Caring for indoor hydrangea at home. Varieties of white and cream-colored inflorescences

In many houses and personal plots you can see small shrubs whose lush caps of inflorescences captivate and captivate with their rare pastel shades. This unique plant called hydrangea. How indoor plant hydrangea settled in European houses back in the 18th century. Since then, breeders have developed a large number of its varieties and varieties, which never cease to amaze with their beauty.

This is by many favorite plant at home requires specific care and certain growing conditions. That is why, before you settle such a house in your home exquisite beauty, you need to find out how to care for hydrangea correctly.

Decorative characteristics of hydrangea

Hydrangea is a beautiful flowering perennial shrub. The flower grows in the form of a compact multi-stemmed bush with beautiful, large, rich green leaves.

The plant can have two types of flowers - small fruit-bearing and large sterile. Globular hydrangea inflorescences look like big hats. The color of the flowers can be pink, lilac, cream, pale white, light green. The color depends on the soil pH. Alkaline soil gives the inflorescences a pink and lilac tint, acidic soil gives blue, and neutral soil gives white. The sepals of the flowers add decorativeness and shade to the inflorescences, while the flowers themselves are colorless.

At home, with proper care, the plant can grow up to one meter. On one bush, a houseplant can have from 1 to 7 spectacular inflorescences, which are located above upper leaves shoots. A blooming hydrangea ball can reach up to 30 centimeters in diameter. The fewer inflorescences on a plant, the larger they are.

Indoor hydrangeas, compared to garden ones, are more compact, but the intensity of their colors is higher.

The most popular varieties of indoor hydrangea

At home, only large-leaved hydrangea is grown in a pot, which currently numbers more than 100 varieties.

Blue varieties:

• Ramars Mars - the bush is compact and has inflorescences with a diameter of about 20 cm;
• "Early Blue" - tall plant with bright blue inflorescences.

Varieties with red inflorescences:

• "Prima" is a medium flowering variety with small flowers, inflorescences 15-18 cm in diameter and stem height 20-25 cm;
• “Red sensation” - the plant is distinguished by burgundy-red inflorescences, which, after adding aluminum sulfate or iron salts to the soil, become burgundy-violet.

Pink varieties:

• "Europe" - high (40-50 cm), abundant flowering bush with an inflorescence up to 25 cm in diameter and large flowers with a diameter of 6 cm;
• “Hamburg” is a plant whose height is from 35 to 40 cm, blooms profusely with large flowers with a diameter of 4-5 cm;
• “Goliath” - the variety is distinguished by a bush height of 60-70 cm, sepals with deeply cut edges, dark pink large inflorescences and late flowering.

Varieties with cream and white inflorescences:

• Souer Tharese – early flowering plant with a low-growing bush up to 40 cm high, inflorescences with a diameter of 15-17 cm and flowers of regular shape;
• M - me E . Mouillere - distinguished by rather narrow leaves, flowers with 2-6 cm and inflorescences with a diameter of 18 to 20 cm.

Hydrangea - home care

Hydrangea cannot be classified as an easy-to-grow indoor crop. The plant is demanding not only in terms of maintenance conditions, but also in strict adherence to certain rules for its care. Negligence and mistakes this spectacular, but capricious flower doesn't forgive.

The hardest thing to follow is maintain cyclical development hydrangeas in a pot. The flower must be carefully taken care of at the stage of bud formation, and wintering conditions must be carefully monitored.

Hydrangea is a deciduous shrub whose foliage does not persist even at room temperatures. During the dormant period, the plant sheds its leaves. At this time, he needs to provide a cool place and adjust watering and fertilizing. This period lasts for winter time about two and a half months. In spring, the plant begins to actively grow.

Lighting for hydrangeas at home

The plant's light requirements are the same for both the garden and room conditions. Hydrangea prefers a bright place protected from direct rays. It is best to place a flower with a pot two to three meters from south window . Direct rays of the sun will cause the leaves to lose their decorative appearance and jeopardize flowering.

