Hydrangea is one of the world's most abundant flowering plants. In total, about 70–80 species of it are known, but only a few of them grow in Russia. Garden varieties different types this plant blooms profusely and is relatively unpretentious to care for. This also applies to amateur flower growers all over the world. In Russia, of its species that have varieties suitable for local conditions, most often the following are planted: tree, paniculate and large-leaved.
Most of all the hassle of caring for them is associated with preparing the plants for winter. The volume and nature of these works are determined by the climatic conditions and the variety of hydrangea. The most winter-hardy is the panicle hydrangea. Some of its varieties are able to withstand temperatures as low as –35 ° C. Indeed, the natural range of this species is Sakhalin included. Have panicle hydrangea, especially for varieties with high frost resistance, for the winter it is usually sufficient to protect only root system- cover her soil trunk circle... And even then, they do it only in regions with severe winters. The stems of panicle hydrangea almost never freeze, and flower buds are formed on shoots growing in the current year.
Tree hydrangea also has good frost resistance. However, in climatic zones with severe winters in the fall, it is recommended to completely cover it so that young shoots do not freeze. But even if this is not done, this will hardly affect the plant itself, and it will not affect its flowering at all. Treelike hydrangea with frozen shoots quickly recovers in spring. This process will take even less time if you carry out timely pruning and feeding of the plant. Flower buds in a tree hydrangea, as well as in a paniculata, are formed on shoots that grow in the current year.
Large-leaved hydrangea is the most popular among gardeners around the world and in Russia, but with low winter hardiness. This species includes about 600 varieties, the vast majority of which are thermophilic. Only some varieties can do without a full-fledged shelter on Black sea coast, and some especially frost-resistant ones do not freeze out in the conditions of the European regions of Russia. But even these plants must be completely protected from the winter cold, because the large-leaved hydrangea blooms from the buds of the shoots that grew last year.
That is, flower buds are formed on the shoots of the current summer. They must be preserved in the winter, covering the hydrangea, otherwise on next year it will not blossom. Thus, depending on the selected species and variety, the purpose of sheltering hydrangeas may be protection from freezing only of the root system or also young shoots. A frost-affected plant will die - in the worst case, and in the best case, it will only weaken for a while, but may not bloom in the summer. It all depends on the selected variety, the features of which must be taken into account during the pre-winter hydrangea preparation.
For hydrangeas to winter well, it is not enough to do only the necessary autumn works... So, you should be aware of the basic conditions that need to be created for this plant on the site. in shaded areas on acidified soils, needs fertilization and frequent watering. Does not tolerate the presence of lime in the resulting moisture. Therefore, it needs to be watered only with soft water, preferably rainwater, and tap water must be defended.
It is necessary to start preparing hydrangeas for winter in advance - no later than the second half of July. From this point on, it is necessary to abandon nitrogen fertilizers, switching to phosphorus-potassium. This will already prepare the plants for winter. At the beginning of autumn, it is necessary to stop watering the hydrangeas, and tear off the leaves from the lower sections of the shoots. This will contribute to the lignification of plants. On a large-leaved hydrangea, leaves must be left on top - they will protect flower buds from freezing in winter.
In anticipation of the first cold weather and before sheltering in paniculate, tree-like and large-leaved hydrangeas, it is recommended to prune faded inflorescences. Have last kind it is important not to cut off the shoots with flower buds at the same time, which should bloom next year.
Shelter method for hydrangea No. 1
Before proceeding with the warming of hydrangeas, you need to find out exactly which variety and type is planted on the site. Classic and frost-resistant paniculate and tree-like plants, most often, do not need shelter. To insure their bushes in the fall should be well spud, well, and you can still throw dry leaves on the trunk circle (but not with fruit trees) or lay spruce branches, as shown in the photo.
But this only applies to mature plants. One-year-old seedlings, like large-leaved hydrangea, it is imperative to completely cover for the winter. The most common proven ways to warm hydrangeas are as follows. First, you need to cover the trunk circle with dry earth to protect the lower buds and root system from frost. When the soil under the hydrangeas is damp, it is advisable to mulch the entire covered area with dry soil to reduce the moisture under the shelter being created. Then we choose one of the options for continuing the insulation.
