Hydrangea (lat. Hydrangea) – flowering plants of the Hydrangeaceae family, of which in nature, according to various sources, there are from 30 to 80 species. Among them are shrubs and small trees, growing mostly in East and South Asia, China, Japan, the Far East, and the Americas. The plant was named after Princess Hydrangea, whom no one remembers for a long time; later, when botanists were classifying plants, hydrangea received Greek name Hydrangea, which translates as “vessel of water” – the shape of the plant’s seed pods resembles a jug, and the plant itself is very fond of water.
The Japanese call hydrangea "ajisai", which means "purple sun flower". It was from Japan that hydrangea was brought to Europe in 1820, and was initially grown because of its low winter hardiness only as a indoor plant, but breeders were so keen on cultivating hydrangea that by the middle of the 20th century more than 100 garden varieties. In our latitudes, garden hydrangea is represented quite widely - twelve popular species.
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Hydrangea flower - description
Most of the hydrangea species are shrubs with a height of 1 m to 3 m; among hydrangeas there are both trees and vines that climb tree trunks to a height of up to 30 m. Among the representatives of the genus there are evergreen species, and there are deciduous ones, but in our latitudes they are grown namely the latter, blooming from spring to late autumn. Two types of flowers are collected in spherical inflorescences at the ends of the stems - sterile at the edges and fertile in the middle of the inflorescence. The flowers are most often white, but a species such as large-leaved hydrangea is represented by varieties with pink, blue, lilac and red flowers, and the acidity of the soil determines the color of the specimen. For example, in acidic soil hydrangeas grow with blue flowers, in alkaline - with lilac and pink, and in neutral - with soft beige. The fruit of hydrangea is a multipartite capsule with seeds.
In addition to large-leaved, tree hydrangea grows well in our climate, known for its winter hardiness and ability to recover well from severe frosts. Paniculata hydrangea also overwinters well, known for its longevity - it can grow in one place for up to 60 years.
In addition to these three most popular species, such species as serrate hydrangea, serrate hydrangea, climbing hydrangea, radiant hydrangea, Sargent hydrangea, petiolate hydrangea, oakleaf hydrangea and others are known in floriculture.
Pruning hydrangeas after flowering
Caring for hydrangea involves, among other things, pruning it. Some amateur flower growers claim that hydrangea is like lilac - the more you prune, the more luxuriantly it blooms the next year. This is not entirely true, since for paniculata and tree hydrangea this statement is true, but colored (large-leaved) hydrangea cannot be pruned. Large leaf hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots, so young branches that grew this summer must overwinter, and only in next year they may bloom.
As for the species with white flowers, namely paniculate and tree hydrangeas, they bloom on annual stems, so after pruning, as stated, they will have many young shoots that will produce more flowers. It is recommended to prune hydrangeas in the spring, but this must be done carefully, since sap ferments in the plants, and they “cry” when pruned. Many gardeners believe that it is better to prune hydrangeas in the fall.
Based on these differences between species, hydrangeas were divided into two groups based on pruning quality. The first group includes species that bloom on last year's shoots, such as the already mentioned large-leaved hydrangea, as well as serrated, prickly, Sargent, oak-leaved and petiolate liana-shaped hydrangeas. Pruning of these hydrangeas can only be cosmetic, removing last year's inflorescences down to the first pair of strong buds and weak, old shoots completely.
The second group includes species in which buds form on the shoots of the current year: paniculate hydrangea and tree hydrangea. The main pruning of these types of hydrangeas is usually done in the spring, before the start of the growing season. Tree hydrangea is subjected to the procedure only if it is already four years old, otherwise it may die, bleeding juice. However, if you prune in the fall, this problem will not occur. An adult, and especially an old plant that needs to be rejuvenated, is cut “to the stump”, that is, only 10 cm are left from each shoot.
If the bush is too large and old, there is no need to prune it at once, otherwise the short shoots will not be able to feed the large root mass. Rejuvenate the bush in parts over three years.
