Visible behind the fence of almost every garden plot. Large, with caps of inflorescences, smaller and more modest, or only in leaves. The decorative quality of this popular shrub, which is not too picky about growing conditions, is influenced by climate, weather during the growing season, its age and, of course, our care. What can you do in the fall to ensure your hydrangeas look healthy and bloom abundantly? next summer? First of all, this correct pruning and proper shelter for the winter.

Is autumn pruning required for hydrangeas?

Gardeners often wonder whether it is necessary to prune hydrangeas in the fall. Some gardeners carry it out only in the spring, while some do without pruning at all, preferring not to injure the plant in any way. Experience shows that to preserve hydrangea, annual abundant flowering and creating the desired shape of the bush requires carefully thought out and correctly carried out pruning.

Attention! If pruned incorrectly, hydrangea may not bloom at all.

It all depends on the type of plant. The most popular and common are paniculate, tree-like and large-leaved hydrangeas. Other species are also cultivated - Bretschneider's hydrangea, petiolate, serrated, ashy. The first of them bloom on the current year's shoots, the others on last year's shoots.

According to the type of flowering, hydrangeas are divided into two groups, which require different approaches to pruning. They are represented by:

the first group is large-leaved hydrangea;
the second group is paniculate and tree hydrangeas.

Pruning hydrangeas of the first group

Paniculata hydrangea should be pruned like a tree, without disturbing the skeletal branches. If several shoots grow from one place, leave only those that grow outward. Remove old and damaged shoots. Remember, paniculate hydrangea loves moderate pruning and will respond to it with a large number of panicle inflorescences. At the same time, with a large number of shoots accumulating from year to year, thickening occurs, the plant weakens, and the inflorescences become smaller.

Attention! The purpose of pruning young paniculate hydrangeas is to form a bush, for adults - thinning and rejuvenation.

With the help of pruning, you can get the usual bush or standard form (a sort of bouquet on a stick, very impressive).

For tree hydrangea In the fall, only sanitary pruning is carried out, removing broken, dried out or pest-damaged shoots. Remove dry inflorescences. Do you want to rejuvenate your bush? Trim it mercilessly, leaving shoots no more than 10 cm.

Pruning hydrangeas of the second group

In autumn, large-leaved hydrangeas cannot be cut off with young, not yet flowering shoots, because flower buds have already formed on them, which will bloom next summer. The purpose of autumn pruning is to sanitize the bush and rejuvenate it. In this type of hydrangea, the shoots live fruitfully for 4-6 years. Every autumn, cut out part of the old shoots to the very base - you will get strong replacement shoots and good flowering.

Advice. To give the bush a compact shape and maintain it, completely cut out inclined and crossing shoots.

How to preserve hydrangeas in winter - shelter for the winter

Before leaving for winter, decide whether you need to cover the hydrangea on your site:

evaluate the climatic features of winter in your region:
evaluate the winter hardiness of hydrangea;
select the appropriate type of shelter.

Attention! Wintering affects the survival of the plant, its condition in the future growing season, the timing and quality of flowering.

By decreasing winter hardiness, hydrangea types are arranged in the following order:

paniculata;
tree-like;
large-leaved.

Paniculate hydrangea tolerates cold better than other species. It can overwinter without shelter, and if it freezes, it will quickly recover in the spring. All it takes is mulching trunk circle– to protect the root system.

The next most cold-hardy species is tree hydrangea. Mature plant can survive the winter well without shelter, also with a mulched tree trunk. Young plants often have young shoots that freeze in cold winters.

Large leaf hydrangea thermophilic. Pass winter period She can do this without shelter only if the bush is small, bent to the ground and completely covered with snow at least 70 cm thick.

Advice. Large-leaved hydrangea and young (up to 4 years old) bushes of paniculata and tree hydrangea must be covered for the winter.

Prepare the hydrangea for the upcoming winter: a few weeks before sheltering, stop watering, switch from nitrogen fertilizers to phosphorus-potassium fertilizers; immediately before sheltering, remove dry leaves, except for the top leaves of the large-leaved species (they will protect the flower buds from the cold).

Ways to cover hydrangeas for the winter

First way– leaves. Follow the steps:

tie the branches with rope;
tilt the branches towards the ground and secure them, for example, with wire pins or rope to driven pegs;
cover the plant with leaves;
secure the shelter, for example, with stones.

