How to propagate hydrangea: effective ways
Hydrangea is a popular plant because of its decorative qualities due to its beautiful flowers. How to propagate hydrangea is known to many experienced gardeners. There are several ways and everyone chooses the most suitable and effective.
About indoor hydrangea here!
Biological features of culture
Hydrangea is an unpretentious plant. One of its advantages is resistance to many diseases, insect pests, as well as to harsh winter conditions. In addition, the culture has high decorative properties, which allows it to be grown in gardens, parks and plots. It has a variety of bright colors, a long flowering period, and does not require special care.
The most important thing for abundant long flowering is the correct watering regime.
Depending on the species, the crop can be deciduous or evergreen. The plant blooms from early spring to late autumn. Flowers form at the end of the shoot into inflorescences that resemble a ball (panicle or scutellum). Some species contain two types of flowers: small fertile, located in the center, and larger sterile at the edges. A number of varieties have only fertile flowers of the same size.
The shades of the inflorescences are varied - from white to bright red, purple and even blue. Hydrangea fruit is a small 2-5 -separated capsule with a lot of small seeds.
The color of the hydrangea is largely influenced by the soil. The pH value should be checked. If the soil is neutral, then the inflorescences will have creamy, beige shades. On an acidic substrate, blue flowers will grow, since hydrangea absorbs aluminum well, and on an alkaline one, pink and lilac inflorescences.
Varieties of hydrangea
In landscape design, hydrangea is an excellent option for group and single plantings. Since the shrub lends itself well to pruning and shaping, various compositions can be created from it. Landing near a reservoir gives the site a picturesque look.
Large-leaved hydrangea (or garden) is an extremely frost-hardy species. It is actively growing and developing in areas where the climatic conditions are rather harsh - long frosty winters and late spring. Despite this, the plant should be covered during the cold season. In a subtropical climate, the culture reaches a height of more than 4 m, but closer to the northern regions it grows by 1-2 m. Shoots are erect, leaf plates are elongated, bright green, glossy. The shape of the inflorescences in horticultural crops is spherical, up to 25 cm in diameter.
Large-leaved hydrangea varieties differ in flowering time, inflorescence shades and shape. In temperate climates, this variety can be grown indoors and outdoors.
Panicle hydrangea is a bush up to 1.5 m.It is found in the wild in the east of China, Korea, Japan, Sakhalin. In July, green buds appear on the plant, which then turn white. Full bloom begins in August, continuing until the end of the autumn period.The shade of the inflorescences is white with a transition to raspberry and lilac color. The shrub is characterized by lush flowering, subject to sufficient watering. The root of the plant is much larger in diameter than the crown, but the root shoots are located almost on the soil surface. Among gardeners, this variety is valued more than others.
Panicle hydrangea will require shelter for the frost period. When the plant gets stronger, such preparation for winter is not required.
Treelike hydrangea grows up to 3 m. Leafy plates are ovoid, bright green in color. The flowers are small, formed into beautiful voluminous inflorescences. Resistance to frost is average, there is a risk of freezing at low temperatures. However, it has been noticed that with proper care, the damaged shoot is quickly restored. For this variety, timely pruning is very important to maintain the decorative appearance of the crop.
Another condition that needs to be created for a tree hydrangea is moist fertile soil. Without good soil, a lush flowering culture should not be expected.
How to properly propagate hydrangea
Gardeners take into account a number of important factors when propagating a crop. For example, timing, type of hydrangea, method and process of reproduction are of great importance.
The timing of reproduction directly depends on the chosen method. There are several of them and each is successfully used by gardeners:
- division of an adult formed bush;
- using seeds;
- rooting of cuttings;
- grafting.
Any type of hydrangea can be propagated by each of the proposed options, however, their features should be taken into account. For example, more tree varieties do not suffer from low temperatures and are not exposed to frost. Therefore, they can not be covered in winter, especially in regions with a warm climate. These types of hydrangea are more often propagated by layering or by cuttings. The seed method takes a long time.