Paniculate hydrangea is pruned sparingly, like a tree, without touching the skeletal branches: of the several shoots that grow from one point, only those that grow outward are left.
Pruning hydrangeas in the fall is absolutely safe and will ensure your plant blooms luxuriously next year. In hydrangea species of the second group, the inflorescences are cut off so that the fragile branches of the plants do not break under the weight of the snow that sticks to them in winter - this is the case if you do not intend to cover the hydrangea for the winter. In addition, old thick stems are removed from tree hydrangea, and weak thin shoots from paniculata hydrangea, and annual growth is shortened by 2-5 buds.
Preparing hydrangea for winter
Caring for paniculata hydrangea in the fall (and other species too), on the eve of the onset of cold weather, involves covering the hydrangea for the winter. Unfortunately, not a single type of hydrangea can winter in our area without insulation, so preparation garden hydrangeas by winter it should be thorough. The tree hydrangea is the most winter-hardy, but it also needs shelter for the winter, otherwise the ends of its young shoots may freeze.
Start preparing in mid-September: remove all leaves except the top ones in order to speed up the process of lignification of the shoots, and feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (hydrangea is not fertilized with nitrogen in the fall). Now you can cover the hydrangea.
How to cover a hydrangea for the winter
There are several methods of shelter, but it all depends on what kind of winters are in your area. In the southern regions, it is often enough to simply hill up a bush of tree or paniculate hydrangea high. If your winters are unpredictable, then it is better to play it safe and still cover your hydrangeas. Small plants can be completely covered with peat and covered with a film on top - don’t be afraid that the plant may get wet, this probably won’t happen.
A well-proven method allows you to cover a small young plant without causing harm to it: tie a rope around the bush and pull it slowly, without jerking, to boards laid on the ground with nails driven in, to which you tie the plant. Then cover it with spruce branches or sawdust, and cover it with a sheet of old iron, lutrasil grade 30 or spunbond.
People have been familiar with hydrangeas for a long time. Over the course of a long time, plants developed, new species began to appear, methods of care improved, and they themselves acquired completely new properties. Currently they are one of the most common garden and ornamental plants. Hydrangea is mainly grown in open ground, in the garden. However, its species that are more sensitive to cold are cultivated in greenhouses or in a pot at home.
Main types of hydrangea
There are many different varieties(more than 500) hydrangeas. They differ greatly in their appearance, growth conditions and, of course, method of care. And that is why you need to know what species you are dealing with, since the flowering and even growth of your plant depends on this. Let's look at the main ones.
Tree hydrangea
A typical shrub, which is distinguished by constantly growing zero shoots with white flowers in the form of a ball, therefore this hydrangea is very often called white bush or white spherical, depending on the chosen species.
Paniculata hydrangea
It grows as a multi-trunked or single-trunked tree, so many may confuse it with the tree hydrangea. The flowers themselves may be a little similar in appearance to lilacs, but the similarity is minimal.
Large leaf hydrangea
Here the emphasis is not on large sheets, but on large flowers, which is why the plant is often called large-flowered. Sometimes the name is also found because they are most often grown in gardens to create a particularly attractive environment and chic design of the site.
It is the types of hydrangea presented above that are considered the most popular and widespread, which is why people try to grow them most often.
The main secrets of caring for hydrangeas from spring to autumn
In itself, caring for hydrangea in the spring is not very difficult, except for the need for pruning, these plants are not much different from others. But still, it is considered the most demanding species since the process of caring for it includes cleaning the soil from various weeds and old leaves, mulching with peat and loosening. Also, caring for hydrangea in the spring involves fertilizing the soil for growing with special mineral fertilizers, who will be able to provide Better conditions for growing flowers of this species.
In autumn, the soil should be enriched with special minerals and vitamins in order to make growing the plant much more comfortable and have better qualities.
As soon as the snow melts in early spring, you can immediately provide ventilation to the plants, and after the snow has completely melted, you can gradually open them completely so that they are saturated with oxygen and can provide better conditions for further growth and development.
