Pruning tree, paniculate and large-leaved hydrangeas in the fall. Hydrangea in winter: pruning and shelter

Visible behind the fence of almost everyone garden plot. Large, with caps of inflorescences, smaller and more modest, or only in leaves. The decorative effect of this popular and not too picky shrub is influenced by the climate, the weather during the growing season, its age and, of course, our concern. What can be done in the fall to ensure hydrangeas look healthy and bloom profusely next summer? First of all, this correct pruning and good shelter for the winter.

Is autumn pruning of hydrangeas required?

Often, gardeners wonder whether it is necessary to carry out autumn pruning of hydrangeas. Some flower growers spend it only in the spring, and some do without pruning at all, preferring not to injure the plant in any way. Experience shows that carefully thought out and correctly carried out pruning is needed to preserve the hydrangea, profuse annual flowering and create the desired shape of the bush.

Attention! With improper pruning, the hydrangea may not bloom at all.

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

hydrangea bloom

According to the type of flowering, hydrangeas are divided into two groups, requiring a different approach to pruning. They are represented by:

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

Pruning hydrangeas of the first group

Paniculata hydrangea should be cut like a tree, without touching the skeletal branches. If there are several shoots growing from the same place, keep only those that grow outward. Remove old and damaged shoots. Remember, panicled hydrangea loves moderate pruning and will respond to it. big amount 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 panicled hydrangeas is the formation of a bush, adults - thinning and rejuvenation.

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

For tree hydrangeas in autumn, only sanitary pruning, removing broken, dried or damaged shoots by pests. Remove dry inflorescences. Do you want to rejuvenate the bush? Cut it ruthlessly, leaving no more than 10 cm shoots.

Hydrangea pruning scheme

Pruning hydrangeas of the second group

At large-leaved hydrangea in autumn, young, not yet flowering shoots cannot be cut, because they have already formed flower buds that will bloom next summer. Target autumn pruning- Sanitation of the bush and its rejuvenation. In this type of hydrangea, the shoots live fruitfully for 4-6 years. Every fall, cut back to the very base part of the old shoots - you will get strong replacement shoots and good flowering.

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

How to save hydrangeas in winter - shelter for the winter

Before leaving for the winter, decide whether you need to cover the hydrangea in your area:

evaluate the climatic features of winter in your region:
evaluate the winter hardiness of hydrangeas;
choose the appropriate type of cover.

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

According to the decrease in winter hardiness, the types of hydrangeas are arranged in this order:

paniculate;
treelike;
large-leaved.

Paniculata hydrangea tolerates cold better than other species. She can overwinter without shelter, and if she freezes, she will quickly recover in the spring. For her, it is enough to mulch the near-stem circle - to protect the root system.

Pruning will help hydrangeas rejuvenate

The next species in terms of cold resistance is tree-like hydrangea. mature plant can survive the winter well without shelter, also with a mulched trunk circle. In young plants in cold winters, young shoots often freeze slightly.

Large-leaved hydrangea is thermophilic. Pass the winter period without shelter, it can only if the bush is small, bent to the ground and completely covered with snow from 70 cm thick.

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

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

Ways to shelter hydrangeas for the winter

First way- leaves. Follow the steps:

tie the branches with a rope;
tilt the branches to the ground and fix them, for example, with wire pins or a rope to the driven pegs;
fill the plant with foliage;
fix 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;
lay another layer of spruce branches on top;
cover with covering material or a simple cloth;
secure cover.

Shelter will help hydrangeas endure the winter

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

sprinkle the base of the bush with dry earth;
tilt the bush, but not too close to the ground;
fix inclined shoots;
install a low frame of boards or wire so that the snow completely covers it and is strong enough to withstand a layer of snow;
cover the frame with non-woven material, thick paper, on top - waterproof and opaque material; leave holes for ventilation;
after the onset of cold weather and snowfall, close the openings.

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

Hydrangea- Very beautiful plant, which can decorate the garden for many years. If, of course, it is properly looked after. One of the most important points of plant care is preparation for winter: pruning hydrangeas and building a warm shelter for them.