The intensity of hydrangea lighting should not change throughout the year. Reducing light in winter can have a detrimental effect on the flower. Therefore, the plant needs to be moved to a brighter place, or used to increase daylight hours fluorescent lamps. A plant experiencing a lack of light in winter will weaken, become vulnerable to pests and diseases, and lose its decorative effect.

In addition to good lighting, indoor shrub loves Fresh air. Therefore, the room must be regularly ventilated without creating drafts. In summer, hydrangeas in pots feel most comfortable on balconies and loggias with shading, on terraces and in cool places in the garden.

Indoor hydrangeas require cool conditions. Long years They will delight with their flowering only in a room where the air temperature does not exceed +20C.

In winter, when the plant is dormant, you should also not forget to care for it. At this time of year the temperature range should be from +4C to +9C. Overwinter this indoor culture maybe even on a glassed-in balcony or loggia. In this case, the shoots will need to be cut off by two-thirds, cover the plant with spruce branches, and wrap non-woven material. It’s okay if the shoots freeze in winter. After pruning, the plant will quickly recover, begin to grow leaves and bloom.

The comfortable temperature for hydrangea is indicated by its green leaves. If the flower begins to shed them, it means that the room is too warm for it.

In addition to cool conditions, hydrangea requires high humidity air. For this you can buy a humidifier, or place a saucer or tray with wet moss and stones next to the pot.

Watering and fertilizing hydrangeas

The plant belongs to moisture-loving culture, therefore throughout active growth it must be watered frequently and abundantly, while observing some rules.

1. The soil around the roots should be kept moist at all times, but the top layer should be well dry before watering. In this case, the roots will not rot and the plant will not get sick.
2. During the dormant period, the frequency of watering is gradually reduced. During the winter season, you just need to make sure that earthen lump didn't dry out.
3. As soon as new leaves begin to appear on the bush, watering is also gradually resumed.
4. It is recommended to water the plant with soft, settled water. room temperature.

Summer hydrangea feed mineral fertilizers . Twice a week the flower is watered with a solution prepared from 30 g of potassium sulfate, 40 g of superphosphate, 30 g ammonium nitrate. All prepared ingredients are mixed and dissolved in a bucket of water.

From mid-August, feeding stops. At this time, the vegetative growth of the plant will begin to stop, and flower buds. Weak shoots and basal shoots will need to be removed.

Features of transplanting indoor hydrangea

Caring for hydrangea at home involves annual replanting. The soil should be fertile, consisting of turf, leaf soil and sand (3:3:1).

Because the root system The plant is horizontal; it is recommended to select a wide and spacious pot for it. To avoid damaging the roots and minimize stress, the flower is replanted using the transshipment method.

A thick layer of drainage should be laid at the bottom of the pot, then a layer earth mixture, on which the prepared plant is installed. Fresh substrate is poured around the roots so that the root collar and the soil surface are at the same level.

After transplanting, the hydrangea must be well watered and the soil on top covered with peat mulch. This will prevent moisture from evaporating quickly.

Methods for propagating home hydrangea

At home You can propagate hydrangea in three ways:

1. Dividing the bush.
2. Seeds.
3. By cuttings.

Dividing the bush

This is the simplest method of reproduction, which requires great care and compliance with certain rules:

• the bush is divided during annual transplantation;
• all shoots must have a sufficient number of roots and a growing point;
• The shoots and roots of the divisions are first shortened, and only then they are planted in pots and watered.

Bushes divided and planted in spring will take root well by autumn.

Propagation by seeds

Seeds indoor hydrangea breeds at the end of winter. The soil for sowing should consist of humus, turf and leaf soil (1:1:1). Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil mixture. There is no need to embed them in the soil. The container with the crops is covered with film or glass on top.

Every day, crops should be ventilated and moistened with a sprayer. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is always slightly moist. When the first shoots appear, the film or glass is removed.

As soon as two true leaves appear on the seedlings, they need to be transplanted into a deeper container with the same soil composition. Grown and strengthened seedlings are planted in pots, the diameter of which should be no more than seven centimeters.

