If you love flowers, plants and have a beautiful garden, in this guide we will dive into hydrangeas , one of the most beautiful and most anticipated flowers of spring and summer. Hydrangeas are shrubs that grow quite easily . It is important to know that this is a plant that prefers to live in shaded or less sunny areas , i.e. areas where it does not receive direct sunlight . Light, yes, not full sun, as it will burn the leaves and prevent flowering or dry the flowers quickly.
The temperature at which hydrangeas grow and develop is wide. In any case, it is important not to expose them to temperatures below -5ºC and above 30ºC. Extreme temperatures will cause them to freeze or burn and as a result they will not flower .
It is very important, as we have already said, to enjoy natural light, preferably with a small amount of light.
How to plant hydrangeas in pots, this is what you need
Remember that hydrangeas are shrubs. This means big growth, in fact they can reach up to 3 meters in height . An important tip for planting hydrangeas is to plant them in pots with a diameter of at least 30 centimeters or typical long pots (at least 60 x 25 cm).
Hydrangeas have many roots and require a lot of water, so a smaller pot will be a disadvantage. When you plant them, make a big hole in the ground , place the plant in a pot and fill it halfway with substrate. Water until the soil is firm, then fill it to the top with substrate. Water again. If during the first watering the substrate compacts and loses a little level, it is advisable to add a little more substrate to cover any unyielding roots.
Watering hydrangeas, how to do it right.
Just as important as light conditions, if not more, is the need to water hydrangeas . This plant requires a lot of water .
- Watering in spring and summer should be practically daily . The goal is to keep the substrate moist .
- The favorite water of hydrangeas is rainwater . In the absence of rainwater, distilled water is recommended . Tap water, especially the calcareous one, is not very good because it can cause a lack of iron in the substrate and subsequent yellowing of the leaves .
- The best time to water hydrangeas is in the morning or late afternoon (or evening) . In short, when the sun is not strong, the evaporation of water can cause burns on the leaves.
- From time to time it is advisable to spray the hydrangea leaves with water to keep them moist. In any case, it should be done when the sun is setting, so that its rays do not create a mirror effect that burns the leaves of the plant.
Yellow leaves of hydrangeas, it is important to use a specific fertilizer
Since hydrangeas need to be watered regularly, this will dilute the nutrients in the substrate, which means that we need to add nutrients to the substrate regularly. Hydrangea-specific fertilizers are best , but you can also use a slow-release fertilizer. In any case, if the leaves turn yellow , especially the new ones, it will be due to a lack of iron , so it is advisable to apply iron chelate immediately .
How to prune hydrangeas to make them bloom profusely
Pruning hydrangeas each year is essential to keep our plant healthy and continue to bloom each year. Pruning hydrangeas should be done immediately after winter , so that frost does not damage the plant. A cut is like a small infected wound on a plant and frost can damage it.
To make a cut, it is necessary to distinguish the types of branches. Depending on the type of branch, they may or may not need to be cut and will be cut one way or another. Branches must in any case be cut at an angle of 45º. Branches that flowered the previous year should be cut by a third, a few centimeters above some buds. As for drying flowers , our advice is to cut them immediately after drying, so that the plant does not lose its strength unnecessarily.
Do not touch branches that have grown over the past year ! This is very important because young branches that do not flower are likely to produce new flowers in the new year. It is also appropriate to cut old branches that are 3 or 4 years old so that the plant does not lose its strength. For this reason, we recommend cutting 50% of these branches.
After annual pruning, it is important to fertilize the soil so that the growing season begins with a complete mix of nutrients.
