When should i plant hydrangeas

for beautiful flowers that last |

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Need to know when to plant hydrangeas? In shady backyards, they are indispensable for providing shape, structure, and color late in the season.

Learn how to grow hydrangeas and, from July into October, you can enjoy these shrubby stalwarts adorned with generous blooms in shades of cream, lime, pink, or blue. But, to get them off to the best start, you’ll also need to be aware of the optimum time to plant hydrangeas.

Our guide has the information required to brighten the backyard and enjoy flowers for the house by discovering when to plant hydrangeas.

Once you have mastered how to plant hydrangeas it is then important to learn, when to prune hydrangeas and how to prune hydrangeas, to ensure you plants are looking and feeling their best.

When to plant hydrangeas

Hydrangeas can be planted at any time of year, but the best time to get them in the ground is spring or fall when the weather is mild.

For many they are an essential among flower bed ideas with enormous flowerheads, each a giant handful in size, remaining on the plant for months, often morphing through a range of colors, before browning in late fall. They can be cut for the vase at any stage, including in fall, when many take on beautiful red, grey, or caramel tones, and they make wonderful dried flowers.

Thriving in cool semi-shade, their incredible structure makes impact in both traditional and modern borders. ‘I like to rely on the impact of massing many hydrangeas together at once so when bloom season arrives they simply overwhelm the senses in the best possible way,’ says Oregon-based landscape architect and garden designer Bethany Rydmark .

When to plant shrubby hydrangeas

If you’re wondering when to plant hydrangeas, the shrubs can go in the ground at any time of year, except when the weather is very cold or very hot or if the soil is waterlogged. However, there are optimum planting windows.

‘The best time to plant hydrangeas is in the spring, once the frost is over, and the ground begins to warm up,’ says Anne Greenall, who holds a UK national collection of hydrangeas in her coastal garden in Scotland. ‘Early fall is also a good time before the heat leaves the ground and frosts begin, allowing the roots to establish.’

Plant in moist, fertile, well-drained soil in cool, sheltered semi-shade. Dig in organic matter (such as peat-free compost) before planting.

When to plant hydrangeas in pots

Plant compact shrubby hydrangeas (such as ‘Little Lime’) in containers in April or May. Choose a pot with good drainage holes and fill with a mix of organic multi-purpose peat-free compost and John Innes No. 3 compost. Place the pot in sheltered semi-shade and ensure the compost is kept moist, but never waterlogged.

If you want to try to grow bright-blue hydrangeas and you don’t have acid soil, plant them in containers of ericaceous compost.

When to plant climbing hydrangea

Climbing hydrangeas (such as gorgeous H. anomala subsp. petiolaris) are wonderful for north or east-facing walls, producing a mass of lacy white flowers above attractive foliage in summer.

These self-clinging climbers can be planted at any time of year, as long as the ground is not parched, frozen, or waterlogged. However, for the best results, plant in spring or fall. They can take time to establish but are so spectacular and so long-lived, they are worth the wait.

Plant in moist, well-drained, fertile soil in the cool semi-shade of a north or east-facing wall. The more tender evergreen forms (such as H. seemannii) require a sheltered wall. Dig in organic matter (such as peat-free compost) before planting.

What month is best to plant hydrangeas?

The months of both spring and fall are best for planting hydrangeas, so long as the weather is mild. In spring, this should be after frost season, and in fall, before it begins again. If you need to plant in other months, avoid those that are very hot or very cold.

When can I plant a potted hydrangea in the ground?

A potted hydrangea can be planted in the ground at any time of the year. However, spring or fall are the best times. Wait until the frosts are over in spring, or plant in early fall when the soil will still be warm and before the frosts.

As editor of Period Living, Britain's best-selling period homes magazine, Melanie loves the charm of older properties. I live in a rural village just outside the Cotswolds in England, so am lucky to be surrounded by beautiful homes and countryside, where I enjoy exploring. Having worked in the industry for almost two decades, Melanie is interested in all aspects of homes and gardens. Her previous roles include working on Real Homes and Homebuilding & Renovating, and she has also contributed to Gardening Etc. She has an English degree and has also studied interior design. Melanie frequently writes for Homes & Gardens about property restoration and gardening.

How to Plant, Grow & Care for Hydrangeas

Hydrangea Care: How to Plant, Grow & Care for Hydrangeas

Tips & Techniques

Betterdays in Full Swing

Gardening

If you’re looking for a garden flower with show appeal, hydrangea flowers are truly stunning. Large globes of flowers cover this shrub in summer and spring. Although their appearance may seem high maintenance, with the right conditions and care, hydrangeas are actually fairly easy to grow. So grab your garden gloves, because our growing hydrangeas guide will have you ready to plant in no time.

