Pruning and shaping hydrangeas

All types of hydrangeas are beautiful in their own way, but to keep these plants in the garden on long years, for annual and abundant flowering, hydrangeas, like no other plants, need careful and, most importantly, proper pruning. How decorative the plant will be depends on the correct pruning, and flowering will be plentiful. 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 can be left uncut, it is only important to cut off the faded inflorescences, especially on panicled hydrangeas, which reduces the breaking off of branches. Heat-loving hydrangeas are pruned before shelter, primarily to facilitate work. Sometimes it is convenient to transfer to the fall and part of the main pruning. The timing of spring pruning is not very important, it is usually carried out after the snow melts before the leaves begin to grow back. I did not observe the expiration of juice noted by some authors during late pruning. As for other shrubs, after an unfavorable wintering, freezing, pruning is best done at a later date, when the degree of damage to the shoots and buds is better visible. Rejuvenation of old bushes with cutting of large branches is best done at an earlier date. The formation of plants, their pruning are determined by the characteristics of the growth of shoots and the laying of flower buds on them. They differ greatly for different types hydrangeas, so we will consider these issues separately for the main species.

Pruning and shaping a tree hydrangea

Tree-like hydrangea is a typical shrub with a high shoot-forming ability, a large number of zero shoots. Therefore, it usually forms as a free-growing bush. After planting, the shoots are usually shortened for better growth of the bush. The tree hydrangea blooms profusely at the ends of the current year's shoots, and these annual shoots form along the entire length of the previous year's shoots, as well as on older wood and even on underground shoots (null shoots). The strongest null shoots can be blooming. Thanks to this, the hydrangea can be severely pruned without compromising flowering. On a tree hydrangea, all types of pruning are carried out annually, carried out on most shrubs. Let's consider them in the order in which they are carried out in practice.

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

Anti-aging pruning- cutting branches older than 3 - 4 years of age to the base and, first of all, those on which there are weak growths of the last year.

Thinning crop- clipping of 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 of last year's growths, leaving 2-4 pairs of well-developed buds on them, from which strong shoots blooming in the current year grow. Often after frosty winters, sanitary pruning of frozen shoots replaces all types of pruning.

tree hydrangea

.

1. pruning inflorescences
2. sanitary pruning
3. rejuvenating
4. thinning
5. pruning for flowering - shortening shoots

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

Pruning and shaping paniculate hydrangea

This hydrangea also has a high shoot-forming ability, but the ability to form null shoots is reduced, especially in mature plants. Paniculata hydrangea can grow both as a bush and as a tree. It produces current year 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, the inflorescences become smaller. That is why paniculate hydrangeas need the formation of young plants and a fairly strong annual pruning of adult plants.

A young plant can be formed in a bush and tree-like (standard) form. When forming a bush, a seedling is planted a few centimeters deep during planting, so that several shoots emerge from the ground at once. As they grow, strong zero shoots are left, and the weak ones are removed. The crown is formed by shortening last year's growths, leaving 1-3 pairs of buds and cutting out extra 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 stem 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 nourish and thicken the bole, and are cut into a ring next spring. When the trunk reaches the desired height of 0.5-1 m in 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 - "education" of the trunk

4 year - crown formation

1 planted young plant with buds
2 spring shortening of the shoot
3 extension of the escape escape
4 pinching shoots of the current year
5 removal of last year's shoots to form a bole
6 removal of shoots formed on the trunk
7 crown formation from last year's shoots
8 stems 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 cut off faded inflorescences, because. fragile branches break easily after snowfalls, sometimes the inflorescences are cut with part of the shoot to facilitate spring pruning and further reduce the likelihood of branch breakage.

Sanitary pruning- for paniculate hydrangea it's basically the removal of broken branches, tk. Freezing occurs only in very cold winters. Old plants have quite a lot of dead, withered branches.

Anti-aging pruning- closer to pruning a tree, 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 old branches, with fading growth, are cut out to a ring or to a departing young branch. Recommended in some sources, "landing on a stump" for paniculate hydrangea (unlike tree hydrangea), I consider it not appropriate.

