Growing hydrangea from seeds

Hydrangea is becoming more and more popular every year, thanks to its unusually beautiful inflorescences and the magical ability of some varieties to change color, depending on the level of acidity of the soil. As a rule, growers propagate hydrangea by dividing an adult bush, by rooting cuttings or cuttings, this is much faster than growing it from seeds. But it is not difficult to grow a hydrangea from seeds, so if you didn't manage to get a stalk of the plant you liked and you decided to sow seeds, then this information may be useful to you.

Hydrangea seeds

Hydrangea seeds are small, oval, brown grains. Looking at them, it is difficult to imagine that in a few years from such seeds lush flowering shrubs can grow.

To get quality seeds, you need to collect them in dry weather, before the first frost - the seeds should not get wet or freeze. Also, make sure the seed surface is smooth and free of damage, mold or rot. The collected seeds should be dried for a couple of days, then folded into a paper bag, signing the name of the hydrangea variety, and stored at room temperature in a dry room until planting.

If it is not possible to buy seeds, then you can buy them in the store - the company "Aelita" is constantly expanding its assortment, you can buy seeds of treelike hydrangeas, paniculate and serrate, as well as various large-leaved varieties. It is possible to grow both indoor dwarf varieties and spreading shrubs. The most popular when grown from seeds is the large-leaved hydrangea and globular inflorescences of different colors. It can be grown both by seedlings and by sowing directly into open ground (you can sow from mid-April to the end of June, focusing on the climatic conditions of your region).

The homeland of hydrangea is China and Japan, where these plants can be found in their natural environment, and it was from there that she began to conquer the world. Therefore, if you wish, you can order seeds from these countries and receive them by mail.

Seed propagation and growing hydrangeas in indoor conditions is especially suitable for flower growers in cold regions of our country. Hydrangea is thermophilic and requires shelter for the winter, and even a shelter may not save the plant in very harsh winters. Growing hydrangea in containers, you can mix it into the garden for the summer period, decorating it, and in winter, bring the plants into the room, thereby protecting it from frost.

How to grow hydrangea from seeds

By growing hydrangeas from seeds, you can get flowering sooner than with any other propagation method. But if we grow vegetable or flower seedlings of annual crops for a couple of months and then transplant them into the ground, then you have to take care of the hydrangea seedlings for at least two years, diving, replanting and fertilizing them.

But it all starts with pre-sowing preparation, in order to get more friendly shoots, the seeds must first be soaked on, putting them in gauze or cotton cloth and flooding with warm water. Make sure that the seeds do not dry out, rinse them once a day in running water to avoid the appearance of mucus. As soon as the grains swell and roots begin to appear, you can start planting.

You can plant a hydrangea without soaking the seeds for several days, but still for a while it is worth lowering them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or "Epin", this will increase the immunity of future plants.
You can buy special soil for hydrangea at an agricultural or flower shop, or prepare a soil mixture yourself by mixing garden soil, compost, coarse sand and peat. Initial sowing can be done in a box, and later each plant will need a separate pot.

If you plant seeds in late winter or early March, then in two years, on the third, when the hydrangea is strong enough, it can be transplanted into the garden.

Prepare a box with holes, pour a drainage layer on the bottom, and then a nutritious soil (not flush with the edges, but leaving a couple of centimeters). Moisten the soil, spread the seeds over the surface without burying them in the soil, and sprinkle them on top with a small layer of sand. Then water again, and for watering it is recommended to use not a watering can, but a spray bottle, so as not to erode the soil and not displace the seeds. After that, you need to cover the box with glass, cling film or a bag to make a greenhouse. To germinate, the seeds will take about 14 days, all this time do not forget to water the soil and air the greenhouse for several minutes every day, removing condensation.

Growing seedlings

As soon as shoots appear, the transparent cover can be removed. It is necessary to moisten the soil regularly, as soon as the top layer begins to dry out, the water should first be defended, and after watering, very carefully loosen the soil. Young sprouts need to be sprayed sometimes.

Hydrangeas need sunlight, but they do not need to be placed on the windowsill, direct sunlight can be dangerous, especially for young shoots. Better to put the box near the window so that there is enough light. Like any seedlings, hydrangea should be protected from drafts, and the temperature in the room should be maintained around + 17 ... + 20 degrees. After three real leaves appear, the seedlings can be sorted into separate containers (cassettes for seedlings, plastic cups are suitable). By the end of spring, the seedlings will reach a size of 7-9 cm, at which time they must again be transplanted into slightly larger pots.

1-2 times a month it is necessary to feed hydrangeas with a special complex fertilizer for hydrangeas or azaleas. On warm days, you can take the seedlings out into the air, remembering to protect them from too hot the sun. If buds appear in the first year, they must be cut off. The plant is still too young, the root system is underdeveloped, flowering will only weaken the hydrangea, preventing it from fully developing. At the end of August, it is necessary to transplant the hydrangea again, this time picking up a spacious container in which the hydrangea will grow before transplanting it into the open ground.

For the winter, the bushes should be rearranged in a cool, dark room, while fertilizing should be stopped and watered less often. At the end of winter, move the hydrangeas to light and resume normal watering and feeding.

We transplant the hydrangea from seeds to a permanent place

When your hydrangeas are a little over two years old (their height will be about 35 cm), you can choose a place for them at their summer cottage. Planting can be done in spring or fall, depending on the climate in your region. It is very important that the plant has time to take root and adapt in a new place before the onset of cold weather, so if early autumn frosts are not rare in your area, then it is better to give preference to spring planting.

Choose a place for the hydrangea where the sun will shine in the morning hours, and partial shade will appear in the daytime - such conditions will be the most comfortable. Hydrangea prefers soil that is weak or moderately acidic, loose enough so that moisture does not stagnate.If your site has an alkaline or neutral soil (which is most likely), then you can increase the acidity of the soil with the help of peat or coniferous sawdust, adding ferrous sulfate or ammonium sulfate to the soil, as well as periodic watering with a solution of citric acid or apple cider vinegar.

Prepare a hole for the plant in advance, its size should be twice as wide and three times deeper than the flower pot in which the hydrangea is growing at a given time. At the bottom of the pit, a drainage layer of stones, gravel or expanded clay should be poured, then a nutritious soil mixture of sand, peat and garden soil should be poured. Then you need to place the bush in the hole, spread its roots, make sure that the root collar is not below ground level, fill the hole with soil, tamp it a little and water it abundantly. After watering, mulch the soil, and also install additional support for the bush, since with strong gusts of wind in the first weeks after transplanting, it can suffer.

Planting hydrangea seeds in open ground

Hydrangea seeds photo

If it is not possible to grow hydrangea seedlings at home, then you can sow the seeds in open ground, choosing a place well protected from the wind. The soil must be prepared in the same way as for an adult hydrangea, you can sow seeds in late spring or early summer, take your time and wait until the soil warms up well.

If you are planting dry seeds, place them on the surface of the prepared bed and sprinkle with a small layer of earth. If you previously germinated the seeds, then you need to very carefully deepen them by a centimeter, being careful not to damage the root. In the future, it is necessary to care for the seedlings, as well as for room seedlings, with the only difference that for the winter she needs a serious shelter from frost.
By studying the rules for growing seedlings and caring for hydrangeas, you can get a flowering bush much faster than with any other breeding method. This is not the most popular way, however, with some effort, you will soon be able to enjoy the contemplation of the lushly blooming hydrangeas.