We lay half-meter boards around the hydrangea bush. We carefully bend the shoots of the plant, having previously tied them in a bundle, in one direction, or better unbound - in a fan or sun around the circumference, as in the photo. At the same time, we fix them:
- we tie it with ropes to the nails previously driven into the boards;
- clamp in the cracks between the boards;
- press with stones, bricks or other suitable materials.
Then we cover the plants with dry leaves (again, not from fruit trees) and cover with Lutrasil or Spunbond brand 30.
Additional options for warming a plant
The second method of shelter is to cover the soil around the hydrangea with a small amount of spruce branches, and already on it we lay the shoots of the plant in one of the ways suggested above. We fix them at the base and at the ends using wooden or iron staples. Put spruce branches on top of the shoots, and then Lutrasil... Then we do next layer- from peat or sawdust. We also cover it with spruce branches. Flower buds can be further protected.
To do this, we place capacious plastic bags filled with dry leaves along the periphery of the decomposed plant. The same packages are placed under the base of poorly bending shoots. They will not let these branches break. Then the entire structure is covered from above with a film or roofing material. The more severe the winter, the more insulation layers need to be made. Their alternation and the use of one or another of the above materials does not matter. The main thing is to follow the given basic rules for creating a hydrangea shelter.
Another very popular hiding place is air dry. First we tie the hydrangea bush, and then we wrap it Spunbond or Lutrasil, as shown in the video. Then we set a frame made of a rigid, preferably metal mesh around it, 20–25 cm from the shoots. This fence should rise 10 cm above the top of the plant. We fill the frame with dry leaves, and on top we cover the entire structure with a waterproof material - roofing felt, film or the like. This method is also used to cover one-year-old paniculate and tree-like hydrangeas.
It is better to remove container and tubular plant specimens on the veranda, in the basement or other enclosed space. When such an opportunity is absent, a pit is made on the site. Choosing a sunny place with a sufficiently large depth of occurrence groundwater... Digging a trench there. Its depth should be such that at least 10-15 cm remains from the top of the bush placed in it to the soil surface. We install hydrangeas in the trench, and then cover them with boards or a wooden lattice, as in the photo.
We lay on top Lutrasil or Spunbond... To create an additional insulating air gap, empty boxes can be hoisted over the trench by turning them upside down and sprinkling with leaves. We put some waterproof material on top. In the spring, we disassemble the hydrangea shelter gradually - layer by layer as the weather becomes warmer.
Hydrangea tolerates the harsh climate of our country well. But for normal wintering it needs shelter. In the case of this frost-resistant plant, a shelter for the winter will preserve the flower buds. This means that next year she will delight you with wonderful flowering.
Preparing hydrangeas for winter
This flowering plant is very common in the world. There are over 70 types of hydrangea, but our country growers grow only a few of them. Garden varieties bloom well and delight their owners with a beautiful view. And thanks to unpretentious care it is chosen by novice gardeners or those who want to have beautiful flower garden without a permanent job in it.
The most popular types of hydrangea in our country are:
- Tree-like
- Paniculata
- Large-leaved
As mentioned above, hydrangea unpretentious plant... And all the difficulties are associated only with preparing the plant for winter. The more difficult the climate in your area, the more seriously you need to prepare the bushes for wintering.
It has good winter hardiness. Most varieties of this plant tolerate frosts well below 30 degrees. It is enough for gardeners to protect the root system. Cover the bushes around the trunk circle. No stem protection required. Flowers will appear on this year's shoots. How to cover? Use spruce branches or dry leaves.
Video "How to cover a panicle hydrangea for the winter"
Possesses no less frost resistance. But in areas with severe frosts in winter, it is better to cover it completely. Even if the shoots of this type of hydrangea freeze, they will quickly recover in the spring. Especially if you carry out top dressing and pruning in a timely manner. Flower shoots in the tree-like variety of this plant appear on the shoots current year.
The most popular hydrangea in our gardens is. Unfortunately, it is she who has the lowest winter hardiness. Most of its 600 varieties are thermophilic. Some of them can hibernate without shelter in the southernmost regions of Russia. The rest are in need of preparation for wintering without fail.
