WITH hydrangeas I met a long time ago, back in the mid-60s. In our village of Toksovo during these years, hydrangeas grew in almost every garden, and not only tree-like, quite common in the Leningrad region, but also paniculate, and most importantly, large-leaved which everyone called "blue hydrangeas". Our soils are mostly podzolic, rich in iron, so our “changeable” large-leaved hydrangeas have always been bright blue. These plants appeared in our village thanks to one of our neighbors, Nikolai Vasilyevich Volotsky. He brought them from the Far East, multiplied them and generously gifted them to all his neighbors. Although I was still very young in those years, finishing school, I was already interested in gardening and also received my share of hydrangeas. These were the tree-like hydrangea “Sterilis”, the paniculate “Grandiflora” and the large-leaved “Blue” (it was not possible to establish the variety; most likely this is a form close to the original wild-growing “changeable”). Later, Nikolai Vasilyevich gave me another, even more beautiful large-leaved hydrangea. He called it “Large-flowered” or “Crimson”. The descendants of these hydrangeas still live in my garden, and the paniculata has been growing in one place for almost 40 years and is already higher than four meters. All the hydrangeas I planted quickly grew without much effort on my part and began to bloom profusely. Over the past 30 years, they have not missed a single year of flowering, despite the most unfavorable weather conditions (naturally, I always covered large-leaved hydrangeas for the winter).
THE SECRET OF THE CHARM OF HYDRANGEAS
In those years, I was especially struck by the structure of flowers and the nature of the flowering of hydrangeas - everyone two types of flowers: bisexual, “true” (they are called fertile in the literature) and sterile, formed by large colored sepals. “Real” flowers, small at first, look like small balls, and as they bloom they become fluffy. Sometimes fertile flowers are surrounded by large colored sepals and themselves appear to be the center of the flower. In inflorescences, flowers can be arranged differently. In spherical or hemispherical inflorescences, sterile flowers predominate (tree-like “Sterilis”, most varieties of large-leaved), in viburnum-shaped inflorescences the fertile flowers are collected in the center and surrounded by sterile flowers (serrate, some varieties of large-leaved). In paniculate hydrangeas, the inflorescences consist of individual sterile flowers located randomly among the fruiting ones ( paniculata ‘Kyushu’, ‘Tardiva’) or consist almost entirely of sterile flowers, and the fruiting ones are collected at the top ( paniculata ‘Grandiflora’). Hydrangeas bloom for a very long time. At first, the flowers are green, then they acquire the color characteristic of the variety, and by the end of summer they turn green again (in paniculata 'Grandiflora' turn pink). The “petals” of sterile flowers do not fall off, but dry out, the inflorescences remain on the bushes until frost, and stand well in dry bouquets. Most types of hydrangea have white, cream or greenish inflorescences. Large leaf hydrangeas, they are often even called “colored hydrangeas”; they can be of different colors: white and all shades of blue, pink, red, as well as two-color.
Hydrangea paniculata Kyushu
Very interesting is the ability of most varieties of large-leaved hydrangea to change shade from pink to blue depending on the acidity of the soil and the presence of certain chemical elements in it - mainly iron and aluminum. In this case, one bush can contain inflorescences of different shades. At first, when hydrangeas grew in my local soil without much fertilizer, they were purely blue, although their main color is pink. A constant increase in the fertility of the entire area and fertilization of neighboring plants led to the fact that almost all large-leaved hydrangeas turned pink. Now, to preserve the blue color, I water these hydrangeas several times in the spring and early summer with a solution of iron sulfate and add fresh peat to them.
DON'T GET CONFUSED IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF HYDRANGEAS
Let me briefly address the most commonly grown types of hydrangeas and their names. Different species vary greatly in their appearance and use in design, as well as in their requirements for growing conditions and agricultural practices. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to know what species you are dealing with. The names of the species are not very good and there is some confusion with them. Tree hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)- a typical shrub with constantly growing zero shoots with white spherical inflorescences, it is often called “white bush” or “white spherical”. Paniculate hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) It grows in the form of a single-trunked or multi-trunked tree and many people think that it is called tree-like. Its inflorescences are cone-shaped, a little like lilacs, and are formed, like those of a tree, at the ends of annual shoots. Large leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophila) has not so much large leaves as large flowers, and is often called “large-flowered”. There is also another name for this species - “garden”, and in relation to indoor or greenhouse varieties. Hydrangea “variegated” or “variegated” (Hydrangea heteromala) in the literature it is often called “ground cover”, although it is a tall bush with hard, quickly lignifying shoots, and the name “Brettschneider hydrangea” is used as a synonym for the name “variegated”, and as a separate species, and as a garden form or variety of motley hydrangea. All these difficulties must be taken into account when purchasing hydrangeas.
