Watering, fertilizing, cutting and more

How much water does the hydrangea need?

Of the botanical name of hydrangea is hydrangea. It comes from the Greek and means "water slipper". It expresses the preference of the pretty flowering shrub for humus-rich and well-moistened soils. Drought likes them hydrangea, which evaporates a lot of water over its large leaf surface, but not at all.

In dry or sunny weather, the hydrangea therefore needs regular watering. Both hydrangeas in pots and hydrangeas transplanted outdoors must never dry out, otherwise the plant will wither. However, you should not overwater the shrub, because the hydrangea is also sensitive to waterlogging.

to water Always feed your outdoor hydrangeas when the soil feels dry a few centimeters below the surface. In the case of large potted hydrangeas, it is advisable to use a moisture meter, which reliably determines the water content in the center of the ball of the pot.

How often do you have to fertilize hydrangeas?

Regular fertilization is important so that the hydrangea has enough strength to produce numerous flowers. It is fertilized during the growing season from May to July. Then do without further fertilizers so that the shoots of the hydrangea can mature by winter.

Fertilize You prefer the hydrangea with special hydrangea fertilizer, as this is nitrogen-rich and contains little phosphorus. Azalea and rhododendron fertilizers are also well suited.

How do the flowers turn blue?

So that it turns pink Hydrangea flowerscolor blue, the pH of the soil must be in the acidic range. Aluminum is responsible for the blue coloration, which must be supplied to the plant using commercially available blue colorants or potash alum from the pharmacy.

How are hydrangeas cut?

How often the Hydrangea cut depends on the variety. If you are maintaining a hydrangea on the balcony or in the garden, you should therefore keep the plant label when you buy it.

For farm hydrangeas and Climbing hydrangeas it is sufficient to remove the dead or frozen parts of the plant in early spring. Since these hydrangeas already flower in the previous year, the plant will no longer bloom as profusely if it is cut too heavily.

Panicle hydrangeas on the other hand, strong cutbacks also tolerate well. If you care for forest hydrangeas or oak-leaved hydrangeas, you can also prune these species more and thereby limit their growth.

Remove what has faded

You shouldn't just cut out flowers, but carefully break them out. This promotes the formation of new buds.

Moving hydrangeas - is that possible?

If you are caring for a hydrangea, you should leave it in place as far as possible, because the plant is extremely true to the soil. It is inevitable that To put hydrangea, this must never happen in the summer months when it is in full bloom. The best time to do this is in autumn, when the hydrangea has already faded. Alternatively, you can move the hydrangea in the spring before flowering.

Repotting of potted plants

If you are caring for a tub hydrangea, spring is the best time of the year Repotting the plants. Put the hydrangea in a sufficiently large planter. It should be about a third larger than the previous one. This is not only necessary to give the roots plenty of room for growth. A larger pot also holds significantly more substrate, which serves as a water reservoir. It is recommended to have a drainage layer Expanded clay(€ 16.36 at Amazon *) to be brought into the planter. This prevents the substrate from clogging the drainage hole and effectively prevents waterlogging.

Is the hydrangea hardy?

Almost all of the hydrangeas in our gardens are relative hardy And with appropriate winter protection, they can also survive cold spells well. Panicle hydrangeas are extremely frost-resistant and can withstand longer periods of cold in rougher areas.

Container hydrangeas should only be outdoors in a sufficiently large container and with good winter protection overwintered will. It is better to look after the beauties in a frost-free room during the cold season.

Is the hydrangea susceptible to disease or pests?

The hydrangea is quite robust and not very susceptible to diseases and pests. Here is a brief overview of the most common types of damage:

Diseases

Hydrangea virus disease

This hydrangea disease is very much feared, as there is still no effective remedy. The highly contagious plant disease caused by mycoplasma or viruses makes the leaves look dull. The inflorescences and the entire plant remain very small and turn purple to red in color. Infested plants must be removed and burned or disposed of with household waste.

mildew

This fungal disease can be very persistent in hydrangeas. You recognize that powdery mildew or downy mildew to the white Toppings on or under the leaves. Cut off infected parts of the plant immediately to prevent further spread. In addition, the hydrangea should be sprayed with a commercially available fungicide.

Leaf spot disease

You can recognize this fungus by the dark colored spots in which an almost black center can be seen. Remove the infected parts of the plant and collect fallen leaves, as the fungus infects the still healthy tissue. The trade has suitable sprays available to combat the disease effectively.

Chlorosis

In this leaf disease, which occurs relatively frequently in hydrangeas, the leaf veins turn green, the Leaves turn yellow and falls off as a result. Often there is an iron deficiency and the pH value of the substrate has shifted to the basic range. This can be remedied by using an iron fertilizer and incorporating peat or rhododendron soil into the substrate.

Pests

• Spider mites threaten if the plant is directly in the sun and suffers from dry soil. The small pests are combated with special sprays containing rapeseed oil. Sometimes it is enough to shower the hydrangea regularly.
• Aphids can multiply explosively in ideal conditions. In the case of light infestation, it is sufficient to rinse the pests off the leaves with a sharp jet of water. Alternatively, you can treat the hydrangea with nettle liquid or a commercially available spray.
• Like many plants with heavy foliage, the hydrangea is occasionally afflicted by black weevils. You can avoid the preparation by placing vessels filled with wood wool under the bush, catching the nocturnal beetles in them and then disposing of them. The beetle larvae, which live in the ground, feed on the roots of the hydrangea and can thus cause great damage. They can be successfully fought with nematodes, which are harmless to other living beings.

Tips & Tricks

The hydrangeas offered as Mother's Day potties in spring are better off indoors or on the balcony than in the garden. If you want to move these outdoors, you should first care for the plants on the balcony or terrace in order to slowly get the plants used to the changed conditions.