Remember that after opening the plant you should protect it from as they can be destructive for the plant that is not yet ready to open land plots after wintering hydrangeas.
How and when to cover hydrangea?
Heat-loving hydrangeas (large-leaved, serrated or other types) in snowy, but relatively warm winters They easily overwinter without shelter, and they can even bloom in such conditions. It’s not a bad idea to overwinter and hydrangeas will still be able to bloom later if they are hilled up, bent to the ground and covered with any fabric.
remember, that small plants do not tolerate winter well, so they will need to be properly prepared to ensure the best conditions for such a harsh time of year.
The timing of covering hydrangeas is not so important, for example, compared to roses, but in any case it will not be superfluous to monitor the weather, because you can cover hydrangeas even after the first frost.
Pruning hydrangea in spring
It does not require pruning; only dry, diseased or damaged shoots and faded inflorescences are removed. Hydrangea paniculata bushes and trees look much better if they are pruned and the crown is formed.
When should hydrangea paniculata be pruned - in spring or autumn? There is no consensus among experts on this issue.
To get a small bush shape, hydrangeas must be pruned in the spring. Shoots are pruned to 3 or 4 buds. Over the course of the year, the plant will produce many more new branches. If the bush is very old, it can be rejuvenated. This is done by trimming all shoots to the level of the stump or trunk. But in in this case beautiful shape the bush will only have it in its second year. If paniculata hydrangea is not pruned in spring, the plant will look sloppy and may not even bloom.
To form a hydrangea paniculata tree, the shoots are not severely pruned, but only pinched. It is recommended to do this in the summer, twice a season. The main vertical shoot is pinched only once in the spring, at the beginning of the growing season.
When the main shoot grows to required diameter, the crown is laid (at a height of 1-1.5 m). The shoot is cut to 4-5 buds, from which side shoots will subsequently grow in height and width.
Tree hydrangea grows quickly. Over the course of a season, its branches can reach 1.5 m. Pruning hydrangea in the spring can only be beneficial. When pruning, stumps 30-40 cm high are left.
Weak, damaged or broken branches are removed from large-leaved hydrangeas. You cannot trim the apical bud - it is from this that the peduncle is formed. Hydrangeas are not pruned in spring.
Plant propagation
Several methods are used to propagate this plant.
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List of the main advantages of hydrangea
- There is a huge variety of species of this plant, so you can choose any one that interests you to create a unique and original flower garden.
- Many types of hydrangea can be called winter-hardy, so they can be grown without the use of shelter. winter period time.
- Hydrangeas are practically not affected by various plant diseases and pests, so growing them is a pleasure.
- Caring for hydrangeas is not very difficult, so even a young gardener who does not know all the subtleties and complexities of this process can cope with it.
- And, of course, long-lasting flowering is ensured, thanks to which you can preserve the decorative appearance of your flower garden for a long time.
Incomparable hydrangeas have always been popular among gardeners and summer residents because of their luxurious inflorescences of various colors, as well as their ability to create beautiful landscapes on the site. Some of them can curl like vines, others have the shape of a bush or tree, but all of them bloom luxuriously and are fragrant in summer period time. But it should be noted that achieving such beauty by summer takes a lot of effort, since the plant needs care and, of course, proper seasonal pruning.
The pruning procedure is a rather delicate matter; it requires compliance with certain important points. First of all, it is worth understanding when it is better to prune hydrangeas - in spring or autumn.
In most cases, manipulations with hydrangea can be fraught; they can lead to diseases and reduced frost resistance of the plant. Moreover, the cuts themselves may not close at the right time, which will lead to freezing of the bush branches. Usually, already dried flowers are cut in the fall - this is quite safe, since it does not lead to the formation of wounds at the cut sites. In addition, in winter the inflorescences will begin to lower the hydrangea branches downwards, which can break or deform the branches and the entire shrub as a whole.
In the spring, pruning of hydrangeas is carried out in a short time, since it is carried out mainly until the moment when the juice flows through the bush. The main manipulations with hydrangea are carried out precisely in spring period time, although there are also disadvantages and advantages.