In horticulture, three types of hydrangeas are more common than others: paniculate, treelike and large-leaved, and each of them has its own characteristics and requirements for care and growing conditions. But there are also characteristics common to all species, for example, an increased need for water. However, when preparing any of the hydrangeas for a dormant period from the beginning of autumn, watering is stopped, and leaves are removed from the bottom of the shoots to speed up the process of lignification. The upper leaves will protect the buds from freezing.

Of all three species, the most winter-hardy is the tree hydrangea, but in very cold winters it is desirable to cover it. Paniculata hydrangea is also cold-resistant, but large-leaved hydrangea needs a full shelter every year.

Hydrangea pruning

In hydrangeas, paniculate and tree-like buds are formed on the shoots of the current year. In autumn, shoots are shortened on these plants, leaving no more than two or three buds on each. In addition, you need to do a sanitary cleaning of the crown: cut out all diseased, damaged, weakly flowering, dried or thickening shoots and branches.

Large-leaved hydrangea forms inflorescences on last year's shoots, so in the fall only wilted inflorescences are cut from it.

The base of adult bushes of paniculate and tree-like hydrangea for the winter is highly spudded with dry earth, and this will be enough for a normal wintering even in severe frosts. One-year-old seedlings of both species should be covered securely - in an air-dry way, which is used to shelter large-leaved hydrangeas.

If you do not protect the large-leaved hydrangea from low temperatures in winter, it will not bloom the next year. This plant needs even more reliable shelter, than roses. There are two ways to save a plant until spring:

laid out around the bush wooden planks, hydrangea shoots are bent to them and fixed. The shoots are laid out on the flooring arbitrarily - radially or in a fan. Then, a layer of boards is carefully laid on the fixed branches and covered with several layers of agrofiber or other non-woven material, which is covered with leaves, sawdust or spruce branches. The colder the winter is expected, the more layers should cover the hydrangea;
the hydrangea bush is tied with a rope, wrapped with spunbond or lutrasil and a frame made of metal mesh, which should be 10-15 cm higher than the bush. The space between the grid and the hydrangea is filled dry leaves, sawdust or spruce needles. Then the frame is wrapped with a film, roofing felt or other waterproof material. The same air-dry shelter protects young tree-like and paniculate hydrangeas from frost.

With the onset of heat, the shelter is removed from the plant gradually, layer by layer.

One of the most important autumn hydrangea care operations is shrub cutting. Removal of weak and damaged branches, crown formation, will help the plant to successfully overwinter and please on next year luxuriant bloom. General rules pruning hydrangeas in the fall (tree-like, paniculate, large-leaved) are described in this article.

Hydrangea is an evergreen or deciduous (the most common variety in gardens) shrub that can reach more than 3 m in height and 2.5 m in diameter. With the onset of summer and until the first frost, the plant is covered with large caps of inflorescences of a white, pinkish or blue hue.

Hydrangea is considered a difficult plant to care for, as it is demanding on soil acidity and watering. The shrub is planted on soils with an acidic reaction, achieving the desired effect by adding peat to the soil and mulching plantings with spruce needles. IN irrigation water added periodically citric acid(1 g per 1 liter).

Why is pruning needed?
The exact timing of work with plants depends on the climate of the area, the prevailing weather. Many gardeners will coordinate the timing of planting and pruning hydrangeas in the fall with the recommendations of the lunar calendar.
Auspicious days according to the lunar calendar
In the fall of 2018, the shrub will more easily tolerate pruning on the following dates:
September - from 14 to 19, 23 and 24, from 26 to 30;
October - from 1 to 3, 8, from 10 to 15, from 20 to 22.

In the spring of 2019, hydrangea can be cut on such days:
March - 7, 11, 15, 16;
April - 8, 11, 18.