COLD TOOL HYDRANGEAS AND NOT SO MUCH
Cold resistance of different types of hydrangea differs sharply. The most cold-resistant are paniculata and motley. Their annual shoots become completely lignified by the fall, the buds are poorly developed in the fall, they bloom on the shoots of the current year and reliably overwinter without shelter. All my old hydrangeas survived frosts above minus 40 degrees several times without much harm to themselves, and paniculate and tree-like ones without any shelter. At the same time, tree-like hydrangeas are not very cold-resistant; their annual shoots do not ripen enough by autumn, and in frosty winters they can freeze to the level of snow cover. However, after spring pruning, they quickly recover and bloom on the current year’s shoots the same year. Therefore, they are considered winter-hardy and usually overwinter without shelter, although bending them under the snow makes wintering more reliable and allows you to grow taller plants. Large-leaved hydrangeas have many indoor and greenhouse varieties, which are difficult to distinguish in appearance from those overwintering in the ground. Such plants may not survive well in winter or simply not produce flowers. But even large-leaved and closely related serrated hydrangeas intended for open ground are quite heat-loving plants. Their annual shoots remain green until next summer, the buds are large and well developed in the fall. In addition, flower buds are formed in them in the previous year and in most varieties, especially old ones, not along the entire length of the shoots, but only in their upper part. If such a hydrangea freezes too much in winter, after pruning it will not bloom this year. If the above-ground part freezes, the plant quickly recovers, but blooms only after a year. With systematic freezing, large-leaved hydrangeas may hardly bloom, so they must be covered for the winter or at least bent under the snow.
Breeders strive to develop varieties capable of producing flowers on shoots growing from lower and even underground buds. This allows such varieties to better preserve buds in winter and bloom more reliably. An even greater achievement is the creation of varieties capable of laying flower buds not only in the previous, but also in the current season. Such varieties, the most famous of them ‘Endless summer’ first forms flowers from buds laid in the fall, and then from new buds. This allows you to extend the flowering period so that hydrangea in a fairly warm climate blooms almost all summer. But in cold climates, hydrangeas still bloom in the second half of summer, and therefore it is much more important that such varieties can bloom after freezing and short pruning. Unfortunately, such varieties are still not very widespread and studied in our country, there are many fakes, and it is impossible to distinguish the desired variety from the seedlings. New varieties still need to be adapted to our northern conditions and the development of suitable agricultural technology. But reviews from flower growers who have such varieties are encouraging.
SECRETS OF HYDRANGEA CARE FROM SPRING TO AUTUMN
Although there is information in the literature about the demands of hydrangea, especially large-leaved ones, on soil fertility, I have not noticed such demands. Hydrangea loves moisture-intensive peat-based soil, but can grow in any soil, even fairly dry sandy or podzolic soil, with almost no fertilizer. This is how it grows in many of my neighbors. Hydrangeas are also not demanding when it comes to lighting; they grow well in partial shade, and with sufficient watering, in bright sun. Hydrangeas can grow even in significant shade, although in this case the shoots become longer, the flowers become somewhat smaller, and in colored hydrangeas the color becomes more faded.
