Hydrangea Magic Moonlight - variety description, planting and care
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The magical moonlight is a panicle hydrangea that conquered the whole world with the beauty of its inflorescences. Thanks to its good frost resistance, it adapts easily even in regions with harsh conditions. In summer, it acts as the main decoration of the garden due to its abundant flowering. If you take proper care of the plant and create comfortable conditions for it, then for a long time you can admire the beauty of the chic shrub.
Hydrangea Magic Moonlight: variety description
Panicle hydrangea Magical Moonlight: photo of the magical moonlight variety
Hydrangea Magic Moonlight gets its name from the delicate shade of the buds when they open. This panicle hydrangea can have different colors, it depends on the composition of the soil and how much sun it receives in the place where it is grown. If the plot is in the shade, then the flowers will be painted in cream colors with a green tint throughout the entire flowering period.
During the set of growth, the inflorescences of the panicle hydrangea Magic Moonlight have a round shape. After their shape will change to an oblong cone-shaped length of 27 centimeters and the height of the Magic Moonlight hydrangea is 30 centimeters. When the voluminous inflorescences of the Magic Moonlight panicle hydrangea bloom, they display the beautiful flowers from which they are collected.
The height of the paniculate hydrangea of the Magic Moonlight is 2 meters. Leaves covering oval shoots. The crown grows half a meter wide, which makes it possible to use the plant in the garden not only as a single plant, but also as part of flower arrangements in flower beds with other flowers.
Hydrangea Magic Moonlight: care
Panicle hydrangea Magic Moonlight: photo of the variety
The place must be chosen taking into account the love of the hydrangea panicle Magic Moonlight for good bright illumination, but it can grow in shady areas. She loves light, loose, acidic and well-drained soils. Will not grow in calcareous and sandy soil. The ideal option is subclay with a high level of acidity. If the soil contains a lot of alkali, then the plant will be susceptible to diseases and may die. It is important to never forget about the acidity level. To avoid chlorosis due to alkali, you need to acidify the soil yourself. This will help iron vitriol and ammonium sulfate. Mulching the near-stem circle of the Magical Moonlight hydrangea with peat and needles will also have a positive effect on the plant.
The site on which the Magical Moonlight hydrangea is planned to be planted must be protected from strong winds and have good lighting. Such conditions will contribute to the brightness of the shades of the Magic Moonlight hydrangea. If there is not enough light, then the petals will acquire pale shades.
Once the Magic Moonlight panicle hydrangea is planted in the holes, it must be watered abundantly. In order for the hydrangea to take root well and quickly, it must be irrigated regularly, so that there is enough water to saturate the soil 20 centimeters deep. Further watering is carried out 1 time in 7 days.
It is important to know that it is necessary to control the level of humidity and, if the soil dries up, water it. Hydrangea is not tolerant of drought and lack of water has a strong negative effect on the appearance of the plant.
When the Magic Moonlight hydrangeas are still young, it will be useful to mulch the soil around them using peat, needles and tree bark. This not only helps to retain moisture in the ground, but also helps to avoid constant loosening.
Hydrangea Magic Moonlight: planting and pruning varieties
Panicle hydrangea Magic Moonlight: photo of the variety
- Magic Moonlight will grow best in lightly shaded areas where the sun's rays will not touch it throughout the day.
- Before planting seedlings in the garden, you need to prepare the soil in advance. To do this, it must be dug up and supplemented with compost.
- The best time to plant the Magic Moonlight panicle hydrangea is spring.
It is important to know that for faster rooting and flowering, it is necessary to plant seedlings of the third year of life.
Three weeks before planting the Magic Moonlight hydrangea, fertilizer must be applied to the soil from a mixture of humus, potassium and phosphate at the rate of 10 kg. x 60 gr. x 100 gr. for 1 sq. meter.
Before planting the Magical Moonlight hydrangea, you need to inspect the bushes and remove all shoots that have any signs of disease and damage, you also need to slightly trim the roots.
The planting hole should be the size of the root system. When planting several bushes, it is necessary to make holes at a distance of 2 meters from each other, but if the plants are planted as a hedge, then the distance must be reduced to 1 meter.
In order for the Magic Moonlight hydrangea to retain its decorative properties and bloom magnificently, it must be cut regularly. Pruning is also needed as a simple remedy for pests and diseases. After it, the flowering becomes more lush and abundant, more buds are formed and the flowers grow in size. In addition, the kidneys begin to form much faster.