Depending on the climate of the region
Young hydrangea bushes are not cut in the fall for a couple of years after planting, allowing the plants to get stronger. Only in early spring shoots damaged by snow or frost are removed.
An adult perennial begins to be pruned after leaf fall, when the branches are exposed from the foliage and the sap flow in the shoots slows down.
During the summer, it is necessary to cut off the faded inflorescence caps in time, preventing the shrub from wasting energy on the formation of seeds.
Terms of pruning hydrangeas in the fall by region:
In the middle lane and Moscow region Traditionally, the period from mid-September to early October is considered deciduous. At this time, until the frosts hit, they carry out work on cutting perennial bushes.
IN Leningrad region hydrangea pruned in September.

In the Urals and Siberia pruning deadlines are compressed due to short autumn and early cold weather. Cut the plant in early September.
In these regions, the hydrangea is not cut too short (it is enough to shorten the shoots by a third), otherwise, in conditions short summer, the shoots will not have time to lay buds for flowering.
In the south of our country, pruning is carried out in October.
In Ukraine and Belarus The climate is mild, autumn is warm. Hydrangeas are pruned in October.
Hydrangea pruning rules

Shrub cutting is carried out in spring and autumn.
Character spring work consists in removing frost-damaged shoots, twigs broken by snow. Such pruning is called sanitary. It is carried out immediately after the snow has melted, before the leaves bloom.
Autumn haircut consists in the formation of the crown and is aimed at stimulating the plant to bookmark a large number flower buds. Work is carried out on days when the air temperature during the day has not yet dropped below +7 degrees.

The nature of pruning hydrangeas in the fall differs depending on the variety. Shrub varieties are divided into groups:
hydrangea, which forms flowers on the shoots of the previous year (large-leaved hydrangea);
a plant that blooms on annual twigs (panicle, tree, Vanilla Fraze).

A common action for all hydrangeas will be the removal of damaged shoots and branches that thicken the crown. Old, obsolete branches are cut down at the root.
A useful video about the differences between the types and methods of pruning from the Garden World channel:

Pruning hydrangea paniculata in autumn
After removing all unnecessary branches, they begin to form a bush.
To get a powerful growth of shoots and large inflorescences for the next year, all side branches of the plant are cut off, leaving 2 buds.
2-3 strong shoots are left on the bush for rejuvenation. Branches older than 4 years are removed.

Pruning a hydrangea in a tree-like autumn is similar to cutting a paniculate variety. Both plants form flowers on young shoots.
Video: cropping paniculate hydrangea depending on the variety

large-leaved hydrangea
Shrubs are cut minimally in autumn, removing only faded inflorescences and weak branches that thicken the crown.

(can be enlarged)
Important! Hydrangea garden (aka large-leaved) blooms on the shoots of last year! Pruning them in the fall will result in a lack of flowering.
Shrub rejuvenation is carried out every 3 years, shortening old branches by 40 cm.
Video: tree hydrangea pruning

Pruning hydrangeas in the fall for beginners
It can be difficult for a novice gardener to immediately understand the intricacies of pruning a shrub. For convenience, below is step by step diagram pruning paniculate and tree hydrangeas (the gardener remembers that only inflorescences are removed from the large-leaved).

(can be enlarged)
Pruning is carried out when the leaves from the plant have already flown around. Looking at bare branches makes it easier to identify extra shoots.
Hydrangea begins to form at the age of 4.
With a sharp pruner or garden saw, remove:
old branches (over 4 years old) under the root;
weak and thin shoots thickening the crown.

All wounds, after pruning, must be covered with garden pitch or a mixture of clay and manure (if there is no special putty on hand).
Further, on the paniculate hydrangea, 5-6 strong shoots are selected, arranged in a fan (at an approximately equal distance from each other). They are shortened to 2-4 buds from the base of the bush. The rest of the branches are removed, leaving no stumps.
Garden hydrangea, if the bush is not thickened, you can not cut it.
How to feed hydrangea in the fall after pruning
In autumn, the main task of the gardener in the care of perennials is to prepare the plant for winter. Proper feeding plays an important role in the successful wintering of hydrangeas.
use phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which contribute to better maturation of the wood and the root system.
Attention! Nitrogen fertilizers that promote the growth of green mass cannot be applied in the fall!

