fall, the better the plant will overwinter. That is why in the fall the soil around the bushes must be partially covered from precipitation.

Garden hydrangea is planted in spring in holes approx. the dimensions of which should be 50x50x70 cm. The plant is planted after the last frost has passed.

Store-bought plants with a closed root system can be planted until the end of summer, preparing deeper and wider holes for them. After planting, the bushes are well watered, and the soil around them is covered 6 cm with sawdust or peat mulch.

The distance between plants should be from one to one and a half meters. If the group planting was conceived as a “living” hedge, then the bushes are planted more densely.

Watering and fertilizing

During the open ground season, the bushes are watered once a week. In hot months, the frequency of watering increases to 2 times a week.

Caring for hydrangea includes mandatory feeding, which are produced twice a year:

In May or June, during the budding period, the plant is fed with nitrogen fertilizers.
In summer, the bushes need potassium, which is added according to the instructions.

It is better not to apply ash under hydrangea bushes, as it reduces the acidity of the soil.

Pruning hydrangea

When caring for hydrangeas, you need to be especially careful when pruning the bush. Pruning is carried out every spring. Some gardeners cut the bushes very short, as a result of which the most flower buds. You can't do this. It is recommended to approach each bush individually.

First of all, the frozen parts of the shoots are cut out from the plant. If after this there are enough powerful shoots left, then last year’s branches can be cut back to the upper branch. If there is a small number of annual shoots, only inflorescences are removed from faded branches.

Shoots that are too old and thicken the bush are completely cut out. It is not recommended to cut out annual shoots at all. It is worth noting that inflorescences for bouquets can be cut throughout the entire period until autumn.

What can I do to make hydrangea change color?

Experienced flower growers know that by feeding bushes with pink inflorescences with certain fertilizers, the result can be a plant blooming with blue or light blue flowers. To do this, starting in September, the following is added to the soil once every two weeks:

aluminum alum solution (2 pieces per 1 liter of water);
iron or aluminum sulfate (20-50 g).

If fertilizers are applied irregularly, both blue and pink inflorescences will begin to form on the bush.

Preparing hydrangea for winter

Unfortunately, without shelter in the Urals and Siberia, hydrangea will not be able to survive the winter. Therefore, caring for it in regions with cold winters includes preparing the bushes for wintering.

Before covering the plants, it is necessary to feed them with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and remove all leaves from them, leaving only the top ones. This will help speed up the process of lignification of the shoots.

Paniculate and tree hydrangea, grown in the southern regions, can be simply hill up high or cover with peat. For regions with unpredictable and cold winters, you can choose one of the following methods:

When growing hydrangea, you should know that every year it winter hardiness increases. Therefore, in some regions, over time, covering bushes for the winter can be abandoned. But young plants must be covered.

Diseases and pests of garden hydrangea

The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, however, may be affected:

The most beautiful hydrangea plant is excellent suitable for single and group plantings, goes well with low conifers and looks great against the background of stones. With proper planting and care, you can admire the magnificent blooms and be proud of your flower garden all summer until autumn.

Garden hydrangea

When you see these flowers, you get a feeling of airiness and lightness, you want to pick a huge fluffy bouquet or plant whole rows

hydrangeas

So that there are colorful hats on both sides of the garden

The plant belongs to the Hydrangeaceae family. Most often these are small trees or shrubs, but there are even vine-like forms. The flowers are small, collected in large spherical inflorescences, without aroma. Thanks to these beautiful inflorescences, hydrangea is impossible to miss.

Hydrangeas It turns out that hydrangea is not only beautiful, but also healing! Read about its use for medical purposes in the article “Healing Hydrangea.”

Planting hydrangea

Hydrangea is planted in early spring or autumn. Desirable in cold climates spring planting of seedlings so that they have time to take root well and more easily endure the harsh conditions of the first (after transplantation) wintering. You need to choose a place for planting in advance: all hydrangeas love acidic, well-moistened soil. They can grow in both sun and partial shade.