Hydrangea care It’s simple and, apart from pruning, differs little from caring for other shrubs. Large-leaved hydrangea is more demanding of care. Spring treatment of all hydrangeas includes: cleaning the soil from old leaves and weeds, loosening and mulching with peat, or a mixture of peat and humus, although it is better to mulch the soil in the fall, it is advisable to fertilize all hydrangeas with complete mineral fertilizer. It is very important to promptly and correctly remove the cover from large-leaved, serrated and other heat-loving hydrangeas. After the snow melts, it is necessary to begin ventilating the plants covered with film, and after the soil has completely melted, gradually remove all the cover. It is necessary to protect plants from burns and drying out of the buds, which very often occurs when the shelter is suddenly removed, especially in sunny weather. Plants must be shaded by covering them with spruce branches, lutrasil or cloth until the soil has completely thawed. If the soil in the shelter is dry and there is no rain, be sure to water the plants. Plants that were covered in winter only with non-woven material (lutrasil, spunbond) can be left under cover until the soil completely thaws and buds begin to sprout. In May and early June in the North-West there are often quite severe frosts, from which hydrangeas, especially large-leaved ones, suffer greatly. Freezing of young buds and leaves retards plant growth, impairs flowering, and newly planted plants may even die after severe frosts. To prevent this, after removing the winter cover, the hydrangeas can not be untied or lifted, but, after removing the film, left covered with dense or thin lutrasil in several layers. Immediately after the buds begin to open and the shoots begin to grow, the bushes of large-leaved hydrangeas need to be lifted, because otherwise the young shoots will become distorted. During this period, hydrangeas can be bent down and covered for a short time in case of danger of frost.
Hydrangeas do not require special care during the growing season.. All that is needed is systematic watering, weed control, and moderate fertilizer. During budding (usually at the end of June), all hydrangeas can be fertilized with complex mineral fertilizer with microelements. If necessary, shoots need to be tied up. Large inflorescences can bend, especially in rainy and windy weather. This is especially important for large-leaved hydrangeas with more flexible shoots and large inflorescences.
In autumn, the usual autumn work is carried out on all hydrangeas.: trimming inflorescences, mulching the soil under the bushes, hilling the bases of the bushes. Winter-hardy hydrangeas: paniculates, tree-like plants, etc. are usually not covered for the winter, but young plants and new varieties whose winter hardiness is unknown, it is advisable to bend them to the ground and cover them with spruce branches or lutrasil. For paniculate hydrangeas, heavy snowfalls and snow falling from roofs pose a danger, because... their wood is very fragile. It is advisable to tie the branches and tie the plant to a support. For paniculate hydrangeas, it is necessary to trim the inflorescences before the first heavy snowfalls.
HOW AND WHEN TO COVER HYDRENSA
Heat-loving hydrangeas: large-leaved, serrated, etc., in relatively warm and snowy winters they overwinter well under the snow without shelter and then bloom. Hydrangeas do well over the winter and bloom profusely if they are hilled up, bent to the ground, covered with spruce branches, lutrasil or any fabric. Small plants overwinter very well if they are completely covered with dry soil and covered with a film from the rain on top. But the most reliable, especially for more heat-loving varieties, is an air-dry shelter, similar to the shelter of roses. It is convenient to cover plants arranged in a row using this method. The timing of covering hydrangeas is not as important as for roses; in the fall, hydrangeas do not germinate and are less susceptible to damping off. You can cover hydrangeas after the first significant frosts, preferably without waiting for severe freezing, usually during October. If the weather is warm, the ends of the shelter should be left open for ventilation and closed when the temperature drops below zero. You can leave the ends covered with lutrasil for the winter, and the roof with film, then water will not penetrate into the shelter, but ventilation will take place when the snow melts.
RULES FOR PRUNING HYDRANGEAS
It is very important systematically, and most importantly correctly, prune all types of hydrangeas. Hydrangeas can grow without pruning, but at the same time the bushes thicken, lose their decorative effect, and the inflorescences become smaller. The main pruning is carried out in the spring. Pruning varies greatly between species. Tree hydrangeas are pruned like typical shrubs: after sanitary pruning of frozen shoots, obsolete branches are cut to the ground to enhance the formation of young shoots, small branches that thicken the bush and especially excess zero shoots are thinned out. The shoots of the previous year are shortened, leaving several pairs of buds, from which strong young shoots with large inflorescences will grow. Paniculata hydrangea is pruned like a tree (apple tree). Its trunks and skeletal branches are durable and rejuvenation is carried out by transferring the branch to a young branch. Of the three shoots extending from one point, 1-2 are left directed outward, excess branches are removed, all last year's shoots are shortened, leaving 1-3 pairs of buds. The thicker these shoots, the more buds can be left on them to obtain powerful growths and large inflorescences. Unlike hydrangeas that bloom on the shoots of the current year (tree-like, paniculate), large-leaved and other similar hydrangeas cannot be shortened with last year’s shoots, because The main flower buds are concentrated at the ends of these shoots. But this does not mean that large-leaved hydrangea does not need to be pruned at all. Rejuvenating pruning is important for her - cutting to the base of old branches that do not produce young growth, removing faded parts of the branches before young shoots emerge that will give full flowering next year. This creates a balance between growing and flowering shoots and ensures annual flowering.