It is convenient for a novice gardener to purchase ready-made complexes mineral fertilizers, especially for autumn feeding hydrangeas. For example:

Fertika (in liquid form);
Pocon (fertilizer granules are simply scattered on the surface of the soil, they gradually dissolve, nourishing the plant).

These fertilizers are applied to the soil, according to the attached instructions.
If it is impossible to buy a special composition, apply:
potassium sulfate - 2 tbsp. spoons per 10 liters of water, spending 5 liters of solution per bush;
wood ash - 250 - 300 g is scattered over the surface of the soil, loosening the ground shallowly.

Immediately after pruning, hydrangeas are not fed in the fall, as the plant is under stress. Fertilization is carried out 12-15 days after pruning. Fertilizers are no longer absorbed by the plant when the air temperature drops below -10 degrees.

Mulching of the soil surface around the bush is practiced with humus, a layer of 5 cm. Mulch plays the role of a root heater and, in addition, nourishes the plant. In addition to humus, hydrangea is mulched with peat and spruce needles. Gradually decomposing, this mulch acidifies and loosens the soil, which is useful for hydrangeas.
It is very useful to shed a bush before wintering with a solution of potassium magnesia. This drug includes such substances: potassium, sulfur and magnesium. It is used to increase immunity and strengthen the root system before the coming winter.
20 g of potassium magnesia are dissolved in 10 liters of a little warm water and water the plant under the root.
When choosing, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the color of the buds directly depends on the predominance of a certain element in the soil.
Hydrangeas with blue and blue flowers requires acidic soil. In autumn, plants are fed with potassium sulfate (30 g per 10 l) and ammonium sulfate (20 g per 10 l). Mulch bushes with peat and needles.
bushes With pink flowers phosphorus is needed. Suitable for such a hydrangea complex fertilizer Agricola 2, with additional application wood ash(200 g per bush). Artificial acidification of the soil is not required.
White hydrangea is mulched with humus. From mineral fertilizers, superphosphate is used (60 - 80 g per bush).

Hydrangea shelter in autumn
All varieties of perennials need shelter for the winter. It is possible to avoid work on warming the plant only in the south, where winter temperatures do not fall below -20 degrees.
Young seedlings up to 3 years of age are wrapped most carefully. They are spudded with humus, peat, needles or wood shavings by 25-30 cm. Strong arcs are installed above the plant and lutrasil or other warming material is thrown on. In winter, additional snow is thrown on the bushes.
An adult hydrangea is mulched, with a layer of 5-8 cm. Large-leaved varieties that are not cut short are bent down and fixed at the surface of the earth. This makes it easier to cover the plant with snow. In regions with severe winters, bushes insulate spruce branches, agrofabric or burlap.

In the spring, the shelter is removed after the snow melts. spring frosts the hydrangea will not be harmed, and a delay in removing the cover can lead to rotting of the plant.
Above, we described the rules and features of pruning hydrangeas in the fall for beginners. Use the pruning that suits your shrub variety and keep it blooming for a long time!

In our climate, almost all perennial horticultural crops need insulation, which is usually done just before the frost. As for panicle hydrangea, opinions vary greatly. The fact is that the area of its natural growth is regions with relatively low temperatures, and even with their sharp drops in combination with high humidity. For example, Far East, Japan, China. That's why she belongs to the group. frost-resistant plants. Hence the disputes over the question - is it worth covering the hydrangea for the winter or can this procedure be neglected.

In nature, there are about 80 species of this flower. Categorization is rather complicated, but this is not the main thing - only a few representatives of the dicotyledonous class are cultivated on the territory of the Russian Federation. One of them is panicle hydrangea. Her inflorescences white color, which eventually acquires a pinkish tint, which is why paniculate hydrangea is often called pink.

Unlike other varieties, panicle hydrangea tolerates temperatures down to -35 ºС, but this is provided that it is reliably protected from the wind. In addition, the buds from which the buds then develop are formed on one-year-old sprouts that appear in the spring of the current year. Therefore, the peculiarity of the shelter is to protect, first of all, its root system from freezing.

