Why doesn't pink hydrangea bloom? Reasons for not flowering. Improper pruning of hydrangea

The heir to the Far Eastern natural species and selection novelties of the European collection, Hydrangea, as this flower is called in botanical atlases, is represented in domestic floriculture by several varieties resistant to cool summers and harsh winters:

There are no evergreen forms among them. Sometimes, for wintering, certain varieties have to be transplanted into pots and brought indoors, but minus temperature up to 10◦C, and even -25◦C, some of the hydrangeas (for example, paniculata) can withstand reliable shelter.

When planting in rows, an interval of 1.5 meters is prudently laid for the growth of the bush., but it happens that the bushes grow up to 2.5 m in diameter (in good lighting), becoming covered with a cap of inflorescences - each the size of human head. Here you cannot do without supports and props.

A year after planting, the flower, if properly cared for, forms a spectacular bush of 5-7 inflorescences, which overall height up to 2 meters and above - a serious application for a decorative accent in the garden.

It blooms by mid-summer, when there are more sunny days and it is relatively warm at night. The bush fades by September-October, repeating this cycle up to 30-50 times. Over 8 years of life, the mother plant is capable of producing numerous offspring - up to 50 root cuttings.

ATTENTION: The aroma is noticeable only in warm sunny weather; it is inferior in strength to its southern relatives. Will not please you with the aroma and flowering plant, located in the shade, in the cool environment of the northern summer.

Photos of plants

Here you can see the photo blooming hydrangeas.

Reproduction

Hydrangea is most often propagated by cuttings., harvested from flexible basal shoots (up to 3 internodes 7-8 cm in size). Suitable for reproduction and stem cuttings, which are buried in the substrate (peat and sand) at t◦20◦C and humidity - 80%.

5-6 weeks are enough for rooting, after which the plants are planted in pots or soil. In pots, seedlings can overwinter, stored in the basement. Attempts to flower in the first year are interrupted.

The bush is propagated by dividing in the spring, transplanting the “divisions” to prepared places. One-year-old cuttings can also give birth to a new plant if they are bent and buried, leaving the tip of the shoot on the surface.

Grafting is occasionally used for varietal changes. Its implementation requires special knowledge and skills, therefore it is not used in home gardening. Growing hydrangeas from seeds is very labor-intensive, and therefore not popular.

The hydrangea growing cycle consists of::

• propagation (by cuttings, layering, dividing the bush, grafting and seeds);
• summer care for it (watering, fertilizing, pruning, mulching);
• dormant period (from October to March - wintering);
• spring forcing (depending on the purpose) for annuals - 5-10cm (potted), 5-30cm (ground); A plant overwintering in the basement can be put out for forcing as early as February.

How to properly care?

Summer care

• regular watering (once every 7 days - 20-30 liters) with rain or settled water, more often in hot weather;
• weeding, loosening (to a depth of 10 cm) and mulching the root circle (up to 3 times per season);
• nitrogenous fertilizer for the bush during the period of bud formation (spring) and potassium fertilizer during flowering (summer), with regularity once every 2 weeks;
• sanitary and from 4 years old - formative pruning in open ground, in order to rejuvenate the bush and stimulate flowering;
• period of maintenance work - spring-autumn;
• preparation for the dormant period: removing leaves, tying the bush into a bunch, high hilling, establishing support under the covering material - spruce branches, film, lutrasil;
• in severe winters, cover the entire structure with snow;
• planting or transplanting new plants into a prepared hole of 50x50 and the same depth; soil composition in equal parts: turf, sand, humus and peat;
• in the first year the expected growth of stems is 20-30 cm.

ADVICE: Create support fences around the bush to protect the stems from lodging under the weight of large inflorescences.

Peace

The dormant period for hydrangeas in mild, warm climates does not require any protective measures.: only trimming and tying into bunches. After a snowy winter, with the beginning of sap flow and bud germination, the stems should be gradually opened during the day, ventilating the bush, lifted from the shelter, tied vertically, protecting it from sunburn.

All parts of the growing hydrangea are considered poisonous because they contain cyanogenic glycoids, but folk medicine root extract is used as a tonic, wound healing, diuretic and analgesic.

Necessary conditions for flowering

Among gardeners, there are two opinions on cultivating hydrangea: unpretentious plant, and - quite capricious. They are based on the correct and incorrect choice of a landing site..

After all, growth inhibition, poor flowering, chlorosis or powdery mildew are a consequence of unsuccessful placement of the bush, or choice of soil composition. The plant may also suffer from an excess of gardener love: excessively flooded or “fed” with fertilizers.