If you are wondering: "What hydrangeas should be covered for the winter?", Then the answer to this question will be - all types of large-leaved varieties of this plant. The thing is that they bloom from the buds of last year. And in the absence of proper preparation, they can freeze out in winter.
Based on this, it should be noted that preparing a hydrangea for winter is reduced to protecting its root system and flowering buds from low temperature. A plant severely affected by low temperatures can weaken and even die. Naturally, there can be no talk of any flowering of the affected bushes.
Video "When to cover a large-leaved hydrangea for the winter"
Hydrangea in Autumn: Preparing for Winter
It is necessary to prepare this plant for wintering. ... ... back in the spring. In order for it to prepare well for the cold weather, it is necessary to organize proper care for it throughout the season. The flower garden, where the bushes will grow, should be in a shaded place slightly. Based on this, it is necessary to water the bushes only with settled water. One in which the amount of lime is minimized. If possible, it is better to use rainwater.
Preparation for winter should begin no later than the second part of summer. Nitrogenous fertilizers need to be replaced with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. And at the beginning of autumn, it is necessary to exclude watering the bushes and tear off the leaves from the lower parts of the shoots. This will help make the bark coarser and easier to tolerate cold temperatures.
Leave the top leaves of the large-leaved hydrangea. They will create additional protection flower shoots... Thanks to which they are better preserved in winter.
Before the onset of cold weather, prune the faded inflorescences. This must be done very carefully so as not to cut off the buds of future inflorescences. If this happened, then there can be no talk of any flowering.
Hydrangea in autumn preparing for winter - pruning
How to cover a hydrangea for the winter
Shelter for the winter of a young hydrangea
Young hydrangeas of any kind need shelter for the winter. To do this, cover the area under the trunk with dry soil. This will reduce the amount of moisture in the area of the trunk circle and reduce the risk of death of the lower buds from severe frost. Then you need to do the following:
- Lay the boards near the hydrangea bush and drive nails into them
- Gently press the shoots to the boards and tie them to the pre-hammered nails
- Cover the bushes with spruce branches or dry leaves (not from fruit trees)
- From above, you need to cover everything with such material as lutrasil or spunbond
How to shelter a young hydrangea for the winter? You can use the air-dry method. We tie the shoots of one bush together and wrap them with lutrasil. Around the bush, we install a frame made of rigid wire, mesh or thin reinforcement. The structure should be 10 cm higher than the bush. We fill it with dry leaves and use roofing material or film to protect them from moisture.
Shelter for the winter of a large-leaved hydrangea
A large-leaved variety of this plant can be covered the same way... Or use the following option:
- We spread the spruce branches around the bushes in a thin layer
- We lay branches on it and fix it in any way
- We also put spruce branches on top and cover with the above materials.
- We make a layer of sawdust (can be replaced with peat)
- And again we make a layer of spruce branches
- From above, you can cover the entire "structure" with roofing felt
The more severe the winter, the more "flaky" such a cake should turn out to be. But it is important to cover the bushes so as not to break the shoots from the weight of the materials. You can reduce the risk of this problem by creating a wireframe.
This method is well suited for tree or panicle hydrangeas in the Urals and in regions with a more severe climate.
When to cover a hydrangea for the winter
When to cover panicle hydrangea and other species of this plant? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. It all depends on the region where your garden is located. Since many species tolerate cold well, their shelter can be postponed until the moment when the thermometer begins to drop to zero degrees at night. If you are growing a large-leaved hydrangea, it is better to do the preparatory procedures earlier. At what temperature should it be done? The main thing is to be in time before the first frost.
We figured out when to cover the hydrangea, and also learned about which species of this plant are most affected by frost. Although this plant is not picky, it reacts very strongly to a lack of care and warmth. If you do not pay attention to the hydrangea bushes in your garden, do not cover them for the winter, then they can "answer" you in kind. That is, bad flowering. If you want hydrangea to give you a bright and lush bloom, take care of this wonderful plant.