Thinning crop. This hydrangea has a very high shoot-forming ability. It thickens quickly, lighting conditions deteriorate. It is necessary to cut out small branches that do not give 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 is aimed at the development of strong growth with large inflorescences. It consists in 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 cropped shoot, the more buds can be left on it without compromising the quality of the inflorescences.

Paniculata hydrangea

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

1 pruning of inflorescences
2 sanitary pruning
3 anti-aging
4 pruning for flowering - shortening shoots
5 thinning - removal of excess shoot

Pruning and shaping large-leaved hydrangea

This type of hydrangea is a typical shrub. Throughout his life, zero shoots are formed every year, and 4-6 year olds 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 they are to form flowering shoots. Therefore, it is so important to preserve in winter young shoots and their tops that do not bloom this year, which will bloom next year. The peculiarity of pruning this hydrangea is that the shoots are not shortened, except when they freeze. With improper pruning or severe shortening of the shoots due to freezing, large-leaved hydrangeas may not bloom at all.
Pruning for flowering pursues the goal of annual education and best growth 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 conditions for the growth of young ones. Pruning large-leaved hydrangeas may also have varietal features. There are varieties with reduced shoot-forming ability, and they need to be cut less. On new varieties that can bloom on the shoots of the current year, it is more correct to carry out the same pruning with the preservation of 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-leaved 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 crop

In autumn, if this hydrangea winters under the simplest shelter, you can not cut it, but just remove the inflorescences. Hydrangea, wintering under an air-dry shelter, it is better to pre-cut in the fall, and finally in the spring. Before shelter, all branches with flowers are cut off until a strong young non-flowering branch emerges, this is for it pruning for flowering and then the leaves are removed. Naturally, if for one reason or another there are few or almost no strong young non-blooming branches, 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 old branches at the base of the bush; thinning - cutting small twigs that are not valuable for flowering. If the hydrangea was cut before shelter, pruning for flowering in the spring is not carried out.

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Pruning hydrangeas in autumn is considered a mandatory annual procedure, as it stimulates flowering and forms the crown of the bush. Therefore, for those who are interested in growing flowers, you need to know the basic subtleties and rules.

Characteristics of the genus

Hydrangea is a plant that belongs to the Hortensia family, it consists of approximately 70-80 species. Most of them live in East Asia. Shrubs grow up to 3 meters and are considered the most common representatives of their kind, others look like small trees, and all the rest are lianas that climb up the trunks and reach a height of up to 30 meters. Plants are both deciduous and evergreen. Often it is the first species that are cultivated.

Flowering begins in the spring and lasts until late autumn. At the end of the stem, the flowers are collected in spherical inflorescences, corymbose or paniculate.

In most varieties there are heads in which 2 types of flowers are collected, small and fruitful in the middle, and large but barren at the edges. And you can also find plants in which all the links are the same and are considered fertile. Flower color will depend on the species. White is the most common, you can see blues, pinks, lilacs, reds and yellows.

Watering

Pruning and caring for hydrangeas in the fall are very important steps in growing a healthy and beautiful plant, so you need to know that the flower is moisture-loving and you need to set the watering regime. In dry periods, shrubs need to be poured 2 times, and in rainy periods, once a week. It is important to prevent stagnant moisture so as not to harm the root system. For the procedure, it is better to choose settled water. Under an adult bush, an average of about 40-50 liters is poured at a time. As a preventive measure, they are sometimes added to the water. citric acid or vinegar.

top dressing

In early September, it is required to carry out the main feeding of the plant for the current year. The composition of the selected fertilizers should include a phosphorus-potassium complex. Nitrogen components are not required during this period, they are perfect when the plant begins its active growth.

Treatment for diseases and pests in autumn

During this period, processing is considered more preventive than therapeutic and is carried out in order to destroy pests and ailments that are collected in the soil or in the bark of a tree for wintering. One of the most popular drugs are "Abiga-Peak" and 1% Bordeaux liquid. Similar activities are carried out after the leaf fall ends.

