How to feed a hydrangea in early spring so that it blooms with lush caps in summer. Rules and types of pruning, landing site

Many gardeners have a beautiful hydrangea on the site. In order for it to bloom beautifully in summer and autumn, you need to feed the shrub in early spring. The number of inflorescences and the splendor of the caps on the plant will depend on the correct choice of fertilizers.

Hydrangea is an unpretentious culture, it does not require special attention. But in order for it to bloom beautifully, you need to take care of the plant a little.

Top dressing

Hydrangea needs good nutrition. It is fed not only with mineral fertilizers, but also with organic matter (chicken dung or mullein diluted in water).

You can also use complex fertilizers (they are sold in a gardening store) for prolonged-release hydrangeas, which are embedded in the trunk circle to a depth of 1-2 cm. This will free you from further fertilizing during the season.

By the end of April or early May, you can feed the hydrangea with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As a result, the shoots will become stronger and more flexible. They will keep their shape, they will not bend from strong winds. The flower stalks will be more magnificent.

Another unusual top dressing is kefir. You will need 2 liters of product per 10 liters of water. The mixture must be stirred and poured under the bush. Before feeding, the plant needs to be shed well.

Hydrangea prefers acidified soil, so you can use apple cider vinegar, you need it in the amount of 100 grams per 10 liters of water.

Citric acid is also suitable as a food. It is necessary to dilute 2 tbsp. spoons of the product in a little water, and then dilute in a bucket of water.

Pruning

For the splendor of the hydrangea bush, you need to properly cut the plant. You can start pruning shrubs in March-April, when the snow melts in your area. It is advisable to have time to do this event before the start of sap flow. If, according to the weather forecast, frosty days are expected, then pruning should be abandoned.

In March-April, you can see which shoots were damaged by the cold, and which were not. This is the advantage of spring pruning.

Typically, traditional pruning involves removing branches 10 to 30 cm in length from the ground. Be sure to leave 2-3 buds. You need to cut off the shoot obliquely.

Many gardeners adhere to the following principle: all shoots that are thicker than a finger must be removed.

You can also use the following simple "formula". In young bushes, shoots should be cut off by one third. In an adult hydrangea, the branches must be cut by one fifth per season.

Anti-aging pruning

Rejuvenating pruning should be done at least once every 7-8 years. Shoots are removed to ground level. Or you need to gradually remove old branches over three years, if you do not want to be left without flowers.

Formative pruning

This pruning should be done annually. Three-year, four-year-old shoots need to be cut off, on them the inflorescences are not as lush as on the branches of the first or second year.

Sanitary pruning

Removal of old, damaged shoots should be carried out throughout the season. If you did the pruning in the fall, then the removal of branches that are not aesthetically pleasing can be done both in spring and in summer. All of these branches should be pruned to ground level.

Place for hydrangea

For middle latitudes, it is necessary to choose a place under the larynx in partial shade. For the southern region, an openwork shadow is suitable. For the northern region, the place for this shrub should be sunny.

From large trees, hydrangea should be planted at a distance of 3-4 m. After planting, the bush must be mulched with peat, sawdust or coniferous litter within a radius of 30 cm from the center of the bush.

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