Optimal conditions for growth:

1. Well-lit hill above the horizon groundwater, where there is no direct sun, but partial shade forms.
2. Natural or artificial protection from constant winds and rainfall.
3. Podzolic soils and nutritious loams; acidity is not higher than pH4.5-5.
4. Constant moisture of the earthen coma.
5. Temperature background is not lower than +12◦С.
6. Regular removal of weeds and shoots from the root circle.
7. Formative pruning.
8. Proper preparation for wintering.

IMPORTANT: In areas with alkaline soil for the well-being of the bush, artificial acidifiers are used: lemon or oxalic acid(30 ml per bucket of water), and even battery electrolyte (1 ml per liter of water).

Watch a video about the conditions for lush flowering of hydrangea:

The ability to influence color is a rare gift of nature to man.

The beauty of the spherical inflorescences of hydrangea is provided by sterile four-petal flowers bordering inconspicuous small fertile ones. The latter produce a seed pod and are honey plants, but the moth-like sterile flowers are admired.

At the very beginning of flowering, regardless of the variety, they all have a light green color. Only over time does it become obvious what color the panicles will be.

The palette of blooming hydrangea: from chaste white and pale beige through all shades of pink to delicate tones of lilac, blue and blue. It's hard to believe but The color of the inflorescences is determined by the acidity and content of chemical elements in the soil:

• the presence of Al or Fe in the form of alum guarantees all shades of blue;
• on slightly alkaline soils, sterile flowers will have a pink (natural) color;
• The addition of peat also contributes to the color change.

ATTENTION: Harmless ones are commercially available chemical compositions, capable of changing the color of inflorescences, with greater or lesser intensity depending on the amount of added substance.

This treatment is carried out at the beginning of the growing season. Regular use of additives gives unambiguous color of panicles, irregular use results in two-colored appearance.

Special hybrids of hydrangeas have been developed that can change color and very easily “repaint” the desired color - “NikkoBlue”, “Blaumeise”, etc. The most difficult to change color are snow-white varieties, in best case scenario their inflorescences may take on a slightly pink tint. By influencing color samples, you can get complex shades of red and blue - lilac, violet.

People discovered this feature of influencing the color of hydrangea inflorescences experimentally a long time ago: they buried rusty objects in the bush or watered the plant with rusty water.

How to prolong the joy of admiring?

A flowering bush pleases the eye for several months; inflorescences cut for a bouquet stand in water for 2 weeks. But the desire to extend the flowering season prompted florists to preserve blooming hydrangeas different ways for up to a year. This is drying:

Such a flower will last floral composition year, without loss of color, but then it will still fade.

You need to cut flowers for drying at the end of the season., when fertile flowers begin to actively bloom, and sterile ones begin to change color and fade. It is very difficult to catch this moment: if you hurry, the flowers will dry for a very long time to the detriment of their beauty; if you are late, they will turn from colored to brown. Plucking faded flowers is also not recommended, as this can cause the entire panicle to wither.

IMPORTANT: Hydrangea does not tolerate drought, but excess moisture is also harmful to it. It causes fungal diseases and can rot the roots. A weakened plant is a home for aphids, mites and nematodes.

Watch a video about drying methods:

Why doesn’t it bloom in the garden and what should be done in such cases?

This is perhaps the most important disappointment of the gardener. Well, in the first year - of course, it’s too early for her. And then? The reason may be:

• an incorrectly selected variety for a given region;
• artificial stimulation of a pre-sale copy, as can be seen from the emerging buds;
• a sharp change in the substrate in which the purchased plant was located and the garden soil;
• lack of development of the root system;
• early release of the bush from frost protection in spring;
• frost damage to the upper buds;
• improper pruning of stems, with the removal of flower buds;
• constant plant stay in the shade;
• lack of a fertilizer complex.

Correctly identifying the causes will help to correctly eliminate them, and wait for the solemn moment: the lush flowering of the hydrangea bush.

Hydrangea is often planted on summer cottages or in the front garden own home: her bush blooms beautifully and for a long time. But sometimes it happens that hydrangea refuses to bloom. Understanding the reasons is not always easy, since there are quite a lot of them.

Reasons why hydrangea does not bloom and ways to solve the problem

As a rule, the first 2–3 years after planting young seedling You should not expect flowering from hydrangea. Some varieties do not bloom even longer, but most are bound to please the owner at a young age. If this does not happen, action must be taken.

Wrong landing site

Hydrangea is a delicate plant and feels uncomfortable under the scorching sun. If on open place It will bloom, but the flowering will be incomplete: it will end quickly, and the flowers will not be as lush and spectacular as expected. But you shouldn’t plant the bush in the shade either: hydrangea requires at least several hours of good lighting a day.

If a shadow is created tall trees, they will take away moisture and nutrients from the flower.

The best location is partial shade: in the morning the sun warmed and illuminated, and by lunchtime it was hidden. If you make a mistake in choosing a place, you should try to build a shelter. If this is not possible, you will have to replant the bush, but this can only be done with young plants.

