Properly donehydrangea plantinggives the bush a better chance for the bush to settle in a new place. In an inadequately prepared position, the hydrangea will bloom poorly and may become ill. Seehow and when to plant hydrangeasto give them the best conditions to grow and enjoy their beautiful flowers for many years! Here are theinstructions for planting hydrangeasfrom preparing the ground before planting to caring for the bush right after planting: -)
Planting hydrangeas. After planting the shrub, compact or stamp the ground around
Fig. depositphotos.com
When to plant hydrangeas?
In fact, it is difficult to determine the best datehydrangea planting dateHydrangeas are sold in pots and can be planted in gardens from spring to late autumn (April to November). However, it is worth remembering that hydrangeas do not tolerate low temperatures very well, soit is better to avoid planting hydrangeas in late autumnso that they have plenty of time after planting for good rooting and acclimatization in a new place.
Spring-planted hydrangeasrequire regular and plentiful watering throughout the growing season.The fall planting date for hydrangeashelps to reduce the frequency of watering, but creates the risk of the bushes freezing up. When choosing this planting date, you need to carefully protect the hydrangeas for the winter.
Hydrangeas are best planted on cloudy days in the early morning hours , because then the plants are not threatened by sudden changes in temperature.Store hydrangeas in a shady and sheltered place from the moment of purchase until they are planted in the soil, and should be watered regularly to prevent the root ball from drying out.
Planting hydrangeas step by step
1. Substrate preparation for hydrangeas
An extremely importanttreatment when planting hydrangeas is careful preparation of the substrateThe soil for hydrangea cultivation should be fertile, permeable, well-aerated and provide the plants with sufficient water at all times. Before planting hydrangeas, the stand should be cleaned of all impurities and weeds, especially those with deep roots, should be removed.
Soils with too high a pH (above 6.5) should be acidified. For this purpose, acidic peat is used (in a dose of 10-15 l / m² of substrate), composted pine bark or acidifying fertilizers, such as a very easy-to-use soil acidifier. PH-substrate.It is worthwhile to bring the soil pH to an ideal pH, ranging from 4.5 to 5.5. Importantly, the recommended acidifier allows you to quickly bring the soil pH to the expected level, so it can be used just before planting the plant.
Light, highly permeable soils, poor in nutrients and humus should be enriched with compost, composted manure or peat substrate at a dose of 40-60 kg per 10 m² of substrate. The addition of organic matter increases the water capacity of the substrate, enriches it with nutrients, improves its compactness and createsfavorable conditions for the development of the hydrangea root system
Justbefore planting hydrangeas, add TerraCottemto the ground, which contains a hydrogel, fertilizer and soil-improving substances. The first of these ingredients - a hydrogel - increases the water capacity of the soil, thanks to which the soil remains moist for longer and the hydrangea is less prone to overdrying.
In the case of heavy and compacted soilsthe preparation of the site for the cultivation of hydrangeasshould start a year earlier. To loosen the structure of the soil, it is mixed with a dozen or so centimeters of pine bark, gravel, fibrous peat or compost, and then in autumn it is dug 20-30 cm deep.
2. Hydrangea planting technique
To plant a hydrangea in the garden , dig a hole of the same depth as the pot and twice its diameter. At the bottom of the hole, we put a layer of manure or compost, acid humus and garden soil, a few centimeters wide. We mix the components together in a 1: 1: 2 ratio.If we plant hydrangeas on heavy soil , cover the bottom of the hole with a dozen or so centimeters of drainage made of coarse gravel, vermiculite or small pebbles.
Bouquet hydrangea out of the pot. Ready to plant: -)
Fig. depositphotos.com
When the root ball in the pot is dry,the hydrangea and the pot should be immersed in a vessel with waterWhen the soil is soaked with water, gently knock the plant out of the container, taking care that the root ball forms did not fall apart. A firmly dense lump must be gently loosened in your hands, and excessively long and damaged roots should be trimmed. Trimming the roots increases their growth, which makesnewly planted hydrangeas take on better
Hydrangeas should be planted as deep as they grew in the containerOnly on sandy and very loose soils we plant them 3-4 cm deeper. The density of planting hydrangea bushes depends on the strength of their growth. Dwarf varieties of hydrangeas are planted 50 x 50 cm apart, and vigorously growing 100 x 120 cm.
Climbing hydrangeas are planted 30 - 100 cm from the wall or fence on which they are to be climbed.To make it easier for plants to climb the wall, it is worth installing hooks on it, to which, for example, bamboo poles or a mesh with large meshes are attached, thus creating a support for the vines.
A properly planted hydrangea will bloom profusely
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
3. Hydrangea care after planting
After planting hydrangeas, the soil around the bushes is compacted, forming a characteristic basin in which water will collect. Thenthe planted hydrangeas should be watered abundantly , preferably with rainwater, so as not to raise the pH of the substrate. When the water soaks into the soil, we fill in the resulting losses of soil, revealing shallow roots.Spread a 6-10 cm layer of mulch around the planted hydrangeas. Mulching the soil helps to keep it moist, keeps the roots cool in summer and protects them from frost in winter. Additionally, the organic bedding increases the humus content in the substrate and improves its structure.
For mulching hydrangeas, usecomposted pine bark, sawdust from coniferous trees, a mixture of bark and peat or oak leaves. You can also plant low, shallow-root, turf-covering ornamental plants around the hydrangea, such as periwinkle, common ivy or Japanese marsh. They will fulfill the same role as the litter.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