Any plant, even securely sheltered for the winter, is unlikely to successfully endure the cold period if it is weakened by autumn and, moreover, is affected by some pest. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare hydrangea for winter ahead of time. As a rule, experienced gardeners start doing this from mid-summer, regardless of the climate in the region.

Completely switch to fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. Fertilizing based on nitrogen and its compounds should be discarded. The explanation is simple - they reduce the frost resistance of the plant and initiate the growth of young shoots. Neither panicle hydrangea, as you might guess, is not necessary on the eve of winter.
With the onset of autumn, watering the flower must be stopped. This is necessary for the speedy lignification of all branches that will overwinter.
At the same time, leaves are removed. When to do this, it is not difficult to determine if you understand the meaning of this agrotechnical event. Moisture “leaves” (evaporates) through the leaves of the plant, and if they are left for the winter, dehydration of the wood will occur.

It is advisable to get rid of greenery at the end of the rainy period. But this applies only to the branches of the lower rows, since this procedure accelerates the process of their stiffening. Before frosts, all the rest are removed for the reason that it is on the leaves that they often settle garden pests which will safely (if the greens are left) overwinter with hydrangea. Naturally, if it is completely covered.

There are recommendations that the leaves from the tops of the shoots do not need to be touched, since they serve as a kind of protection for the places where flower buds subsequently form. In this case, the authors confuse plant varieties. Hydrangea paniculata differs in that the most developed (and therefore promising) buds are located in areas from the trunk to the center of the branches. It is from them that, at the end of winter, those shoots appear, on which buds subsequently bloom. Therefore, if the tops freeze, then this will in no way affect the flowering of hydrangeas in next year. In addition, during spring pruning, in the process of crown formation, they are usually removed.

Ways to shelter for the winter

The decision on the advisability of holding this event is made by the owner of the site himself, based on the characteristics of the climate, as well as the level of ventilation of the territory. There is no point in explaining that high humidity and a strong side wind, even with slight frosts, the hydrangea can die during the winter. In addition, it is important that this flower is a bush or a tree. After all, the height last variety reaches 2.5 - 3 m, and in some specimens - 8, or even 10.

Hilling

The most simple technology known to all gardeners. This forethought helps protect trunk circle from freezing. What to use?

Experienced gardeners recommend hilling with a mixture of land from the site and peat. Fertilizer not only insulates the soil, but also gives it good nourishment when warm days come. Part of the melt water, penetrating deep into the ground, supplies the root system with the necessary nutrients. In this case, the process of fertilizing in the spring is greatly simplified.

Recommendations for using fallen leaves, grass, haulm, straw, sawdust to cover the bottom of the hydrangea, although they are often found on separate sites, are hardly correct. There are several reasons for abandoning this method of hiding.

First, when wet, the vegetation begins to rot. As a result, mold and fungus, which will immediately spread to panicled hydrangea.
Secondly, it is in such a mass that small rodents like to settle for the winter.
Thirdly, on the same old leaves there are always various garden pests (or their larvae). That is why one of the most common tips for beginner summer residents is that all plant debris collected on the territory must be immediately disposed of through incineration.

If the pruning of hydrangeas on the eve of winter is low enough, and the total height of the bush is small, then it is advisable to pour an earthen lump with the expectation that it completely covers the stems rising above the ground.

Hilling + sheltering branches

This is the most common technique, since in most regions the temperature drops quite low in winter.

How to cover branches:

If they are not particularly long, then it is enough to tie them, and insulate the resulting “cocoon” suitable material. The choice is large - old tree branches, spruce branches, roofing felt (covered with polyethylene film). Everything else will be provided by snow crust - this is the most reliable natural "blanket" for any plant in winter.
With a significant length of the stems, the branches will have to be bent as close to the ground as possible. This makes hiding them much easier. The process is simple, the main thing is to securely fix them so that they cannot straighten up during the winter (for example, in strong winds).

First way. "Pin" the tops of the shoots with metal staples. They are easy to make from pieces of thick wire. The only thing to consider is that these fixation elements must have long “antennae”, otherwise they will not be firmly held by the ground and will pop out of it relatively easily.