LIST OF ADVANTAGES OF HYDRANGEAS
1. The variety of species, the ability to form plants with different crown shapes and sizes allows you to grow hydrangeas in gardens of various types and various flower beds, in hedges, in mixborders, as tapeworms, etc.
2. Many types of hydrangeas are winter-hardy and can be grown without winter shelter; less winter-hardy species usually overwinter well under simple shelters.
3. All hydrangeas are easily restored after freezing in harsh winters.
4. Hydrangeas are practically not affected by diseases and pests.
5. Hydrangeas are not too demanding on soil fertility; they prefer acidic peat soils with an average content of nutrients, such as are abundant in the Leningrad and other regions; most species can be grown even with high groundwater levels.
6. Caring for hydrangeas is not difficult and is accessible even to the youngest gardeners.
7. Hydrangeas bloom for a very long time and remain decorative throughout the summer, even in cold rainy weather; They are good for cutting and dry bouquet.
Hydrangea is considered a winter-hardy species. Breeders and authors of varieties claim that the plant can withstand temperatures from -20 to -30 degrees Celsius. A considerable amount of positive experience has been accumulated in growing exotic elegant shrubs. In the conditions of the North-West, the Urals, not to mention the Moscow region, even uninsulated specimens winter well.
At the same time, the sad practice of many hydrangea lovers suggests: the bush often freezes in relatively warm weather - only 15-20 below zero. Similar incidents occur in the southern regions, even in the Black Sea region. Probably, every case of plant death is caused by objective reasons. This article may be useful to those who want to understand the problem and achieve results.
Different varieties, same problem
The literature provides various methods for insulating hydrangeas. Some operations need to be performed for all types, some - only for certain varieties.
There is a difference between types of hydrangeas. For example, large-leaved plants have a longer growing season. In addition, garden microphylla lays a flower bud in September, paniculate hydrangea in March-April. In the first case, the gardener must take measures to protect the tops of the shoots from frost burns. In the second, it is enough to insulate the stems and root system: if at least one branch survives the winter, the plant will bloom.
But the reason given is just a special case. The example does not explain why shrubs of the same variety have different frost resistance.
Perhaps it's about relationships. Hydrangea grows to decorate: most of its flowers are sterile. .jpg)
The shrub is wasteful: it spends too much energy on vigorous, long-lasting flowering. Sometimes there are no left for development. If we immediately succumb to the charms of hydrangea and forget about tomorrow’s winter, we will face a problem: we insulated, but it didn’t work out. Why?
- Probably because our bushes are weak.
- It is possible that the shoots are abundant, but the roots are frail.
- Or vice versa: the root system is powerful, but the foliage is scanty.
Ripened stems overwinter well. This means that the plant must have sufficient energy to develop, gain strength and bloom.
Why does hydrangea freeze?
The reasons may be subtle. Here are examples.
The landing site was chosen in a lowland - and the cold flows there. Or vice versa: a bush crowns the top of a windy hill.
- Perhaps you have placed organic matter under the root, but for some reason the worms process it into humus. After all, it is known that plants do not absorb nutrients from undecomposed manure well.
- The composition and amount of mulch affects the survival rate: the roots of the flowers are close to the soil surface. They can partially freeze out in snowless winters.
- Does the composition of the fertilizer correspond to the stage of plant development: excess nitrogen provokes shoot growth, potassium and phosphorus contribute to the absorption of calcium and lignification of trunks. Disproportion generates imbalance in development.
Based on our experience, in this article we will try to:
Highlight all the necessary preparatory stages for pre-winter flower care;
Determine the list of activities at each stage;
Evaluate their effectiveness.
As a result, you yourself will choose which methods to use to insulate the hydrangea.
General care rules for all types of hydrangeas
The frost resistance of garden hydrangeas depends on two reasons:
From the ability of the roots to provide the bush with sufficient nutrients;
From the vitality of the shoots, the strength of the structure of the branches.
