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Ornamental trees and shrubs of the Bretschneider hydrangea are in great demand among gardeners due to their good resistance to drought and wintering. In addition, they are very effects and beautiful during the flowering period, which continues throughout the summer season. Only the first time will have to work on caring for the plant in order to create favorable conditions for it. In the future, Bretschneider’s hydrangea needs to be well watered and loosen the soil under it.
The variety blooms with “umbrellas”, which distinguishes it from other species.
Description of Hydrangea Bretschneider
Hydrangea Bretschneideri (hydrangea bretschneideri) is a perennial plant up to 3 m tall. The crown is round, the foliage is elongated, pointed, about 12 cm in size. The plant has a strong trunk with dense foliage. The flowers are white at first, arranged in the form of umbrellas about 15 cm. Closer to autumn, they acquire a purple color, from which the second name of the species “Purple Queen” came from.
During the entire summer season, it actively blooms, despite the possible drought. The plant is sun-loving, although it requires good watering and little shade. By winter, it is stable, you just need to carry out a slight pruning.
Hydrangea Bretschneider in landscape design
Bretschneider ground cover hydrangea, also known as the Purple Queen, is an excellent choice of flower growers in the field of landscape design. The plant looks great alone. It is also grown in combination with other deciduous shrubs, including evergreen and ornamental ones. The harmony of this variety in conjunction with conifers is noted.
Bretschneider’s ground cover hydrangea is grown as a hedge
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Bretschneider
This variety of hydrangea is distinguished by its endurance before drought and frost. Growing in the middle lane in a temperate climate, the plant is not insulated for the winter.
Planting and caring for Hydrangea Bretschneider
Seeds of Bretschneider’s ground cover hydrangea are planted in open ground in the middle or late spring, when the frosts have passed and will not return. But the soil is prepared in advance, since the autumn period. Peat and sand are added to the main land. Before planting, you need to carefully clean the ground from weeds, then the seeds are slightly deepened into the soil and sprinkled on top with a thin layer of sifted sand.
Seedlings germinate slowly, besides, the plant must be constantly loosened, weeded, replanted if necessary, and the soil fertilized.
The first winter seasons, the plant is wrapped in non-woven material and spruce branches (spruce branches)
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Hydrangea of this variety is planted in a sunny area, but strong gusts of wind and drafts should be excluded. A ground cover hydrangea can be placed near a fence or next to a large tree. In addition to the fact that the plants will look harmonious, the hydrangea is protected from the winds. The plant prefers a lot of sunlight, so care should be taken when planting it under trees.
Ground cover hydrangeas are usually planted in the spring when frosts are no longer expected. But the soil is prepared in the fall, loosening it, mixing it with acid peat, compost and other organic top dressing.
Rules of landing
Planting holes for hydrangeas are prepared about half a meter deep. If the gardener decides to do without fertilizers, planting holes are dug deeper. First of all, additional roots will climb above the ground, and secondly, in the depths, the soil is richer in minerals than the upper layers. Therefore, it is recommended to use additional peat and top dressing.
Having placed the hydrangea in the hole, its roots are well straightened, sprinkled and tamped so that they come into contact with the ground, otherwise a void will form, which can turn into drying out.
If branches and roots are damaged during planting, they are carefully cut off. After the end of the planting procedure, the plant is watered abundantly so that the earth is saturated with moisture for at least half a meter. In the summer, mulching is done so that the soil does not overheat and useful minerals do not evaporate.
Watering and top dressing
Hydrangea is actively watered, especially in the season when there is not enough rainfall. Despite the fact that the Bretschneider variety tolerates the sun well, at the same time, like other varieties, it needs good, stable watering.
Gardeners fertilize the soil at their discretion. You can use humus, additional acidified peat, and also mix in some mineral fertilizers. Among other things, for hydrangeas, a separate type of top dressing is distinguished, rich in iron and magnesium.
The first feeding is carried out in May or June, repeated procedures are done every two weeks until the trunk becomes stiff.
By the end of summer, complementary foods are reduced to nothing
Trimming
Pruning is performed in early spring, before the start of the so-called sap flow, that is, shortly before the plant wakes up from wintering. If the gardener missed this moment, then the pruning is postponed until the period when the petals begin to bloom.
Pruning allows you to shape the shrub, as well as control the number of flower umbrellas. If necessary, young shoots are pruned, they can be used for hydrangea cuttings.
By the wintering period, faded buds, weak and dried branches are cut off. Sometimes gardeners can cut off a large part of the plant so that it is completely renewed in the spring.
Preparation for winter
Hydrangea Bretschneider stoically endures winter, so many gardeners prefer not to bother preparing the plant for frost. The best option for caring for a shrub is to insulate the soil, that is, to mulch. In the case of this type of plant, preference is given to organic mulch, for example, autumn fallen leaves, sawdust, bark. The bottom line is that they will not only create greenhouse conditions for the roots, but by spring they will ennoble the earth, increase its beneficial properties.
As for the crown of the ground cover hydrangea, it will not be superfluous to wrap it with kraft paper for the period of cold weather or other covering material. When warm days come, around April, all these auxiliary materials are removed. They do this in the evening so that the first warm rays of the sun do not harm the awakening plant.
Reproduction
The plant is propagated by all known methods. The best option is cuttings. Root cuttings during the flowering period of hydrangeas, which are cut from annual shoots. The cuttings are placed in water, but to speed up the process, you can use a light moisture-absorbing substrate of peat and sand in a ratio of 2 to 1. Sphagnum moss can also be mixed in there.
After the roots have erupted, the cuttings are planted in the substrate at a distance of about 5 cm from each other. At a temperature of about 20 ° C, hydrangeas root in a month.
You can use the method of dividing a bush, when a bush is dug up in spring or autumn, it is divided into 2-3 parts and planted.
Cuttings are the most common method of propagation.
Reproduction by seeds is the longest and most troublesome. The seeds are quite small, so they are initially placed in boxes with slightly acidic soil. They make it from leafy soil, humus, peat and coarse sand, taken in proportions of 2: 2: 1: 1, respectively.
Seeds are not buried, but rather scattered on the soil, sprinkled with sand on top. Then sprayed from a spray bottle, the first sprouts promise to appear in a month. By autumn, they reach a height of about 40 cm. The first wintering should be provided with good greenhouse conditions.
Diseases and pests
In addition to the above benefits of hydrangea, it is also disease resistant. Of course, it cannot do without aphids and spider mites, but they are quite easy to remove. In especially wet seasons, hydrangeas can pick up the fungal disease “powdery mildew”. It is not good when the soil from which the plant grows contains lime, under its action the hydrangea brightens.
An excess of humus in the soil is also dangerous for the development of hydrangea chlorosis.
Conclusion
Ornamental trees and shrubs of the Bretschneider hydrangea are an excellent choice for both beginners in floriculture and for master gardeners. In addition to the fact that the plant gradually changes its colors, it does not require unnecessary care procedures, except perhaps for the first few seasons.
Hydrangea Bretschneider Reviews
Ornamental trees and shrubs of the Bretschneider hydrangea are famous all over the world.
