How to feed hydrangea?
Content:
Hydrangea is a beautiful flower that can be grown both in the garden and at home. The color and beautiful cap of the inflorescences attract a lot of attention. Due to the fact that hydrangea includes a wide variety of varieties and species, it will not be difficult to find exactly the one that can decorate your site. But in order for the plant to please your eye for a long time with its beautiful and abundant flowering, it requires a little more attention to itself than other crops. This also applies to fertilization. What is their use, at what time and how to apply them correctly, and specifically how to feed the hydrangea? You will learn about all this by reading this article.
Why do you need to fertilize and how to feed the hydrangea?
If you regularly monitor the application of fertilizers, you will notice how beautiful your plant looks, how beautiful and abundant it blooms. Moreover, abundant flowering is possible before the onset of the first frost. If the plant is full of strength, then it will be much easier for it to survive the winter period.
If you do not fertilize, the hydrangea will have a sluggish and weak appearance. The buds will appear less frequently, the inflorescences will decrease in size, and the flowers will have a dull color. Without fertilizers, the plant will be more susceptible to various diseases and insect attacks. And this can already have a detrimental effect on the condition of the plant.
It is also important to note the fact that hydrangea is one of the crops that, depending on the acidity of the soil, as well as the applied top dressing, can change their color. Therefore, by applying certain fertilizers, you can independently change the color of the plant.
How to feed hydrangea in spring
If you fertilize correctly in the spring, the plant will have beautiful foliage and lush flowering throughout the season. For the correct formation of healthy and strong foliage, they begin to make the first top dressing as soon as the process of sap flow begins - in March.
In order for the leaves to actively grow and develop, it is necessary to add fertilizers that contain nitrogen. A mixture of urea and potassium sulfate is best. 1 tbsp. l. each substance must be diluted in 10 liters of water. 1 bush will need 5 liters of ready-made solution.
For organic fertilizers, it is best to use slurry. It must be diluted with water (1:10). The resulting solution is used to process each bush.
When the buds begin to form and the first flowers appear, you need to make another top dressing.
What can you feed your hydrangea before the flowering period? The introduction of mineral components, namely potassium and phosphorus, is best suited. You can use superphosphate or any other complex fertilizer that contains these components. 1 tbsp. l. a spoonful of the substance must be mixed in 10 liters of water. You can take a solution of potassium permanganate in order to make the plant strong and flexible. You can also carry out the spraying procedure using a potassium permanganate solution.
For all the time, you can do such procedures 3 times during the spring season.
How can you feed hydrangea in the summer
In June, when the formation of ovaries continues, the plant also needs to be fed in order to increase the number of buds. To do this, you can use a mixture of nitrophoska (1 tablespoon) and Agricola (1 tablespoon), which must be mixed in 10 liters of water.
In July, you can fertilize with green organic fertilizer. It is better to take a diluted nettle infusion and add it under each plant. Then add clean water.
In the middle of the summer period, fertilization is necessary so that the inflorescences can actively bloom and bloom for a long time. For this, it is better to use complex fertilizers. You can take Kemir flower - 1 tbsp. l. Mix the substances in 10 liters of water.
But with the onset of August, nitrogen must be excluded from complex fertilizers, which is due to:
- This will help the plant survive the winter better.
- Nitrogen helps to improve green mass and size characteristics of inflorescences. Under their heavy weight, the shoots can tilt to the ground and even break, which will affect the decorative appearance of the plant.
The introduction of mineral fertilizing is best alternated with organic, it is possible with a solution of bird droppings or diluted slurry. You can also try making non-standard dressings. For example, use kefir, whey or yogurt, which is diluted with water (1: 3). It is also possible to use sour bread, which should be soaked to the state of porridge.
At the time of flowering, it is recommended to fertilize once every 15 days.
How to feed hydrangea in autumn
Autumn feeding is needed to prepare the plant for the winter period, for the laying of new shoots. It is best to use potassium-phosphorus fertilizing. Potassium helps to strengthen the root system, which will help you better endure winter. 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and superphosphate should be mixed in 10 liters of water. It is recommended to add 7 liters of solution to 1 bush.
It is not recommended to apply fertilizers containing nitrogen in the autumn period. Nitrogen promotes better shoot growth, which can be superfluous in autumn. New branches may not have time to ripen and can easily freeze in winter. Including the kidneys that are on them.
As a result, you will get significantly less splendor of foliage and inflorescences in the coming year. In autumn, it is better to use organic fertilizing, such as compost, humus, peat. This type of dressing should be laid around the bush, the layer should be about 5-10 cm. This will help protect the root system from the cold.
Self-degradation is characteristic of organic fertilizers. Thus, the plant will be able to receive all the necessary nutrients.
Why can the color of the hydrangea change?
If you want to change the color, you can apply certain fertilizers. This is optional but can help change the color of your garden. This is due to such a plant property as the ability to accumulate aluminum.
During soil oxidation, the plant is able to change its color. If you want to get a blue color, then you can add soil under the plant, which contains peat and needles in its composition. The same effect can be achieved if you mix potassium chloride (60 g), potassium sulfate with 1 bucket of peat. The resulting mixture must be decomposed in the near-stem circle of the plant, then good watering is carried out.
To obtain a dark blue and purple color, you need to mix ammonium and potassium sulfate in equal amounts. Then the resulting mixture (2 tbsp. L.) Stir in a bucket of water. We bring under 1 bush 1 bucket of the resulting mixture. For the first time, such a mixture should be introduced when the bud tying period begins. When you notice the appearance of the first flowers, then this procedure can be repeated for several more days.
If you want to get a pink tint, then you need to use humus, lime and ash. You need to mix wood ash (2 cups), diluted lime (1 cup) and humus (1 bucket). Mix everything well and add under each plant. You can use another method - mix liquid manure (1 liter) and top dressing "Flower" and "Agricola 7" (30 g). The resulting mixture must be mixed in 1 bucket of water and used under each plant.
If you want to get a rich white shade, it is necessary to fertilize with superphosphate, potassium sulfate, a small amount of humus, a litter of needles, a layer of coarse sand a couple of days before planting the plant in the ground. You can apply all these types of fertilizers to a depth of about 10-15 cm.
Add dressing to hydrangeas that are grown at home
It is better to use a complex feeding for flowering crops. The most important thing is that alkalis should be as small as possible in the composition of such fertilizers, since it can have a detrimental effect on the hydrangea.
You can apply this type of feeding once every 15 days. Feeding in winter is not recommended. If you want to get a bush with different colors, you can add different types of dressings on all sides of the container.
To obtain a blue color - ammonia-potassium alum (for 1 liter of water, you need to take 5 alum). To obtain a lilac color of the hydrangea, add a small amount of lime. If you want a white or cream colored hydrangea, it can be grown in soil that is neutral in acidity.
To increase the acidity level, you can use pine needles, peat, or coniferous substrate. If, on the contrary, you want to reduce the acidity level, then it is possible to add ash or lime.
If you take care of the plant on time, then you can get a hydrangea, which will be distinguished by abundant flowering, which will delight with its bright colors.