Dubrovolny hydrangea acts as the main "pearl" of the summer garden, and even the most inexperienced grower can take care of it.
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Plant description
The hydrangea of the variety under discussion is a highly branched bush reaching 1.5 meters in height. Its shoots are strong, lobed, and the leaves are quite large. They can be compared in shape to oak - hence the name of the flower. At the ends of strong shoots, loose inflorescences consisting of several flowers develop.
Throughout almost the entire season, hydrangea foliage has a bright green color, but with the onset of the first cold weather it acquires a beautiful burgundy shade. Until late autumn, the bush looks very decorative.
Seed selection and hydrangea planting in open ground
Hydrangea can be propagated in three ways. If it is impossible to purchase cuttings or seedlings, then this elegant shrub can be grown from seeds.
When choosing seeds, give preference to products from trusted manufacturers. The best planting material is grown in Japan and China.
Seeds should be without obvious damage, whole, without any spots and signs of disease. Quality raw materials should have a brown tint.
Of great importance in the cultivation of this shrub are the characteristics of the site where he will grow. It is impossible to plant a plant under direct sun - hydrangea loves coolness and partial shade. Landing is carried out in May.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- At the selected site, they dig up the earth with a bayonet, remove all the roots of the weeds.
- The soil is fertilized with peat and humus.
- Form high beds.
- Seeds are randomly scattered on the ground and slightly pressed into the ground.
- The landing site is sprinkled with sand on top.
- Planted seeds from above are gently shed from the shower.
The first shoots will appear after a month. All this time you need to ensure that the young growth is not scored by weeds. The site needs to be regularly watered, and if frost sets in, plantings are covered with paper.
Hydrangea can be planted in open ground with cuttings or delenki in early spring, while the buds have not yet opened on the seedlings.
- When planting in the garden between copies leave about 1 meter.
- Seedlings are planted in not too deep holes, 3 times larger than the rhizomes of the plant.
- At the bottom of the pit, a nutritious soil mixture is poured, which must necessarily contain peat.
- Seedlings are placed so that their roots are below soil level.
- The bushes are slightly tamped and spilled abundantly.
- The soil around hydrangea needs to be mulched.
Care for hydrangea oak
Caring for hydrangeas of this variety, despite its exotic origin, can not be called too complicated.
- The flower loves water very much, so you need to make sure that the ground under the bushes is always moist. If the soil dries, the plant will begin to fade. Watered regularly, and in hot weather, even twice a day.
- An integral part of care is nutrition. If the bush is planted on fertile soil, then the first couple of years it can not be fertilized. If the soil is poor, then top dressing is applied in early spring. Hydrangea gratefully accepts the introduction of mineral or organic fertilizers. You can not feed the flower with nitrogen, as it reduces winter hardiness.
- The obligatory stage of care is trimming. The first is carried out after planting, removing all weak and diseased shoots. In the future, this helps form a beautiful crown of the bush. Also, the bushes are pruned in autumn to prepare them for wintering. During this procedure, all too long and thin branches are removed. When the inflorescences fade, they also need to be cut.
Shrub wintering
In the first year, it is advisable to dig a bush and transplant it for the winter in a pot, which must be kept in a warm room.
In young hydrangea oak-leaved, winter hardiness is reduced, but the plant overwinter well indoors. In mid-December, the bush will drop foliage and it will begin a period of rest. At this time, it is watered very poorly.
Awakening will come in April. At this time, the pot is rearranged on the window and the frequency of watering is increased. Back in the open ground, the bush can be transplanted in May.
In warm areas, you don’t have to dig a flower for the winter. He is simply covered before the onset of cold weather. It is permissible to bend the branches to the ground and cover them with a film or any other covering material. A peat layer up to 15 cm thick is poured on top of the film.
It is very important in spring to gradually remove the shelter. The bush is fully opened only when a stable plus temperature occurs.
Methods of propagation of hydrangea
Growing hydrangea is a very exciting activity, because the bush on the garden is its main decoration.
The best way to quickly propagate many hydrangea bushes in the garden is green cuttings. Around the middle of July, when buds appear on hydrangeas, cuttings are cut.
- There should be several buds on the branch.
- Cut the cuttings in the early morning and immediately put them in the water in the shade.
- The green top with the bud needs to be cut. The lower leaves from the shoots are removed.
- Then the cuttings are put for a couple of hours in a growth stimulator.
- The prepared material is buried in a mixture of peat and sand.
- To root faster, the branches are closed on top of the banks.
Usually, rooting will begin in 25 days and leaflets will appear on the cuttings.
When planting a bush, you can simultaneously divide it into several shares. This procedure is best done in early spring. Hydrangea is watered abundantly, it is dug up, the earth is washed off from the roots. Then the bush is divided into several delenki, the ends of the roots are cut, and the delenki are planted immediately in a permanent place.
Protection against diseases and pests
Hydrangea is a plant resistant enough to diseases and attacks of insect pests. But the bushes can still be affected by gray rot and dew. The cause of these diseases is excessively high humidity. These diseases are treated by adjusting the irrigation regime.
Even on the bush, leaves may turn yellow. This is how chlorosis manifests itself. In this case, fertilizing should be made, which includes iron.
Among pests, aphids and spider mites can cause the most damage. If they are found, the bush should be sprayed with “Karbofos” or other drugs of a similar effect.