Advantages spring pruning of hydrangea:
- Appearance. By pruning a bush in the spring, you will certainly improve it appearance, create a more correct, desired bush shape.
- Abundant flowering. By cutting off dried branches, you stimulate the growth of new, young ones, which will produce more larger, brighter inflorescences.
- Correct selection of branches to cut. In the spring, it is much easier to separate living branches from dying ones, which should be removed for full growth and health of the hydrangea. They are easy to identify by their color, as well as their slightly swollen buds.
- No risk of freezing. By pruning hydrangea branches in the spring, you do not risk the cuts being damaged by winter frosts, as happens when pruning in autumn. However, cuts must be treated with charcoal powder both in autumn and spring. This works as an antiseptic and stimulates the growth of new shoots.
Flaws hydrangea trimmings in spring:
- Short time. In the spring, as a rule, pruning is done during the dormant period, before the sap begins to flow in the plant, since if you are a little late in doing this, you risk seriously harming the shrub or completely depriving yourself of the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful flowering of the unique hydrangea.
- Time to grow. Having cut off the necessary branches, you will not immediately get young inflorescences on the new shoots. You'll have to wait until the end of the season to see the fruits of your handiwork, although it could happen much sooner.
- Growth phases. A little later than expected, pruned branches in the spring can radically shift all phases of plant growth and, thus, the hydrangea will not be able to ripen, nor fully prepare for winter. This will make it vulnerable to frost, which can even lead to the death of the bush.
When to prune in spring: in what month, timing
Typically, the main types of hydrangea pruning are done in early spring, when the ground is still covered. thin layer snow, but it is important to take into account several points that will help you perform the procedure correctly, without harm to the plant.
Once the appropriate day and month of spring have been chosen for pruning the hydrangea, you must use the basic rules for high-quality flower-bearing pruning of the plant:
- adult bush or tree first thinned out;
- weak branches are removed palm's width from the ground;
- are circumcised extra shoots growing inside the bush that give an unwanted shadow;
- produced removing frozen branches up to the beginning of healthy wood;
- garter after fixing the trimmed plant on a suitable support in the form of an iron or wooden pole.
Important! Before you cut anything, you first need to know the name and type of hydrangea that lives in your garden, as this information will help in proper care, will save you from unnecessary problems and disappointments.
Hydrangeas are divided into two main groups:
- Hydrangeas blooming on last year's shoots (large-leaved, oak-leaved, liana-shaped, serrated).
- Hydrangeas blooming on the shoots of the current year (paniculate, tree-like).
Note! Plants of the first group are pruned quite modestly, removing only old dried inflorescences, as well as weak shoots that did not survive the winter well. Standard rules do not apply to them, since they deprive the plant of the opportunity to bloom.
Step-by-step instructions, diagrams and features of pruning hydrangea varieties in spring: types of spring pruning
Having found out that each individual type of hydrangea has its own characteristics and tolerates certain types of pruning differently, it is necessary to understand in more detail about each of them.
Tree variety
Tree hydrangea is pruned in spring and autumn according to the following schemes, using certain types of pruning.
- Removing spherical inflorescences.
- Sanitary pruning - removal of broken, dead ends of branches.
- Rejuvenating - complete removal of old branches.
- Thinning - cutting off zero shoots that are incapable of flowering, which only take away the strength of the flowering bush.
- Pruning for flowering - shortening last year's shoots to the length of about four pairs of strong buds.
Video: spring pruning of tree hydrangea
By the way! A similar scheme and types of spring pruning are also applied to varieties such as ashy, motley hydrangea.
Paniculate variety
Paniculata hydrangea is pruned in spring and autumn according to the following schemes, using certain types of pruning:
- removal of cone-shaped inflorescences;
- sanitary pruning - cutting only dried branches, since this species is resistant to cold, the shoots do not freeze;
- rejuvenating procedure - involves cutting branches with fading growth, as it resembles a tree, has a skeletal trunk and branches;
- shortening shoots for the growth of large young inflorescences;
- thinning pruning - removal of excess shoots in order to avoid thickening and shading of the tree.