From the first day of the appearance of a young seedling, the florist continuously solves the primary problem - how to create the most favorable environment for the bush for development and subsequent wintering, during which the hydrangea will not freeze out.
Seven facets: factors for successful hydrangea care
In order for a luxuriously flowering bush to not freeze in the cold winter, you need to not only think through ways to cover the hydrangea, but also create in advance optimal conditions for the growth and ripening of shoots. .jpg)
1. Location of the bush - where there is no draft. A corner near a fence, a windward wall of a barn, a bench, or a decorative garden structure are suitable.
2. Illumination - light shading. The best place is where the sun is before noon.
3. Access to moisture. Hydrangea loves abundant watering. It is planted 1.5-2 m from fruit trees, otherwise there will be too much competition for moisture.
4. The soil is nutritious, slightly acidic, with a fairly loose, but not sandy structure - useful substances should not be washed out. The best place for macrophila from the nursery is the edge of the compost pit.
5. Adaptation of the root system. The roots in the nursery are accustomed to receiving an abundance of high-calorie substrate. Depleted garden soil does not stimulate secondary petioles to develop well. In order for the system to grow, the hole is widened, making it more than 50 cm. The soil structure is modified:
To improve permeability, crushed stone and sand are added;
To increase nutritional value - peat, dry leaves, humus, fertilizers.
6. Hardening and training of stems during the first three years using special agricultural technology:
The young seedling grows freely in the first summer: broken, crooked branches growing inward are preserved.
For the winter they put it in the cellar. The underground is an optimal environment: a stable temperature of 5-7°C, complete calm.
In March, the pot with a one-year-old plant is returned indoors. When the leaves bloom - at the end of June or beginning of July, the stems are trimmed: they stimulate the growth of shoots and the development of roots.
The following year the procedure is repeated;
In the third year, after the May-June frosts, hydrangea is planted in the ground.
7. Feeding the bushes with fertilizers in digestible form. Since fresh mullein is poisonous for the plant, if you lack experience, it is better to avoid adding manure. It can be successfully replaced by rotted grass from the year before last, forest litter, or the best option - vermicompost. Dilute the mixture with 100 g of superphosphate - this complex will be enough for complete nutrition.
Proper nutrition is the key to successful wintering of hydrangeas
The roots are responsible for filling the stems with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is a building material for proteins. Cells of shoots, fruits, leaf mass, all this is protein. Calcium and potassium are substances responsible for the protection of protein cells, the strength of cell walls and connective tissue. Phosphorus promotes the absorption of minerals and trace elements.
The soil needs more than just nutrition. At different times, a given composition of fertilizing is required. In the early period - when ripening, the plant is fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. In autumn, hydrangea is fertilized with phosphates and potassium.
Signs of abundance of each substance are determined by the color of the leaves:
- Yellowed foliage - nitrogen is needed. Urea and saltpeter are introduced into the diet.
- Turquoise leaves - add superphosphate.
- There is a slowdown in growth, a light border appears at the edges of the foliage - feed with potassium chloride or sulfate. Complex fertilizer - Potassium humate.
Preparing (pruning) hydrangea for wintering
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The leaves on the stems are trimmed. It is better not to touch the inflorescences - in the spring they can be removed before the first flowering bud. The same can be said about radical molding. If the plant is too thick, you can carry out sanitary treatment - remove diseased, weak shoots.
However, the final decision - to cut or not to cut - remains with the owner. The next pruning will be possible only in late spring, when green mass appears.
Choosing a method of insulation for hydrangeas, taking into account the basics of winter heat exchange
Options for covering bushes are different. These can be digging holes, tubes, canopies. With any method of wintering hydrangeas in the garden, at least two layers of insulation are used.
- The first, mandatory layer must cover the roots. Located on the surface, they need good insulation. A mound of peat and compost 8-10 cm thick is the most suitable thermal protection.
- The second layer is snow. It has been proven that the fluffy white mass is the best heat insulator. The temperature on the soil surface under the snow canopy is on average 10-13 degrees higher than in the atmosphere. In most cases, the soil cools down to only 5-10°C. Consequently, flower buds will be more comfortable when they are located below the snow line.
Frost shields
The following technology for insulating hydrangeas is considered the most effective and least labor-intensive.