Why do pruning?

The volume and method of pruning depends on the varietal and species characteristics of the plant. This procedure can not be done at all, but then the foliage will become too thick, and the inflorescences after each year will be smaller and smaller, as a result, the bush will form untidy.

You need to know for beginners, hydrangea pruning in the fall is carried out for the following purposes:

• the formation of larger inflorescences;
• formation of the required crown for landscaping a decorative area;
• prevention of damage from snow loads in winter;
• removal of weak and old branches;
• "Rejuvenation" of the bush.

Basically, all species, with the exception of large-leaved and ground cover hydrangeas, are cut in the same way as paniculate ones.

At the end of the procedure, the flowers must be fed with fertilizers, and mulching of the root zone is also formed. To do this, it is best to choose a layer of compost or humus 5-7 cm thick. Top dressing will actively stimulate the formation of fresh shoots and growth.

Timing

Hydrangea pruning in paniculate autumn is carried out very often, but you need to remember that the temperature for these purposes should not be higher than +5 to +10. And also such a procedure is done at the end of winter, immediately before the appearance of buds or in early spring(main) before the foliage blooms.

In the autumn, they often cut off faded inflorescences, while reducing the breaking off of branches. Sometimes part of the main pruning is transferred to this period if you want to get specimens on stronger shoots, but the flowers in this case will be smaller.

Rules

It is very important to cut everything systematically and accurately. Of course, they will grow well without it, but the bushes will begin to thicken and lose their decorative appeal, and the inflorescences will become smaller over time.

It is customary to do the main pruning in the spring, but many gardeners very often do this before frost in order to strengthen the plant and it has become stronger.

Pruning tree hydrangeas in the fall is performed as in a typical shrub. After sanitizing the branches that have faded, they move on to obsolete ones and remove them to the ground. This is done in order to enhance the formation of young shoots. After that, small thickening branches on the main bush are thinned out. Last year's shoulder straps are cut in half, only a few buds are left on them, from which young and strong shoots with large inflorescences will begin to grow.

It needs to be told for beginners, paniculate hydrangea pruning in autumn is done like a tree. Skeletal branches and its trunks are quite durable, therefore, rejuvenation is carried out by transferring shoulder straps to a young branch. Among the three shoots emerging from one bud, it is necessary to keep 1-2 directed outward. Extra branches need to be removed, and all last year's ones should be shortened and only a few pairs of buds should be left there. The thicker these shoots, the large quantity it is recommended not to cut the kidneys.

Unlike past species, pruning garden hydrangeas in the fall is done differently. In large-leaved and similar types, last year's shoots cannot be shortened, since the main flowering buds are concentrated at their ends. But this does not mean at all that such plants, in general, should not be cleaned. It is important for them to perform a rejuvenating procedure. A cutting is carried out to the base of the old shoulder straps, which do not allow the young to develop actively. New sprouts will give a full bloom next year. This procedure helps to achieve a balance between flowering and growing shoots, which ensures annual beauty.

Paniculata hydrangea

Such varieties are good because they can be used as a sprawling shrub, as well as a stem crown or a “bouquet on a twig”.

The main part of the work is carried out in the spring, then in addition to the formation of the crown, frozen, damaged and dried branches are necessarily removed. These varieties produce flowers only on young sprouts, so all procedures must be carried out before the movement of the juice occurs and the buds open. by the most best time considered March or April. The stronger the shoots are cut, the larger the inflorescences will become. In the spring, remote branches can be used as. To do this, you need to choose the optimal time, the buds should already swell a little on them.

The following information is suitable for beginners, hydrangea pruning in the fall is carried out carefully, as the plant has fragile wood, so it is necessary to remove only dried inflorescences to the buds. The accumulation of winter snow often causes branches to break or bend to the ground.