Hydrangea is often planted near a fence that shields the bush from the sun in the afternoon.

The bush is difficult to take root

Hydrangea is a difficult shrub to grow: it takes a long time to adapt to a new place of residence. Therefore, at the slightest deviation from the rules of planting or care, it can “sore” for a long time, but then, as a rule, everything returns to normal. If in its previous location the plant is accustomed to one diet and watering regime, but the new owner has different conditions, the adaptation period may be delayed.

If this is the case, you need to wait, but not allow the plant to die, and for this it is better to feed it, gradually reducing the amount of fertilizer. And so that a change of place does not put the hydrangea under too much stress, it must be replanted with a lump of earth.

For a hydrangea seedling with a closed root system, the likelihood of stress from replanting is minimal

Lack of moisture

Drying out the soil under hydrangea bushes is unacceptable, as it reacts very painfully to this: leaves and shoots wither, and the bush is no longer able to bloom. The bush may not survive extreme heat without watering. Hydrangea is watered weekly in normal weather, and twice as often in drought. This is especially true for young plants.

Hydrangea is moisture-loving; it requires watering once or twice a week, depending on the weather.

However, stagnation of water is also harmful, so clay soils When planting in a hole, be sure to place drainage. For irrigation use heated water sun rays. If the humidity regime is brought back to normal, next year the bush will be covered with beautiful flowers.

Unskilled pruning

Adult hydrangeas are pruned annually, but this must be done correctly. Pruning begins only after the bush has produced flowers for the first time. Proceed carefully when pruning:

• cut out thickening and old (over 5 years old) shoots;
• remove the weakest branches, especially those growing inward;
• shorten last year's shoots, leaving no more than 3 healthy buds.

In the fall, only broken, diseased and dried shoots are removed, and more detailed pruning is carried out in the spring. If the lack of flowering of a bush is observed due to improper pruning, the matter can be corrected: once you need to do everything properly, and the flowers will appear.

Even if you don’t prune hydrangeas in the fall, you should at least cut off the faded inflorescences.

Wrong diet

Hydrangeas do not need excessive amounts of fertilizer. This is especially true for nitrogen, which causes an increase in green mass to the detriment of flowering. Nitrogen fertilizing(urea or mullein infusion) are given only in May, they are excluded in the summer, and only ash is added in the fall.

You can even regulate the color of hydrangea flowers with various microelements, but this is a separate topic.

Fertilizers for hydrangeas are available for sale depending on color.

If there is an assumption that the bushes have been overfed with nitrogen, you need to add more superphosphate, and forget about urea and manure for a while - until next year.

Freezing of roots and buds

Even in warm regions, hydrangea is prepared for winter. The only shelter there can be spunbond, which is used to cover the bushes after autumn pruning. In other regions, it is necessary to hill up the plants, add a good layer of mulch and cover with coniferous spruce branches, and in the most severe climatic conditions - with roofing material.

No matter how large the hydrangea bush is, it is covered with spunbond for the winter even in relatively warm regions

Leaving a hydrangea completely without shelter is dangerous; freezing of the soil can lead to the complete death of the root system. Partial freezing is fixable: good feeding and insulation for next winter will eventually return everything to normal.

Diseases, pests

The most common pests that plague hydrangeas are slugs, aphids and mites. It is better to destroy slugs manually, and the rest are eliminated with various insecticides. Controlling pests on shrubs is not difficult, and it is necessary to do this, since they greatly weaken the plants.

Slugs on hydrangeas appear due to frequent rains and high humidity.

Among the diseases there are fungal ( gray mold, peronosporosis, powdery mildew), which are successfully treated with fungicides: copper oxychloride or Bordeaux mixture. Hydrangea is often affected by chlorosis: due to iron deficiency, the leaves turn pale and flowering becomes difficult. Feeding with iron sulfate corrects the situation over time.

Video: pruning, watering, shading - for better hydrangea flowering

There are many reasons why hydrangea does not bloom, but most of them can be easily eliminated. It is important to understand in time what caused the problem and take urgent measures so that flowers appear on the bush next year.

It often happens that a gardener buys a flowering hydrangea in a container, plants it in the ground - but it dries out and the flowers wither. Or after wintering, hydrangea does not bloom - neither in the first, nor in the second, nor in the third year. Why doesn't hydrangea bloom? How can you help the plant? Let's figure it out.

Why hydrangea doesn't bloom: typical gardener mistakes

The most problems arise with large-leaved hydrangea (garden, marcophila, large-leaved), since not all varieties of this delicate plant are adapted to our conditions. We will talk about large-leaved hydrangea.