Planting hydrangea Mineral and organic fertilizers, sand are added to a prepared hole measuring approximately 30x30x30 cm, and mixed well with turf soil. Then peat is poured. The roots of the hydrangea seedling are slightly shortened. The root collar is not buried. The planted bush is well watered and mulched with humus or peat. When planting in spring, annual shoots are slightly shortened by 3-4 buds.

Typically, hydrangeas are planted singly or in groups on the lawn.

Hydrangea bush When planting in groups, the distance between plants should be at least 1 meter. You can read more about the planting process in the article Hydrangeas: a riot of colors in your garden.

Hydrangea propagation

Cuttings

Cuttings are prepared in April-June: annual green shoots 10-12 cm long are taken from the crown and cut at a right angle. The leaves are removed from the lower part of the cutting, treated with a growth stimulator and planted in a fertile soil mixture - in a breeding bed in a greenhouse. The first year after planting (already in a permanent place) they are covered in winter and the flowers are cut off.

Young hydrangea seedlings Winter cuttings can only be carried out on large-leaved hydrangea. To do this, in October you need to dig up the parent plant and plant it in a pot, place it in a room with a temperature of 0...+2 °C. In January the temperature rises to +7°C… +10°C. In February, the shoots of last year have already ripened, and cuttings with 2 internodes are cut from them. The lower leaves are removed, the upper ones are cut off, leaving half of the leaf blade. The lower cut is treated with a root formation stimulator, and the cuttings are planted in pots with nutritious soil mixture. Cover them with plastic bottles and glass jars.

Dividing the bush

Hydrangea can be propagated by division in spring and autumn. The plant is dug up and divided into several parts so that each division has a renewal bud, after which it is planted in prepared places.

By layering

Shoots no older than 1 year are bent to the ground and dug in, leaving a top about 20 cm long on the surface. In the spring or autumn of next year, the rooted shoot is separated from the mother bush and replanted.

Hydrangea is now rarely propagated by seeds and grafting.

Hydrangea care

Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers (it is necessary to fertilize in moderation, since voluminous inflorescences can break or bend the branches of the bush).
Organic fertilizers: slurry, humus.
Watering. The acidity of water for irrigation is recommended no higher than 5.6 PH. Hydrangea is very moisture-loving; it should not be overdried.
Loosening the soil: from 3 times per season to a depth of 5-10 cm.

Hydrangea care

Trimming

The bushes are pruned in the spring, when the buds have swelled.
For successful wintering, young shoots are pruned to 4 buds.
Old bushes are renewed by pruning at the root.
With targeted formative pruning of cuttings over 4-5 years, you can get a beautiful small hydrangea tree.
In the first year of flowering cuttings, the flowers should be removed, this will help the plant gain strength and bloom profusely next year.

More details about the intricacies of pruning various types of hydrangea are described in the publications:

Pruning hydrangea
How to prune paniculata hydrangea
The many faces of panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) and an alternative view of formative “classic” pruning. Part 1
The many faces of panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) and an alternative view of formative “classic” pruning. Part 2

Changing the color of hydrangea flowers

Large-leaved and new varieties of hydrangeas may change color. To do this, use various dyes sold in fertilizer departments.

If you want to get blue shades, then use aluminum or iron crystals or aluminum sulfate (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water) when watering 2 times a week.
For pink coloring, use a solution of potassium permanganate.
Peat can also affect the color change of hydrangeas. To do this, you need to water the plant with peat infusion; besides, it is also a good fertilizer.

Special additives will help change the color of hydrangea inflorescences

Shelter for the winter

When covering a hydrangea horizontally for the winter, you preserve the flower buds that form on the branches of the plant (in species that bloom on last year's shoots). Then the hydrangea will bloom early.

Problems

If trouble has happened to your hydrangea - a disease has overcome it or it does not bloom - take a look at the Questions about hydrangea section: answers from both experts and amateur gardeners are collected there.

Main garden types of hydrangea

Despite the variety of forms, this article discusses species that take root and grow in our latitudes. Hydrangea suffers from intense heat; many species that love partial shade slow down their growth in the sun, and their inflorescences become very small. But there are also those who tolerate heat well.