What Are Hydrangeas?
Planting Hydrangeas
Hydrangea Care Tips
Types of Hydrangeas
Common Questions About Growing Hydrangeas

What Are Hydrangeas?

Blooming in spring and summer, the hydrangea is considered a shrub. But despite their ability to be rather large showstoppers in your yard, how to grow hydrangeas isn’t a question even the novice gardener will need to ask – these beauties all but grow themselves. Reaching up to 15 feet in height, the hydrangea grows quickly and often fills in a space in just one summer. You’ll find hydrangeas growing in hardiness Zones 3 to 7 as perennials. With flowers starting in spring and often last throughout summer into early fall, hydrangea flowers can be the foundation plant of your landscape.

Planting Hydrangeas

As with most things in your garden, learning the basics of how to plant hydrangeas can save you time and money. By choosing the proper location, getting the soil just right and planting correctly, you’ll increase your chances of enjoying large, colorful hydrangea blooms for years to come.

Best time to plant hydrangeas
Fall is the best season to plant hydrangeas, followed by early spring. The idea is to give the shrub plenty of time to establish a healthy root system before blooming. The best time of day to plant is early morning or late afternoon. The cooler parts of the day offer protection against heat stress. Keep new plants well-watered until established.
Where to plant hydrangeas
Knowing where to plant hydrangea shrubs is an important first step. Many people plant hydrangeas in beds next to their homes or fences. This is because hydrangeas love the warm morning sun, but they dislike the heat of the afternoon. The best place to plant hydrangeas is in a sheltered location with sunny mornings and shady afternoons. You often find this on the north or south side of your home. Avoid planting directly underneath trees, which can lead to competition for water and nutrients. High winds can rip and damage leaves and destroy the flowers.
Best soil for hydrangeas
Hydrangeas grow well in soil containing an abundance of organic material. Good drainage is vital. While hydrangeas like moist soil, they cannot tolerate being waterlogged. Soggy, poor draining soils can cause root rot. In just a few weeks, your hydrangeas can quickly die. If you have heavy soil, consider mixing in plenty of compost prior to planting to improve soil quality.
How to plant hydrangeas
To plant hydrangeas, simply dig the planting holes 2 feet wider than the root ball. Keep the depth of the hole consistent with the size of the root ball so your plant sits level with or just higher than the surrounding soil. By creating a slight mound, you help increase water drainage away from the base of the plant.
How to propagate hydrangeas
One hydrangea can turn into many through simple propagation techniques. Bigleaf and panicle hydrangeas are best propagated through layering in early to mid-summer. All you have to do is:
- Dig a small trench near your hydrangea plant.
- Bend a branch down to the trench so it touches the soil in the middle of the branch (six to 12 inches of branch should extend past the trench).
- Make scratches in the bark where the branch touches the trench soil.
- Fill in the trench and place a paver, brick or stone on top.
- With time, the branch will form its own root system and may be transplanted to a new location.

Smooth and oakleaf hydrangeas put out new shoots through underground stems. Just dig up the young plant and separate it away from the main plant. It can then be transplanted to a new location.

Hydrangea Care Tips

Although the hydrangea’s leaves and flowers appear delicate, they actually don’t require a lot of tender care. These tips provide all you need to know about how to care for hydrangeas.

Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. Deeply water 3 times a week to encourage root growth. Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture. Use a soaker hose to water deeply and keep moisture off the flowers and leaves. Watering in the morning will help prevent hydrangeas from wilting during hot days.
Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool. An organic mulch breaks down over time, adding nutrients and improving soil texture.
Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. Each variety has different needs and will benefit from different application timing. The best way to determine your fertility needs is by using a soil test.
- Bigleaf hydrangeas need several light fertilizer applications in March, May and June.
- Oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas do best with two applications in April and June.
- Smooth hydrangea plants only need fertilization once, in late winter.
Protect against pests and disease by choosing cultivars with resistant traits. Leaf spots, bight, wilt and powdery mildew can all appear on hydrangeas. Pests are not common on hydrangeas, but can appear when plants become stressed. Possible pests include aphids, leaf tiers and red spider mites. Properly caring for hydrangeas is your best defense.