The second way. Put a piece of board on the ground, in which (with reverse side) nails are driven in. Here, to their protruding tips, the branches are tied up.

It remains only to securely cover the hydrangea on top. What is already noted.

It is more difficult with adult bushes, the branches of which are difficult to bend down due to their considerable thickness, and therefore poor compliance. In this case, it is advisable to make a complete shelter with some kind of insulating sheet. Experienced gardeners recommend focusing on lutrasil, spunbond or something similar. These materials are specially designed to protect plants from the "surprises" of the weather, including frost. Sold in several versions, so best option pick up is easy.

With this method, the panicled hydrangea is completely “wrapped” in the canvas. So that the dome does not fall apart from the wind and snow load, it is tied (with adhesive tape, rope), after which it is additionally (and it is desirable to do this!) frame structure. It can be built from metal arcs, grids. The point is that then it is covered with a polyethylene film, and the resulting air gap (it is enough to organize it in 10 - 15 cm) between the polyethylene sheath and the inner protective layer provides more reliable insulation. For regions with frosty winters - the best option plant cover.

Panicled hydrangea adapts quite well to growing conditions. Planted on the site, it gradually adapts to the characteristics of the local climate. This means that as it grows, the method of sheltering a plant can be simplified over time. But if we are talking about a young hydrangea, then it is better to cover it with " full program". This ensures that she will endure all the "surprises" of the weather safely.

Summer residents love their hydrangeas (hydrangeas) for their magnificence and beauty, unpretentiousness in care, and the ability to grow on atypical soils. Since this plant has settled in European gardens, it has not gone out of fashion. Lush caps of hydrangea inflorescences look very impressive, and its large bright foliage. For good growth this beauty needs watering, top dressing, mulching, pruning. Each season dictates its own work schedule. Let's talk about what this plant needs in the fall.

Hydrangea care in autumn

Autumn is special time year for decorative hydrangeas. Behind the period rapid growth and active flowering. The plant needs restoration and rest. Hydrangea winters right in the ground, so it needs to be properly prepared for wintering.

Some gardeners prune the hydrangea only in the spring, others do not touch the bush at all, giving it the opportunity to form on its own. However, experts recommend that you definitely prune hydrangeas in the fall. This procedure will help the plant to maintain strength for wintering and ensures the possibility of lush flowering next year. Pruning at this time of the year comes down to removing diseased, damaged shoots and shortening healthy branches.

It is especially important to do this for those summer residents who do not have time to visit their site in early spring before the hydrangea awakens from hibernation. In our gardens, two varieties of hydrangea are most often grown - paniculate and large-leaved. Somewhat less often, tree-like hydrangeas are planted in summer cottages.

For each of the hydrangeas are slightly different, as they belong to different species:

Hydrangea paniculata is different large size(up to 2.5 m) and a spherical crown. Its pyramidal inflorescences are greenish at the beginning of flowering, and later turn white, pink or purple. Moderate pruning is shown for this species. Young specimens are trimmed to shape the crown. Mature plants need pruning to thin out and rejuvenate. When forming a bush, skeletal branches are not touched. If several shoots grow at once from one point, only one is left growing outward. All damaged, weak and old branches are cut out. For a decrepit bush, radical pruning is used, leaving only hemp 10 cm high above the soil surface, stretching this process for 2-3 years.
Hydrangea large-leaved more often grown in southern climatic zones. The plant is characterized by very large inflorescences and decorative foliage, can grow up to 2 m. The flowers of the large-leaved hydrangea are formed on the shoots of the last year, this must be taken into account. All branches older than 4 years should be cut to the ground. Fresh growth is not shortened, since it is on these branches that flower buds are laid, from which buds will form next year. The purpose of pruning a large-leaved hydrangea is to clean and rejuvenate the bush. In case of freezing of young shoots in winter, they are removed in spring. If you make a cardinal pruning of this hydrangea, next summer it simply will not bloom.
tree hydrangea pruned according to the same principle as the panicled variety. In autumn, faded spherical inflorescences must be cut off from her, dry ones are removed and broken shoots are shortened. Branches that are more than 4 years old are cut out from old plants. You also need to cut off at the root all zero shoots growing from the ground on which there was no flowering. Next year, they still will not bloom, but will only contribute to the thickening of the bush. The same applies to shoots growing inside the crown. Strong branches will need to be shortened by 2-3 buds.