Video: spring pruning of paniculata hydrangea
Note! Of the three or four new shoots growing from one bud, you should cut off at least one, and choose the one that grows inside the bush.
Large-leaved variety
Large-leaved hydrangea is pruned in spring and autumn according to the following schemes and using certain types of pruning:
- preservation of new shoots that did not flower;
- removal of only two-year-old faded branches;
- Moreover, pruning of large shoots (2) is carried out right up to the outgoing new branch (1);
- sanitary pruning - cutting off dead, frozen, damaged branches;
- anti-aging pruning – cutting off perennial branches;
- thinning pruning - cutting off small, weak shoots.
Video: spring pruning of large-leaved hydrangea
Worth knowing! Hydrangeas are pruned for flowering in the spring only if this was not done in the fall.
Care after spring pruning
Having successfully completed the stage of spring pruning of your shrub or tree, the next procedure should be competent, consistent care for your hydrangea.
First of all, you need to organize timely feeding the plant which will stimulate fast growth strong beginners, but long, thin growth unsuitable for flowering can be avoided. The best helpers will become mineral fertilizers.
Mulch the soil any suitable material (manure, compost, etc.) is the second important stage of care. This will help strengthen metabolic processes in the roots, create additional protection from pests and weed growth. The layer of such shelter should be at least 5-6 cm in height.
Abundant, regular watering– the key to a luxurious crown and lush, unique flowering of hydrangea. As new growth occurs, young branches should be tied up, as they do not always support new large flowers and can break under their weight.
Popular mistakes when carrying out the pruning procedure
In order to avoid mistakes and not destroy the plant, you should pay attention to the most common mistakes, which amateurs often tend to do while carrying out this type of work.
Popular mistakes when pruning hydrangeas in spring are:
- Incorrect timing of the trimming process itself almost always leads to a slowdown in the growth of hydrangea, as well as its meager and unremarkable flowering.
- Failure to comply with the rules, sequence, procedure entails the formation of unsuccessful forms of shrubs, its total overgrowth or death.
- Ignoring recommendations for each individual variety hydrangea can ruin the plant even before the start of its expected full life and development.
- Incompetence regarding name and type acquired seedling also leads to serious errors in further care and sample development.
- Lack of any care at all behind a plant is simply unacceptable if we're talking about about the vulnerable beauty hydrangea.
In conclusion, I would like to say that by growing a unique hydrangea on your plot or garden, you will receive maximum emotions and impressions from its beauty, which will not allow you to be lazy and ignore its presence. Your hands will reach out to do something special and necessary for it, and seasonal spring pruning of hydrangea will become a completely familiar, favorite thing for you.
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Visible behind almost everyone's fence garden plot. Large, with caps of inflorescences, smaller and more modest, or only in leaves. The decorative quality of this popular shrub, which is not too picky about growing conditions, is influenced by climate, weather during the growing season, its age and, of course, our care. What can you do in the fall to ensure your hydrangeas look healthy and bloom profusely next summer? First of all, this correct pruning and proper shelter for the winter.
Is autumn pruning required for hydrangeas?
Gardeners often wonder whether it is necessary to prune hydrangeas in the fall. Some gardeners carry it out only in the spring, while some do without pruning at all, preferring not to injure the plant in any way. Experience shows that to preserve hydrangea, annual abundant flowering and creating the desired shape of the bush requires carefully thought out and correctly carried out pruning.
Attention! At improper pruning hydrangea may not bloom at all.
It all depends on the type of plant. The most popular and common are paniculate, tree-like and large-leaved hydrangeas. Other species are also cultivated - Bretschneider's hydrangea, petiolate, serrated, ashy. The first of them bloom on the current year's shoots, the others on last year's shoots.
According to the type of flowering, hydrangeas are divided into two groups, requiring different approach to pruning. They are represented by:
- the first group is large-leaved hydrangea;
- the second group is paniculate and tree hydrangeas.