Blooming hydrangea

Large leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Flowering occurs in July-August. Flowers of ordinary forms are collected in corymbose inflorescences with a diameter of up to 20 cm, flowers of sterile forms are collected in lush spherical inflorescences with a diameter of up to 30 cm in white, pink, and blue.

Large-leaved hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) A bush up to 2 m tall with large, wide, ovoid leaves. Heat-loving: requires shelter in frosty winters, tolerates frosts down to -10 °C. The most common garden form throughout the world. The original form for potted hydrangeas. When potassium salts and aluminum sulfate are added to the soil, it produces blue and blue inflorescences.

Hydrangea paniculata

Blooms from mid-summer to late autumn . The flowers are collected in dense panicles of pyramidal inflorescences up to 30 cm in length, the color is from light green to white, changing to dull purple in late summer. Shrub from 2 to 5 m in height or small tree up to 10 m.

Paniculata hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is distinguished by its durability, unpretentiousness (it grows in marshy, polluted places), and frost resistance.

Hydrangea bretschneideri

The bush is compact, with a wide rounded decorative crown up to 3 m in height. Flowering from mid-July to August. The flowers are small, fruit-bearing, collected in wide inflorescences in the form of umbrellas with a diameter of about 15 cm. The middle flowers in the inflorescence fall off early, the edge flowers bloom for a long time. The color at the beginning of flowering is bright white, towards the end - purple or reddish. The leaves are dark green, ovoid, 12 cm long. The shoots are hairy, reddish, with peeling bark in the form of thin plates; By winter they become completely lignified.

Bretschneider's hydrangea (Hydrangea bretschneideri). Photo from en.wikipedia.org The most winter-hardy variety, drought-resistant. Can reproduce by seeds.

Hydrangea petiolaris

The bush vine is attached to a support with air suction cups, reaches up to 25 m in height, and in the absence of support it spreads along the ground. Excellent braiding

arched gazebos

The flowers are white-pink, collected in corymbose inflorescences up to 25 cm in diameter, and quickly fall off.

Petiole hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) Abundant flowering is observed in open places, but it also grows well in the shade.

Ash or gray hydrangea (Hydrangea cinerea)

Shrub, reaches a height of 2 m. Used as a hedge. Blooms until late autumn.

Ash or gray hydrangea (Hydrangea cinerea). Photo from dachni-rady.com The flowers are sterile, small, in the form of numerous shields. The leaves are oval, membranous, dull green.

Tree hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)

A very beautiful shrub with many varieties. Bushes up to 3 m tall, with large oval leaves up to 20 cm in length. Flowers are collected in fluffy inflorescences. It often freezes in winter, but in spring it quickly recovers and blooms profusely. This form requires heavy pruning (almost to the root) in April to maintain the bushes in proper shape.

Tree hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ has been growing for me for 10 years, blooms until late autumn, and is more noticeable in the flower garden than many more elegant and bright flowers.

What hydrangeas grow in your garden? Tell us!

Plant hydrangea (lat. Hydrangea) belongs to the genus of flowering plants of the Hydrangeaceae family, which according to various sources includes from 30 to 80 species of shrubs, vines and small trees. In nature, hydrangea can most often be found in East and South Asia - in Japan and China. It also grows in the Far East and North America. The hydrangea flower received its name in honor of the princess of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Latin name Hydrangea was given to the plant by taxonomists for its excessive love of moisture (hydrangea is translated as “vessel of water”). The Japanese call hydrangea “ajisai,” which in Japanese means “purple sun flower.” Of the wide variety of hydrangea species, only garden hydrangea, or large-leaf hydrangea, of compact forms is grown in indoor culture; all other types and varieties of hydrangea in our latitudes are grown in gardens.

