Hydrangeas bloom in spring and summer
and the plant is considered a shrub. But despite their ability to be rather
large showstoppers in your garden, how to grow the plant isn’t a question even
the novice gardener will need to ask – these beauties all but grow themselves.
Reaching up to fifteen feet in height, the hydrangea grows quickly and often
fills in a space in just one summer. You’ll find hydrangeas growing in hardiness
Zones three to seven as perennials. With flowers starting in spring and often
last throughout summer into early fall, hydrangea flowers can be the foundation
plant of your landscape.
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Growing Hydrangeas
As with most things in your garden, actually
learning the basics of how to plant hydrangeas can save you time and money. By
choosing the proper location for planting, getting the soil just right and
planting correctly, you’ll increase your chances of enjoying large, colorful
hydrangea blooms for years to come.
Best Time to Plant Hydrangeas
Fall is actually the best season to
plant hydrangeas, followed by early spring. The idea is to give the hydrangeas
plant plenty of time to establish a healthy root system before blooming. The
best time of day to plant hydrangeas is early morning or late afternoon. The
cooler parts of the day offer protection against heat stress. Make sure you keep
the new hydrangeas plants well-watered until they established.
Where to Actually Plant Hydrangeas
Knowing where to plant hydrangea
shrubs is really an important first step. A lot of people plant hydrangeas in
beds next to their homes or fences. This is because hydrangeas shrubs really love
the warm morning sun, but they dislike the heat of the afternoon. The best
place to actually plant hydrangeas shrubs is in a sheltered location with sunny
mornings and shady afternoons. You often find this on the north or south side
of your home. Avoid planting directly underneath trees; this can lead to
competition for water and nutrients. High winds can rip and damage the leaves
and also destroy the flowers.
Best Soil for Hydrangeas Shrubs
Hydrangeas shrubs really grow well in
soil containing an abundance of organic material. Good drainage is very important.
While hydrangeas shrubs like moist soil, the plant cannot tolerate being
waterlogged. Soggy, poor draining soils can also cause root rot. In just a few
weeks, your hydrangeas shrubs can quickly die. If you have heavy soil, consider
mixing in plenty of compost prior to planting in other to improve the soil
quality.
How to Plant Hydrangeas Shrubs
To plant hydrangeas shrubs, simply
dig the planting holes two feet wider than the root ball, then Keep the depth
of the hole consistent with the size of the root ball so your plant sits level
with or just higher than the surrounding soil. By creating a slight mound, you
help increase water drainage away from the base of the hydrangeas plant.
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How to Propagate Hydrangeas Plant
One hydrangea shrubs can turn into
many through simple propagation techniques. Bigleaf and panicle hydrangeas are
best propagated through layering in early to mid-summer. Just follow these
steps:
Dig a small trench near your
hydrangea plant.
Bend a branch down to the trench so
it touches the soil in the middle of the branch (6 to twelve inches of branch
should extend past the trench).
Make scratches in the bark where the
branch touches the trench soil.
Fill in the trench and place a paver,
brick or stone on top.
With time, the branch will form its
own root system and may be transplanted to a new location.
Smooth and oakleaf hydrangeas put out
new shoots through underground stems. Just dig up the young plant and separate
it away from the main plant. It can then be transplanted to a new location.
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How to Care for Hydrangea
Although the hydrangea’s leaves and
flowers appear delicate, they actually don’t require a lot of tender care.
These tips provide all you need to know about how to care for hydrangeas shrubs.
You can water at a rate of one inch
per week throughout the growing season. Deeply water three times a week to
encourage root growth. Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but
all varieties benefit from consistent moisture. You can use a soaker hose to
water deeply and also keep moisture off the flowers and leaves. Watering in the
morning will help prevent the hydrangeas shrubs from wilting during hot days.
Add mulch underneath your hydrangeas shrubs
to help keep the soil moist and cool. An organic mulch breaks down over time,
adding nutrients and improving the soil texture.
Apply fertilizer based on your
specific hydrangeas shrubs. Each variety has different needs and will benefit
from different application timing. One of the best ways to determine your
fertility needs is by using a soil test.
Bigleaf hydrangeas need several light
fertilizer applications in March, May and June.
Oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas do
best with two applications in April and June.
Smooth hydrangea plants only need
fertilization once, in late winter.
Protect against disease and pests by
choosing cultivars with resistant traits. Bight, leaf spots, wilt and powdery
mildew can all appear on hydrangeas shrubs. Pests are not common on hydrangeas shrubs,
but can appear when the plants become stressed. Possible pests include leaf
tiers, aphids and red spider mites. Properly caring for hydrangeas shrubs is
your best defense.
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