On a note! tree hydrangea more than others needs pruning, because it grows very quickly.

Pruning hydrangeas in autumn: video

The purpose of autumn feeding is to replenish the stock nutrients where the hydrangea grows. For successful wintering, the roots must accumulate enough moisture and essential trace elements, and the bark on the branches - woody. For the first time in autumn, hydrangea is fed in September. The second dressing is carried out shortly after pruning. The specific date depends on weather conditions region, it should coincide with the beginning of leaf fall.

IN last time top dressing is carried out on the eve of shelter for the winter - organic fertilizers should be applied during this period. When using mineral complexes, you should pay attention to their composition. The drug should contain potassium and magnesium, but the presence of nitrogen is not recommended. This element can cause unwanted growth of shoots that simply do not have time to mature before winter and freeze.

In September, solutions of superphosphate and potassium sulfate are used at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. substances per 10 liters of water. Fertilizer is applied to moist soil after rain or watering, 5 liters of top dressing is spent on each bush. You can also use specialized complex preparations for hydrangeas. From organic dressings it is recommended to use the following compositions:

mullein infusion (1 hour per 10 hours of water);
fertilizer from cut weeds;
humus;
biohumus.

You can also mulch the trunk circle with humus. After pruning, at least 2 weeks must pass so that the plant recovers from stress and only then is fertilizing carried out. This time, the shrub is given fertilizers based on phosphorus and potassium. In wet weather, the fertilizer is simply scattered under the bush, and in dry weather it can be applied as a solution.

3 weeks before shelter, the hydrangea is fed organic fertilizer. It is best to use humus or peat in the form of mulch. Gradually decomposing, these substances will give heat to the roots and provide them with protection from frost, along the way supplying nutrients.

On a note! If you use high-moor peat and coniferous litter as a mulch layer, you can improve soil structures and increase its acidity.

Winterization by region

The timing of the preparation of hydrangeas for wintering directly depends on climatic conditions region. First of all, the gardener is recommended to focus on the air temperature. Main preparatory activities pruning and sheltering of the bush are considered.

By its origin, hydrangea is a heat-loving shrub and needs shelter for the winter. But breeders also bred winter-hardy types of culture. More than others, the hydrangea is tree-like and paniculate tolerant of cold. However, in severe winters, young specimens can also suffer from freezing. Most often, flower buds located at the tops of the shoots are frozen.

Large-leaved hydrangea winters much worse, it needs to be covered even in the conditions of the Moscow region. Shelter will guarantee lush flowering next summer. It is necessary to prepare hydrangea for winter, starting from mid-September and ending in the first half of October. With the arrival of frosts, an adult bush is spudded with dry earth, and for young specimens, shelter of the aerial part must also be provided. This usually happens at the end of October.

The preparation of hydrangeas for winter in the Urals begins at the end of August with plant nutrition. It will be necessary to feed the hydrangea until frost twice with a break of 3-4 weeks. 2 weeks after the last feeding, the hydrangea is stopped watering and autumn pruning is carried out.

It is necessary to cover the culture in this region for the winter due to the harsh winters and the reduced winter hardiness of the plant itself. Since the weather in the Urals is unpredictable, everyone preparatory work, including pruning and sheltering, should be completed by the end of October.

In the Siberian region, from the beginning of August, they stop using nitrogen fertilizers, and in September stop watering. Only zoned hydrangea varieties should be grown here, but they also require preparation for winter and shelter.

Since Siberia can experience frequent and heavy snowfalls, the fragile branches of the paniculata hydrangea should be tied to a wooden support so that they do not break. Shortly before covering the bush from the stems, it is recommended to cut off the leaves so that the bark becomes woody faster. Covering activities are carried out in early October, on the eve of severe frosts.