Types of Hydrangeas

There are four different types of hydrangeas grown in the United States:

Oakleaf hydrangeas thrive in warmer zones. If you live in Zone 5 or warmer, oakleaf hydrangeas are a great choice, as they’re able to withstand the heat of summer.
Bigleaf hydrangeas are the most common of all. They’re often found growing in Zones 5 through 9.
Panicle hydrangeas are hardy to Zone 3. They’re easy growers, reaching up to 15 feet tall.
Smooth hydrangeas are also known as snowballs because of their large white clusters of blooms. They’re an excellent choice in cold climates.

Consider planting these popular hydrangeas in your garden landscape:

French Hydrangea – This traditional bigleaf hydrangea is also known as the florist’s hydrangea for its large, vibrant blooms.
Mophead hydrangea – This variety of bigleaf hydrangea features large, round blooms.
Lacecap hydrangea – Large flowers surround smaller buds with the appearance of being only half bloomed for a lacy, delicate look.
Endless summer hydrangea – Discovered in the 1980’s, this unique bigleaf hydrangea variety has the ability to withstand the cold winters of zone 4.
Peegee hydrangea – While often trained to look like a tree, the Peegee (P.G.) is technically the Grandiflora cultivar from the panicle hydrangea family.
Blue hydrangea – Blue hydrangeas from the bigleaf family are only blue because of the soil they are grown in. You can purchase a blue hydrangea and find it blooms a different color next year.
Pink hydrangea – Pink hydrangeas range from hot pinks to barely blushing and can be found in several different types.

Common Questions About Growing Hydrangeas

When do hydrangeas bloom?

The hydrangea blooming season depends upon the type and cultivar as well as your planting zone. Most new growth hydrangeas put on buds in early summer to bloom in the following spring, summer and early fall seasons. In hot climates, hydrangeas may stop blooming in the heat of summer, but will rebloom in the fall.

How do you cut back hydrangeas?

When hydrangea plants are given plenty of growing space in the garden, they don’t need pruning. All that is required is the occasional removal of dead wood.

Do you need to deadhead hydrangeas?

Deadheading hydrangeas will keep your plants blooming into fall. You don’t have to wait until the flower wilts – hydrangeas make excellent cut flowers. Leave those early fall blooms in place to fade on their own. You don’t want to encourage new growth close to your freeze date.

How do you control hydrangea color?

Hydrangeas are unique in that you can control their color. But keep in mind, not all hydrangea types are capable of color adjustments. Bigleaf hydrangeas, H. macrophylla, react to changes in soil pH. A low soil pH allows hydrangeas to absorb aluminum, which turns the flowers a beautiful blue color. To increase blue hydrangea flowers, lower your soil pH by adding sulfur or peat moss to the soil. You can also add additional aluminum sulfate to your soil throughout the growing season. Pink and red flowers shine when you add ground limestone to increase the pH.

A soil pH test can help you accurately adjust your hydrangea color. Avoid pH levels above 7.5 to prevent damage to the plant. No matter what adjustments you’ve made, all hydrangeas will naturally fade in the fall. Don’t worry – the plant will showcase fresh, colorful blooms again in the spring.

Can hydrangeas grow in shade?

Hydrangeas like dappled or occasional shade, but they will not bloom in heavy shade. It isn’t so much a question of do they prefer sun or shade, but rather more of a question of how much sun do hydrangeas need? The further north your garden is located, the more sunlight your hydrangeas need. An average rule of thumb is six hours of sunlight per day. However, hydrangeas growing in the south can perform on only three hours of sunlight.

Can hydrangeas grow in full sun?

Hydrangeas like morning sun, but do not do well if they’re in direct, hot afternoon sun. Partial shade in the later parts of the day is ideal for these beauties.

Can you grow hydrangeas in pots?

Even if you lack the space in your garden to grow hydrangeas, knowing how to grow hydrangea in a pot means you can still enjoy these beautiful blooms. The process is relatively simple, as long as you follow the basics of hydrangea care. Choose a large enough pot for the mature size of your specific hydrangea – at least 18 inches in diameter. Look for non-porous containers to help hold the consistent moisture level require by hydrangeas. Drainage holes will allow excess water to drain properly. Consider planting dwarf hydrangeas, such as Little Lime, Mini Penny and Buttons ‘n Bows.

How do you keep hydrangeas from wilting?

Regular watering in the mornings can help prevent wilting. Some varieties of hydrangeas simply can’t handle the heat. It won’t matter how much water you give them – they’ll wilt a bit in the heat of afternoon. A thick layer of mulch can help retain moisture and keep soil cool. If your hydrangeas perk back up once the day begins to cool, you don’t need to worry. It’s better to have a little mid-day wilting than to overwater and drown your hydrangeas.