Plants that are young are not cut after planting, as the foliage will be needed for the growth and nutrition of the seedling. After a few years, you can begin to form a shrub.

Tree varieties

The rejuvenation technique is similar to panicled species. For the first few years, only sanitary cleaning is carried out. Pruning hydrangeas in a tree-like autumn for beginners will be simple, since only the removal of dried flowers is performed. These varieties, as well as paniculate ones, develop flower stalks on new shoots that grow back, therefore, deep cutting of the plant is required in order to stimulate the active formation of the crown. This species produces many shoots growing from the root zone. In the spring they are often used for cuttings. The three most commonly used types are:

1. Minimal - shortening is performed on several kidneys. In this variant, the hydrangea is cultivated as a free-growing shrub. Flowers grow small, but there are quite a lot of them.
2. Pruning "for flowering" - several internodes are left on the bottom of the branches. In this case, large, but rare inflorescences are formed.
3. Full "under the stump" - performed to rejuvenate the plant. It is done only for representatives older than 5-7 years. Branches from the ground are cut off by 10-15 cm. Hydrangeas, which are already 10 years old, are not recommended to be subjected to such a test, since they may die due to lack of nutrition.

garden hydrangea

This species blooms on the upper branches of last year's growth. Counts important information for beginners, hydrangea pruning in the fall of these varieties is not performed, it is only recommended to clean them lower part. To do this, you need to rely on following rules:

• all dried inflorescences must be removed as they appear - this will make it possible for new branches to grow;
• if the flowering is plentiful, only a part of the young shoots that are formed in the depths of the bush are cut out;
• too sick and old branches must be removed completely.

It is important to know that the milder the climate, the more careful pruning is required. In such cold regions as the Urals, Siberia and the Northwest, garden hydrangea is cut to a minimum.

And also for all species, there is another type of pruning - rejuvenation, intended for those specimens that are more than 7 years old. Everything is carried out in the same way, shoots are cut to a height of up to 10-15 cm. With minimal intervention, it is recommended to leave literally a few strong and outward-growing branches.

Pruning hydrangeas in the fall for beginners

The garden beauty is sheared most often in the spring, but before the cold weather, it is imperative to remove the flower caps and cool shoots.

In the early stages, it is better not to touch the bush, wait until 3-4 years of age so that the plant grows well and grows.

It is important to know for beginners that pruning hydrangeas in the fall, especially paniculata, is subjected to thinning formation and removal of panicles, sanitary cleaning and shortening of shoots.

A short pruning will help to get a tall bush with active flowering, but branches that reach more than 150 cm can break off if there is a strong wind, a thin shoot will not withstand the weight and bend down to the ground. It must be remembered that such a bush is difficult to wrap up for the winter. Therefore, this type of pruning is recommended to be used infrequently.

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

Not many people know if hydrangea pruning is always required in the fall, but for beginners and beginners, this is important point. After all, much depends not only on whether a large-leaved, paniculate or tree-like beauty grows in the garden, but also on the development of the plant. In order not to make a mistake 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 autumn is done according to the type of flowering. Shrub species are divided into two groups:

• blooming on last year's shoots is large-leaved, these are serrated, oak-leaved, Keria Japanese, Macrophila, Sargent, Deutsia, etc.
• hydrangea, giving color on annual growths - paniculate, tree-like, these are Anabel Pink (pink) and Anabel Strong (white), Grandiflora, Incredibol, Vanilla Fraze (Vanilla Fraise), Unique, Phantom and others

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

Too old plants are cut to a stump - 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 for 2-3 years, otherwise the roots will not be able to get all the substances necessary for life and will die in the winter.

Pruning large-leaved hydrangea

A 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 for the winter from frost - the main stripping 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 null shoots, but flower buds are rarely formed on the lower branches.