On a note! Before the first snowfall passes, you need to have time to cut off the inflorescences, otherwise they can break off under the weight of snow and damage the branches.

Winters in the Leningrad region are not as cold as in Siberia and the Urals, but very snowy. This affects the preparation of hydrangeas for wintering in this area. The snow cover reaches a considerable height and reliably hides most of the bush under itself. Only the upper branches can freeze, which are easy to cut in the spring. Therefore, tree and paniculate hydrangeas do not need any shelter here.

The only exception is the large-leaved variety. Otherwise, preparations for winter begin ahead of time, as in other regions. At the end of summer, the hydrangea is fed with nitrogen-free fertilizer, and in the second half of October it is cut and covered as needed.

Features of preparing for the winter of different types of hydrangeas

Preparation winter shelter depends on what kind and variety of plants is grown on the site. The age and size of the bush is also taken into account. It is better to cover the aerial part of young plants for the first few winters, while hilling and warming with snow is enough for adult specimens.

The peculiarity of the panicled hydrangea is that the developed buds are located on the branches of the branches from the base to the middle, so freezing of the tops of the shoots will not cause much harm to this plant. When constructing a shelter, it is necessary to take into account not only the temperature, but also the humidity of the air, the presence of winds. With a strong damp wind, hydrangea can die even in a slight frost.

by the most in a simple way cover hydrangea paniculata is hilling. For this, a mixture of dry garden soil and peat is used, which is poured on top of the bush. It is undesirable to use fallen leaves or sawdust for shelter; when wet, they easily rot, and in addition, they may contain pest larvae.

In cold regions, branches are additionally covered, having previously bent them to the ground. As a shelter, you can use roofing felt, spruce branches, burlap. Too long branches for convenience, it is better to tie. On large specimens, spanbond, lutrasil and other similar materials can be thrown on top.

Since the large-leaved hydrangea is the most thermophilic, it must be covered in advance, without waiting for frost. Before sheltering the shoots, the leaves must be cut off, leaving them only at the very top, protecting the apical buds. Then, for convenience, the bush is divided in half, and each part of the shoots is bent to the ground, after which it is pinned with thin arcs.

The middle of the bush should be covered with peat or coniferous forest litter. Lutrasil is thrown on top of the arcs in two layers and fixed near the ground with bricks or wooden beams. plastic film use is not recommended due to its airtightness. In the spring, the shelter can be removed when the threat of frost has completely passed.

The best way to shelter a large-leaved hydrangea for the winter: video

Hydrangea arborescens is unpretentious plant and recovers well after the winter. Its winter hardiness, like that of other species, increases with age, but it is better not to be too lazy and make a preventive shelter for it. At the initial stage, the bush is spudded - this helps to insulate the roots.

Since the plants grow very large, they are not bent to the ground, but tied to a peg, forming a kind of cone. After that, the bush is covered with spruce branches on all sides. In cold regions, you can additionally use insulating material, it is fixed on the plant from above.

Experienced summer residents share their secrets for caring for hydrangeas in the garden. In growing these plants, there are many nuances and subtleties that must be taken into account in order for hydrangeas to remain healthy and develop correctly. Pay attention to the following points when caring for them in the fall:

After leaf fall, be sure to spray the bushes and the trunk circle with a 3 percent Bordeaux mixture- this will ensure the prevention of diseases and help get rid of pests lurking in the bark or topsoil.
Autumn is a convenient time for hydrangea propagation by layering, shoots and dividing the bush. If you want to decorate your garden with a few more copies of this beautiful plant, take this opportunity no later than September.
In conditions middle lane one layer of material is enough for shelter. In Siberia and the Urals, there should be at least two or three covering layers.
For big bushes hydrangeas, you can build a frame shelter from several posts covered with non-woven material. Inside, such a kind of box can be covered with dry leaves. In this case, the top of the structure must be reliably protected from moisture penetration.

Giving your hydrangeas the necessary preparation for winter, you take care of their health. Easily enduring wintering, the shrub will remain strong and will definitely thank abundant flowering next season.