Mulching is a tried and true garden practice that has many positive effects. Mulching is highly recommended, especially in hydrangea beds. You can find out here why this is the case and how exactly you proceed.
Mulching spreads a layer of organic, non-rotting material on the soil in the flower bed. The soil cover has a number of positive effects on the soil, the soil microorganisms and thus also on the plants.
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- Mulch hydrangeas: benefits
- The right mulching material for hydrangeas
- Mulch hydrangeas with bark mulch: Here’s how
Mulch hydrangeas: benefits
The main advantage of hydrangea mulching is that the mulch material acts as a kind of protective layer for the soil. On the one hand, the covering of the ground acts as an insulating layer and prevents the ground from heating up too much in summer. Neither the hydrangea roots nor the soil microorganisms tolerate this very well. In winter, on the other hand, the mulch layer acts as a buffer and protects the sensitive roots from frost damage. Another positive effect of mulch covering the soil is that it protects the soil from drying out. Because the sun does not hit the bare soil directly, moisture is retained in the soil longer. This is a great benefit for the thirsty hydrangeas. Apart from that, it is very practical if the bed surface is loose and permeable. Seed weeds cannot emerge so easily here. And if a weed seed does germinate in the mulched bed, it can simply be pulled out of the loose layer of mulch.
Furthermore, a layer of mulch prevents soil erosion, as the water is slowed down by the soil cover when watering or heavy rain. The valuable soil is not washed away so easily. Finally, the quality and structure of the soil in mulched beds improves over the long term.
This is because the organic matter serves as food for the soil microorganisms to build humus from. This ensures that the soil is nice and loose and has an improved function as a nutrient and water reservoir. The decomposition of the biomass also releases nutrients over the long term, which in turn serve to nourish the hydrangeas and contribute to optimal plant development.
The right mulching material for hydrangeas
There are numerous materials that can be used as mulch. In addition to lawn clippings, straw, wood chips, needle litter or leaves, bark mulch is also very suitable. Hydrangeas, like rhododendrons and blueberries, need an acidic soil pH to thrive. Therefore, when choosing a suitable mulch material, you should make sure that it does not impair the soil quality in terms of pH value.
In the hydrangea bed, it is best to use an acidic material such as pine bark or pine litter. This will prevent the pH of the soil around the hydrangeas from rising into the alkaline range. Another advantage of pine bark is that the material is quite coarse and does not rot as quickly as lawn or hedge clippings, for example. That way, you have more of the mulch layer and don't have to renew it as often. In addition, pine bark mulch, like ours Plantura organic pine bark, the bed also optically enhance. The pure and natural pine bark comes in a coarse structure and convinces with its decorative coloring. Because we care about the environment, our pine mulch is also sustainably produced in the EU.
Mulch hydrangeas with bark mulch: Here’s how
It is important that before spreading the mulch, a so-called compensation fertilization with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer is carried out. This fertilizer serves only indirectly to nourish the plants, because it feeds the soil organisms that pounce on the mulch material to use as food and also humus from it build up. If the compensatory fertilization is not carried out, the hydrangeas can suffer from a nitrogen deficiency, because the organisms have to get the vital nutrient from somewhere. Compensation fertilization is carried out with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer or with horn meal or horn semolina. The fertilizer is spread on the ground and not worked in. The mulch material can be layered directly on top of this.
A potassium-heavy and iron-rich hydrangea fertilizer like ours Plantura organic hydrangea fertilizer optimally supplies your hydrangeas for a rich and long-lasting bloom. But keep in mind the most important rule Hydrangea fertilizers: July is the latest date for fertilizing Hydrangea-Species.
When mulching hydrangeas with bark mulch, a layer of at least 5 cm, preferably 7 to 10 cm, of the material is applied to the ground. The bark mulch is distributed evenly and evenly between the plants in the bed. However, the root neck of the hydrangea should be kept free.
If you would like more information about the care, pruning and watering of hydrangeas, we recommend our special article on the subject Hydrangea care.