Pruning hydrangeas of the first group
Paniculata hydrangea should be pruned like a tree, without disturbing the skeletal branches. If several shoots grow from one place, leave only those that grow outward. Remove old and damaged shoots. Remember, panicle 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 paniculate hydrangeas is to form a bush; for adults, it is to thin out and rejuvenate.
With the help of pruning, you can get the usual bush or standard form (a sort of bouquet on a stick, very impressive).
For tree hydrangeas, only sanitary pruning, removing broken, dried out or pest-damaged shoots. Remove dry inflorescences. Do you want to rejuvenate your bush? Trim it mercilessly, leaving shoots no more than 10 cm.
Pruning hydrangeas of the second group
In autumn, large-leaved hydrangeas cannot be cut off with young, not yet flowering shoots, because flower buds have already formed on them, which 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 autumn, cut out part of the old shoots to the very base - you will get strong replacement shoots and good flowering.
Advice. To give the bush a compact shape and maintain it, completely cut out inclined and crossing shoots.
How to preserve hydrangeas in winter - shelter for the winter
Before leaving for winter, decide whether you need to cover the hydrangea on your site:
- evaluate the climatic features of winter in your region:
- evaluate the winter hardiness of hydrangea;
- select the appropriate type of shelter.
Attention! Wintering affects the survival of the plant, its condition in the future growing season, the timing and quality of flowering.
By decreasing winter hardiness, hydrangea types are arranged in the following order:
- paniculata;
- tree-like;
- large-leaved.
Paniculate hydrangea tolerates cold better than other species. It can overwinter without shelter, and if it freezes, it will quickly recover in the spring. All it takes is mulching trunk circle– to protect the root system.
The next most cold-hardy species is tree hydrangea. Mature plant can survive the winter well without shelter, also with a mulched tree trunk. Young plants often have young shoots that freeze in cold winters.
Large-leaved hydrangea is thermophilic. It can go through the winter period without shelter only if the bush is small, bent to the ground and completely covered with snow at least 70 cm thick.
Advice. Large-leaved hydrangea and young (up to 4 years old) bushes of paniculata and tree hydrangea must be covered for the winter.
Prepare your hydrangea for the upcoming winter: a few weeks before sheltering, stop watering, switch from nitrogen fertilizers for phosphorus-potassium; immediately before sheltering, remove dry leaves, except for the top leaves of the large-leaved species (they will protect the flower buds from the cold).
Ways to cover hydrangeas for the winter
First way– leaves. Follow the steps:
- tie the branches with rope;
- tilt the branches towards the ground and secure them, for example, with wire pins or rope to driven pegs;
- cover the plant with leaves;
- secure 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;
- Place another layer of spruce branches on top;
- cover with covering material or a simple cloth;
- secure the cover.
Third way- air-dry shelter. Follow the steps:
- sprinkle the base of the bush with dry soil;
- tilt the bush, but not too close to the ground;
- fix the inclined shoots;
- install a low frame of boards or wire so that the snow completely covers it and is strong enough to support a layer of snow;
- cover the frame non-woven material, thick paper, with water- and light-proof material on top; leave holes for ventilation;
- After the onset of cold weather and snowfalls, close the holes.
Organize a reliable wintering for your hydrangea and in summer you will see it in all its glory.
Caring for hydrangea in the garden: video
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Pruning and shaping hydrangeas
All types of hydrangeas are beautiful in their own way, but to preserve these plants in the garden long years For annual and abundant flowering, hydrangeas, like no other plants, require careful and, most importantly, correct pruning. The correctness of pruning determines how decorative the plant will be and how abundant the flowering will be. Pruning largely determines the size of the inflorescences. If pruned incorrectly, large-leaved hydrangeas may not bloom at all. As a result of pruning, the bush is formed in accordance with the design intent.