Hydrangea cuttings

Experienced gardeners propagate hydrangea by cuttings, as this most reliable way its reproduction.

In January-February from basal shoots plants are cut into cuttings 7-8 cm long. Each segment should have up to three internodes. On the upper part of the cutting, the leaves are shortened by a third or half, and from the lower part they are completely removed.

The segments are treated with a root stimulator, planted in a sand-peat substrate, watered and covered glass jars. This method of keeping them will help prevent the soil from drying out and will maintain optimal air humidity for the development of cuttings.

The container with seedlings should be kept in the brightest place at room temperature 18-20C. After three to four weeks, the cuttings will take root and can be planted in separate pots.

From cuttings rooted in January-February by autumn a bush of 3-4 shoots will grow. If cuttings are carried out in March-April, the result will be a hydrangea with one stem.

Only caring owners who follow all the rules of care and requirements for temperature conditions, soil selection, lighting and watering will be able to observe the luxury of hydrangea flowering. But such care is worth it. After all, this beautiful plant It will look fresh and fashionable in any setting and in any interior. It can be used to decorate residential and production premises, winter gardens, balconies, terraces and flower beds.

Indoor hydrangea

Luxurious indoor hydrangea that attracts attention bright inflorescences, can bloom in any apartment. However for proper care flower growers will need to create all the necessary conditions for the beauty.

Description of the plant

Hydrangea in natural conditions grows in South-East Asia and on the North American continent.

The Latin name of hydrangea - hydrangea (Hydrangea) - is translated as “a vessel filled with water.” The plant was named so for its great moisture-loving nature.

IN wildlife hydrangea grows as a shrub up to 3 m, or small trees, or vines. These can be evergreen or deciduous plants. Their leaves are large, located oppositely on the stem, oval, with a pointed tip.

The flowering of indoor hydrangea cannot leave you indifferent

Hydrangea blooms in spring, summer and autumn until frost with luxurious spherical inflorescences. The flower is unusual, consists of two parts - small flowers are in the middle, large barren ones are at the edges. The fruit is a capsule with several chambers and small seeds.

The plant is poisonous; the flower should be inaccessible to children and pets.

Video: features of indoor hydrangea

Varieties

1. Hydrangea is ground cover (or mixed-pubescent). Frost-resistant plant. The leaves are smooth with outside and pubescent from the bottom. The inflorescences turn pink towards the end of flowering.
2. Hydrangea paniculata in nature grows up to 5 m. It is quite resistant to cold, as its stems quickly become woody. At the end of June, buds appear on the plant, which open only in August or even in autumn. Inflorescences pyramidal shape, change color when flowering, becoming pink, red, or greenish.
3. Hydrangea. Bush reaching 3 m in height. The flowers are initially greenish in color and later become cream or white.
4. Oakleaf hydrangea. It is afraid of the cold, so garden specimens require thorough insulation for the winter. It is valued not only for the beauty of its flowers, but also for its unusually shaped leaves. Flowers change color from white to purple.
5. Large-leaved (or garden) hydrangea. The leaves are dense, bright green, the shape of the inflorescences is umbrella-shaped (similar to viburnum).

Large-leaved hydrangea is the most common type for growing at home. Tree and paniculata are also suitable for this, but cultivating them will require considerable effort. But in gardens they are often found.

Photo: variety of varieties

Oakleaf hydrangea requires good insulation for the winter
Shoots of paniculata hydrangea quickly become woody
In the garden, tree hydrangea can grow up to 3 m in height
Hydrangea ground cover is quite frost-resistant
Hydrangea largeleaf - the most popular for home grown view

Table: conditions depending on the season

Hydrangea needs a bright place and high humidity

Features of transplantation

After purchasing, the hydrangea needs to be replanted, since the soil used in pots for sale is not the best the best option. Since the root system is superficial, you will need a wide, shallow pot, a little bigger size(about 1.5 times) than the previous one.

A layer of drainage (expanded clay, pebbles) must be poured onto the bottom. If the pot is too spacious, the plant will begin to grow green mass

, but it won’t bloom.