When pruning for flowering, they try not to overdo it, otherwise you can not wait for the buds next season. Ideally, panicles are cut in the summer after flowering, so that the branches have time to give 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 the growth of new ones. To rejuvenate hydrangeas, a quarter of the old shoots up to 30-40 cm are removed every 3 years. Before shelter for the winter, weak and old branches are cut. After, the leaves are removed, the bush is wrapped up. But, you need to know that the plant does not die and will please with lush flowering next year. After all, flowering is highly dependent on how the flower suffered frosts.

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

Pruning panicled hydrangea

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

In the fall, paniculate hydrangeas must be cut off the buds that have already faded 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 outwards.

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

pruning hydrangea tree

Do I need to prune my hydrangea for the winter? Of course yes! The caps of inflorescences bend under the weight of snow and can break branches, it is much easier to wrap up a cleaned bush, in spring life boils in the plant, and work on garden plot enough.

Before wintering, the bush is cut off according to the following scheme: young seedlings do not touch for three to four years. Active cutting can lead to the death of the shrub, so you can only remove faded inflorescences in the first years.

Since the tree-like hydrangea forms flowers on annual shoots, respectively, when they fade, they can be removed. This means that in the fall, after flowering, even after the first frosts, we cut off the faded buds so that 3-4 pairs of buds are still left on this annual shoot. If you are familiar with the structure of a tree-like 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 do not touch the rest, so that our 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, cut off all the shoots under the stump, leaving up to 10 cm. With strongly overgrown roots, the process is extended for several years, leaving the shoots to feed the root system. By gradually removing the shoots, the tree-like hydrangea is completely rejuvenated for 3-4 years.

Fall hydrangea pruning guide for beginners

• The large-leaved (color, garden) beauty is cut off mainly in the spring, but flower caps and zero shoots are removed before the cold weather
• Tree and paniculate hydrangeas are cleaned in the fall, before wrapping up for the winter, the pruning scheme is as follows - each shoot of this year is cut into 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 3-4 years of age
• Adult panicled hydrangea undergoes thinning pruning and removal of panicles in autumn, shorten shoots, and carry out sanitary cleaning
• Short pruning allows you to get a tall bush with lush flowering, but branches above 150 cm can break off in strong winds, a thin shoot cannot withstand the weight of the panicle and bends down to the ground, in addition, it is extremely difficult to wrap a tall bush for wintering
• Hydrangea petiolate (liana-shaped) does not need pruning. Before wintering, it is only necessary to remove dry foliage, broken shoots and faded inflorescences. Since the vine grows very slowly, in the first 3-4 years it is not cut at all, and then you can remove some of the lashes to provoke more lush flowering.

Pruning hydrangeas in autumn has a lot of advantages - it provides abundant flowering, prevents breakage of shoots, and is less aggressive for the plant than spring cleaning. Do not forget to feed the bush, cover and wait for lush flowering next season!

Growing hydrangea, it is important to know how to properly care for the flower.

The need and procedure for preparing a garden bush depends on:

• climatic features of the area;
• varietal winter hardiness;
• plant age.

Garden work should be carried out taking into account the above factors. Right choice shelter method affects the well-being of overwintered hydrangeas.

How to properly prepare hydrangea for wintering

Not every garden plant is able to endure the winter season on its own. Winter hardiness of hydrangeas increases with age. Annual bushes are always insulated for the winter, because they root system the most vulnerable.

Improper heating leads to the following consequences:

• delayed vegetation;
• lack of flowering;
• instance death.

Knowing how to prepare hydrangea for winter, you can avoid negative consequences and enjoy the abundant flowering of the queen of the garden. Preparation of hydrangeas for winter begins in early autumn.

From the beginning of September, they stop fertilizing, watering is minimized.

With the onset of leaf fall, the plant is freed from deciduous cover in order to accelerate the outflow of nutrients to the roots. Fallen leaves must be removed. The topsoil is loosened to a depth of five to seven centimeters. This will help get rid of garden pests, improve soil aeration, create a thermally insulating "air cushion".

