Hydrangea white

For quite a long time, many gardeners have been growing white hydrangea. White hydrangea is considered the most real decoration of the garden. The hats of these flowers are simply beautiful, they fascinate with their stunning appearance and unsurpassed aroma. That is why gardeners have been cultivating white hydrangea for a long time on their farmsteads. In today's article, we will tell you about the origin of this culture, share with you a description of the variety, breeding secrets, planting and care rules, and at the end we will tell you how to properly prepare plants for wintering and fight diseases.

About the history of the origin of the variety

Initially, hydrangea was only two colors: red and white, but sometimes gardeners say that there was a pink and blue variety. Breeders of many countries have worked hard to breed these varieties, so these large-leaved plants currently have a wide variety of species, the origin of the name of the culture is interesting. Currently, there are more than one version.

The most famous is associated with the name of a flower in honor of a princess, she was so pretty that her brother named this beautiful flower after her. According to another version, the hydrangea received such a beautiful name at the behest of a French doctor, namely in honor of his beautiful lover. There is also a more scientific explanation for such an interesting name for the culture. Since this plant is considered moisture-loving, it is also called hydrangia in another way, which means a vessel with water. This culture is also called the purple sun, it is believed that the natural habitat of the plant is India, Japan, America.

Hydrangea varieties

Hydrangea is very popular among gardeners, most of all summer residents fell in love with tree and panicle hydrangea. The first has huge snow-white spherical inflorescences, as well as very large leaves, so it recalls a tree, but a panicle hydrangea forms inflorescences in the form of panicles, but its leaves are slightly smaller. That is why these varieties received such names. Currently, the following varieties of hydrangea varieties are very popular: Anabel, white house, sterilis, hi star best and others. But most summer residents are very fond of growing exactly white hydrangea, since this culture is very unpretentious, its leaves are always large, so this plant perfectly decorates any garden. Hydrangea is often planted near houses and office buildings. An interesting variety is white lady, as well as Grandiflora. In fact, there are a lot of varieties of white hydrangea, so you will definitely find something that suits your taste.

Hydrangea white variety description

The globular white hydrangea is believed to be native to the United States of America. That is why the culture is considered very winter-hardy, so that these plants can be grown in temperate latitudes, as well as in Siberia and the Far East. However, in harsh winters, the bushes sometimes freeze slightly, so the plants should be covered. Shrubs of spherical white hydrangea are usually low, up to 2.5 m in height. The leaves are large, oval in shape, slightly ovoid, a notch is visible in the core, and notches along the edges. Leaves grow on lowered shoots, the leaves are bright green above, but glaucous below.

The crown of the shrubs is also spreading, round in shape. Hydrangea inflorescences are also quite large, 25 cm long.Flowers usually form at the tips of annual shoots. Moreover, they are located on the plant very chaotically, usually at first the flowers are pale green, and then they become white, creamy, milky. The seeds are collected in capsules, oblong in shape, small. White hydrangea begins to bloom in the middle of summer, it blooms very profusely, so before frost you can delight yourself with a pleasant inflorescence color and aroma.

Hydrangea white reproduction

Hydrangea, like many other crops, reproduces in a variety of ways. Namely cuttings, by dividing the bush, layering and through nsowing seeds... If you decide to plant seeds, then this should be done at the end of winter. Hydrangea is grown through seedlings. Seeds are buried in loose and nutritious soil, the first sprouts appear in about a month and a half. When the plants are formed, they will need to be dived into separate containers. In the spring, the culture is planted outside.

Many are engaged in cuttings, for this you will need to cut the cuttings on time. In order for the root system to form more intensively, the shoots will need to be treated with the root, and only after that they will be planted in different containers. For harvesting cuttings, you should choose lignified branches. Usually, cuttings take root one month after planting. If you decide to transplant a white hydrangea, then you can divide the shrub, usually in the spring, by cutting the root systems into two or more pieces.

Layers also take root well. In order to propagate the plant in this way, you will need to bend a young branch, preferably an annual, to the ground and sprinkle it with nutritious soil. Do not forget to water the cuttings when the shoots take root normally, they can be separated from the main bush, usually the next year.

Hydrangea white planting

Hydrangea loves slightly acidic, loose and fertile soil. But it is undesirable to plant a hydrangea in areas of sandy and acidified. There she will grow badly. And you should not lime the soil either, since this culture does not like wood ash. It is advisable to plant hydrangea in an area well-lit by the sun, and also protected from the wind. It is best to plant this crop near any buildings so that the cold air does not interfere with the development of the plant. If you have a lot of free space on the site, then plant the hydrangea on the east side. There it will grow rapidly. In order for the hydrangea to grow normally, leave two meters between plantings. Usually this crop is planted in open ground at the end of spring, in May, when the earth warms up pretty much, and the frosts finally recede.