For many years now, hydrangeas have firmly taken their place not only in gardens and flower beds, but also in the hearts of flower lovers. Novice gardeners are frightened by the capriciousness of the plant. Consider grooming and preparing in the fall ahead of winter to keep hydrangeas happy for years.
Tree and paniculate firmly endure the cold of the middle lane and the suburbs, even Siberian frosts, heavy snowfalls protect the bush. If this plant is frozen over, it easily regenerates in spring.
The youngest bushes should be covered from the wind with covering material, spruce branches, etc. It is worth protecting plants from cold weather if the winters in your region are not very snowy, but with frost.
For the rest, it is enough just to huddle the bushes, at the beginning of autumn remove all the leaves, leaving only the upper ones, so that the bush “grows stiff” faster.
The most demanding winter shelter was the large-leaved and petiolate liana hydrangea, which even small frosts are poorly tolerated... The latter must be removed from the support if necessary.
You need to cover before the thermometer drops to -3 degrees
Ways and options for covering hydrangeas and preparing for winter
Sawdust, twigs and foliage
Prepare a litter of sawdust, spruce branches around the plant, even dry leaves will do. Lower the shoots to the sides from the center of the bush to the ground, in a circle. Secure them with staples, twigs, etc.
Anyone can serve as a blanket material like spunbond, lutrasil, agrotek... The colder the winters, the more layers will be required. Lapnik, etc. can be alternated with covering material, sawdust.
It is permissible to use compost soil as the penultimate layer. The last layer to choose from: roofing material, wooden board, film. Reinforce it with bricks or stones to prevent gusts of wind from blowing away the shelter.
You can collect shoots, tie them together and bend them to the ground. Secure with staples or in another way and "cover" with the same sawdust, spruce branches, foliage.
On the sides build supports using available materials... Lay agrotek (lutrasil, etc.) on them, and on top that will protect the plant from precipitation.
A warning to beginners: bending branches to the ground, do not break them.
Tying shoots: what to prepare
If the hydrangea is very woody, then tie the shoots together and wrap them in several layers with the available agrofibre. Fence the bush with a net or other materials (planks, stakes) so that the frame is 15-20 cm higher than the plant.
Inside (between the fence and the bush) add sawdust, needles or foliage... Use a film, roofing felt, etc. on top.
Air dry shelter
The framework is used, which has already been mentioned. We cover it with a covering material in several layers so that it sags a little.
If a film is used on top, pull it tight, then the air between the layers of our "blanket" will allow us to retain additional heat.
The advantages of this method:
- protective layers cannot harm the plant
- in case of warming, the bush will not rot
- convenient to ventilate
Save the wireframe before next winter! It can be used for several years in a row, which will speed up preparation for cold weather in the future.
The shelter method using frames is convenient in that you can make one for several plants.
Why and how to properly prune varieties for the winter
There is no consensus on the best pruning time for plants. Spring needs to be in time prune during dormancy... Autumn time for garden work usually more. there is no risk of being late.
Flower buds are laid in summer, that is, it blooms on last year's shoots.
It is permissible for her to shorten the branches to form beautiful shape bush, removal of dead shoots. Autumn pruning is preferred.
In the fall, dried flowers are removed. In spring, sanitary pruning is indicated, weak and damaged branches are removed. One-year-old shoots are shortened, keeping no more than five buds. Young shoots will appear quickly, flowering will become more abundant.
Pruning like a tree removing old and interfering shoots without touching the main ones. If hydrangea rejuvenation is required, cardinal pruning is possible, to a height of 10 cm from the ground.
If the bush is large, do not rush to cut it entirely, stretch the procedure for 3 years. Panicle hydrangea forms flower buds on the shoots of the current year. They are formed on branches from two years old.
In autumn and spring, the same pruning activities are carried out as in the tree hydrangea. V further trimming forming, depends on the type of desired crown.
It is important to remove the inflorescences since thin branches with soft wood panicle hydrangeas suffer from snow accumulation.
We described in detail the subspecies of this variety in the article.
Highly lush bush blooming on the shoots of the current year, but pruning it is only shortening the stems and forming the crown.
The first 4 years are very weak growth. Therefore, at this time it is not cut off. Then pruning to strong buds and sanitary is permissible.