Do I need to prune hydrangea for the winter

Trimming the above-ground part has a number of rules, the observance of which will help to avoid fatal errors. Garden work is carried out with the onset of the first frost. Mandatory pruning is shown only for one-two-year-old shrubs. The aerial part must be removed almost completely, leaving 10-15 centimeters.

Most gardeners prune shrubs for more comfortable transplanting and shelter work. It is necessary to take into account the variety and age of the plant, so as not to deprive it of the opportunity to bloom next season. You can safely cut off varieties that throw out flower stalks on annual shoots.

Do not prune varieties of hydrangeas in which flowering buds are laid on the shoots of last year. These bushes are best cut in the spring.

Pruning is the final stage of preparation, which is carried out before covering the hydrangea for the winter.

When to cover hydrangea for the winter

Warming the garden should be started after the establishment of stable frosts. In temperate climates, "Indian summer" ends in early to mid-October. Evidence of persistent frosts is the complete shedding of leaves by garden and park trees. At this time, they begin the final garden work.

You need to prepare first expendable materials, the list of which may vary depending on the method of insulation and local traditions.

Most gardeners use:

• Garden soil, sand, sawdust;
• Dry leaves of park trees;
• Spruce spruce branches, pine needles;
• boards, wooden boxes, wicker baskets;
• Polyethylene, burlap, lutrasil, ruberoid, agrospan.

You will also need: wire, tape, twine, stones or bricks.

How to cover a hydrangea for the winter

Hydrangea shelter for the winter is carried out in two stages. Measures for warming the root system and the aerial part of the plant differ in the method and materials used. Young hydrangeas "dress" warmer than adult bushes. Older plants are insulated only in areas with harsh winters.

Five-year-old hydrangeas are able to painlessly endure a long drop in temperature to -25 ° C.
The roots are protected by an additional layer of earth, pine needles, sawdust or sand. It is required to arrange a mound of three to five buckets of bulk material. The embankment can be lightly compacted by hand. Poisonous food for small rodents is placed in the rosette of branches. After that, proceed to the chores with the above-ground part.

There are several ways to protect the branched part of the plant:

• horizontal or ground;
• vertical or standard.

The first method is considered less expensive, although it requires more effort. The second is more suitable for areas with heavy snowfall. Choice the best option depends on the age of the hydrangea and the characteristics of the local climate. The method of horizontal insulation requires an appropriate position of the above-ground part.

Hydrangea is characterized by high flexibility of branches that do not break when bent. It is extremely important to smoothly tilt them to the ground without using brute force. The branches are fixed in a horizontal position with wire staples, boards, stones or bricks. Some gardeners collect the bush in a bundle, loosely tie it with twine, which is already attached to the board.

Adult hydrangeas growing in temperate gardens will spud high enough.
Warming measures garden plants consists in creating layers of different materials in certain properties. The first layer should always consist of a loose, breathable material. It is followed by a waterproofing material that protects against getting wet. The formation of an ice crust on the branches is highly undesirable. Thermal insulation materials are used for the last, third layer.

The main rules of horizontal insulation

The horizontal method of insulation comes down to the following rules:

1. The branches of young hydrangeas are laid only on previously covered ground. The litter is constructed from dry leaves, straw, spruce branches, needles. The material must be dry, without signs of mold.
2. From above arrange a warm pillow made of bedding material. So the branches of the bush are inside the loose material, which freely passes air, eliminates the formation of mold.
3. The waterproofing layer is made of polyethylene or similar materials. The coverage area should be slightly larger than the size of the loose layer. The edges of the film are fixed with long boards, stones or bricks. This layer will protect the branches and the loose layer from getting wet during cold rains or thaws.
4. At the end, the structure is covered with burlap, thermoplastic. Many gardeners use pieces of old rugs to create an extra layer of insulation.

On the eve of bitter frosts, you can additionally insulate the hydrangea by throwing more snow on it.

Vertical insulation of hydrangeas for the winter

The vertical structure is used to insulate old bushes. It is also appropriate to resort to such a structure if the climate is characterized by harsh winters with heavy snowfalls. Hydrangea can "suffocate" under too thick a layer of snow and vertical insulation will eliminate the undesirable wintering scenario.
A feature of vertical insulation is the construction of a frame around the bush.