Priming Suitable for hydrangea purchased soils

for begonias, azaleas. If the mixture is prepared independently, then it is necessary to mix turf and leaf soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 2:1:1:0.5.

1. The process of transplanting into soil
2. Tilt the container and carefully remove the flower.
3. Inspect the roots and trim dry ones if necessary. Transfer the hydrangea to a new container, cover with soil without covering.
4. root collar Spray warm water

, start watering the next day. In the future, hydrangeas are replanted every year after flowering or. in early spring

Flower growers advise replacing the plant with a younger one every 4 years.

Flower growers advise renewing hydrangea every 4 years

Home care

Proper watering, timely and balanced fertilizing, maintaining the required humidity and temperature will keep the hydrangea healthy.

Watering and fertilizing Hydrangea loves water very much and summer time Requires regular generous watering. Suitable for this rainwater

, in the absence of one - settled. Sometimes you can add 5 drops of lemon juice per 1 liter to it - this measure prevents the appearance of yellowness on the leaves.

In winter, watering is more moderate; it is necessary that the lump of earth dries out, but does not dry out. Excess moisture in the cold season can lead to rotting of the roots. Hydrangea - moisture-loving plant

needing generous watering Indoor hydrangea is very good at feeding. Fertilizers should be applied in the summer, when buds appear on the plant. Frequency - once every 2 weeks. It is recommended to use special complex mixtures for decorative flowering plants

, as well as heathers, rhododendrons, azaleas. When the first flowers appear, a weak solution of manganese can be added to the water for irrigation. In winter, fertilizers are stopped.

Purchased mixtures are suitable for fertilizing hydrangeas.

Care during flowering

The flowering of hydrangea is magnificent - large balls of white, blue, pink inflorescences up to 30 cm in diameter are eye-catching. Flowers appear in spring and the process ends in autumn. One bush can have several inflorescences; the fewer there are, the larger they are. U large leaf hydrangea The color of flowers depends on the acidity level of the soil: neutral soil will produce beige and cream flowers, alkaline soil will produce pink and lilac flowers, and acidic soil will produce blue flowers. Knowing and taking this into account, you can get. You can oxidize the soil using sawdust, peat, and pine needles. And for alkalization, ash or lime is suitable.

The peculiarity of the plant is that you should not touch the inflorescences, otherwise they may wilt. Therefore, drying flowers are removed only after the plant has finished flowering. Then the peduncle is cut off.

From blooming hydrangea don't look away

Trimming

After the bush has flowered, weak stems are removed completely, and healthy stems are cut by 1/3 or half. Pruning is also carried out in the spring - it is preventive, during which branches that have become excessively elongated during the winter. Pruning is carried out so that 4–6 buds remain on healthy shoots, then the bush will form beautifully.

Pruning is an important step in plant care.

Wintering at home

Indoor hydrangea is a deciduous plant, so it sheds its leaves in winter. For winter period the flower needs special conditions, different from summer ones. Feeding and watering before the onset of cold weather is gradually reduced. It is best to put hydrangea in a cool, dark place (up to 9°C) for the winter, for example, in a cellar or basement.

Occasionally you need to water, making sure that the earthen ball does not dry out completely.

The rest period lasts about 2–3 months. By February, the plant is returned back to the room. When the leaves appear, begin to increase watering.

Without lower temperatures during the dormant period, the hydrangea most likely will not bloom the following season.

Diseases and pests With improper care and unsuitable conditions

hydrangea can be subject to various unpleasant phenomena.

Indoor hydrangea is deciduous plant, so it is characterized by shedding its leaves before its dormant period. This phenomenon occurs once a year, before the onset of severe cold.

In order for her to safely survive the hibernation regime and thank her owners next year with abundant and long flowering, she needs to provide a number of necessary conditions.

Preparations for winter need to begin in the fall. It includes making some changes in plant care.

Before the onset of cold weather, at a gradual pace is declining intensity of hydrangea watering, stop feeding.