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How to plant hydrangeas correctly: 7 main features

Hydrangea is an absolutely amazing flowering shrub in its wondrous beauty. Huge, multi-colored, lush caps of its inflorescences fascinate the eye and make you forget about everything in the world.

The gradual change of colors and shades of its flowers is also striking. It’s as if you are at some kind of fabulous ball of flowers, changing their clothes from pale green to snow-white-crimson, and soft blue to lilac-violet or snow-white-golden.

The richness of shades in the multicolored inflorescences of hydrangeas is so great that you seem to dissolve in it and do not want to leave this marvelous corner of the blooming garden.

We have already talked about the nature of this wonderful culture, about its types and in great detail about agricultural technology in published articles:

“Choosing frost-resistant hydrangeas”;

"How to care for hydrangeas in the summer and autumn."

Today we will talk about how to properly plant hydrangeas. There are many subtleties here, without knowing which you can not get a beautiful shrub with lush inflorescence brushes. He may not take root at all and die in the very first winter if the landing is done incorrectly and at the wrong time.

MAIN FEATURES OF PLANTING HYDENSIA

It is necessary to plant, transplant and divide bushes only in spring.

Many gardeners believe that hydrangeas, like most perennial ornamental plants, should be planted and transplanted in late August - early September.

But this is a big mistake. Hydrangea - slowly and difficult to take root in a new place, so she needs enough time for this. As a rule, in most of Russia, hydrangeas are planted in mid-May (in more northern regions - at the end of the month). In the south of the country, autumn planting is also acceptable.

Over the summer, young bushes will take root well in a new place and have time to prepare for the winter cold.

It is very important to choose the right place for planting Hydrangeas .

Hydrangea should be planted in light partial shade, so that in the midday hours (from 12 to 15 hours) it is not under the scorching sun. The rest of the time it should be brightly lit, otherwise you will not get beautiful flowering.

Planted in the shade, the hydrangea will start to get sick, its inflorescences will become smaller and in the end the plant may simply die.

Another site chosen for planting hydrangeas should be well protected from cold winds and drafts. A wonderful sissy, hydrangea will suffer greatly even from a not very strong draft. This again can lead to her illness.

The best place for her is near the south side of the house, protected by a wall, fence or other bushes. But at the same time, the latter should not shade it from the sun.

Hydrangeas do not tolerate close groundwater (they should be no closer than 1.5 m from the ground). And they will not grow in flooded lowland areas. Water should not stand around the bushes.

Under such conditions, hydrangeas are planted in high flower beds at least 50 cm high.

Soils play a huge role in the proper growth and development of hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas love fertile, loose, well-permeable water and breathable neutral or slightly acidic soils (pH 6.5 - 7.0), rich in organic matter. On heavy clays with an acidic reaction, neutralization is necessary. To do this, use dolomite flour (2 kg per 5 sq. M of planting area).

It is advisable to carry out this operation in the autumn, but it is also possible in the spring at least 3 weeks before planting.

Hydrangeas also don't like alkaline soils, so don't plant them near an outdoor sink or where you pour water after washing.

Need to know how to plant a hydrangea.

When planting, all the native soil from the planting pits is selected and filled with a soil mixture, which we recommend that you make up of: the top fertile layer, rotted manure, leafy soil and sand (preferably river sand) in equal amounts.

In addition to each hole, add the following fertilizers: superphosphate (2 tablespoons), potassium sulfate (1.5 tablespoons), wood ash (1/4 bucket) and dolomite flour (1 cup only on acidic soils).

Planting pits are dug 40 cm deep and 40 cm in diameter. At the bottom of each pit, drainage is laid from broken brick or crushed stone with a layer of 10 cm. After planting, the hydrangea's root neck should be at ground level.

Water the planted bushes well (2 watering cans under each) and mulch with peat chips or sawdust. Such an operation will help to keep moisture in the ground and will prevent the growth of weeds in the near-stem circles of young plants.

Neighbor plants are very important for hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas are strongly affected by plants planted next to them. In no case should it be planted next to blackcurrants, since the essential oil substances found in the tissues of this berry crop adversely affect the delicate hydrangea.

Also an undesirable neighbor will be white acacia, the roots of which emit poisonous substances that depress the root system of the hydrangea.

Perfect neighbors will be perennial flowers - peonies, irises, hostas, astilbes, hybrid tea roses.