Wooden shields with protruding pegs along the edges are laid on one or both sides of the bush.
A straw roller is placed under the base of the bush. The stems are carefully supported on straw and placed on boards.
The shoots are secured - using a cord stretched between pegs, or pinned. You can arrange the shoots in a fan or in a bunch.
Insulation is poured - straw, leaves, peat; cover the entire structure with non-woven material. Fixed with another shield.
Digging in a hole
They dig a trench next to the flower. The hydrangea is dug up, placed in a hole, covered with a box, and covered with turf and straw. A shield is laid over the pit and covered with a vapor-permeable film. They press down with oppression - bricks, logs.
Frames
For tall climbing species, frames are made. This method is suitable for frost-resistant climbing or tall varieties. Allows you to maintain the temperature of the bush at ambient levels. Otherwise, trunks containing moisture will be additionally cooled due to its evaporation - by 3°-5° relative to the air. This method is absolutely not suitable for garden large-leaf hydrangea.
Pruning hydrangea according to Tim Bebel - for guaranteed flowering after winter
The innovative method, discovered by an American florist, is gaining popularity every year. He suggests pre-winter pruning of hydrangeas in the summer so that the flower buds have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather. The essence of the technology is simple.
In July, non-flowering stems are shortened to the lowest lateral bud. In this way, the formation of flower buds on the shoots and in the underground part of the plant is stimulated.
The remaining stems are cut off in October - only by a third of the length. The result is a compact bush that is easy to insulate. These are the ones that bloom with a 100% guarantee.
For active growth of shoots, shrubs formed using this method require intensive feeding with organic and mineral fertilizers - from spring to August.
Beautiful hydrangea flowers. And unpretentious. They decorate gardens with a luxurious, bright variety, but in return they demand... attention. Agree: it’s difficult to call the usual human attitude towards a flower “care.”
Hydrangea is a genus of flowering plants of the Hydrangeaceae family, a beautifully flowering shrub, there are 70-80 species of it, and it enjoys the unconditional love of all gardeners, because it winters well in the open ground and without any problems pleases with lush flowering for many years.
1. Hydrangea loves shade and partial shade.
This wonderful shrub, unlike the vast majority of garden plants, loves shade or partial shade. It is better to plant it near the house on the east side, so that the house shades it from direct sunlight most of the day. It will feel great in the partial shade of an apple orchard (not under the apple tree itself, of course, but between them, where there will be enough light), or near a gazebo in your garden. The only thing is to pay attention to varieties adapted to your stripe. This is Hydrangea paniculata, Hydrangea tree Grandiflora ( Grandiflora) with large pure white hemispheres of inflorescences and Sterilis ( Sterilis), whose spreading shoots with massive caps of inflorescences consist exclusively of sterile flowers and bend to the ground.
The soil for hydrangea should be loose (add leaf soil) and well fertilized, feed once every 3 weeks alternating organic and mineral fertilizers. she doesn't like clay and loam. And also remember:
Hortense doesn't like ASH!
Hydrangea also loves moisture very much. Even after heavy rains, do not forget to mulch the soil around the hydrangea so that it does not dry out.
2. Hydrangea loves regular watering and well-fertilized soil.
Hydrangea needs to be watered at least once a week. The watering rate is 10 liters per bush. But, of course, look at your plant, if the bush is already large, increase the watering rate, you need to shed soil to the depth of the roots, and this is up to 50-70 cm. The roots of hydrangea are powerful and tree-like.
3. If Hydrangea is frozen in winter.
Typically, hydrangea overwinters well in open ground, because the roots are more than half a meter deep, and by planting it near a house or fence, we protect it from blowing snow in the winter months. However, this year my beauty suffered from mice.
If the hydrangea is still frozen in winter or damaged by mice, it can be saved. You need to cut off damaged stems, loosen the soil around the bush, fertilize it with complex fertilizer with potassium humate, water and mulch the soil around it. I had to cut the branches down to 3 cm above the root, they turned out to be dead. Well, it was such a winter, snowless. However, already at the beginning of May I saw new shoots from the roots. So everything will be fine with her.
4. Coloring Hydrangea
You were surprised, but when you buy a blue hydrangea you can get a completely white one. And this is not at all a deception of the seller. To ensure that the hydrangea remains the stated color, acidify the soil. There are special alums for sale for hydrangeas, and you can also use a weak solution of potassium permanganate (light pink) and add it with the next watering.