Second way- spruce spruce branches. Follow the steps:

cover the soil around the bush with spruce branches;
lay the shoots on the spruce branches;
fix the shoots on the spruce branches;
Place another layer of spruce branches on top;
cover with covering material or a simple cloth;
secure the cover.

Third way- air-dry shelter. Follow the steps:

sprinkle the base of the bush with dry soil;
tilt the bush, but not too close to the ground;
fix the inclined shoots;
install a low frame of boards or wire so that the snow completely covers it and is strong enough to support a layer of snow;
cover the frame non-woven material, thick paper, on top – with water- and light-proof material; leave holes for ventilation;
After the onset of cold weather and snowfalls, close the holes.

Organize a reliable wintering for your hydrangea and in summer you will see it in all its glory.

Caring for hydrangea in the garden: video

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24.07.2017 48 228

Pruning hydrangea in the fall - how to ensure lush flowering next year?

Not many people know whether pruning hydrangeas is always required in the fall, but for beginners and beginners this is an important point. After all, a lot depends not only on whether the beauty is large-leaved, paniculate or tree-like growing in the garden, but also on the development of the plant. In order not to make mistakes and complete the work on time, be sure to familiarize yourself with the technology and the intricacies of the process...

Process Highlights

Hydrangea pruning in the fall is done according to the type of flowering. Shrub species are divided into two groups:

large-leaved flowers blooming on last year's shoots, these are serrata, oak-leaved, Keria japonica, Macrophila, Sargenta, Deutzia, etc.
hydrangea that gives color on annual growths - paniculate, tree-like, these are Anabel Pink (pink) and Anabel Strong (white), Grandiflora, Incredibol, Vanilla Fraze (Vanilla Fries), Unique, Phantom and others

Based on these indicators, they decide how to prune hydrangea for the winter. Shrubs are cleaned in the spring and autumn, but autumn cutting is preferable, since in the spring juices begin to circulate in the bush; when branches are amputated, the plant cries profusely, which can lead to the death of the bush.

Plants that are too old are cut to stumps - all branches are removed, small stumps 8-10 cm high from the roots are left. But, if the plant is too large, the procedure must be extended over 2-3 years, otherwise the roots will not be able to receive all the substances necessary for life and will die in the winter.

Pruning large-leaved hydrangea

A special feature of the shrub is the growth of flowering shoots on last year's upper branches. That is why it is so important to preserve them by covering the hydrangea from frost for the winter - the main cleaning is done by removing the lower branches, and the upper ones are removed in case of frostbite only in the spring. The plant often produces zero shoots, but flower buds rarely form on the lower branches.

When pruning for flowering, try not to overdo it, otherwise you may not see buds in the next season. Ideally, panicles are cut off in the summer after flowering, so that the branches have time to produce young shoots before the onset of cold weather.

When the bush has bloomed profusely, you can thin out the young branches growing inward to make room for new growth. To rejuvenate hydrangeas, a quarter of the old shoots up to 30-40 cm are removed every 3 years. Before sheltering for the winter, weak and old branches are cut out. Afterwards, the leaves are removed and the bush is wrapped. But, you need to know so that the plant does not die and will delight you with lush flowering next year. After all, flowering greatly depends on how the flower withstood the frost.

You should also focus on the plant variety and climatic conditions. With long, warm summers and a good ability of the bush to form shoots, the plant can be cleaned more thoroughly. In this way, hydrangeas are pruned in the fall in the Moscow region, Kuban, and southern regions. In Siberia, the Urals, and the Leningrad region, where summers are short and cold, hydrangeas are pruned superficially, since annual branches simply do not have time to bloom.

Pruning paniculate hydrangea

To properly prune paniculate hydrangea in the fall, you should not be zealous, so formative pruning is done as follows - do not touch skeletal branches (shoots from one point), pruning only those that grow inside the bush, and also cut off dried panicles - young branches are too fragile and can break under the weight of snow.

In autumn paniculata hydrangea It is necessary to cut off the buds that have already bloomed and part of the shoot on which they grew, since flowering occurs on annual branches. Leave a couple of buds (3-4) and do not cut off the shoot completely so that the plant looks beautiful and lush next spring. In the case when the bush needs rejuvenation, several shoots growing from one point are removed, leaving 1-2 growing outward.