The main pruning of hydrangeas is carried out in the spring. In autumn, most species do not need to be pruned; it is only important to cut off faded inflorescences, especially on paniculate hydrangeas, which reduces the breaking off of branches. Heat-loving hydrangeas are pruned before covering primarily to make work easier. Sometimes it is convenient to postpone part of the main pruning to autumn. The timing of spring pruning is not very important; it is usually carried out after the snow melts before the leaves begin to grow. I did not observe the leakage of juice noted by some authors during late pruning. Just as for other shrubs, after an unfavorable winter or freezing, pruning is best done at a more late dates, when the degree of damage to shoots and buds is better visible. Rejuvenation of old bushes with cutting out large branches is best done in a more early dates. The formation of plants and their pruning are determined by the characteristics of the growth of shoots and the formation of flower buds on them. They vary greatly for different types hydrangeas, so we will consider these issues separately for the main species.
Pruning and shaping tree hydrangea
Tree hydrangea is a typical shrub with a high shoot-forming ability and a large number of zero shoots. Therefore, it is usually formed as a free-growing bush. After planting, the shoots are usually shortened for better growth of the bush. In tree hydrangea, flowering is abundant at the ends of the shoots of the current year, and these annual shoots are formed along the entire length of the shoots of the previous year, as well as on more old wood and even on underground shoots (zero shoots). The strongest zero shoots can be flowering. Thanks to this, hydrangea can be heavily pruned without harming flowering. Tree hydrangeas receive all the annual pruning done on most shrubs. Let us consider them in the order in which they are carried out in practice.
Sanitary pruning- for tree hydrangea this is mainly pruning the frozen ends of last year's shoots and broken branches.
Anti-aging pruning- cutting out branches older than 3-4 years of age to the base and, first of all, those with weak growth from the previous year.
Thinning pruning- cutting out small shoots that are not capable of flowering, thickening the bush, growing in the center and, above all, weak zero shoots.
Pruning for flowering- shortening last year's growths, leaving 2 - 4 pairs of well-developed buds on them, from which strong shoots that bloom this year grow. Often after frosty winters, sanitary pruning of frozen shoots replaces all types of pruning.
Tree hydrangea
.
- pruning inflorescences
- sanitary pruning
- rejuvenating
- thinning of shoots
- pruning for flowering - shortening shoots
A number of related species: motley, ashen and others are trimmed in the same way.
Pruning and forming paniculate hydrangea
This hydrangea also has a high shoot-forming ability, but the ability to form zero shoots is reduced, especially in mature plants. Paniculate hydrangea can grow either as a bush or as a tree. It produces the current year's shoots from all the previous year's buds and buds on older wood, with most of the current year's shoots ending in an inflorescence. Thus, from year to year the number of shoots and inflorescences rapidly increases, the shoots weaken, and the inflorescences become smaller. That is why paniculate hydrangeas need the formation of young plants and annual fairly strong pruning of adult plants.
A young plant can be formed in a bush and tree-like (standard) form. When forming a bush, the seedling is planted several centimeters deep so that several shoots immediately appear coming out of the ground. As they grow, strong zero shoots are left, and weak shoots are removed. The crown is formed by shortening last year's growths, leaving 1 - 3 pairs of buds and cutting out excess branches.
The standard form is formed from a seedling with a pronounced stem.
Formation of the standard form of paniculate hydrangea
The first years a standard is created: new zero shoots are removed, the continuation shoot is tied up in a vertical position, annual shoots on the trunk are pinched in the summer and serve to feed and thicken the trunk, and next spring they are cut into a ring. When the standard reaches required height 0.5-1 m in spring from last year's shoots of the upper part of the plant form a crown. You can create a tree with 2-3 trunks, which makes it more stable and reliable.
First year - planting
2 - 3 years - “raising” the trunk
4th year - crown formation
1 planted young plant with buds
2 spring shortening of the shoot
3 bending the continuation shoot
4 pinching shoots of the current year
5 removal of last year's shoots to form a trunk
6 removal of shoots formed on the trunk
7 crown formation from last year’s shoots
8 trunks 0.5 - 1m high
Adult pruning plants
Pruning of an adult plant is carried out mainly in the spring. In autumn, it is necessary to trim off faded inflorescences, because... fragile branches easily break off after snowfalls; sometimes the inflorescences are cut off with part of the shoot to make it easier spring pruning and further reduce the likelihood of branches breaking.