Hydrangea buds are freezing

Large-leaved hydrangea blooms on the shoots of the current year, buds are laid on the tops of the shoots in the fall. If you cover the hydrangea too late, or open it too early, the buds will freeze and the hydrangea will not bloom. What can (and should) be done? Cover hydrangea for the winter. The remaining leaves on the bush are torn off, the bush itself is tied with a rope, wrapped with covering material and film. Mulch is poured around the bush - dry leaves, straw. With the arrival of frost, the hydrangea is bent to the ground, fixed with staples, and covered with spruce branches. In the spring, the hydrangea is opened gradually, finally removing it from its shelter with the disappearance of night frosts, that is, until the beginning of summer.

Improper pruning of hydrangea

If you cut off shoots in spring or autumn large leaf hydrangea, is it any wonder why hydrangea doesn’t bloom? We remind you once again that hydrangea blooms on last year’s shoots, in the upper part of the shoots.

Improper feeding of hydrangeas

If the hydrangea is overfed with nitrogen fertilizers, the plant may not have time to harden by the arrival of frost, and, again, will not survive the winter. Therefore, to feed hydrangeas, like most garden plants, remember one simple rule: at the end of spring and beginning of summer we introduce nitrogen fertilizers(for the growth of greenery), in the summer - potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (to maintain flowering), at the end of summer - phosphorus fertilizers (to help the hydrangea survive the winter, preserving the buds of the shoots for flowering in next year).

Problems with growth and acclimatization of the root system

First of all, this is a problem with large-leaved hydrangeas, which were planted from containers into open ground. It often turns out that hydrangea sellers feed the plant with fertilizers to make it bloom wildly, organizing drip irrigation. This hydrangea has a poorly developed root system– she was not used to getting her food from roots, but received everything ready-made with fertilizers, and on special soil. And when you plant it in your garden, the spoiled plant is unable to absorb nutrients with its weak roots, and withers before your eyes. Without emergency measures Not only will such a hydrangea not bloom, it may even disappear altogether.

What to do in this case? Correct the “disservice” of sellers and gradually wean hydrangea from bait. Firstly, container flowering hydrangeas do not need to cut off the roots, as is often advised, and there is no need to soak them or shake off the substrate. The plant already spends a lot of energy on flowering, and under such conditions the hydrangea will no longer be able to develop the root system. It will wither away.

Secondly, for the first two months, feed the plant, gradually reducing the dose.

Thirdly, in preparation landing pit for hydrangea, make sure that the place will be shaded at midday, otherwise the garden hydrangea may not tolerate the heat, and even heavy watering will not help. You need to add a mixture of soil from your garden with a nutrient substrate from a container of hydrangeas into the hole, and in an area of ​​at least 20 cm from the roots of the hydrangea. In this way, you will help the hydrangea adapt to new conditions.

Hydrangea variety is not suitable for climatic conditions

Large-leaved hydrangeas have recently begun to be planted in open ground in our area; new varieties are constantly appearing, which are praised and convinced that there are no problems with care. And then buyers, especially from the northern regions of the country, cannot understand why the hydrangea does not bloom. It’s sad, but even if all agrotechnical practices are followed, greenhouse hydrangea seedlings do not always have time to set buds for the next year during the warm season (if the summer is short). As a result, we get a gorgeous green bush, but the hydrangea does not bloom.

Don't rush the hydrangea - let it develop a strong root system that could nurture the color. For paniculate hydrangeas, this period takes about 6 years. In addition, hydrangea can bloom simply due to insufficient watering, poor location, heavy soil, diseases and pests. Just carefully study the rules for caring for hydrangeas, choose a non-capricious variety (if you are a beginner) - and you will definitely succeed!

Hydrangea or hydrangea (Hydrangea) belongs to the class Hydrangeaceae. Under natural growing conditions, it can be found in the countries of East Asia, North and South America, as well as in the Himalayas. It's very beautiful ornamental plant with a specific feature. Its original inflorescences in those species that are white or cream in color, with the onset of autumn, acquire red, burgundy, crimson or Cherry color. Also, their shade depends on the composition of the soil. If you enrich the soil in the area where flowers are planted with aluminum sulfate, they will turn blue or blue. And if you water the plants with a solution of potassium permanganate, the inflorescences will turn pink.

Despite the fact that hydrangea is a favorite of most gardeners for its beautiful and long-lasting flowering, it is quite capricious plant. At the same time, different species have their own rules of care, non-compliance with which leads to the absence of buds. This article answers the question: “Why doesn’t garden hydrangea bloom?”

Reasons for the lack of flowering of garden hydrangea

There are many reasons for the lack of flowering of garden hydrangea. They can be both general and individual for each species. Therefore, before planting this on your site beautiful flower you need to study its features and rules for caring for it.