Rest period

The dormant period begins shortly after flowering ends and lasts approximately 2-3 months. When the hydrangea fades, the plant is pruned and moved to a cool and dry room.

Light mode

She is not picky about light. Important: This plant is sensitive to direct sunlight, so this factor must be eliminated immediately.

Hydrangea can grow well in partial shade, and in the winter slight dimming she just necessary for proper rest and strength for the upcoming flowering. In dormant mode, lighting for this flower is not significant.

Temperature

Indoor hydrangea prefers coolness. If in the warm season it is recommended to keep it at a temperature from +15 to +22 degrees, and at the same time protect from sudden changes in temperature and drafts, then in winter she will feel great at 5-9 degrees with a plus sign.

The optimal place for keeping in winter is dry and ventilated basements and semi-basements.

It is recommended to move hydrangea to an apartment or house, to its usual place, at the end of winter or beginning of spring (February-March), when the plant begins to sprout kidneys.

Important: the temperature in the room where the flower is placed after wintering should not be too high, otherwise it may respond dropping their leaves.

Watering

As noted above, preparing hydrangeas for wintering begins with reducing watering. During hibernation should receive minimum moisture. The plant should be watered occasionally, and then only to prevent the soil mixture in the pot from drying out.

If it is moved to the basement for the winter, its need for moisture is significantly reduced, so watering at this time can be done altogether. stop.

Manipulations in winter

In winter, when in dormant mode, you should try to disturb the hydrangea to a minimum and minimize all possible care and maintenance manipulations.

• if the plant is kept in an apartment, it needs to be provided with cool temperature regime, rare moisture (as the soil surface dries).
• if the pot is moved to the basement, it is not necessary to touch it at all during the entire hibernation period.

Important for of this plant procedures - replanting and pruning - are not carried out in winter. They need to devote special time in the fall or spring.

Important: You can’t feed hydrangea in winter!

• during autumn pruning Only a few of the strongest shoots are left. Partial pruning (in order to remove weak shoots) is also done in the spring, after the plant awakens;

• Replanting is best done in the fall, after flowering. Young plants are replanted every year, old ones every 2-3 years.

Important: indoor hydrangea prefers sour soil with good drainage characteristics. The soil mixture for this plant should consist of humus, leaf soil, sand and peat.

How to store in a pot until spring?

Caring for a flower in a pot consists of the following points:

• carrying out all manipulations preceding the dormant period (gradual preparation of the plant, pruning and, if necessary, replanting);

• compliance with all conditions, needed by the plant during sleep mode.

She just needs dark and cold winter. During this time, she manages to recover and gain new strength for the appearance of future flowers. In case of non-compliance this condition The plant will be able to please its owners with its next flowering only in a year, or even more.

Hydrangea is an unpretentious plant, but its flowering is a magnificent sight. So that after a long winter she can give life to new flowers, it is necessary to provide her optimal conditions. They will not require any special knowledge or extensive floriculture experience, and the beautiful hydrangea will certainly reward you with lush balls of beautiful inflorescences.

Photo

See more photos below:

Hortensia is a luxurious garden decoration. original flower will do landscape design more sophisticated and refined. However, it is worth considering that the plant’s homeland is America, China, Asia and Japan. That is why in the fall it is so important to provide the crop with proper care and quality protection from the cold.

You won’t have to do anything complicated, but you should adhere to certain rules that most gardeners simply don’t know about. It is very important to immediately understand that autumn care for hydrangea is a whole complex of activities. It means:

• winter watering;
• pruning old, diseased, excess shoots;
• removal of inflorescences remaining from this summer;
• refusal to apply fertilizers;
• freeing bushes from many years of bark layering;
• shelters for winter.

Even a novice gardener can carry out all these activities, since they do not involve anything complicated.

Subtleties of proper pruning

In order for hydrangea to enjoy abundant and long-lasting flowering next season, it is necessary to prune the flower. The plant must be completely freed from old inflorescences. You should also trim off dry, diseased branches. It is recommended to leave only healthy, strong, strong shoots. This must be done in September or the first half of October, while it is still quite warm and the snow has not yet fallen.