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Planting and caring for hydrangea

Landing: sowing seeds for seedlings in the fall, followed by planting the seedlings in open ground in early spring two years later. In the south, seedlings can be planted in the ground in the fall.
Bloom: from early summer to late autumn.
Lighting: partial shade in the southern area, bright sunlight in the middle zone and more northern regions.
The soil: rich and moist, free of lime (pH 5.0).
Watering: weekly and abundant, water consumption - from 15 to 20 liters per plant.
Feeding: in early spring - with a urea solution, after flowering - with complex mineral fertilizer.
Trimming: annually from 3-4 years. Paniculata and tree-like - in March-April.
Reproduction: seeds, dividing the bush, grafting, layering and green cuttings.
Pests: spider mites.
Diseases: peronosporosis, chlorosis.

Read more about growing hydrangeas below.

Hydrangea flowers - description

In natural conditions, hydrangea flowers are shrubs up to 3 m tall, medium-sized trees and vines that can climb tree trunks to a height of up to 30 m. In addition, depending on the species, they can be either evergreen or deciduous plants, and in our climate flower growers prefer to grow deciduous plants. Hydrangea leaves are usually large, opposite, oval with a sharp tip, often with serrated edges and noticeable venation. Hydrangea blooms from spring to frost with large spherical inflorescences, corymbose or paniculate, consisting of two types of flowers: small fertile (fertile), usually located in the middle of the inflorescence, and large sterile (sterile), blooming at the edges. There are, however, species in which all the flowers in the inflorescence are fertile.

Most hydrangeas bloom with white flowers, but a species such as large-leaved hydrangea (or large-leaved hydrangea) blooms not only with white and cream, but also with red, blue, lilac and pink flowers, and the color directly depends on the soil pH (level pH): on neutral soil hydrangeas grow with beige and cream flowers, on alkaline soil - with lilac or pink flowers, on acidic soil - with blue ones due to the aluminum contained in the soil, which the plant can absorb. The fruit of hydrangea is a 2-5-chambered capsule with small seeds. Sometimes plants from the close genus Schizophragma are confused with hydrangea, but you should know that the so-called petiolate hydrangea is actually a schizophragma.

Growing hydrangea - features

Well, now we can talk about the features of growing hydrangea in the garden. So:

The color of large-leaved hydrangea flowers depends on the pH of the soil in which it grows: in neutral soil the flowers will be white or cream-colored, in acidic soil they will be blue or blue, in neutral soil they will be pink or lilac. Therefore, to create multi-colored bushes, it is enough to change the acidity of the soil under each of them;
hydrangea is very moisture-loving, so take watering the plant seriously;
Bright light is very important for hydrangea, but in direct sun the delicate petals quickly fade, so it is best to plant it where there is light partial shade in the hot afternoon;
the most important factor in caring for hydrangea after the watering regime is timely and correct pruning;
do not overfeed hydrangeas with organic matter, otherwise they, growing rapidly, will almost certainly not bloom;
even cold-resistant varieties of hydrangea need warm shelter for the winter, but if your beauty is frozen, don’t despair: most likely, it will recover during the growing season;
Hydrangea is very rarely affected by diseases or pests.

Planting hydrangea

Hydrangea from seeds

Species hydrangeas are successfully propagated by seed (generative) method. The method of seed propagation is also used for the purpose of selection experiments. How to grow hydrangea from seeds? Very simple, but you will need time.

Sowing of hydrangea seeds is carried out in the fall: hydrangea seeds are sown in a nutritious loose substrate consisting of a mixture of leaf and peat soil with river sand in a ratio of 4:2:1, which are then covered with a light layer of the same mixture and moistened with a sprayer. The container is covered with glass or film, which is periodically removed to ventilate the crops and moisten the substrate, which should be slightly damp all the time. The temperature required for germination is 14-20 ºC. As soon as the shoots appear (this usually happens after a month and a half), the glass can be removed.

Hydrangea seedlings need to be picked twice: the first time in the stage of development of cotyledon leaves, the second time in May. Moreover, during the second picking, each seedling is planted in a separate pot with a diameter of 7 cm. After the second picking, young hydrangeas for hardening are exposed during the day to fresh air in a place where direct sunlight, rain moisture and drafts do not reach. In the evening, the seedlings are brought into the room.

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