In what year does the hydrangea bloom after planting?

What should be done to ensure the hydrangea blooms? This question is becoming one of the most relevant for novice florists. Hydrangea is one of the most popular and attractive shrubs, many dream of growing it in their garden. Contrary to popular belief, hydrangea is not a capricious plant. Like any other crop, it has its own agricultural technology. If you do not make mistakes when planting the plant and follow the rules of care, then every year you can admire the magnificent hydrangea flowers for several months.

How long does a hydrangea live?

We are used to admiring hydrangea in the form of shrubs, but in nature, in the natural environment, you can also find low trees, as well as vines reaching thirty meters in length. It will be extremely difficult to grow such a plant in a summer cottage, therefore gardeners in our country prefer small shrubs, which, with good care, can bloom from 25 to 30 years, as well as compact indoor hydrangeas that grow in a container for about four years.
Depending on the type of hydrangea, the plant may differ in the shape, size and color of the leaves, as well as the shape and color of the inflorescences. Depending on the variety and the type of soil on which the hydrangea grows, it will have white, blue, pink or lilac flowers. Flowering begins in spring and under favorable weather conditions can continue until the first frost.

The most popular plant species.

As we said above, there are many types of hydrangeas, but the following types are most popular with gardeners:
1. Treelike hydrangea. This species can reach more than one and a half meters in height, has good frost resistance, although it requires shelter for the winter. It blooms very profusely, flowers are white or white-green in color with a diameter of about 15-20-25 cm. Flowering occurs at the end of June and lasts until the second half of October. Tree hydrangea can be propagated in any way - by dividing the bush, cuttings and layering. Among the most popular varieties are Anabel, Grandiflora and "Sterilis".

2. Hydrangea paniculata... This species can grow up to three meters in height. Inflorescences resemble panicles (hence the name), their color can be very diverse: cream, white, white-green, pink, turning into green-red, hot pink or white-pink. Shrubs bloom in the fourth year after planting, tolerate frosts well and are one of the most unpretentious representatives of hydrangea. The most popular varieties are “Kyushu», «Limelight"," Matilda "," Pink Diamond "," Unique ".
3. Serrated hydrangea. This is a one and a half meter or more bush with oval leaves and blue or white inflorescences. The core of the flowers can be colored in contrasting blue, pink or white.
4. Radiant hydrangea. Reaches a height of two to two and a half meters, the foliage is dark green, and the inflorescences are white, corymbose, their diameter is usually 12-14 cm.
5. Hydrangea is oak-leaved. A shrub with a height of one and a half to two meters, which got its name from the shape of the leaves - they resemble oak leaves. The inflorescences are white, but the leaves in the fall become burgundy or dark red, which undoubtedly adds decorativeness to this type of hydrangea.

6. Large-leaved hydrangea. Along with paniculata, it is probably the most popular hydrangea species.Quite large flowers (up to 3 cm in diameter) are collected in inflorescences, the size of which, depending on the variety, can be either 15 or 25 cm. Both garden and indoor large-leaved hydrangea are widespread. Although it does not bloom for very long (from July to the end of August), gardeners love it very much for one interesting feature - it is a chameleon hydrangea. Some varieties of large-leaved hydrangea are capable of changing the color of the inflorescences, depending on the level of acidity of the soil. Hydrangea growing in acidic soil will delight you with blue flowers, and pink flowers bloom on a shrub growing in neutral soil. With the help of various additives and fertilizers, you can independently change the color of the inflorescences both in hydrangeas growing in the open field and in a houseplant.

Hydrangea planting rules.

There are several ways to grow a hydrangea. Breeders grow it in a seed way, because this makes it possible to breed new varieties and propagate specific hydrangeas. And most gardeners prefer to grow hydrangea from seedlings, propagating it by dividing a bush or cuttings.
The timing of planting hydrangeas is determined by the climatic features of the region. In the south of the country, plants can be planted both in spring and autumn. In both cases, it manages to take root and adapts well. But in cooler regions, where there are early frosts in the fall, it is better to give preference to spring planting so that the hydrangea has time to get stronger over the summer. In summer, the hydrangea is not transplanted, since during flowering the rooting process is delayed, the plant will weaken and may die.

The place for the hydrangea must be selected and prepared in advance. Place the bush at a sufficient distance from buildings, other trees and shrubs. If you plan to plant several hydrangeas, then the distance between them should be 1-1.5 meters. The plant prefers medium acidic, loose soil, enough light in the morning and partial shade at lunchtime.