Which is not so complicated, but still requires attention. The main shaping still takes place in the spring - frozen branches are removed, a crown is formed, and if desired, a standard bush can be formed in the form of a tree. Gradually forming this shape, it turns out beautiful bouquet on a leg, which over time gets used to frost and does not need winter shelter. It is because of this pruning pattern that hydrangea is often called tree-like, which is not entirely true.

Pruning hydrangea tree

Do I need to prune hydrangeas for the winter? Of course yes! The caps of inflorescences bend under the weight of snow and can break branches; wrapping a cleaned bush is much easier; in the spring, life begins to boil in the plant, and there is plenty of work in the garden plot.

Before wintering, the bush is pruned according to the following scheme: young seedlings are not touched for three to four years. Active cutting can lead to the death of the bush, so only faded inflorescences can be removed in the first years.

Since tree hydrangea produces flowers on annual shoots, when they fade, they can be removed. This means that in the fall, after flowering, even after the first frost, we cut off the faded buds so that there are still 3-4 pairs of buds left on this annual shoot. If you are familiar with the structure of tree hydrangea, then you will see that the buds on it grow in pairs (next to each other). Therefore, we cut off the upper faded part, and leave the rest so that the bush remains lush and beautiful, the main thing is not to forget to cover it for the winter.

When there is a need to rejuvenate the bush, they cut off all the shoots under the stump, leaving up to 10 cm. If the roots have grown greatly, the process is extended for several years, leaving shoots to feed the root system. By gradually removing the shoots, the tree-like hydrangea is completely rejuvenated over the course of 3-4 years.

A guide to pruning hydrangeas in the fall for beginners

Large-leaved (colored, garden) beauty is pruned mainly in the spring, but before the cold weather, flower caps and zero shoots are removed
Tree and paniculate hydrangeas are cleaned in the fall, before wrapping them up for the winter, the pruning scheme is as follows - each shoot of this year is cut off by 2-4 buds if the branch is growing strongly, and by 1/3 if the shoot is weak
In the early stages of growth, it is better not to touch the bush - wait until it is 3-4 years old
Adult paniculate hydrangea in the fall undergoes thinning pruning and removal of panicles, shoots are shortened, and sanitary cleaning is carried out
Short pruning allows you to get a tall bush with lush flowering, but branches above 150 cm can break off in a strong wind, a thin shoot cannot withstand the weight of the panicle and bends to the ground, in addition, it is extremely difficult to wrap a tall bush for the winter
Petiolate hydrangea (liana-shaped) does not need pruning. Before wintering, you just need to remove dry leaves, broken shoots and faded inflorescences. Since the vine grows very slowly, in the first 3-4 years it is not pruned at all, and then you can remove some of the lashes to provoke more luxuriant flowering

Pruning hydrangeas in the fall has many advantages - it ensures abundant flowering, prevents breakage of shoots, and is less aggressive for the plant than spring cleaning. Don’t forget to feed the bush, cover it and wait lush flowering already next season!

Incomparable hydrangeas have always been popular among gardeners and summer residents because of their luxurious inflorescences of various colors, as well as their ability to create beautiful landscapes on the site. Some of them can curl like vines, others have the shape of a bush or tree, but all of them bloom luxuriously and are fragrant in summer period time. But it should be noted that achieving such beauty by summer takes a lot of effort, since the plant needs care and, of course, proper seasonal pruning.

The pruning procedure is a rather delicate matter; it requires compliance with certain important points. First of all, it is worth understanding when it is better to prune hydrangeas - in spring or autumn.

In most cases, manipulations with hydrangea can be fraught; they can lead to diseases and reduced frost resistance of the plant. Moreover, the cuts themselves may not close at the right time, which will lead to freezing of the bush branches. Usually, already dried flowers are cut in the fall - this is quite safe, since it does not lead to the formation of wounds at the cut sites. In addition, in winter the inflorescences will begin to lower the hydrangea branches downwards, which can break or deform the branches and the entire shrub as a whole.

In the spring, pruning of hydrangeas is carried out in a short time, since it is carried out mainly until the moment when the juice flows through the bush. The main manipulations with hydrangea are carried out precisely in the spring, although this also has its disadvantages and advantages.

