When to transplant hydrangea

Experienced gardeners always recommend carefully choosing a place for any shrubs, as they do not tolerate moving to a new place very well. But sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that the plant has to be transplanted. If you have a need to transplant a hydrangea, it is very important to carry out all the work at a certain time, then the plant will quickly root and acclimate to a new place. On the contrary, if you carry out a transplant in an unsuitable growing season for this, then there is a risk of ruining the hydrangea. In this article, we will discuss the best timing for transplanting a plant, all stages of transplanting, as well as caring for a hydrangea after moving to a new place.

When can you transplant hydrangea

Perennial plants get used to a certain place, soil composition, sunlight and neighbors, so moving to another place is always very stressful for them. If you unknowingly transplant the hydrangea at the wrong time, then the stress will be even stronger and as a result, the plant may bloom much later, or not bloom at all, and in the worst case, wither away. Young bushes, which are less than five years old, adapt to a new place easier and much faster, but with an adult hydrangea, you need to be more careful and carefully prepare for transplantation.

The most optimal time to move will be autumn, in this case, the hydrangea will have time to get used to it and will bloom in the spring. Wait until the end of flowering (usually in the second half of September) and act. With an autumn transplant, the hydrangea will have time to take root before the onset of frost, and this will minimize the risk of freezing. In addition, since all forces will be directed towards rooting, the hydrangea will stop forming new shoots, which also helps to reduce the risk of freezing in winter.

You can also transplant the shrub in the spring, but it is important to have time to do this before sap flow and active foliage growth begin, otherwise the adaptation process will slow down and flowering, possibly, will come later. It is necessary to carry out a spring transplant as soon as the snow completely melts and the soil begins to warm up, as a rule, this is the end of March or the first half of April (it all depends on the climate of your region). If you understand that you are late, and the hydrangea is already out of its dormant state, then you should wait with the transplant until autumn.

In the summer, it is strongly not recommended to transplant a hydrangea. If you injure the plant during the flowering period, then in the future it may not bloom for several years. So before proceeding with the transplant, you need to think carefully and prepare.

How to transplant a hydrangea to a new location

After you have decided that the hydrangea needs to be transplanted, take care to choose a suitable place for the shrub from which it will no longer have to be moved.

Hydrangea makes certain requirements for sunlight, which must be tried to fulfill: the plant needs the sun's rays in the morning, and the rest of the time it is better to create partial shade. You should not plant the plant in a shady place, as it most likely will not bloom there. But even in the sun, hydrangeas will not be comfortable - the foliage will get burns, and the inflorescences will dry, regardless of the frequency of watering. This is a lush and beautiful perennial shrub that, if well cared for, can become the pride and hallmark of your garden, so try to find the right place for it.

The distance from the buildings should be about one and a half meters, so the snow falling from the roof in winter will not break the branches of the hydrangea (although in winter it is still recommended to bend the branches to the ground and cover).
Hydrangea, unlike most other plants, feels most comfortable on weak and moderately acidic soils. To one degree or another, neutral soil is suitable, but planting in alkaline soil is undesirable, as this can cause chlorosis. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant hydrangeas near concrete structures and paths that contribute to soil leaching.

Preparing a new place for hydrangea must be started in advance. For a spring transplant, prepare a place in the fall, and if an autumn transplant is planned, then you can start preparing a place in the middle of summer.

Dig up the soil. If your site has dense and heavy soil, then you can add coniferous litter, sand and peat to it, embedding them in the soil. If the soil is initially suitable for hydrangea, then it will be enough just to dig it up. And prepare the soil mixture with which you will then fill the planting hole. As a rule, this is garden soil, peat, sand and compost in equal parts. In addition, you can add a complex mineral fertilizer that necessarily contains potassium and phosphorus. Then, dig a planting hole, the size of which depends on the age and size of the hydrangea - the older and larger the bush, the larger the planting hole. If you are replanting several shrubs, then the distance between them should be at least one and a half meters, so that in the future they do not interfere with each other.

Transplanting a hydrangea is not difficult, you just need to act consistently and carefully.

1. Place a drainage layer of gravel or broken brick at the bottom of the pit. Even if the groundwater in your area is deep enough, drainage will not be superfluous.
2. On the eve of the planned transplant, pour the planting hole well with water, and then, when the water is absorbed, fill it with the prepared soil mixture.
3. Gather the branches of the hydrangea in a bunch and fasten it with twine - this will make it more convenient to move it.
4. Dig a plant with as large a lump of soil as possible to minimize root damage, and transfer the hydrangea to the planting hole on tarp or plastic wrap. It is not necessary to shake the earth from the roots.
5. Place the hydrangea in the hole, if necessary, straighten the roots. Make sure the root collar is at ground level. This is important - do not deepen it!
6. Cover the roots of the plant with soil that was previously dug out of the hole, cover the trunk circle with mulch (use peat or sawdust), and then water. An adult plant will need 2-3 buckets of water, the soil should be saturated with moisture deep enough for the rooting process to go faster.

How to care for a plant the first time after transplanting

A plant transplant can be compared with a surgical operation, how well everything went, it will not be immediately clear. The first two weeks can be considered critical, at this time the hydrangea is especially in need of care and is most vulnerable to adverse weather conditions.

Strong gusts of wind can overturn unrooted shrubs, so immediately after transplanting, you need to take care of installing supports, and possibly protective shields, if the weather is especially windy.

It is also necessary to water the plant regularly. Hydrangea is, in principle, one of the most moisture-loving plants, and even in the period after transplantation, it especially needs watering, as it focuses on growing new roots.

But feeding during this period will not be needed. As we said above, a complex mineral fertilizer must be added to the composition of the nutrient soil mixture, this hydrangea will be enough for the entire season with a spring transplant, or until next year with an autumn work.

Summing up all of the above, we see that there is nothing super complicated in moving a hydrangea.The most important thing is to choose the right time and not disturb the hydrangea during the flowering period. In addition, it is necessary to provide the transplanted plant with wind protection and regular watering.