Over the summer, the hydrangea manages to root well, which means that it will overwinter normally. In southern latitudes, this culture is sometimes planted in the fall, where hydrangea also grows well at this time. The planting pit will also need to be prepared in advance, about a month before the planned date of the hydrangea exhibition in the open ground. In depth, it should be about 50 cm, and also up to half a meter wide. However, you should consider the size of the root system of the seedlings. Therefore, the size of the pit can also vary. Often gardeners recommend taking land from the conifers, hydrangea grows beautifully on it. Before planting a shrub, it is recommended to shorten all annual shoots by several buds. The seedling is set in the center, the root system is well straightened and only after that the pits are covered with a fertile mixture. Remember to tamp the surface of the ground and water the plants abundantly. To do this, you will need at least one bucket of water.

Sometimes gardeners immediately mulch the top layer of the soil, and for this they use sawdust, dry grass, and tree bark. It helps to retain moisture, get rid of weeds.If you want the seedlings to start blooming early, then they should be planted closer to each other, retreating eighty cm, but after two years of planting, they should be thinned out. Root collars must not be buried; they must rise above the ground.

Hydrangea white care

As you understand, this culture is considered moisture-loving, so it is necessary to moisten the soil quite often. Every week, up to twenty liters of water is carried into the soil. It is best to use rain moisture for this. If there is an abundance of precipitation in your region, then the culture should be watered 4-5 times over the summer. If the soil dries out, this will not have a favorable effect on the development of hydrangea. Therefore, in such conditions, the culture develops worse, and winter hardiness decreases.

In order for the plants not to get sick, experienced gardeners add a little potassium permanganate to the water for irrigation. It is best to irrigate the land either early in the morning or late in the evening. And in order for moisture to be better preserved, the soil is mulched. If the autumn is also dry enough, then at this time the culture should be watered. And do not forget to loosen the soil after watering so that an earthen crust does not form.

Usually, 2 years old seedlings are not recommended to be fed, and at the age of three it is recommended to add trace elements to the soil, complex mineral fertilizers are suitable for this. When buds begin to form on the plant for the first time, the hydrangea should be fed with superphosphate. And at the end of summer, a little potassium sulfate is added to the soil. Often gardeners water the bushes with liquid mullein, as well as chicken droppings, previously diluted in water. Sometimes the soil is fed with lactic acid. However, it is undesirable to overfeed this crop, since an excess of nitrogen in the soil negatively affects the development of plants. It is categorically impossible to bring wood ash into the soil.

Don't forget to prune your plants. It is better to remove unnecessary shoots in early spring, before sap flow begins. To make the shrubs flowers more abundant, you will need to remove small buds from the shrub in the first years, and thin out the rest of the shoots. In early spring, it is recommended to carry out sanitary pruning, sometimes old shrubs rejuvenate by removing all diseased, old and dried branches. The shoots are shortened by about 5 buds. Radically rejuvenating the shrub, gardeners cut off all shoots at the root, young shoots will begin to grow in the next season.

Hydrangea white preparation for wintering

Usually, plants begin to prepare for wintering in September. Faded inflorescences will definitely need to be removed, and the branches should be bent low to the ground. In order for you to be comfortable, they can be linked. This is done so that the shoots do not break under the weight of the snow. Too young seedlings are recommended to be covered. For this, the root zone is covered with fallen leaves. In general, this culture is considered winter-hardy, so these plants are grown even in Siberia and the Far East. However, it is imperative to cover the plants with fallen leaves and agro material there. The bushes are usually covered with burlap, spruce branches. Before the arrival of frost, the trunk circle is covered with peat or compost.

After that, the shoots are pulled together and covered with some kind of breathable material. However, it is not recommended to use a film for this, since moisture accumulates under it, and the shoots begin to rot. In March, the shelter is removed, the mulch is also swept away, but if the frost has not completely receded yet, then you need to postpone this, at least until April. If certain varieties of hydrangeas are not winter-hardy, then they are recommended to be transplanted into boxes. In this case, it will be necessary to remove all the leaves from the shrubs, and then transfer the plants to the basement.

Hydrangea white - diseases and pests

Hydrangea has good immunity, however, when planting a crop in the wrong soil, insect pests may appear on the site. If the hydrangea is sick with chlorosis, then this indicates an excess of lime in the soil.Therefore, you should spray the foliage with copper sulfate. Sometimes this culture is sick with powdery mildew. This is due to the fact that the surrounding air is very humid, therefore, the plants must also be sprayed with copper sulfate, and in order for the preparations to better adhere to the surface of the foliage, they should be treated with a solution of soap. Sometimes green aphids settle on the leaves of the hydrangea. These pests do not like garlic, so this plant can help you fight these harmful insects. The foliage is sprayed with garlic tincture daily for a week, after which the pests usually leave the site.

Conclusion

White hydrangea is considered a wonderful plant that pleases its owners for many years. This culture is unpretentious, so both experienced gardeners and novice landscape designers love it. Very often, this shrub decorates not only personal plots, but also recreation areas, parks and squares. Planting hydrangeas looks great both as single plants and in group compositions, so you should definitely try growing this beautiful crop. We are sure you will love the white hydrangea.