Advantages spring pruning of hydrangea:

Appearance. By pruning a bush in the spring, you will certainly improve it appearance, create a more correct, desired bush shape.
Abundant flowering. By cutting off dried branches, you stimulate the growth of new, young ones, which will produce more larger, brighter inflorescences.
Correct selection of branches to cut. In the spring, it is much easier to separate living branches from dying ones, which should be removed for full growth and health of the hydrangea. They are easy to identify by their color, as well as their slightly swollen buds.
No risk of freezing. By pruning hydrangea branches in the spring, you do not risk that the cuts may be damaged by winter frosts, as happens when autumn pruning. However, cuts must be treated with charcoal powder both in autumn and spring. This works as an antiseptic and stimulates the growth of new shoots.

Flaws hydrangea trimmings in spring:

Tight deadlines. In spring, as a rule, pruning is done during the dormant period, before sap flows in the plant, since if you are a little late with this, you risk seriously harming the bush or completely depriving yourself of the opportunity to enjoy beautiful flowering unique hydrangea.
Time to grow. Having cut off the necessary branches, you will not immediately get young inflorescences on the new shoots. You'll have to wait until the end of the season to see the fruits of your handiwork, although it could happen much sooner.
Growth phases. A little later than expected, pruned branches in the spring can radically shift all phases of plant growth and, thus, the hydrangea will not be able to ripen, nor fully prepare for winter. This will make it vulnerable to frost, which can even lead to the death of the bush.

When to prune in spring: in what month, timing

Typically, the main types of hydrangea pruning are performed precisely early spring when the earth is still covered thin layer snow, but it is important to take into account several points that will help you perform the procedure correctly, without harm to the plant.

Once the appropriate day and month of spring have been chosen for pruning the hydrangea, you must use the basic rules for high-quality flower-bearing pruning of the plant:

adult bush or tree first thinned out;
weak branches are removed palm's width from the ground;
are circumcised extra shoots growing inside the bush that give an unwanted shadow;
produced removing frozen branches up to the beginning of healthy wood;
garter after fixing the trimmed plant on a suitable support in the form of an iron or wooden pole.

Important! Before you cut anything, you first need to know the name and type of hydrangea that lives in your garden, as this information will help in proper care, will save you from unnecessary problems and disappointments.

Hydrangeas are divided into two main groups:

Hydrangeas blooming on last year's shoots (large-leaved, oak-leaved, liana-shaped, serrated).
Hydrangeas blooming on the shoots of the current year (paniculate, tree-like).

Pay attention! Plants of the first group are pruned quite modestly, removing only old dried inflorescences, as well as weak shoots that did not survive the winter well. Standard rules do not apply to them, since they deprive the plant of the opportunity to bloom.

Step-by-step instructions, diagrams and features of pruning hydrangea varieties in spring: types of spring pruning

Having found out that each individual type of hydrangea has its own characteristics and tolerates certain types of pruning differently, it is necessary to understand in more detail about each of them.

Tree variety

Tree hydrangea is pruned in spring and autumn according to the following schemes, using certain types of pruning.

Removing spherical inflorescences.
Sanitary pruning - removing broken, dead ends of branches.
Rejuvenating - complete removal old branches.
Thinning - cutting off zero shoots that are incapable of flowering, which only take away the strength of the flowering bush.
Pruning for flowering - shortening last year's shoots to the length of about four pairs of strong buds.

Video: spring pruning of tree hydrangea

By the way! A similar scheme and types of spring pruning are also applied to varieties such as ashy, motley hydrangea.

Paniculate variety

Paniculata hydrangea is pruned in spring and autumn according to the following schemes, using certain types of pruning:

removal of cone-shaped inflorescences;
sanitary pruning - cutting only dried branches, because this type resistant to cold, shoots do not freeze;
rejuvenating procedure - involves cutting branches with fading growth, as it resembles a tree, has a skeletal trunk and branches;
shortening shoots for the growth of large young inflorescences;
thinning pruning - removal of excess shoots in order to avoid thickening and shading of the tree.

Video: spring pruning of paniculata hydrangea

Pay attention! Of the three or four new shoots growing from one bud, you should cut off at least one, and choose the one that grows inside the bush.

Large-leaved variety

Large-leaved hydrangea is pruned in spring and autumn according to the following schemes and using certain types of pruning:

preservation of new shoots that did not flower;
removal of only two-year-old faded branches;
Moreover, pruning of large shoots (2) is carried out right up to the outgoing new branch (1);
sanitary pruning - cutting off dead, frozen, damaged branches;
anti-aging pruning – cutting off perennial branches;
thinning pruning - cutting off small, weak shoots.

Video: spring pruning of large-leaved hydrangea

Worth knowing! Hydrangeas are pruned for flowering in the spring only if this was not done in the fall.