Keep your hydrangea bed away from herbs and garlic. If you are planning a flower garden next to the garden, cucumbers and zucchini will be the best neighbors for hydrangeas.

Do not plant hydrangeas next to trees and tall shrubs with well-developed roots, even if they do not shade them. These "neighbors" will constantly take away all the nutrients and water from the more tender and delicate hydrangea!

Planting hydrangeas will not be successful without abundant watering.

Remember an important rule: water hydrangeas only with warm water heated to a temperature of at least 30 degrees!

In the first two weeks after planting, hydrangeas are watered every day (if the weather is dry and sunny, and the air temperature is above +16 degrees). If the air warms up only to +14 degrees - water every 3 days. In such conditions, the plant stops growing and, as it were, freezes, waiting for warmer weather!

Then reduce watering to twice a week. In a month, one weekly watering will be enough (in the heat, increase the frequency of watering).

How to influence the color of hydrangea flowers when planting .

The color of hydrangea is one of the main varietal characteristics, so it was originally laid down in it (each variety has its own). But if you want to experiment a little, you can give the flowers either blue or pink.

When planting, acidify the soil with a weak solution of citric acid or Blue Hydrangea fertilizer, and you will get various blue shades of flowers.

If you want them to be pink, add crushed chalk or 1.5 cups of dolomite flour. And if you want to get both those and other shades on different inflorescences at the same time, add the above ingredients from different sides of the bush.

But it is better to do this not when planting, but after a couple of years, when the bush grows and gets stronger.

THE BEST VARIETY OF HYDROANGIAS FROM OUR COLLECTION

Now that you know how to plant hydrangeas in spring, we offer you the best varieties from our unique collection of this most beautiful, bright and luxuriant flowering shrub that will delight you with its truly heavenly beauty for many years to come .

Our novelties:

Oakleaf Hydrangea: Harmony, Snow Flakes.

Our collection:

Large-leaved Hydrangea: Joy, Fiery Red, Bluebird, Mint.

Hydrangea arborescens: Sterilis, Annabelle .

Hydrangea paniculata: Grandiflora, Vanilla Fries, Sunday Fries, Unique, Lemon Light .

You can buy all these varieties from us today!

outdoor planting and care, species, propagation

Many gardeners buy the wrong species and varieties, so they do not succeed. Usually they take the most spectacular bushes, with blue and pink inflorescences. But this is a large-leaved hydrangea, and it is the most thermophilic. Yes, it can also be grown in the middle lane, but you have to tinker a lot. But there are more unpretentious species that are not afraid of frost.

Winter-hardy hydrangeas

Hydrangea genus includes 52 species (1), but much less is used in horticulture. And there are two truly frost-resistant ones: tree hydrangea and panicled hydrangea. Experienced gardeners usually have no problems with them. Know yourself to water without sparing, fertilize when necessary, and cut if the bush is thickened and the inflorescences are crushed. These hydrangeas winter in the middle lane without shelter, but to the north they freeze slightly without it.

Winter-hardy varieties of Hydrangea arborescens

In hydrangea arborescens, the most famous is Annabelle (Annabelle), with large caps of snow-white inflorescences. The bush is sprawling, in favorable conditions it grows up to 1.5 m. The branches often bend under the weight of the inflorescences, especially after rain. Almost as popular are Grandiflora (Grandiflora) with cream and Sterilis (Sterilis) with white-green, then whitening petals.

But the lesser-known novelties so far: Hayes Starburst (Hayes Starburst) with white double flowers, Incredible (Incredible) (first lemon green, then white, and green by autumn). And, of course, pink Invincibelle Spirit (Invincibelle Spirit)!

Winter-hardy varieties of panicled hydrangea

The most common decorative form of panicled hydrangea is Grandiflora (Grandiflora). When blooming, its inflorescences up to 30 cm long are creamy white, then pure white, later they turn pink, and in autumn they become greenish-red. And this is the most frost-resistant variety in the middle lane (2)! Take a closer look at other varieties of panicle hydrangea. For example, to dwarf Bobo (Bobo) 60 - 70 cm high. Inflorescences abundantly covering the bush, first in lemon-green tones, then turn white and even turn slightly pink. Slightly larger than Little Lime (Little Lime). In partial shade, the flowers of this hydrangea are greenish all season, and in the sun they acquire a pinkish tint by autumn. Wims Red (Wim's Red), 1.5 - 2 m high. Blooming flowers are first creamy white, then pink and wine red by autumn.

And the most beautiful are Pinky Winky (Pinky Winky), Vanille Fraise (Vanille Fraise) and Limelight (Limelight) - they gain the highest marks for all indicators of decorativeness (3).