Poor place to plant a seedling

Since garden hydrangea is perennial shrub who does not like transplants, then the place for her landing should be chosen in accordance with her preferences. Otherwise, the plant will develop poorly and there may be no flowering. The basic rules for choosing a place to plant garden hydrangeas can be considered the following:

Hydrangea does not like transplants

• • The site should be located so that in the first half of the day it is illuminated as much as possible. After lunch, plants should be in partial shade. If this is not possible, then you need to create additional shading for the hydrangeas before flowering begins in the afternoon. Plants planted too sunny place, can get sunburn, and those that grow in constant shade bloom poorly.
  • Plants must be protected from winds and drafts, which inhibit their development. The optimal place would be to plant near a house, gazebo or other garden buildings.

• It is not recommended to plant hydrangea near other large shrubs or trees. It is quite moisture-loving, and other plants will actively absorb water, which can lead to a lack of moisture.
• Hydrangea has a superficial root system. Therefore, if it is part of flower arrangements, it is desirable that its neighbors are flowers whose roots grow deep. Otherwise, they will not allow the plant’s root system to fully develop.

Hydrangea is demanding on soil composition

The composition of the soil is of great importance for garden hydrangea; it should have an acidic or slightly acidic reaction. The soil should be nutritious, loose and well drained. It should not contain lime, which inhibits the development of the plant. Before planting hydrangeas, it is recommended to make deep holes in the dug area and fill them with the following soil mixture:

• turf land - two parts;
• humus - two parts;
• peat - one part;
• coarse sand - one part.

Lack or excess moisture

Hydrangea is a very moisture-loving plant, so watering for it is important. It should be carried out weekly, pouring 20 liters of water under each adult bush. If the weather is too hot, watering is carried out twice a week.

The water should be soft, because... hard has a negative effect on the condition of the plant. Tap water Before watering, you need to let it sit for at least five days.

Lack of moisture can cause foliage to wilt and buds to fall off. Prolonged drought leads to the death of hydrangea. But you shouldn’t overwater the soil; you need to let the top layer dry. Otherwise, rotting of the root system and the development of various diseases may occur.

Adaptation after disembarkation

Planting garden hydrangea in open ground is best done in early autumn. In this case, over the winter the plant has time to take root well and get used to the new place of growth. Since hydrangea does not tolerate transplantation well, in order for it to quickly take root, several rules should be followed:

It is best to plant hydrangea in early autumn.

• When removing the plant from the container, you should preserve the earth as much as possible so as not to damage the root system.
• After planting, you need to mulch the soil with peat or sawdust and provide additional shelter for the plant.
• The soil should always be slightly moist, but without overflowing.

If new leaves appear on the hydrangea within a month, it means the adaptation was successful. In the future, it is important to properly prepare young plants for winter in order to preserve them until spring.

Hydrangea planted in autumn period, as a rule, blooms the following summer and is more resistant to infection by diseases and pests. Those plants that are planted in the spring bloom only after 2-3 years of growth, since their first summer is spent adapting.

How should the root system develop?

Hydrangea is distinguished by a widely branched root system, which must be taken into account when planting

Hydrangea has a shallow, widely branched root system. Therefore, it is advisable that the remaining plants are planted at a distance of at least one meter from it. In this case, the plant will have enough space and moisture to full development roots, and, consequently, the above-ground part.

Incorrectly selected fertilizers

Garden hydrangea is primarily valued for its bright, lush and long-lasting flowering, which can only be ensured proper feeding. Also, additional nutrition is required because the bushes of the plant grow quite large. Therefore, they quickly absorb nutrients from the soil.

Feeding begins in the spring, using complex mineral fertilizers every two weeks. They can be alternated with organic matter, such as slurry. To do this, manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 100 grams per 10 liters of water. This will ensure full growth of green mass.

At the beginning of flowering, nutritional complexes that do not contain nitrogen, such as superphosphate, are used. This is required so that the active development of buds and not foliage occurs. An excess of nitrogen in the soil prevents young shoots from becoming woody, and they may die during wintering.

Fertilizers are applied weekly. This is necessary for the formation of new flower buds. Once a month you can water the hydrangea with fermented milk drinks (kefir, yogurt, etc.).

With the beginning of autumn, fertilizing should be stopped so that the plant can calmly enter the dormant period. In September, you can add ash to the soil at the rate of 100 grams per square meter. It is also recommended to add 15 kilograms of manure under each bush. This will serve as additional feeding in the spring and will protect the root system during wintering.

Frozen buds in winter

Hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots, flower buds on which they are laid during the summer and autumn. Therefore, if they freeze in winter, the plant will not bloom. In this regard, it is important proper preparation hydrangeas for wintering. First of all, you need to prune according to the type of plant, and then cover it in accordance with the following recommendations:

The reason for the lack of flowering may be frozen buds

• Low bushes are completely covered with peat and covered with covering material.
• Around the young tall plants lay heavy boards and drive nails into them. Then the bushes are rewound with ropes, carefully bent and secured with nails. After this, they are covered with sawdust and covered with spruce branches. A sheet of iron or other heavy material is laid on top of the shelter and then covered with snow.
• Adult hydrangeas are not bent so as not to harm the plants. They are simply completely wrapped in covering material and tied with rope. They install around the bushes metal mesh, dry leaves are poured inside, and the outside is covered with plastic film.