Question: What care rules must be followed to ensure that large-leaved hydrangea blooms profusely next year?
Answer: In July, I cut the hydrangea branches that do not have apical flower buds very short, leaving one lateral branch on each branch, located as close to the ground as possible. Such buds are easy to cover and preserve for the winter. July pruning stimulates the formation of flower stalks, which will have time to ripen by next spring and produce flowers.
Hydrangea is a shrub ranging in height from one to three meters. Varieties are divided into evergreen and deciduous. In cold climate zones it is possible to grow only deciduous hydrangeas
Methods for organizing wintering depend on what variety grows in your garden.
— Treelike, Paniculata– tolerate frost well and recover quickly in spring.
— large-leaved– not resistant to frost. It blooms on last year's shoots, which freeze in winter. Therefore, this variety may never bloom in open ground conditions.
— Himalayan (ground cover)- the most winter-hardy species, requiring minimal shelter for the winter.
— Chereshkova– winter-hardy, does not need shelter during frosts.
Hydrangea in autumn - preparing for winter
How to prepare hydrangea for the winter? — Preparation for wintering this charming flower consists of two stages. The first of these is care in the autumn, on the eve of the onset of the cold winter period.
If it rains a lot in autumn, it is better cover plant so that excess moisture does not fall on it. To do this, you can place a wire frame over the bush, which is covered with film during rain. The shelter must be made in such a way that moisture does not reach the root system. The less water the roots receive, the more successful wintering will be.
Just do not cover the plant tightly so that it does not wither or rot.
In order for new shoots formed in the current growing season to mature and become lignified, feeding hydrangeas. Fertilizer should consist of phosphorus and potassium.
Do not fertilize hydrangeas with nitrogen fertilizers in the fall. This will cause new shoots to grow, which will freeze in winter.
With the onset of cold weather, hydrangea will begin to actively shed its leaves. When a strong cold snap occurs, it is advisable to help her free yourself from the remaining foliage. 
The upper part of the stems is also cut off in the fall. remove all inflorescences. After dropping all the foliage and pruning the shoots, they should be tied up. A mulch layer is poured under the bush; it should cover the base of the bush and cover the entire root system.
How to cover hydrangea for winter?
Purpose of winter shelter hydrangeas - preserving buds on young shoots. Winter care is necessary for hydrangeas, and this is important because flowering is ensured by them. What's the point of growing a bush that doesn't produce flowers?
Without additional shelter, it can only withstand frosts petiole hydrangea.
Tree hydrangea takes shelter in the first year after planting. An adult specimen only needs to be hilled; no additional shelter is required. But it is still better to cover some newly bred large-flowered varieties. This is due to the fact that their flowers form on last year’s shoots, and if they freeze, the plant will not bloom.
For other varieties it is required additional cover. It is necessary to cover the hydrangea before the onset of frost, since tender shoots do not tolerate frosts below minus 5.
A wooden box is placed next to the bush, shoots are laid on it and the entire structure is covered with spruce branches or covering material.
If the bushes are still small, you can completely cover them with earth and top with spruce branches. Alternatively, you can install iron supports around their perimeter and stretch a mesh around it. Dry leaves are poured inside the structure and covered with film on top.
Tall old bushes have shoots that bend poorly, so the methods described for them unsuitable. They are tied and wrapped with covering material. Wire or U-shaped reinforcement is installed crosswise over the bush. The result is a kind of canopy, which is covered with film.
If the bushes are planted in a group, you can make a common shelter for them. With this type of shelter, each bush is mulched. Then iron or wooden stakes are placed around the group in a circle. The structure is wrapped with burlap or covering material. The top is covered with a layer of film or roofing felt.
As they grow older, the frost resistance of hydrangea bushes increases. So over time, you can abandon careful shelter, leaving only mulching roots.
How to help hydrangea recover after winter?
Do not rush to remove the cover from the hydrangea immediately after the onset of the first warm days. Until all the snow melts, there is a risk burn the shoots bright spring sun. In addition, the cover must be removed gradually.
The bush is freed from the film as soon as active snow melting begins. 