It is equally important to remove perennial deposits and all unnecessary branches. It is recommended to trim old bushes to ground level. It is better to shorten even young shoots a little. It is recommended to leave a maximum of 5 buds on each branch. When pruning, it is worth considering that only those stems that have fully matured this year will bloom. This is why it is so important to leave only the strongest and healthiest hydrangea branches.

Watering and fertilizers

The flower loves moisture very much. That is why the plant should be well watered in the fall. However, this must be done in September, after which watering stops. It is optimal to use settled rainwater for this.

You should not use aluminum sulfate so that the shade of the colors does not change. For the same reason, you should avoid spraying metal filings onto the soil. Otherwise, the color will turn blue.

Limewater is the first enemy of hydrangea. It can cause serious plant diseases. Village manure is also contraindicated for culture. This fertilizer can cause chlorosis. In the fall, it is recommended that hydrangeas rest and not use additives at all.

Sheltering hydrangeas for the winter

Hydrangea is a fragile flower. So that she can bear it well winter cold, it will need to be covered in the fall. It is recommended to carry out the work in the middle of the season, since mild frosts are not dangerous for the crop.

To protect the flower from low temperatures, it is necessary to create a shelter for the plant. Only in the southern regions is high hilling of the bush acceptable. A small plant can be closed:

• spruce branches;
• peat;
• covering material.

However, you definitely need to put a film on top. There is no need to be afraid that the hydrangea will sap.

There are several other ways to prepare a flower for winter. Tree trunk circle must be covered with spruce branches. The shoots of the plant themselves should be bent to the soil using the radial method. From the center of the hydrangea, the bushes spread out to the sides. They need to be secured near the ground with metal or wooden brackets. The center of the plant must be covered with peat. The shoots are covered with spruce branches, on top of which lutrasil is laid. He, in turn, is pressed down with bricks and boards so that gusty winds do not tear down the structure. Creating such a shelter can protect the crop from frosts down to -40 degrees.

Another way to cover a bush involves tying a rope around the plant. It is very important to carefully and slowly pull the flower. It must be laid without haste or jerking to the ground on previously laid out boards with specially driven nails. Ropes are attached to them, and the hydrangea is covered with sawdust or spruce branches on top. Last layer flower shelter can be created from:

• spunbond;
• a piece of old iron;
• lutrasil brand 30.

In regions where in winter the air temperature often drops below -25 degrees, you should avoid planting the plant in open ground.

Autumn care for hydrangea - complex important events, ensuring excellent flowering and active growth of the plant in the next season.

A beautiful flower, like a bride in a cloud of lace, can become the best decoration your house. A flowerpot with it can turn any room into cozy fairy-tale chambers. But do we know how to care for indoor hydrangea so that she will thank us for a long time with her lush flowering?

Description of indoor hydrangea

If you have not yet come across indoor hydrangea, then you have probably seen its older sister in gardens and flower beds. Among the people this perennial shrub with huge clusters of white flowers called "Destiny" or "Bride". It looks almost the same, only the stems are much smaller.

This is a perennial subshrub covered with oval leaves framed by denticles. The spherical inflorescences can reach about 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are corymbose, racemose or umbrella-shaped. Large inflorescences located at the edges of the flower are sterile, and those that bear fruit are usually small size

and are located in the center. Indoor hydrangea will serve great decoration

any home

• The peculiarity of hydrangea from other plants is that the color of its flowers depends not on the variety or some breeding rules, but on the properties of the soil in which the bush grows:
• neutral soil - cream or white;
• acidic soil - blue;

alkaline soil - pink or lilac. At the same time, the petals themselves remain colorless, and for the shades and decorative qualities

The sepals of the flowers are responsible for the inflorescences: they are the ones that acquire a bright color.

At home and if all the rules are followed, hydrangea can easily reach a height of 1 meter.

