Hydrangea is a magnificent shrub. He can decorate his summer cottage, if it is placed next to the gazebo, a place to relax, a veranda. It is famous for the beauty of its spherical inflorescences, which can have a white, lilac or pink color. How beautiful tree-like hydrangea can be in Siberia, the photo clearly demonstrates. It blooms long enough: from June to October.
Plant description
The plant is perennial. It belongs to the Hortensian family, which has more than eighty species. In height, the bush reaches from 1.5 to 2 meters. When flowering ends, box fruits are formed. They sow seeds in them. The plant is native to China, very thermophilic. For breeding in Russia, only a few of its varieties are suitable. The tree-like hydrangea "Anabel" and the variety "eternal summer" are very beautiful. The latter variety is unique due to its colors. They can be blue or pink, depending on the acidity of the soil.
Hydrangea propagation
The plant propagates in several ways: by cuttings, layering and dividing the bush. To better take root garden hydrangea in Siberia, it is bred by layering. This is done very simply. It is enough to prepare a hole in advance, then bend the annual shoot of the bush to the ground and press it down so that it does not rise. You can lightly trick it. In this case, it is necessary to leave its upper part not less than twenty centimeters. After a year, an already rooted shoot must be cut off from the main bush. Then it, together with a lump of land, is transferred to a new place where it will grow constantly. Between plants there should be a distance of one to one and a half meters. Hydrangea begins to bloom for the first time at 4 years.
Fertilizing fertilizers, watering and pests
Hydrangea requires regular top dressing. In Siberia, planting and caring for this ornamental flower bush include the application of peat (during planting of seedlings in the spring), humus. Once a summer, the plant must be watered with slurry and complex mineral fertilizer. Shrub can be supplied once a month with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Superphosphate is introduced in the fall.
Since hydrangea is very hygrophilous, planting and caring for it in Siberia are accompanied by regular watering. The plant prefers the soil fertile, sour, loose. The site should be chosen light and protected from the winds. In spring, pruning last year's shoots is done so that the bush blooms more magnificent.
There are pests that cause hydrangea. In Siberia, planting and care involve protecting the plant from spider mites and aphids. To do this, you need to monitor the condition of the leaves of the bush, if necessary, treat it with special chemicals or collect insects by hand. Among the most dangerous plant diseases, downy mildew can be distinguished.
So that hydrangea in Siberia does not freeze, planting and care require special preparation. The plant is sheltered. The soil around the bushes is covered with sawdust or peat, the layer should turn out from six to seven centimeters. In spring, the earth must be cleared of mulch, but not completely. Do not worry if the upper part of the shoots suffers from frost. Over the summer period they will grow quickly.