Photo: Anatoly Zhdanov

Winter-hardy varieties of large-leaved hydrangea

New - hydrangea Endless Summer (Endless Summer). Pink and blue. Blooming on the shoots of both the past and the current year! That is, remontant, and even wintering normally in the middle lane. Yes, with cover.

There are 9 more0009 Twits and Shout (Twist and Shout) - she has blue and pink varieties. And also variety Expression (Expression): its graceful flowers are purple-blue in acidic soil and pink in alkaline soil. All of them can withstand up to -29 ° C.

That is, a gardener who has taken care of a winter shelter for hydrangeas will be able to admire flowering from July to September-October! The main thing is to open them on time, but not too early in the spring, and in the summer, especially hot, indulge in watering.

Planting hydrangea outdoors

Hydrangea likes rich soils and does not tolerate excess lime. When planting in a pit, you need to add humus, peat, a little sand to clay soil. It would be good to mulch the trunk circle with riding (red) peat or coniferous litter.

It is better to plant hydrangeas in the garden in late spring. Seedlings with well-developed roots can be planted in early September. In the summer? After all, it is known that container plants can be planted throughout the warm season. Theoretically, this also applies to hydrangeas, but the problem is that in summer it is very hot and dry, and hydrangeas are water drinkers. If you live in a country house or you have a country house and you have the opportunity to water the sazhens every day, then plant it. If you come to the site on weekends, it is better not to risk it.

Planting holes are dug 50 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter. Humus, peat are added to it, and a little sand is added to clay soil.

If the soil is alkaline, it must be acidified with high-moor peat, Kemira-universal fertilizer or acidifier Acid plus. Lime and ash must not be brought into the planting pits! They alkalize the soil.

Hydrangea has a shallow root system, so it is not recommended to plant it close to trees and other shrubs - they will take moisture from it.

After planting, it is useful to mulch the trunk circle with high-moor peat or coniferous litter.

Photo: Mikhail Frolov Photo: Mikhail Frolov Photo: Mikhail Frolov Photo: Mikhail Frolov

Hydrangea care in open ground

Watering. Hydrangeas should be watered abundantly and often. In summer, it is supposed to pour 3-5 buckets of water under each bush! In hot weather - twice a week. On rainy days, once a week.

If it is not possible to water twice a week, it is necessary to mulch the soil with peat in a layer of 5 - 10 cm - it slows down the evaporation of water from the soil.

Top dressing . During the summer, hydrangeas need three top dressings:

In the spring, at the beginning of growth - 2 tbsp. spoons of urea, 2 tbsp. spoons of double superphosphate, 1.5 tbsp. spoons of potassium sulfate per 1 sq. m.
During the budding period - 3 - 4 st. spoons of double superphosphate, 2 tbsp. spoons of potassium sulfate per 1 sq. m.
At the end of summer - 1.5 - 2 buckets of humus or compost for each bush.

Mineral fertilizers are spread evenly under the bush, covered with a rake and watered. Humus and compost are poured out in an even layer - it is not necessary to close up their soil.

Cutting. In order for the hydrangea to bloom profusely and for a long time, it must be cut off annually - then more additional shoots with flowers are formed. Usually leave 6 - 10 of the strongest shoots. And they, in turn, are shortened, cut off the top with 2 - 5 kidneys.

Propagation of hydrangeas in the open ground

There are 4 ways to propagate hydrangeas: seeds, cuttings, green cuttings and lignified cuttings. It is difficult to propagate with seeds and this method is only suitable for species plants - varieties will not retain their characteristics. So it's not worth the hassle. But the rest of the ways are pretty simple.

Layering . The easiest way is to just bend the lower branch to the ground, pin it with wire, sprinkle it with earth, and bring the top up and tie it to a peg. You can do this throughout the summer. In the spring of next year, until the leaves have blossomed, the shoot is cut off from the bush, dug up with a clod of earth and planted in a permanent place.

Green cuttings. They are cut in mid-June 15-20 cm long. The lower pair of leaves is cut off. The lower cut is treated with Heterauxin or Kornevin (4) and stuck into loose soil so that it contains at least one internode (preferably two). The leaves are cut to 2/3 so as not to evaporate a lot of moisture. The planted stalk is covered with a jar or plastic bottle.

It is better to root the cuttings in the shade . They are transplanted to a permanent place in the spring of next year.

Woody cuttings. They are cut in the first half of April. The technology is the same as with green cuttings. But they take root worse.