Caring for indoor hydrangea So that it grows strong, healthy and pleases you with its flowering as often as possible, provide it with suitable conditions

. It is believed that this flower is unpretentious. But if any of the conditions are not met correctly, the hydrangea will begin to wither and die over time. Therefore, read our tips carefully and follow them constantly.

Landing rules Lifespan of hydrangea as indoor flower - about 4 years, after which it will need to be planted again. In addition, the plant requires annual replanting, which helps lush flowering

. Since the root system of the plant is horizontal (it grows to the sides rather than down), you should select wide, spacious pots. Each next one should be at least one and a half times larger than the previous one. Repot your hydrangea into a larger pot to good growth

To plant hydrangea, prepare the substrate in the following ratio:

• 0.5 parts sand;
• 1 part peat;
• 1 part leaf soil;
• 2 parts of turf land.

There is no need to add humus to this mixture: it is harmful to hydrangea roots.

Like any cultivated plant, it perceives the transplant as stress, which negatively affects future development. To minimize the danger, replant the flower using the transshipment method. Pre-place at the bottom of the flowerpot good layer drainage. When the plant is moved to new pot, add fresh substrate. It should fill all the voids, leaving the root neck of the flower flush with the surface of the earth.

After you transplant the hydrangea and moisten the soil, add a layer of peat mulch to the flowerpot: it will hold required amount moisture in the substrate.

Flower location, light and temperature conditions

Hydrangea feels great in a well-lit space, but a direct hit sun rays there shouldn't be. It is not recommended to keep it directly on the windowsill: over time, the leaves will become covered with light spots - burns. But even in the shade the flower cannot develop. Place the flower in a room facing the south side, 2–3 meters from the windowsill.

The best temperature for hydrangea is room temperature, within +18 - +22 degrees. Sudden changes the flower does not tolerate drafts.

Place the hydrangea so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.

During the dormant period, this plant needs coolness and shade. You can take it down to the basement for this time and water it if necessary. Comfortable temperature+7 - +10 degrees. In February, the flower will begin to produce buds - it's time to return it indoors. If you don't provide hydrangeas the right conditions wintering, it will bloom only in a year, next winter.

Watering the flower and the required humidity

Hydrangea is a very moisture-loving plant. It’s not for nothing that they gave it another name - hydrangea, or “barrel of water.” However, it is also not recommended to overdo it in watering.

Note! Optimal formula Watering is as follows: in summer - regularly and a lot, in autumn and spring - moderately. In winter, during the dormant period, watering is done only when necessary to prevent stagnation of moisture in the pot.

Water for irrigation should be taken at room temperature. Rain or melt water is excellent (only if you live in an ecologically clean region). Add from time to time lemon juice at the rate of 5 drops per 1 liter of water. With low acidity, hydrangea leaves begin to turn yellow.

If the edges of the hydrangea leaves dry out, it means that the air humidity in the room is too low. Do not place the flower near the battery, use humidifiers. Spray the plant with water from a spray bottle as often as possible.

Do you want to speed up flowering and increase the decorativeness of flowers? This is easy to do: add gibberellin to the water for irrigation and spraying at the rate of 0.1 g per 1 liter of water.

Fertilizers and fertilizing

During the period of active growth, hydrangea needs fertilizing, which should be applied once every 2 weeks. Any fertilizer for flowering plants, such as heathers, rhododendrons, and azaleas, is suitable for this. You can easily buy them at any hardware or flower shop.

Buy fertilizers for flowering plants at a specialized store.

Feeding begins in February, when hydrangea, after a dormant period, begins to form new shoots. It is not recommended to feed the plant in winter.

Trimming

Beginning gardeners may decide that indoor hydrangea does not need to trim its branches. This is not true. On the contrary, it is for indoor hydrangea that pruning is very important condition care Thanks to it, the bush will take shape, and the plant as a whole will distribute correctly useful material obtained from the soil.

Trim hydrangeas in a timely manner to form the crown of the bush.

Pruning should be done twice a year:

1. In the fall, when the hydrangea fades, remove weak shoots at the root. Shorten strong ones by half the length.
2. In spring, remove weak shoots that are too elongated.