Care after spring pruning

Having successfully completed the stage of spring pruning of your shrub or tree, the next procedure should be competent, consistent care for your hydrangea.

First of all, you need to organize timely feeding the plant, which will stimulate the rapid growth of strong newcomers, but long, thin growth unsuitable for flowering can be avoided. The best helpers will be mineral fertilizers.

Mulch the soil any suitable material (manure, compost, etc.) - second important stage care This will help strengthen metabolic processes in the roots and create additional protection against pests and weed growth. The layer of such shelter should be at least 5-6 cm in height.

Abundant, regular watering- the key to a luxurious crown and lush, unique flowering of hydrangea. As new growth occurs, young branches should be tied up, as they do not always support new large flowers and can break under their weight.

Popular mistakes when carrying out the pruning procedure

In order to avoid mistakes and not destroy the plant, you should pay attention to the most common mistakes, which amateurs often tend to do while carrying out this type of work.

Popular mistakes when pruning hydrangeas in spring are:

Wrong time the cutting process itself almost always leads to a slowdown in the growth of hydrangea, as well as its meager and unremarkable flowering.
Failure to comply with the rules, sequence, procedure entails the formation of unsuccessful forms of shrubs, its total overgrowth or death.
Ignoring recommendations for each individual variety hydrangea can ruin the plant even before the start of its expected full life and development.
Incompetence regarding name and type acquired seedling also leads to serious mistakes V further care and sample development.
Lack of any care at all behind a plant is simply unacceptable when it comes to the vulnerable beauty of hydrangea.

In conclusion, I would like to say that by growing a unique hydrangea on your plot or garden, you will receive maximum emotions and impressions from its beauty, which will not allow you to be lazy and ignore its presence. Your hands will reach out to do something special and necessary for it, and seasonal spring pruning of hydrangea will become a completely familiar, favorite thing for you.

Pruning and shaping hydrangeas

All types of hydrangeas are beautiful in their own way, but to preserve these plants in the garden for many years, for annual and abundant flowering, hydrangeas, like no other plants, require careful and, most importantly, correct pruning. The correctness of pruning determines how decorative the plant will be and how abundant the flowering will be. Pruning largely determines the size of the inflorescences. If pruned incorrectly, large-leaved hydrangeas may not bloom at all. As a result of pruning, the bush is formed in accordance with the design intent.

The main pruning of hydrangeas is carried out in the spring. In autumn, most species do not need to be pruned; it is only important to cut off faded inflorescences, especially on paniculate hydrangeas, which reduces the breaking off of branches. Heat-loving hydrangeas are pruned before covering primarily to make work easier. Sometimes it is convenient to postpone part of the main pruning to autumn. The timing of spring pruning is not very important; it is usually carried out after the snow melts before the leaves begin to grow. I did not observe the leakage of juice noted by some authors during late pruning. Just as for other shrubs, after an unfavorable winter or freezing, pruning is best done at a more late dates, when the degree of damage to shoots and buds is better visible. Rejuvenation of old bushes with cutting out large branches is best done in a more early dates. The formation of plants and their pruning are determined by the characteristics of the growth of shoots and the formation of flower buds on them. They vary greatly for different types hydrangeas, so we will consider these issues separately for the main species.

Pruning and shaping tree hydrangea

Tree hydrangea is a typical shrub with a high shoot-forming ability and a large number of zero shoots. Therefore, it is usually formed as a free-growing bush. After planting, the shoots are usually shortened for better growth of the bush. In tree hydrangea, flowering is abundant at the ends of the shoots of the current year, and these annual shoots are formed along the entire length of the shoots of the previous year, as well as on more old wood and even on underground shoots (zero shoots). The strongest zero shoots can be flowering. Thanks to this, hydrangea can be heavily pruned without harming flowering. Tree hydrangeas receive all the annual pruning that is done on most shrubs. Let us consider them in the order in which they are carried out in practice.

Sanitary pruning- for tree hydrangea, this is mainly pruning the frozen ends of last year's shoots and broken branches.

Anti-aging pruning- cutting out branches older than 3-4 years of age to the base and, first of all, those with weak growth from last year.

Thinning pruning- cutting out small shoots that are not capable of flowering, thickening the bush, growing in the center and, above all, weak zero shoots.