Large-leaved hydrangea is considered more demanding in terms of care, maintenance, therefore, it is more difficult for it to take root. Reproduction can take place using different methods and each will be effective, but you should be prepared for the fact that varieties of large-leaved hydrangea will require special attention. Before planting, planting material should be prepared, regardless of the option chosen, take care of full and fast rooting, and use fertile soil.
It is better to propagate paniculate hydrangea by cuttings. Moreover, after pruning, which must be carried out regularly, a lot of good material remains. Cuttings are harvested from it. This is due to the fact that the paniculate perennial species is actively growing and regular pruning is a necessity.
If you propagate hydrangea by cuttings, then you should adhere to the following terms:
- in spring, cuttings should be started before the start of sap flow, in early March;
- in autumn (September), woody branches are often cut;
- in summer, the procedure is carried out at the beginning of July, making a stalk from young shoots.
Summer is considered the best time, since the cuttings have all the conditions for rapid rooting.
If necessary, the breeding procedure can be carried out in the winter. The main condition is to have time to prepare the cuttings before the onset of stable long-term frosts.
How to propagate a hydrangea by dividing a bush
This is the easiest method with a high degree of rooting. Hydrangea can be propagated in this way using only an adult, formed bush. The best time for this is spring, when the snow has already melted, and the sap flow has not yet begun.
The order of work:
- You should start by moisturizing the soil around the bush abundantly. This will help prevent damage to the root system during extraction.
- The crown of the bush must be carefully tied with ropes so that it does not interfere.
- Next, gradually dig in the plant from all sides, gently freeing the roots, trying not to injure them.
- After pulling out the entire plant completely, inspect the root system. If there is a lot of soil on it, you can rinse it under water.
- With a sharp and disinfected instrument, divide the plant into parts so that each one has two buds.
- Then cut the shoots and roots, and sprinkle the cuts with activated charcoal or cinnamon.
- The resulting new plants must be immediately planted in the prepared place.
- Dig holes in advance and feed the soil. Young bushes, subject to successful rooting, will give fresh shoots in the summer, and in the second year, the culture can be transplanted to a permanent place.
A similar breeding method is more suitable when the plant needs a transplant. Under other circumstances, do not disturb the hydrangea.
Reproduction by layering
Another easy way to propagate hydrangeas is with layering.
The process is not complicated, but some subtleties must be observed in order for the plant to take root quickly:
- You need to start the procedure in early spring, before the buds begin to bloom.
- The soil around the bush must be carefully dug up and then leveled.
- Make grooves 2 cm deep, in each place one shoot from the bottom of the shrub.
- The shoots should not be allowed to straighten, so they should be fixed in the furrow, and then sprinkled with soil.
- For the rapid appearance of the first roots, simply watering the soil is not enough. The following technique is often used. On the layering, in front of the first developed bud, a constriction is made of soft wire. When the shoot thickens, the constriction will start to cut into the bark. In this place, the first spine will appear.
By the end of summer, several shoots should form from the cuttings. When the height of each reaches more than 15 cm, they must be hilled. Repeat the procedure every week until they grow up to 25 cm.
In the middle of autumn, the layers can be dug out, the shoots can be separated from each other.
Dig each seedling in, and transplant it to the garden in the spring. They will be ready for a permanent place of growth in a year.
Seed propagation
Hydrangea seed propagation is a very long and laborious process. However, many lovers of this perennial use it to grow rare and expensive varieties. It should be borne in mind that the seed must be of good quality. Better to buy seeds from a specialty store. It is important to understand that with this method of propagation, the parental qualities of the variety may not be preserved.
The seeds must first be soaked using napkins folded in several layers. The germination process is significantly accelerated by special preparations, for example, Epin's solution... After the first shoots have appeared, the material can be planted in the ground.
Further successful cultivation largely depends on the quality of the soil. An ideal blend consists of the following ingredients:
- peat;
- coarse sand;
- humus;
- coniferous or leafy land.
Strong seedlings should form in about a month. When each specimen has 2-3 leaf plates, you can transplant them into separate pots and pinch the top for the development of lateral processes. In this case, it is necessary to feed nitrogen fertilizers... Next, you need to reduce them and switch to potash and phosphorus fertilizing.