Actions are carried out in the following order:

1. The branches are pre-tied, but they are not bent to the ground.
2. The soil is covered with a layer of spruce branches or pine needles to scare away rodents. Poisoned food is also laid out.
3. A metal mesh or old boxes are installed around the plant, forming a closed perimeter. Can be used plastic container from under the vegetables. Some gardeners build a wicker frame from flexible branches, wire.
4. The inner space is filled to the top with dry leaves, straw, spruce branches, sawdust. Periodically, loose material is slightly crushed.
5. The outer surface of the frame is covered with polyethylene or other waterproofing material. The top of the “pedestal” is also covered with a film.

The final layer is constructed from roofing felt, old bags, rugs or reed mats.

When to remove insulation from garden plants

Inexperienced gardeners are often in a hurry to start gardening chores on the first fine days, which makes a huge mistake. Hydrangeas should not be exposed to the risk of falling frost. It is much safer to gradually release the bush from the protective covers.

It is extremely important to clear the insulated mound of snow during the thaw to avoid the formation of an airtight crust.
Burlap and polyethylene are removed if night frosts do not fall below -10°C for one to two weeks.

The paniculate hydrangea itself quickly thickens, from which its branches become weak, brittle, and the inflorescences are small.

Basal shoots that appear during the summer are not removed in the first autumn. They do this in subsequent years, leaving only the strongest and most promising shoots.

To obtain low compact shrub, in panicled hydrangea, shoots are cut so that from 3 to 5 pairs of buds remain. Such deep pruning in cold regions is carried out in the spring, in warm regions, including the Moscow region, they are done in the fall.

Pruning tree hydrangea in autumn

As in the previous case, in the first three years of life for a tree hydrangea, only sanitary pruning and removal of faded brushes are provided.

Full pruning begins from the 4th year, while to stimulate flowering it is most often done deep. Depending on the purpose of the bush, two types of autumn pruning can be distinguished:
minimal, when the shoots are shortened by two or three buds;
· “under flowering”, when as a result three or four buds remain.

It's important to know!

When pruning for flowering, one should not be too zealous: the lack of leaves in the bushes deprives them of the nutrition that they receive during photosynthesis.

In the first case, a “free” bush is obtained, often used to create a hedge. It forms a large number of not very large inflorescences, is prone to thickening inner space. It is necessary to remove excess shoots annually, especially weak ones.

In the second case, very large, but rare inflorescences are formed on the bushes. The bush usually turns out to be about a meter high.

Features of pruning large-leaved hydrangea

This species blooms on the upper branches of last year's growth. They are not touched in the fall, only the lower part of the bush is cleaned. This is based on the following rules:
All faded inflorescences are removed as they appear - this makes it possible for young shoots to grow;
· with abundant flowering, part of the young shoots growing in the depth of the bush is removed;
Too old and diseased branches are cut off completely.

It's important to know!

The warmer the climate, the more carefully pruning is carried out. In cold regions (Siberia, Ural, North-West), large-leaved hydrangea is cut to a minimum.

Also, for all types of hydrangeas, there is another type of pruning - rejuvenating, intended for those plants whose age has reached seven years. It is carried out in the same way: all shoots are cut to a height of up to 10-15 centimeters. You can leave with minimal pruning two or three of the strongest and growing outward.

When purchasing a hydrangea bush for the first time for their garden, beginners often face the problem of determining which variety / species they are taking. Not everywhere there are specialized nurseries, but you can easily buy a plant you like from a private trader. Unfortunately, the seller does not always know what exactly he is selling.

How to be in that case? The answer is simple. In the first two years, carry out only sanitary pruning, plus the removal of branches that are too thick. Perhaps flowering during this period will not be too plentiful, but on which shoots - last or this year - buds will form, it will be possible to determine the type of flowering.