The cover should be removed after the spring frosts have ended, as they can also damage the kidneys.

Unsuccessful bush pruning

Unsuccessful pruning of a bush can completely stop flowering

Hydrangea pruning must be done correctly. If flower buds are removed during this process, the plant will not bloom. In the first two years of growth, it is not recommended to do it at all. Each species has its own timing and methods for pruning bushes.

How to prune correctly and prepare for wintering

When pruning garden hydrangea, consider the following recommendations:

• Large-leaved hydrangea is pruned at the beginning of the autumn period after flowering. In this case, only the inflorescences, remaining buds and dried stems are removed. Pruning of shoots does not occur in the fall; it is done in the spring after the buds open, so as not to harm the flowering.
• Tree hydrangea is pruned in late autumn. Young shoots are shortened so that at least four buds remain on them. This will allow them to develop and bloom well in the spring. Old, dry and damaged stems are completely removed. Because this type tends to thicken, then at this time the crown of the bushes is formed. To do this, excess branches, usually located inside the plants, are cut out. You also need to remove all remaining inflorescences.
• Paniculata and oakleaf hydrangea are pruned in the spring. In autumn, only inflorescences and buds are removed.
• Petiole hydrangea radically pruned in spring and, if necessary, in summer. This is done to form a beautiful crown due to the formation of additional side shoots. In the autumn, only the inflorescences and weakened and dried stems are removed. Also in the fall, the side shoots are shortened slightly.

In order for the hydrangea to comfortably overwinter, after pruning, the plants are covered to protect them from frost.

Diseases and pests

With proper care, hydrangeas form strong bushes that are rarely infected by diseases and pests. If the maintenance rules are not followed, plants are affected by the following diseases:

If agricultural practices are followed, hydrangea is rarely affected by pests and diseases

• Powdery mildew. When it occurs, the foliage becomes covered with a gray coating, which darkens over time. Then the leaves begin to wither and fall off, and the shoots become covered with burgundy spots.
• Gray rot. The disease can be recognized by the presence of brown spots on the plant. They grow very quickly, and then the hydrangea dries out.
• Chlorosis. Foliage begins to discolor, curl and fall off. At the same time, the veins remain bright green color. Buds and flowers become deformed, change color and fall off.

If signs of these diseases are noticed on the hydrangea, you should immediately begin treatment. To do this, you need to remove all affected leaves and parts of shoots. After this, treat the plants with a fungicide solution and pour it into the soil, since the root system may also be damaged.

Among the pests that can be dangerous for hydrangea are spider mites, scale insects, and aphids. If they are found on the plant, wash it with a solution of green or laundry soap. After this, spray with infusion of onion, garlic, tobacco or wormwood. If the data folk remedies do not help, you need to treat the hydrangea with an insecticide solution.

Wrong variety selected

When choosing a hydrangea variety, you need to take into account climatic conditions.

Hydrangea has species and varieties with varying degrees of frost resistance. Therefore, when choosing a plant, you should take into account the climatic conditions of the area. Can be grown in regions with warm climates different kinds. Suitable for northern latitudes frost-resistant plants, for example, numerous varieties of tree hydrangea. Heat-loving species will freeze to death without proper care.

Reasons for the lack of flowering in species and varieties

Since all types and varieties of plants (tree-like, large-leaved, paniculate and others) belong to the same family, the rules for planting and caring for them are no different. Accordingly, the reasons for their lack of flowering are the same. The only difference is the pruning rules.

Reasons why garden hydrangea does not bloom for several years

Do not worry if the planted garden hydrangea does not bloom for several years. The fact is that often the first flowering occurs only after 2-3 years of growth. Some varieties of paniculata hydrangea bloom only in the 6th year of cultivation. If, however, after this time, flowering has not occurred, then you need to reconsider the growing conditions of the plant and the rules for caring for it.

Reasons why hydrangea does not bloom indoors

Indoor hydrangea, grown in compliance with all care rules, is also characterized by abundant and long-lasting flowering. The reason for its absence may be an incorrect rest period. Therefore, when growing hydrangea in room conditions The following recommendations should be followed:

• In autumn, at the end of flowering, you need to remove all inflorescences and dried shoots.
• Send the pot with the plant to a dark place where the air temperature is maintained at +10 degrees.
• Stop fertilizing.
• Watering is carried out once every two weeks.
• At the beginning of March, place the plants in normal growing conditions.

In hydrangeas for which the above rest conditions are met, lush flowering, which lasts from late spring to early autumn.