Pruning for flowering- shortening last year's growths, leaving 2 - 4 pairs of well-developed buds on them, from which strong shoots that bloom this year grow. Often after frosty winters, sanitary pruning of frozen shoots replaces all types of pruning.

Tree hydrangea

pruning inflorescences
sanitary pruning
rejuvenating
thinning of shoots
pruning for flowering - shortening shoots

A number of related species: motley, ashen and others are trimmed in the same way.

Pruning and forming paniculate hydrangea

This hydrangea also has a high shoot-forming ability, but the ability to form zero shoots is reduced, especially in mature plants. Paniculate hydrangea can grow either as a bush or as a tree. It produces the current year's shoots from all the previous year's buds and buds on older wood, with most of the current year's shoots ending in an inflorescence. Thus, from year to year the number of shoots and inflorescences rapidly increases, the shoots weaken, and the inflorescences become smaller. That is why paniculate hydrangeas require the formation of young plants and annual fairly strong pruning of adult plants.

A young plant can be formed in a bush and tree-like (standard) form. When forming a bush, the seedling is planted several centimeters deep so that several shoots immediately appear coming out of the ground. As they grow, strong zero shoots are left, and weak shoots are removed. The crown is formed by shortening last year's growths, leaving 1 - 3 pairs of buds and cutting out excess branches.

The standard form is formed from a seedling with a pronounced stem.

Formation of the standard form of paniculate hydrangea

The first years a standard is created: new zero shoots are removed, the continuation shoot is tied up in a vertical position, annual shoots on the trunk are pinched in summer and serve to feed and thicken the trunk, and next spring cut into a ring. When the trunk reaches the required height of 0.5-1 m in the spring, a crown is formed from last year’s shoots of the upper part of the plant. You can create a tree with 2-3 trunks, which makes it more stable and reliable.

First year - planting

2 - 3 years - “raising” the trunk

4th year - crown formation

1 planted young plant with kidneys
2 spring shortening of the shoot
3 bending the continuation shoot
4 pinching shoots of the current year
5 removal of last year's shoots to form a trunk
6 removal of shoots formed on the trunk
7 formation of the crown from last year’s shoots
8 trunks 0.5 - 1m high

Adult pruning plants

Pruning of an adult plant is carried out mainly in the spring. In autumn, it is necessary to trim off faded inflorescences, because... fragile branches easily break off after snowfalls; sometimes the inflorescences are cut off with part of the shoot to facilitate spring pruning and further reduce the likelihood of branches breaking.

Sanitary pruning- for paniculate hydrangea this is mainly the removal of broken branches, because freezing occurs only in very frosty winters. Old plants tend to have quite a lot of dead, dried out branches.

Anti-aging pruning- closer to tree trimming, because even when forming a bush, paniculate hydrangea has fairly thick and durable trunks and skeletal branches. Therefore, the main trunks and skeletal branches can be preserved for many years, and only the old branches, with fading growth, are cut out into a ring or up to a branching young branch. I consider the “planting on a stump” recommended in some sources for paniculate hydrangea (as opposed to tree hydrangea) to be inappropriate.

Thinning pruning. This hydrangea has a very high shoot-forming ability. It thickens quickly and lighting conditions worsen. It is necessary to cut out small branches that do not produce high-quality inflorescences, all growing inside the bush. Of the three young shoots growing from one point, you need to leave 1 - 2 shoots growing outward.

Pruning for flowering aimed at developing strong growth with large inflorescences. It consists of shortening all last year's shoots in the spring, leaving 1 - 3 pairs of buds on them, from which the current year's shoots with inflorescences will develop. It must be borne in mind that the thicker the shoot that is trimmed, the more buds can be left on it without deteriorating the quality of the inflorescences.

Paniculata hydrangea

pruning in autumn. . . . . . . pruning in spring

1 inflorescence trimming
2 sanitary pruning
3 rejuvenating
4 pruning for flowering - shortening shoots
5 thinning - removing excess shoots