As soon as warm weather sets in, it’s time to check how your pet has survived the winter. This is usually done in the middle of May when the threat of spring frosts has passed.
To remove cover, select It's a nasty day so that the bright sun does not burn the shoots. You can even open the bush gradually, removing the cover in the morning and towards evening.
Free the bush from the mulch layer and loosen the soil. If the ground under the bush is too dry, you should water generously it with warm water. You can add a little citric acid to the water.
After opening, the bush is pruned, leaving three to four flower buds on each shoot. It is also necessary to remove dry, frozen stems. For thinning, shoots that have reached four years of age are removed.
Don't cut the shoots too short; you may remove all the flower buds. Pruning must be done before leaves begin to form.
If the bush was damaged during wintering, then it is more advisable to prune it after the first leaves appear. Then you will immediately see which shoots are damaged and need to be completely removed.
After pruning, the bush needs to be fed nitrogen fertilizers. This will give impetus to the growth of shoots and the formation of buds.
Do not feed hydrangea with ash, as it will deoxidize the soil and the bush will begin to get sick.
Take care of your hydrangea in winter by building the right shelter for it, and it will give you beautiful blooms in summer.
Photo
This is the second winter she has to suffer in her apartment.
But where to go if it can’t survive in the ground in winter in the Urals, there is no basement, but the room is warm...
So it blooms with all its might. This is what she looked like at the end of November.
There is not enough space in the pot, so the flowers are small.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea and gardenia bloom
Last winter I put it between the frames for the winter. It's cool there and she didn't grow - she rested.
Only in the spring did the buds begin to open.
Spring 2013
Then she put it on a warm windowsill - and she burst into growth.
I, as a caring mother, decided to feed this baby. And I almost lost it!
It turned out that she did not like the mineral food that all other indoor plants, such as gardenia, happily eat.
Within an hour after watering, I noticed that the leaves seemed to be boiled. Only those at the top remained intact.
I urgently rushed to wash the lump.
I spilled 5 liters of settled water. I just watered and waited for the liquid to come out into the pan. And watered it again. Until the water came out completely clean.
It was not possible to replant into fresh acidic soil: the entire lump was tightly entwined with roots. Here you can only rinse from an overdose.
And who could have known that she was such a sissy! After all, the concentration was very small. I haven’t read anywhere that it needs to be fed very carefully in the spring. My friends already enlightened me after I did something stupid.
I had to tear off all the burnt leaves. The two large ones still had slightly “scalded” edges around the edges.
But still she forgave me and grew the first bud.
I searched the Internet for a long time for the name of my variety and this is what I found out.
It turns out that my hydrangea is a special case. From a botanical point of view, it refers to large-leaved hydrangeas that bloom on last year's shoots.
But mine belongs to the “Endless Summer” group: unlike other large-leaved varieties, it blooms well both on the shoots of the current year and last year’s.
This is important news for me, because I have to store it in the winter in a window-sill refrigerator, where a large bush can hardly fit. But the circumcised one is fine.
So my white variety “The Bride” belongs to the same series of selection. You can cut the branches, you don’t have to cut them - it’s your choice. In any case, it will bloom every year. Which made me very happy.
I'm waiting for something like this to happen :-)
And now the leaves are already twice as large.
I moved from a liter pot to a three liter one.
Summer 2014
Instead of three branches, it now has five main branches and several side branches.
Here in the photo below is the same - in a basin with a diameter of 50 cm.
You understand that this can no longer fit between the frames :-)
But at the end of summer, I washed the leaves from dust and put them in a 50 cm basin - this is how big the bush has become.
Next spring I will plant it in the flower garden.
August 2014
She is very hot in the apartment. In order not to wither away completely, you have to add additional lighting.
But in principle, my experience proves that garden hydrangea can be preserved in a warm room in winter.
And it will even bloom with additional lighting.
I have had experience growing hydrangeas in the past. Below in the picture is a pink hydrangea that I grew from a tiny cutting.
Hydrangea cuttings
Within a year it had grown to a decent size - the main growth was in the summer.
Pink hydrangea summer 2008 G. 
But in winter it dropped all its leaves.
And since I didn’t have additional lamps at that time, it began to wither, and I threw it away.
Or it could have been saved by placing it under lamps.
And I could grow a bush like Galina’s - she grows 15 liters in a pot. Moscow region.