In the first four years, hydrangea develops slowly, adding about 6 cm per year, so young plants can be planted quite close to each other in order to plant them in a permanent place in the future. When planting grown bushes, you need to dig a hole in advance, about twice as large as the roots of the plant. At the bottom of the pit, a drainage layer of expanded clay, gravel or broken brick should be poured. And from the excavated soil it is necessary to prepare a nutritious soil mixture by adding peat, sand and humus to it (three parts of the earth, one part of each of the additives), as well as a tablespoon of potash and phosphorus fertilizers. Water the hole with plenty of water, after the moisture is absorbed, pour the nutrient mixture onto the drainage and place the seedling on it, straightening the roots. The root collar of the plant should not be buried; ideally, it should be placed a couple of centimeters above the soil level. Then cover the hole with earth and water it abundantly. After that, mulch the surface of the trunk circle with peat, coniferous litter or sawdust and install around the support. At the first time after planting hydrangeas, additional protection will be needed, since gusts of strong wind can overturn a plant that has not yet rooted, which is why supports are needed.

How to care for a plant.

If you properly care for the hydrangea, then there will be no problems with the shrub, and after a while you will be able to enjoy flowering.
1. It is very important to regularly water the hydrangea. This plant loves moisture very much, so the soil under the bush should not dry out. A young plant will need 1.5-2 buckets per week, and an adult bush will need at least 3 buckets of water. Of course, the volume and mode of irrigation must be adjusted depending on the weather: in hot summers, water the hydrangea more often, and in rainy weather, you can completely refuse watering. The water used for irrigation must first be defended.
2.After you have watered the hydrangea, be sure to loosen the soil and pull out the weeds.
3. In the first year after planting, you do not need to feed the hydrangea - it will be enough with those fertilizers that you brought into the planting pit. Starting from the second year, the shrubs begin to fertilize, you can use both organic matter and mineral fertilizers. In the spring, hydrangea needs nitrogen fertilizers, at the beginning of summer - in potassium-phosphorus supplements. The last feeding should be done in September, again using potassium and phosphorus, this will help the hydrangea gain strength before winter and ensure flowering next year.
4. Carrying out plant pruning is one of the most important maintenance procedures. It is important to know what kind of hydrangea you are growing, whether it forms flowers on young branches or on last year's shoots. Often, out of inexperience, gardeners prune the branches of hydrangeas and wonder why they do not bloom for several years. The problem is that they cut off the shoots with flower buds without giving the hydrangea the opportunity to bloom.

Cosmetic pruning can be carried out at any time, this gentle procedure is performed only when necessary and includes the removal of frost-bitten, broken and diseased branches, as well as the removal of faded inflorescences. Formative pruning is carried out only in early spring, before the plant wakes up and sap flow begins.
5. It is important to pay enough attention to preventive treatment of the plant, then you may not have to deal with diseases and harmful insects. Do not allow planting to thicken, remove weeds in a timely manner. In the spring, you can carry out prophylactic spraying of hydrangeas with the drug "Fundazol" or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If aphids or spider mites are found in small quantities, you can resort to folk remedies (infusion of wormwood, garlic, soapy water). If the insects have already spread throughout the plant, then the chemical preparations "Actellik" or "Aktara" will help you. When using fungicides or insecticides, it is very important to observe the dosage indicated in the instructions and use personal protective equipment.

How to prepare a hydrangea for winter.

After the hydrangea has faded, caring for the plant does not end, now it is important to prepare it for wintering.
If you grew hydrangea in containers, then for the winter period you need to move it to a dark, cool place, for example, to the basement. Water the soil occasionally, and bring the plant out into the light as winter ends.

For hydrangea growing in open ground, it is necessary to remove all inflorescences and leaves, spud the base of the bush and mulch the soil with a thick layer of spruce branches, dry leaves or sawdust. After that, the branches should be bent to the ground, having previously placed boards or spruce branches, secured, covered with earth or leaves on top, and then with geotextiles. If the branches of the hydrangea are not flexible enough, then they are collected in a bunch, covered with spruce branches and wrapped around with several layers of geotextile or burlap. Small seedlings can be covered with a box, and the inner space can be filled with dry leaves.

In the spring, the shelter should be removed gradually, focusing on the weather forecast. It is not recommended to use plastic wrap to cover hydrangeas, since under it the plant can rot.

How to achieve regular and lush bloom.

If your hydrangea is rooted, adapted, feels great, but does not bloom, then there are reasons for this. If the plant is located in the shade, then flowering can never be expected - for the formation of hydrangea flower buds, the sun's rays are needed.

As we said above, often the reason for the lack of flowering is the incorrect pruning of the plant, when gardeners unknowingly cut off the shoots on which the inflorescences are formed.

What should be done to ensure the hydrangea blooms? First of all, plant her in the right place, where she will receive enough sunlight in the morning and light partial shade in the second. Then there will be no problems with the formation of flower buds.
Think carefully about pruning the plant, carry out it only when necessary and do not get carried away so as not to cut off the shoots with flower buds.
Do not overfeed your hydrangea with nitrogen fertilizers. Thanks to nitrogen, plants grow foliage in the spring. But hydrangeas overfed with nitrogen will give all their strength to the leaves, but they will not form buds. Therefore, hydrangeas are fertilized with nitrogen at the very beginning of the growing season, and then potassium and phosphorus are added, they provide good flowering.

With proper planting and good care, a healthy and blooming hydrangea will delight you for many years.