I tell you how I feed Hydrangea with citric acid and why it is so important to do it in the summer

Hydrangea is a beautiful shrub that adorns the site and pleases with flowering for a long time. But this plant is very capricious, and requires additional care.

If the necessary conditions are not provided for the hydrangea, then the bush will sit in one place for many years, and will not release a single flower bud. This is how it was with me until recently.

The situation changed after I learned about citric acid feeding.

Top dressing of the bush with "lemon"

All varieties and varieties of hydrangea prefer acidic soils. If the pH of the soil is 5.5 or lower, then the bush will grow, but it will be impossible to achieve flowering from such a plant. Alkaline or neutral soil is not suitable for the plant.

Saline soil gives an alkaline reaction. Trace elements are in an insoluble state, and hydrangea simply cannot absorb them. The plant needs boron, manganese, zinc and phosphorus.

If the soil is neutral, the hydrangea may bloom, but it will be pink and not very lush.

As it turned out, the color of flowers depends on the level of acidity.

The relationship between soil acidity and bud color:

· At a value of 4 pH, the flowers will take on a purple hue;

If the pH is 4.5, then the hydrangea will bloom blue;

From 4.8 to 5.5 pH, the bush will give out blue and pink inflorescences;

· If the pH value will vary from 6.3 to 6.5, then the shade of the colors will approach a rich pink;

· PH values ​​above 7 will provide a bright pink color.

On neutral soil, hydrangea will give the usual white tone.

If you constantly observe the plant, you can find out when it needs such an unusual feeding.

As a fertilizer, you can apply not only citric, but also oxalic, malic or acetic acid. But the first option is best.

How to properly water with citric acid solution

So that the plant does not die from the excessive "love" of the gardener, it is worth knowing the proportions and not exceeding the norms.

For 1 bucket of water (10 l) give two tablespoons of citric acid. The dry powder should dissolve completely in water. This means that there should not even be a hint of crystals at the bottom. Also, instead of powder, you can add 2 tbsp. l of fresh lemon juice.

The application rate of such a solution is 10 liters per 1 m2.

This fertilizer is applied after watering or heavy rain. As the fertilizer is absorbed, the bush needs to be reintroduced with citric acid.

How to correctly determine the acidity of the soil

For this purpose, a special device, or litmus tests, is most often used. But if this is not available, then ordinary soda with vinegar is used. If vinegar is added to the soil and foam starts to form, then it contains too much alkali. Sour soil will react to baking soda.