Pruning hydrangea Magical Moonlight - magical moonlight - is carried out in two stages:
- During the autumn, all dried inflorescences are removed;
- During spring, all weak frost-damaged or broken branches are removed, due to which the bush becomes thinned. Shoots of the first year of life are pruned to 5 buds.
Hydrangea Magic Moonlight: reproduction
This variety can be propagated like all other paniculate varieties.
Reproduction using layering is the simplest and most popular method.
To do this, it is enough to make a small hole next to the hydrangea bush, tilt a branch there, pin it and put a load on top so that it remains in the ground. After that, this place is often and abundantly watered, as this promotes rapid rooting, and then watered together with the mother bush.
After the layer takes root, it is cut off from the bush and transferred to its permanent residence. The most suitable time for this will be spring, and in the south of the country, autumn. In order to transplant a new young plant, it must be carefully dug out without damaging the root system, and, together with an earthen lump, should be planted on a site prepared in advance. The planting hole must be pre-filled with fertilizer and moistened, thus creating a favorable environment for the plant.
If a decision is made to propagate the bush using cuttings, then it will be necessary to cut off the shoot, place it in water for 4 days, where a growth stimulator is added, and then cut off the cutting to the internode. Then they are planted in a container with a soil mixture of peat soil and river sand in proportions of 2/1, watered and covered with plastic wrap. The film must be periodically opened, allowing the plant to breathe and water, preventing the earth from drying out.
Planting sprouted cuttings into the garden is carried out in a year, when a full-fledged root system is formed. Those seedlings that did not have enough summer to get stronger should be covered with special breathable materials, and a layer of straw and dry leaves mulch should be applied to the trunk circle.
The plant will have good resistance to severe frosts after it blooms for the first time.
As an adult, the hydrangea will not need shelter for the winter. In areas with severe winters, it is necessary to cover the roots of the plant with a 30 cm layer of humus, peat or leaves.
For the first two years, all inflorescences that appear are cut off. This method will help the plant gain strength, take root well and develop better, which will have a positive effect on all flowering in subsequent years.
Already in the third year of life, it will be possible to enjoy the beauty and splendor of flowers.
How you can influence the colors of Hydrangea
Panicle hydrangea Magic Moonlight: photo of the variety
Hydrangea Magic Moonlight can have not only cream-colored flowers with a green tint, but also in other colors. Experienced gardeners get them artificially. For example, you can add special dyes to the water when watering.
But there are other ways to change the color.
To make the flower petals turn blue, you need to make the soil more acidic. For this, salt crystals of iron must be added to the water.
You can also dig a small hole next to the bush and put a piece of aluminum there, dig in and sprinkle it with iron shavings on top. This method is perhaps the simplest.
If the shrub has a spreading shape, then you can achieve that it will bloom in different colors. For example, on one side of the bush, the flowers will be colored blue, and on the other, pink. To do this, it will be enough for irrigation on the one hand to use potassium permanganate diluted in water, and for irrigation, on the other hand, use water infused with aluminum shavings. After such watering, the bushes will turn pink blue and natural shades.
If desired and possible, you can conduct an experiment on the color of flowers. A partition is installed in the landing hole, and soil with an alkali content and a high acid content is poured into different compartments. After the plant is planted, it is watered as described above.
Fertilization
Top dressing for hydrangea paniculata Magic Moonlight is a must. It reacts well to organic and mineral fertilizers.
To make the flowering abundant and lush, you can mix potassium sulfate, urea and phosphate in equal proportions and dilute 30 grams with water. mixture of 10 liters. Only the base of the bush is watered, the leaves are not touched.
In the autumn period, it is necessary to feed the Magic Moonlight panicle hydrangea with phosphorus and potassium. You can buy complex mineral fertilizers containing the necessary ingredients in a specialized store or nursery.
In the spring, urea is used, which is diluted with water 20 gr. x 10 l. If this is a young hydrangea Magic Moonlight, then one bucket will be enough for it, adult bushes need to be watered with 2 buckets of such a solution.
During the season, the plant must be periodically fed with a mullein diluted with water and infused. One bush of panicle hydrangea Magic Moonlight consumes 10 liters. infusion.
The main dressing of the Magic Moonlight panicle hydrangea is applied three times per season. The first, before the buds begin to swell and during the formation of buds, the second is when the plant begins to bloom, mineral fertilizers are used here, the third is in the fall, during preparation for winter. Nitrogen fertilizers are not used in the fall.
You can finish here! Understanding how to properly plant and care for the magical Moonlight panicle hydrangea, you can grow a bush of amazing beauty in your garden, the flowering of which can be enjoyed from year to year from early summer to late autumn.