Sanitary pruning- for paniculate hydrangea this is mainly the removal of broken branches, because freezing occurs only in very frosty winters. Old plants tend to have quite a lot of dead, dried out branches.
Anti-aging pruning- closer to tree trimming, because even when forming a bush, paniculate hydrangea has fairly thick and durable trunks and skeletal branches. Therefore, the main trunks and skeletal branches can be preserved for many years, and only the old branches, with fading growth, are cut out into a ring or up to a branching young branch. I consider the “planting on a stump” recommended in some sources for paniculate hydrangea (as opposed to tree hydrangea) to be inappropriate.
Thinning pruning. This hydrangea has a very high shoot-forming ability. It thickens quickly and lighting conditions worsen. It is necessary to cut out small branches that do not produce high-quality inflorescences, all growing inside the bush. Of the three young shoots growing from one point, you need to leave 1 - 2 shoots growing outward.
Pruning for flowering aimed at developing strong growth with large inflorescences. It consists of shortening all last year's shoots in the spring, leaving 1 - 3 pairs of buds on them, from which the current year's shoots with inflorescences will develop. It must be borne in mind that the thicker the shoot that is trimmed, the more buds can be left on it without deteriorating the quality of the inflorescences.
Paniculata hydrangea
pruning in autumn. . . . . . . pruning in spring
1 inflorescence trimming
2 sanitary pruning
3 rejuvenating
4 pruning for flowering - shortening shoots
5 thinning - removing excess shoots
Pruning and shaping large-leaved hydrangea
This type of hydrangea is a typical shrub. Throughout its life, zero shoots are formed annually, and 4-6 year old shoots become obsolete. Unlike other species, the main flowering occurs on shoots growing from the upper buds of last year's shoots. The lower the buds, the less likely it is that flowering shoots will form from them. Therefore, it is so important to preserve in winter young shoots and their tops that do not bloom this year, which will flower next year. The peculiarity of pruning this hydrangea is that the shoots are not shortened, except when they freeze. If pruned incorrectly or the shoots are severely shortened due to freezing, large-leaved hydrangeas may not bloom at all.
Pruning for flowering serves the purpose of annual education and best growth young shoots for flowering next year. Therefore, if there are a lot of faded shoots, they are cut out in the fall after flowering, improving the growth conditions of young ones. Trimming large-leaved hydrangeas can have varietal characteristics. There are varieties with reduced shoot-forming ability, and they need to be pruned less. On new varieties that can bloom on the current year's shoots, it is more correct to carry out the same pruning while preserving last year's shoots. In warm climates, this makes flowering very long - first on old and then on young shoots. With our short summer, annual shoots bloom too late.
Large leaf hydrangea
pruning in autumn. . . . . . . pruning in spring
1 young non-flowering shoots (preserved)
2 2-year-old faded shoots
3 pruning of faded shoots (2) to the outgoing young branch (1 on the right)
4 sanitary pruning
5 anti-aging pruning
6 thinning pruning
In the fall, if this hydrangea will overwinter under the simplest shelter, you do not need to prune it, but only remove the inflorescences. Hydrangea overwintering under air-dry cover is better to prune first in the fall, and finally in the spring. Before the shelter, all branches with flowers are cut off until a strong young non-flowering branch emerges; this is pruning for flowering, and then the leaves are removed. Naturally, if for one reason or another there are few or almost no strong young branches that have not bloomed, then not all branches with flowers are cut off. On young plants and varieties with low shoot-forming ability, pruning for flowering is almost not carried out; only old inflorescences are pruned.
In the spring they carry out: sanitary pruning - removal of frozen ends of shoots, dry and broken branches; rejuvenating - cutting out old branches at the base of the bush; thinning - cutting out small branches that are not valuable for flowering. If the hydrangea was pruned before covering, pruning for flowering in the spring is not carried out.
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