Hydrangea is a very spectacular plant

Hydrangea is a spectacular plant that will decorate any garden plot. At the same time, it refers to medicinal plants and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, diuretic, wound-healing and cleansing effects. Its high decorativeness made it very popular in landscape design. It is planted in flower beds, lawns, and hedges are created. With the help of varieties of petiole hydrangea they make original decor for gazebos and walls. At the same time, it does not require large physical and time expenditures for its care; the main thing is to know what to do if the hydrangea does not bloom.

WITH proper pruning You can get acquainted with hydrangeas in the proposed video clip. Enjoy watching!

Garden hydrangeas They are amazingly beautiful and lush-flowering plants that look very impressive in summer cottages and flower beds.

These beauties can reach a height of up to one and a half meters! Both a single hydrangea and a composition of several bushes in the garden will always delight you with magnificent inflorescences of different colors.

This is favored not only by the variety of shades of spherical and corymbose inflorescences, but also by the shape of the flowers themselves. In the center of the flower ball are female flowers, and larger and brighter male flowers, which consist of four or five enlarged sepals, decorate the edges.

In addition, this plant can be not only a shrub, but also a small tree, and even a liana. The possibilities for site design using hydrangea are endless!

Typically, the flowering period of hydrangea lasts from late spring to early autumn. But sometimes gardeners who planted this plant several years ago do not wait for the inflorescences to appear. It happens that hydrangea blooms poorly, but why is unknown.

Reasons for lack of flowering

Before you look for reasons explaining why garden hydrangea does not bloom and decide what to do, you need to know about some characteristics of the species.

So, tree and paniculate hydrangeas very demanding on living conditions. In addition, young plants will not form inflorescences until they gain strength, and this lasts for years.

It is difficult to say exactly what year after planting hydrangea blooms, because the quality of the soil, the level of lighting, and the regularity of watering all matter.

In most cases, this plant does not bloom due to that its root system is not yet sufficiently developed. If you purchased flowering bush, planted it on the site, and the flowering gradually faded away, don’t be surprised.

Unscrupulous sellers often use growth stimulants to make hydrangeas bloom. As a rule, for another two years after such forced flowering, plants do not release inflorescences, gaining strength.

The second reason is improper pruning of plants. Old varieties of large-leaved garden hydrangeas release inflorescences at the top of the shoots that grew last year. If you have not bothered to protect the bush from frost for the winter and prepare it for winter, then these shoots will have to be removed due to freezing.

It is quite natural that during the flowering season your hydrangea will not please you with lush inflorescences. Moreover, it will not bloom for several years to come.

Pruning of shoots should be done at the end of October. At the same time, several pairs of young buds are left on the shoots. In spring, these young shoots are shortened again to make flowering more luxuriant.

Garden hydrangea bud formation occurs in the fall. If frost hits at the beginning of spring, when they begin to awaken, they will freeze. It is not recommended to remove the cover from the bush until the air temperature at night reaches -5 degrees or above.

The homeland of hydrangeas is Central Asia, where the climate differs from the domestic one. When purchasing plants in stores, please contact attention to varieties which are well acclimatized to our natural conditions.

The fact is that heat-loving hydrangea may simply not have time to lay new flower buds during our short summer, and therefore will not bloom next year.

Although it seems, at first glance, that caring for the garden beauty hydrangea is not difficult, we must not forget that it is capricious. The expected flowering may not occur, or will be scanty, or the buds that appear will not bloom. There are many reasons why hydrangea does not bloom, let’s consider them in order.

Inappropriate landing site selected

Open spaces, illuminated by the sun almost all day long, are completely unsuitable for cultivation, with the exception of only a few varieties of G. serrata, and it also needs a limit of 6-8 hours a day.

If there is no other option, but you want to decorate your plot with luxurious bushes, you have to resort to tricks: low planting - the base is located 10 centimeters below the soil level, trunk circle covered with mulch (peat, sawdust); · choose from the many types of G. paniculata, providing it with regular sufficient moisture, or G. serrata.

Also, heavily shaded corners are not suitable for beauties. In constant shade, hydrangeas bloom very sparsely, and most often the buds do not bloom. All bush varieties do not like wind. They are planted in protected places, but away from brick walls or fences. Such a neighborhood will soon lead to oppression of plants.

It is also necessary to choose a well-drained area, melt or rainwater should not stagnate. You should not plant flowers near large trees - it will suffer from lack of moisture.

If incorrect location is the reason for the lack of flowers, the bush should be replanted, taking into account all the above recommendations.

Incorrect watering mode

Hortense, whose Latin name Hydrangea is a water container that loves moisture. In dry weather, it needs watering so that the soil around its roots does not dry out. It is also important not to overfill it under any circumstances.