Pruning and shaping large-leaved hydrangea

This type of hydrangea is a typical shrub. Throughout its life, zero shoots are formed annually, and 4-6 year old shoots become obsolete. Unlike other species, the main flowering occurs on shoots growing from the upper buds of last year's shoots. The lower the buds, the less likely it is that flowering shoots will form from them. Therefore, it is so important to preserve in winter young shoots and their tops that will not bloom this year, which will flower in next year. The peculiarity of pruning this hydrangea is that the shoots are not shortened, except when they freeze. If pruned incorrectly or the shoots are severely shortened due to freezing, large-leaved hydrangeas may not bloom at all.
Pruning for flowering is aimed at the annual formation and best growth of young shoots for flowering next year. Therefore, if there are a lot of faded shoots, they are cut out in the fall after flowering, improving the growth conditions of young ones. Pruning large-leaved hydrangeas may also have varietal characteristics. There are varieties with reduced shoot-forming ability, and they need to be pruned less. On new varieties that can bloom on the current year's shoots, it is more correct to carry out the same pruning while preserving last year's shoots. In warm climates, this makes flowering very long - first on old and then on young shoots. With our short summer, annual shoots bloom too late.

Large leaf hydrangea

pruning in autumn. . . . . . . pruning in spring

1 young non-flowering shoots (preserved)
2 2-year-old faded shoots
3 pruning of faded shoots (2) to the outgoing young branch (1 on the right)
4 sanitary pruning
5 anti-aging pruning
6 thinning pruning

In the fall, if this hydrangea will overwinter under the simplest shelter, you do not need to prune it, but only remove the inflorescences. Hydrangea overwintering under air-dry cover is best pruned first in the fall and finally in the spring. Before the shelter, all branches with flowers are cut off until a strong young non-flowering branch emerges; this is pruning for flowering, and then the leaves are removed. Naturally, if for one reason or another there are few or almost no strong young branches that have not bloomed, then not all branches with flowers are cut off. On young plants and varieties with low shoot-forming ability, pruning for flowering is almost not carried out; only old inflorescences are pruned.

In the spring they carry out: sanitary pruning - removal of frozen ends of shoots, dry and broken branches; rejuvenating - cutting out old branches at the base of the bush; thinning - cutting out small branches that are not valuable for flowering. If the hydrangea was pruned before covering, pruning for flowering in the spring is not carried out.

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Planting in open ground

At choosing a place There are a few things to consider for the plant. First of all, you should not place tree hydrangea next to woody plants, as she will feel a lack of moisture.

Tree hydrangea will feel most comfortable in partial shade. Staying in a place that is too sunny is only possible if there is excess moisture. The best option- a shaded place into which the sun penetrates only in the morning and evening. Windows are best western or eastern sides.

Compliance temperature regime very important for healthy growth hydrangeas. It is necessary not to allow hydrangea to be at very low or high temperatures, as this may lead to negative consequences. Optimal temperature in winter - 4-9°C, the rest of the time - no higher 20°C.

It is frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C. If it gets damaged during frost upper part plants, it will quickly recover with warming.

For the growth of hydrangea it is necessary correct soil. It should be:

Acidified;
Enriched with peat, humus or mineral fertilizers;
Well compacted;
Moisturized;
Have good drainage.
Ready-made soil can be purchased in specialized stores. Universal will do. It can be enriched with the necessary substances at home.

To acidify the soil, add crushed pine bark, sawdust or organic waste.

How to properly care?

Required for hydrangea abundant watering. It quickly evaporates moisture and, if there is a lack of it, begins to fade. The plant especially needs watering from spring to autumn. It is recommended to water the plant at this time. 1-2 times a week. Intensive watering of tree hydrangea in winter can cause rotting of the roots. For this procedure, a soft one is best suited. rainwater or settled tap water at room temperature.

Fertilizer

Timely consumption nutrients– deposit good growth hydrangeas. The plant should be fertilized every two weeks mixtures mineral fertilizers, which can be purchased at specialty store. Once a month feed with a solution of potassium permanganate, which strengthens the plant. These procedures must be performed before it blooms.

If violated acid-base balance soil, fertilizing will help restore it. For this plant once every two weeks should be watered with a solution of ferrous sulfate, which must be taken in a proportion of 2 g per liter of water. 2-3 sessions This procedure will help solve the problem.

Trimming

Due to the fast pace of hydrangea, it needs to be pruned. every year. It is produced in spring and autumn.

Pruning young hydrangeas can be dangerous, since there is an increased movement of juices in them, and damage to the structure of the plant can lead to its death.

It is best to prune in the fall after reaching 3 years of age.

Trimming is carried out in 4 stages:

Inspect the bush for damage and broken branches. Removing defects.
Removing old shoots. This speeds up the metabolism in the plant. This stage Intended for plants over 5 years old.
Last year's shoots are shortened by 6-8 buds.
Destruction of small shoots that do not form inflorescences. They must be removed as they take away a lot of nutrients from it.

