How to plant a hydrangea in the fall

Hydrangea is an unpretentious shrub plant, and here we will tell you about the little secrets on how to plant a hydrangea in the fall to get gorgeous flowering in the future.

Is it possible to plant a hydrangea in the fall

All varieties of Hydrangea are very popular in our country. They like a lot of light and a lot of moisture in the soil. Translated from the Latin language means a vessel with water. This is probably why the flower is worst of all underfilling than overflow.
Flowering begins in the middle of the summer season for the most part and ends in late autumn. They have strong immunity, so they rarely get sick and suffer from harmful insects.
Hydrangea varieties of white and blue shades related to the large-leaved species are capable of changing their colors, for this it is enough to change the composition of the soil on the site. Paniculate and ground cover species are highly resistant to cold weather, the tree-like compact species can be grown even in the most severe climatic conditions, as it feels great even at -40 degrees.

The plant can be propagated independently by dividing the bush. If you buy seedlings, then you need to do this only in specialized stores or nurseries. When buying seedlings, ask the sellers which varieties are better to choose so that they take root in your climate and whether they are adapted to it. Those that are not hardened will probably not be able to survive.
An excellent time to plant a plant in the garden will be July, by which time the shoots have not yet become woody. To do this, you need to divide the adult bush into parts.

If planting is planned on the territory of the Central strip of the country, then it should be carried out at the very beginning of autumn, but if this is the south of Russia, then this procedure may last until the end of the autumn season.
Please note that plants must have a well-developed root system, otherwise they simply will not have enough time to adapt before the onset of the first frosts. Spring is preferable for planting young seedlings.

In the autumn, as a rule, paniculate and tree-like hydrangea is planted. Large-leaved species in May, and in the south of the country, September will be a suitable month for her.

Planting hydrangea in the fall - pros and cons

 Planting a plant in the garden in autumn has many advantages, unlike spring planting. After all, if everything is done correctly and on time, allowing the plant to take root, then you can observe a beautiful flowering already next summer. The second reason in favor of such a planting lies in the preparatory measures, they are much easier to carry out, since the soil is warmed up, and this saves a significant amount of time. Another plus is that it becomes much easier to protect a young seedling from pests and does not require a lot of nutrition. In winter, the plant does not increase its mass, but only needs to be rooted.
The disadvantages include the need for proper shelter for the period of winter cold. A young seedling will not be able to withstand frost without help.
It can also be attributed to rainy weather, which can provoke fungal diseases. But if you take preventive actions by using a weak solution of manganese when watering, the disease can be avoided.

It is important to know that the leaves and flowers of hydrangea are quite poisonous and can cause poisoning and allergic reactions, so you should think about the advisability of planting these plants in the presence of small children and pets.It is also necessary to carry out all maintenance work using gloves.

Where to plant hydrangea in autumn

Hydrangea is a heat-loving plant, so you should choose open sunny areas or partial shade. A place next to the fence is perfect, where a stylish solitary planting can be organized right in the middle of the lawn. You can decorate mixbordeos and alpine slides by placing bushes in the background. You should not plant them near trees, since the latter have a powerful root system and will take most of the moisture for themselves.
Not suitable as neighbors: spotted loosestrife, fern, ryegrass or bulbos, as they are very aggressive. But lilacs, jasmine, spirea can become excellent neighbors, although experienced gardeners say that the best option is a single planting.

Can you plant hydrangea bushes near your home?
Of course, this can be done, the main thing is to take into account the growth of the plant and leave enough space for it when planting. As an adult, the bushes can reach three meters or more, and their width becomes about one and a half meters. For this reason, you should not plant the plant next to a porch or window.

The site should be chosen with light, nutritious, well-drained and acidic soil. If the soil does not meet the requirements of the plant, then when preparing the planting holes, you can add leafy soil, humus, topsoil and sand to them, mixing them in proportions 2/2/1/1. You also need to add urea - 1, 5 tbsp. spoons, phosphate - 4 tbsp. spoons, potassium sulfate - 2 tbsp. spoons. Having done all this, you will provide the plants with all the necessary substances and it will grow and develop well.
Soil with alkali content is not suitable for hydrangea, since a disease such as chlorosis rapidly develops on it. Neutral soil will slow down the growth of the plant and will adversely affect the brightness of the flowers. For this reason, dolomite flour, lime or wood ash should never be added to the soil where the hydrangea is planted.

Planting hydrangeas

The preparation of the landing hole takes place three weeks before planting. The hole should be the same size as the root system of the young plant. Typically one meter deep and 70 centimeters wide. When planting several plants, observe the distance between the holes of the order of one and a half meters. If you plan to create a hedge, then 70 centimeters.
After the holes have been dug, they must be filled with a nutrient mixture, watered and left for several days, allowing the soil to settle.

 As soon as the time comes for planting in the garden, you need to get the seedling from the temporary residence and plant it in the hole, without removing the earthen lump from its roots. If the seedling was not in the ground before, then it must be very carefully and well spread its roots and planted. Pay attention that the root collar remains on the surface of the ground when you fill the hole. After the plant is planted, it is necessary to compact the soil and water abundantly, using about 12 liters of liquid for this, then cover the ground around the plant with a layer of peat or pine needles mulch. This will help protect the plant from rapid moisture loss and weed growth.

In order for the plant to quickly adapt to new conditions, and the roots to take root well, it is necessary to take good care of it at the first stage. For irrigation, rainwater or settled for 5 days should be used. To increase the acidity in the soil, you can add citric acid to the water at the rate of 25 grams. 10, or vinegar at the rate of 1 tbsp. for 1 bucket. It is imperative to loosen the soil around the young plant, after watering, this will open up oxygen access to the roots and help them to take root. To make the shoots stronger and protect against fungus, it is necessary to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate for watering.

As soon as the appearance of new shoots is noticed, it will be necessary to prepare the seedlings for the winter period. This is of particular importance for those purchased in stores and not hardened.
When preparing a hydrangea, you must remove all the leaves and inflorescences so that they do not start to rot. If the bush has already reached the age of three, then the plant must be cut. We will tell you how to do it correctly.

Preparing the plant for the winter period

In order to protect newly planted bushes from freezing, you need to cover it in the center with dry moss 30 centimeters up. If this is not possible, then sawdust, earth, straw, bark can be used as a shelter. In addition, it is necessary to cover the near-trunk soil with mulch and not be afraid to overdo it with a layer. Next, a twine is used to tie the bush, wrapped around with a spunbond and covered with spruce or pine branches on top.

As soon as the frosts begin to subside, it is necessary to remove the mulch so that the plant does not stifle and put fresh mulch instead. Since in the first years of life the plant grows green mass, the inflorescences should be cut off.

Hydrangea does not require special care and it is quite simple to do it in the garden, so it might be worth taking a closer look at it and planting it.