Basic rules of watering: ·

in cool weather, watering once a week is sufficient;

• · during hot dry periods – once every three days;
• · on heavy clay soils, moderate watering is carried out less frequently; ·
• on sandy and sandy loam - more often and more abundantly;

Water for irrigation needs soft water (rain, filtered, or tap water that has stood for at least 5 days).

Each plant requires 1-1.5 buckets of water for watering. Bushes under 3 years of age need additional moisture.

Adaptation of purchased seedling

If you buy a seedling with an open root system (without an earthen ball), fewer problems arise; it will be glad to find itself in the ground again. The main thing is to correctly formulate the soil mixture for it and choose the most suitable place.

Composition of the substrate for planting: ·

• fertile land;
• turf;
• peat;
• humus;
• river sand.

Everything is taken in equal parts and mixed thoroughly. This mixture already contains a sufficient amount organic fertilizers, provides good ventilation roots.

It is imperative to bring the acid-base indicator of the soil to normal - for hydrangeas - 5.5-5.6 pH. If the seedling is in a container, the soil from the roots is not shaken off, and the roots are not cut off.

Important! Very often, such babies are fed with chemicals in order to have an impressive presentation. Therefore, in order planting material did not experience severe stress when being in normal conditions, in the first year nutrients are added in slightly increased doses - by 3-7%.

Unbalanced feeding

Excess nitrogen will cause the release of young shoots, but they will not have time to harden before the onset of cold weather. As a result, the new branches will freeze, and the flower buds will die with them.

Please note: You cannot feed with nitrogen even when the flower stalks are ripening. This will provoke the appearance of new foliage, which will interfere with the high-quality formation of buds and full flowering. Therefore, fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied only in the spring, when the growing season begins and lush greenery will only be beneficial for appearance, and for photosynthesis. The remaining fertilizing (for a total of 3 or 4 seasons) is carried out with potassium and phosphorus salts, and before winter they add organic matter - compost or rotted manure.

Other reasons

1. Incorrect autumn pruning or improper shelter for the winter Depending on the variety, flower stalks are formed on the shoots of the previous or current year.

That is why autumn pruning is carried out according to the appropriate rules. For those varieties whose flowers form on last year's branches, timely shelter for the winter is also very important. In order for the young shoots to become stronger and woodier before the onset of cold weather, about 3 weeks before sheltering, all leaves (both old and young) are removed approximately to the middle of the height of the bush.

2. Alkalinization of soil. It also happens if the flower initially grows in an acidified environment. To avoid this, you should use complex fertilizers designed specifically for hydrangeas. They contain additives that regulate soil acidity.

3. Diseases and pests. Although all hydrangeas have increased resistance to diseases and pest attacks, errors in care can lead to various types of damage.

The most common disease is chlorosis, a disorder in the absorption of iron. Powdery mildew is also possible, especially at the end of summer, when it is still hot during the day and the air temperature drops significantly at night.

Of the pests that settle on weakened bushes, the most frequent “guests” are aphids and spider mite. As a result, it turns out that hydrangea not only does not bloom, but it also does not form buds.

4.Unsuitable variety. Many varieties are completely unadapted to the short, cool summer of the northern and northwestern regions: they grow, produce lush greenery, but do not have time to lay and fully form flower buds.

To plant on your site, you should definitely choose those varieties that actively bloom in open ground in this particular region (zoned).

If the choice nevertheless fell on a more heat-loving plant, it makes sense to grow it in winter garden or in large flowerpot to extend the warm season for him by bringing him indoors.

The main thing when buying hydrangeas- choose the right variety that can take root in the climate of the region and survive the winter cold. If the variety is chosen correctly, the lack of flowers may be caused by one of the following factors:

• Unsuitable climate - hydrangea is a fairly heat-loving plant; transplanting to new conditions may experience stress. In an unusual climate, generative buds will not develop. Before buying a flower, you need to find out in what conditions it grew.
• Insufficiency of the root system: young hydrangeas have rather fragile and weak roots; after transplantation, such plants may not bloom for two to five years.
• Young plants do not produce flowers; for flowering, the age of hydrangea should begin at 5 years.
• Incorrect pruning - if you prune incorrectly every year, there will be no flowers, or very few of them.
• Cold - the plant must be covered for the winter, acting carefully and carefully. If you do not cover the hydrangea enough, the shoots will freeze; if you do it too tightly, there is a risk of damaging the branches.
• Inappropriate feeding may be one of the reasons why flowers do not bloom.
• Poor soil - the plant is quite demanding on the quality of fertilizers and the soil in which it grows.
• Artificial stimulation of flowering - if before sale the flower was drip-fed with fertilizers to simulate lush blooming species, next year there may be no flowers at all. In order for the bush to begin to bear flowers, it needs proper care.

By providing garden hydrangeas with proper care, you will get an excellent decoration in the garden, and the fragrant lush inflorescences will delight the eye for a long time. Let your hydrangea bloom as long as it wants!

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