You can also trim the top of the plant. This will allow additional shoots to grow and form a lush bush.

Reproduction

Most often, propagation of this flower is carried out by cuttings and dividing the bush. Planting seeds is used less frequently: this method is quite labor-intensive and does not always give positive results.

Cuttings

This is the easiest way. Held in January-February. Cut cuttings from basal shoots so that there are no more than 3 internodes on a branch 8 cm long. Remove leaves from the bottom of the cuttings. Shorten the top ones by half. Treat the lower cut with a root stimulator. Plant the cuttings in a substrate of sand and peat, keep in the light at a humidity of about 80/% and a temperature of up to 20 degrees. It is recommended to cover the cuttings with glass jars, removing them daily for ventilation. Keep the soil constantly moist. After 3-4 weeks, the cuttings can be planted in pots.

Hydrangea cuttings with roots

Dividing the bush

Also a simple method, but it requires caution. When replanting each year, divide the bush so that each division has growing points and roots in the right quantity. Shoots and roots need to be shortened. Place parts of the plant in different pots, water and mulch the soil. It is better to divide the bush in the spring if you want the divisions to take root by autumn.

Growing from seeds

Held at the end of winter. Prepare soil from equal parts of humus, leaf and turf soil. Add half of peat and sand. Place some substrate in a bowl and scatter hydrangea seeds over the surface without embedding them in the soil. Cover the bowl with the crops with glass. Every day, ventilate and moisten the crops with a spray bottle so that the soil is constantly moist, but not wet. The glass can be removed after germination. When the seedlings have 2 leaves, plant them in containers with the same soil.

Propagating hydrangea by seeds is a painstaking task.

Strictly observe the propagation time so that the hydrangea grows and forms correctly.

Without lower temperatures during the dormant period, the hydrangea most likely will not bloom the following season.

Like any cultivated plant, indoor hydrangea can be exposed to diseases and harmful insects. How to recognize them, and most importantly, how to get rid of them?

When growing hydrangeas, you may encounter some other difficulties. For example, yellowing of leaves. The reason for this most often is improper care: insufficient watering, low nitrogen content in the soil, chlorosis caused by large quantity alkalis in the soil. The plant will recover as soon as you eliminate these errors.

If you forget about watering and spraying, very soon the hydrangea will begin to dry out. The reason may also be a lack of nutrients in the substrate or damage to the roots during transplantation. In the first case, it is enough to water the flower in a timely manner, in the second - to ensure good feeding

. If the cause is injury to the root system, such a bush is unlikely to grow healthy. If the hydrangea does not bloom, it means that it was not provided with proper rest in winter. All the energy was spent on the previous flowering, and new ones were not accumulated. Do not forget that the flower needs to overwinter for 70–80 days in a cool place. dark room

. Even if the leaves do not dry out or fall off, and the hydrangea looks fresh and strong, prune and lower the pot with the plant into the basement. Do this in December, and in February the flower will be ready for the next life cycle.

This wonderful flower is interesting for its unusual ability change the color of the petals. You can use this to create your own shade that harmonizes with the interior of the room. Hydrangea accumulates aluminum, thanks to which its flowers acquire the desired color.

For example, the petals will turn pink if you add lime to the soil. Adding aluminum sulfate will provide a blue color. Acidic soil will give colors brightness and saturation, neutral - noble pallor. For oxidation, use peat, coniferous soil or sawdust. For alkalization, it is better to use ash, lime and chalk.

You can change the color of your hydrangea yourself using little tricks.

To obtain blue flowers, add potassium alum to the water for irrigation, about 8 grams per 1 liter of water. You can also spray the bush with a solution of 50 g of aluminum citrate per 1 liter of water.

Some gardeners claim that hydrangea with white petals does not change its color due to the properties of the soil or the addition of any substances. Supposedly only varieties with blue and pink flowers subject to such changes. Well, a good reason to experiment at home. Moreover, in this way you will not harm the flower itself.