Preparing for winter

In winter, hydrangea is especially vulnerable, even despite its frost resistance. In order for the plant to survive the winter safely, you need to prepare it in advance. To do this you need:

Remove fallen leaves by hand;
Sprinkle the base of the bush with sawdust;
Place boards around the plant and secure the plant stems to them using ropes;
Cover with cellophane.

So she will withstand even the most cold winter.

Flowering begins at 4 years of age. It differs in its duration. Usually lasts 4 months - from July to October.

The inflorescences are located at the ends of the stems and have a spherical shape. Typically, hydrangea flowers are white, blue or pink, but there are other variations of paint. The color depends on the acidity of the soil. Grow in acidic soil blue flowers, and in alkaline - flowers painted in warm colors.

Good pruning helps speed up flowering and increase its intensity.

Reproduction

There are three ways in which tree hydrangea can be propagated:

Cuttings;
Dividing the bush;
Layerings.

Cuttings

To successfully produce propagation by cuttings, they must be prepared in mid-summer. It is best to do this in the morning, when the plant is sufficiently saturated with moisture.

Non-lignified shoots with 2-3 internodes will serve as good cuttings. To avoid further evaporation of moisture, the leaves of the cuttings are cut in half. The cuttings should be placed to a depth of 2-3 centimeters in a container containing a substrate of peat and sand in a 2:1 ratio. A distance of ten centimeters should be maintained between cuttings, since hydrangea roots grow horizontally. Cuttings should root at a temperature of 19-20°C.

After a month, the cuttings can be transferred to the ground.

Propagation by cuttings in autumn comes with some difficulties. Problems may arise from the need to preserve young shoots in winter conditions. To do this, the substrate prepared for cuttings is enriched in advance with a solution against the formation of rot. This will help avoid some watering problems.

After the cuttings are planted, the container with them is wrapped in a plastic bag, forming a kind of greenhouse. It should be in a bright place and ventilated several times a week. As the shoots grow, you can increase the time they spend outdoors.

Reproduction by dividing the bush considered the easiest. To do this, you need to dig up the plant and cut it in half along with the shoots and root system. Plant the resulting bushes in a new location.

Division should be done before the plant begins to sap.

Reproduction by layering is not difficult even for a beginner. It is performed in the spring. For successful reproduction you need to follow the step by step instructions:

Prepare a groove about ten centimeters deep in the ground.
Take one of the shoots from the plant, bend it and place it in this groove.
Secure it and pour 1-2 cm of soil on top.
Bend the upper part of the shoot upward at an angle of 45°.
Water, weed and loosen regularly. During the season, add soil 3 more times.
Next spring, use pruning shears to separate it from a large bush. Plant with a clod of earth in a new place.

Hydrangea obtained in this way begins to bloom in 4-5 years.

Diseases and pests

Diseases

Hydrangea is susceptible to many diseases. They can occur if the conditions for healthy plant growth have been disrupted.

Tracheomycosis wilt

This disease is caused by soil fungal pathogens. The first sign of plant damage is that the roots rot and turn brown. The flow of nutrients is reduced, and top shoots are starting to fade. In this case, it is almost impossible to save the flower, so the best way out- carry out preventive measures.

Gray rot

Fungal disease of the plant. It primarily affects young shoots with a light gray rash. As the disease develops, it completely affects the hydrangea. High humidity has a beneficial effect on the development of the disease. To cure this disease, you need to remove the infected parts of the plant, and then disinfect the container in which the hydrangea grows. For prevention, treat the plant with Fundazol.

Powdery mildew

Fungal disease. Pathogens often live directly in the soil. Plaque appears on the affected areas white. Later leaves They begin to wither and the tops of the shoots dry out. If the plant is severely damaged, flowering does not occur. To cure a plant, you need to remove its infected parts, then maintain favorable temperature and light conditions, as well as properly fertilize it. In case of severe damage, Vitaros or Fundazol should be used.

Pest activity can greatly harm hydrangeas if the necessary measures are not taken in time.

A special type of pest– snails. Meet on garden plots and open areas. They penetrate the soil and, with the onset of spring, eat the roots of the plant. Usually, clutches of eggs are left there. To prevent the appearance of snails, you need to periodically check the ground around the bushes for their presence and remove them. In cases where there are too many snails, you can use chemicals that are sold in specialized stores.