Young plants should be transplanted into open ground no earlier than two years later, and before that, good conditions should be created for seedlings:
- natural light source (but not direct sunlight);
- the optimal temperature is above 20 ° C in summer, in winter the seedlings are sent to a cool place;
- humidity is above average;
- regular watering;
- timely feeding;
- increased acidity of the soil.
Subject to these rules, the seedlings will turn into full-fledged seedlings in due time.
You should not use this type of hydrangea propagation if you need to get abundant flowering as soon as possible.With seed reproduction, the shrub will begin to bloom no earlier than 5 years later.
How to propagate hydrangea by cuttings
A stalk is a small twig, shoot, part of a shoot with green leaves or buds. With its help, you can get a new full-fledged plant. Cuttings can be done at any time of the year, but mid-July is considered the best. At this time, the culture will take root faster and give a new perennial.
For the preparation of cuttings, young shoots that appear on the sides of the shrub are suitable. They must be at least one year old. Such cuttings are already sufficiently strong and resistant to environmental influences. Their kidneys are well developed and ready for further development.
There should be a lot of juice in the shoots. The effectiveness of rooting depends on this. They are filled with moisture as much as possible in the early morning, so this is the best time of day for harvesting cuttings. Subsequently, it is necessary to ensure that the cuttings do not dry out.
How to prepare a cutting? It must contain at least 3 nodes. The cut on the shoot must be made below the first node at an angle. You need to remove the sheet plate from it. At the second node, also leave only the petioles. At the third node, cut the leaves in half. Make the upper cut at a height of 2 cm from the third node.
Further, the cuttings are recommended to be placed in a solution with a root growth stimulator for several hours. Zircon or Kornevin gives a good result. It is worth determining in advance where the stalk will start up the roots. It can be soil or water.
How to grow roots from cuttings
Obtaining roots with water has the following nuances. Cuttings should be placed in a container with water immediately after being removed from the solution with the rooting agent. The water should only be fresh, it should be changed every 4-6 days. After a certain time, a certain seal will form on the lower part of the cutting. After a few weeks, young roots will begin to grow from it.
Growing roots in the ground, you must initially prepare it correctly. Cuttings will grow well in a mixture of 2 parts peat and one part sand. Before planting, the soil must be moistened, and then it is advisable to cover the cuttings with cans. Watering is carried out as soon as soil moisture falls. Water is poured under the neck about 1 time per week.
How to understand that rooting has begun? By growing the roots in a container with water, you can make a visual inspection. The young root system will be visible to the naked eye. As for growing in soil, on average, young leaves and buds will begin to grow in a month. This indicates that the plant is successfully developing a healthy root system.
The plant can be planted in the ground as soon as the roots grow up to 3-5 cm. In this case, care must be taken that the soil is slightly acidic.
Reproduction by offspring
Another way hydrangea breeds that deserves attention is by offspring. This method will require caution from the gardener, since there is a high risk of damage to the root system of the crop, because the soil hides the roots of the parent bush.
The procedure is carried out in the fall. First, you need to carefully remove the top layer of soil, then separate the coppice shoot. It is advisable to do this with a sharp, disinfected instrument. Immediately plant the resulting shoot in the prepared hole and leave it there to develop.
The best place to plant hydrangeas is in a slightly shaded area. In direct sunlight, the inflorescences gradually become smaller.
Features of planting in open ground and subsequent care
The process of planting a hydrangea involves several steps:
- the pit must be prepared in advance;
- 2-3 hours before planting, the soil should be well moistened;
- place the seedling in the hole, carefully spreading the roots;
- fill the root system with a mixture of peat and earth, without forming voids up to the root collar;
- compact the soil around the trunk.
After that, the soil should be watered well again.Subsequent care of the crop consists in a competent watering and feeding regime, timely pruning, loosening and mulching of the soil, as well as preparation for the winter period.
Hydrangea is an unpretentious crop; most species and varieties easily adapt to the surrounding conditions. Therefore, the shrub can be propagated in any of the most convenient ways for the gardener. Hydrangea quickly goes through the rooting process and takes root well in the open field, provided it is properly cared for.