Her considered a large-leaved form, but it is advised to prune as such shrub species. These include hydrangeas:
- oak-leaved;
- radiant;
- ashy;
- rough or rough;
- Sargent, or Sargent;
- motley.
They are trimmed approximately same as tree or paniculate... Young bushes are not pruned, two-year-olds undergo only sanitary pruning, from the third year pruning to 2-3 strong buds
- stimulating for lush bloom(keep 3-4 buds on the shoot);
- sanitary(removal of diseased, damaged branches;
- formative and thinning (to give a beautiful plant shape and to reduce the density of shoots);
- rejuvenating pruning. On an adult plant, up to 10 strong shoots are preserved, of which no more than half are last year. Shoots over 4 years old and those that give a weak growth are cut at the root.
In a large-leaved hydrangea, only faded inflorescences are removed in the fall.
The main method of caring for a pruned hydrangea is feeding and mulching.
How to help hydrangeas recover from winter
In order for the plant to come out well from winter, do not forget cut off lower leaves and stop watering the plant, then it will become stronger. With the onset of warmth, gradually remove the layers of the shelter, if you have produced it.
The large-leaved hydrangea can be fully opened when the above-zero temperature is established outside, not only during the day, but also at night.
Evaluate the condition of the plant after wintering, whether there are spots or blackness on the leaves. Severely damaged shoots and leaves must be removed. Then carry out the treatment with Bordeaux salt or copper preparations and repeat it after 2-3 weeks.
For prevention carry out regular treatment with universal preparations against fungi, bacterial infections, but not earlier than once every 21 days.
The first feeding should contain potassium, phosphates and urea. Nitrogen stimulates the growth of new shoots and leaves.
The lush and colorful bloom will be the subject of your joy and pride. As noted in the article, large-leaved the most capricious.
Large-leaved proved to be the most fastidious in terms of care It must be wrapped well for the winter. In general, caring for hydrangea bushes is simple and comes down to correct pruning and regular feeding. The time spent is worth admiring the results of labor.
Often gardeners-summer residents do not want to be limited only to plants adapted to the local climate and which require much less attention than the heat-loving "southerners". always arouse admiration and you definitely want to see them in your flower bed. Perhaps this is only when creating conditions for these cultures that are familiar to them.
The captivating hydrangea was no exception. To admire her abundant flowering in summer and autumn, you need to take care of proper preparation to winter, and protect the plant from the effects of many adverse factors.
Since the plant is quite thermophilic, the thicker the shelter for it, the better. The attractiveness of hydrangea is that it is not threatened with damping, no matter how it is wrapped up, so any materials can be used for insulation, even those that do not allow air to pass through.
Most of all, the tops of the shoots and the flower buds at their ends are susceptible to freezing, which means that you should cover the hydrangea until frosty days come. Since the powerful shoots of the plant are high enough, different methods of shelter are used.
Ways to hide hydrangeas for the winter
In addition to the fact that the hydrangea bushes are tall, they are also spreading, so its branches are tied with a rope or wire. Then take roofing material of sufficient length to wrap it around the plant and securely fix it. It is not necessary to tightly wrap and squeeze the bush - a free space of 10 cm should be left between it and the walls of the roofing material. At the top, the roofing material should be half a meter above the hydrangea bush. Then fallen leaves fall asleep inside this "cylinder", evenly distributing it.
If the bush is not tall, it can overwinter under an impressive snow cover of 70-90 cm without any shelter, but such an abundance of snow is rare. You will also need certain preparatory work- you will need to bend the branches to the ground.
1 inclined shoots, 2 hilling, 3 spruce branches, 4 lutrasil, 5 stone
Lapnik is also great as a covering material. The bush is first poked up, spruce branches are laid out near it, a hydrangea is carefully bent down and laid on it, on top of which another layer of spruce branches is placed. This "structure" must be covered with any material: lutrasil, polyethylene, etc., pressing down along the edges with stones.
Hydrangea covered with spruce branches
You can do without spruce branches by repeatedly wrapping a pre-installed frame from wooden slats or wire.
Before carrying out the "covering" work, all the leaves are cut off from the hydrangea, leaving only the apical ones, and earth is poured into the base of the bush. Whatever the type of insulation, holes are needed in it to carry out ventilation, but they are closed with a steady cold snap. During the winter, all further care consists in adding snow to the covered bush, and only with spring warming will it be necessary to resume airing again.
How to reanimate hydrangea after winter
When hydrangea wintered "correctly", it will certainly delight its caring owner with bright green leaves and magnificent flowering. But what if the flower was left without shelter for the winter?
You can already achieve the ideal look from it, since the cold has done its job - the plant, if it survived, then it is very weak, vulnerable and most susceptible to infection with diseases and pest attacks. Blackening and spots on the leaves will indicate these troubles.
What activities can and should be carried out in such cases? Treatment with copper preparations or Bordeaux liquid of 1% concentration will help from fungal diseases. It is better to remove heavily affected foliage and re-process the plant after 2-3 weeks. For prevention, you can use and biological agents(for example, phytosporin), with regularity once every 2-3 weeks, but only 3 weeks after treatment with chemicals.
Pests are afraid of insecticides, careful spraying of the drug will get rid of most of their representatives. The depressed state of the flower can also cause an excessive amount of alkali in the soil, therefore, the regulation of acidity will benefit the plant.
An unsuccessful wintering requires special care from the owner - you need to immediately remove all dry and frozen branches, carry out a comprehensive feeding with nutrients, and spray the plant repeatedly. It will not bloom this year, but next summer, with proper preparation for life in winter conditions the beautiful hydrangea will bloom in full force, bending under the weight of its multi-colored flower caps.
Preparing hydrangeas for winter video. Pruning
Hydrangea (Hydrangea) - beautiful ornamental shrub, there are several common species of this plant. Depending on the type, the bush is sheltered for the winter. Let's take a closer look at each option for preparing for wintering.
Large-leaved garden hydrangea needs the most careful care and warm shelter for the winter. G. paniculata needs this less, and G. treelike can do without any shelter at all.
Shelter of large-leaved hydrangea
I bought this bush 4 years ago. I bought it as a large-leaved garden hydrangea of the Hamburg variety, the bush did not grow higher than 50 cm, the shoots are brittle and almost lie on the ground. I manage to grow it like garden plant(can also be grown in a pot).
Once I cut it off, leaving branches 20 cm from the ground, no more. The next summer, it bloomed very weakly and hardly grew. So I advise the owners of undersized species to be careful not to cut off the branches of this plant, since next year's flower buds are laid on them.
Cut only dry branches before winter. If you have a tall large-leaved garden hydrangea, then you need to cut it at a height of no more than three buds from the end of each branch.
So, at the end of October (for Middle lane Russia), I recommend carefully digging up the ground around the plant.
Then put some sawdust or wood shavings under the bush on the roots of the plant. I do not recommend covering it with earth, as it will lay too heavy a load on the base of the branches. You can use peat.
Cover the whole bush with needles or put spruce branches between the branches of the plant, covering the base of the bush.
You can cover the large-leaved hydrangea with lutrasil, or put a special bag of covering material on top of the bush (if the size of the bush allows), tightening a rope at the base.
I tried to put a bag of lutrasil on the bush, but the bush did not fit into it. I will not worry about this, since the needles do an excellent job of being a warm hygroscopic "blanket" for my large-leaved hydrangea. The needles also contribute to soil acidification, which the plant loves very much.
Then place a few dry tree branches (any) on top of the bush.
In winter, the bush will be covered with snow, which will sometimes thaw, forming a heavy ice crust. Dry branches will take on the load, and the bush will not break. This is important in order to preserve the flower buds of the next year.
Shelter of panicle hydrangea
Also G. paniculata Grandiflora grows in me. I cover it like this: I pour a pile of apple leaves and needles into the center of the bush, lightly crushing them with several dry branches of any tree.
The bush can be cut into three buds, but I prefer to leave a few dry buds for the winter. They look beautiful against the background of sparkling snow cover.
I do not cover the tree-like hydrangea, except that I throw a couple of shovels of earth into the bush during the autumn digging. This species perfectly tolerates winter even without shelter - after all, lignified shoots are more frost-resistant.
Related Videos