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Hydrangea Confetti is one of the gardeners’ favorite ornamental plants. And this is not surprising. It combines a lot of positive qualities: large inflorescences, pleasant colors, long flowering, unpretentious care and endurance. The main advantage of this type of hydrangea over others is that it tolerates cold well.
Description of Hydrangea Confetti
Hydrangea paniculata (lat. Hydrangeapaniculata Confetti) is a low-growing ornamental shrub. Its height is 1-1,5 m, and its diameter is 75 cm. The inflorescences are large, openwork, conical in shape, reach a length of 30 cm. They are arranged vertically. Panicles contain many fragrant flowers.
Hydrangea changes color as it blooms.
Confetti flowers appear in July. Initially they are white and green. However, from the second week of flowering, a color change begins. The lower tiers acquire a pink hue of varying degrees of saturation. Flowering continues until September.
The leaves are dark green, oval, pointed, with pronounced veins. The stems are strong, combine a mixture of scarlet, brown and orange.
Hydrangea Confetti in landscape design
According to the description and photo of the Confetti hydrangea, it is clear that it will look harmoniously both in flower beds and on lawns. Perfect for landscape compositions. It can be planted as a single bush or in groups. It is combined with barberry and coniferous plants. Suitable for outdoor cultivation, container cultivation.
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Confetti
Hydrangea Confetti is characterized by unpretentiousness and endurance. It is able to tolerate frosts down to -30 °C. This quality allows you to grow it not only in regions with a southern climate.
Planting and caring for hydrangea paniculata Confetti
The abundance of its flowering depends on how correct the care of Hydrangea Confetti will be. Before planting young bushes (3-4 years) in open ground, you need to decide what kind of decorative effect you will get after strengthening the plants. Based on this, you need to calculate at what distance to make holes.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Hydrangea loves nutritious, moderately moist, slightly acidic, lime-free soil. A place for her landing must be chosen so that at lunchtime she is in partial shade. Under the bright sun, the plant feels uncomfortable, blooms later, and its inflorescences never become lush. Ideally, if the Confetti hydrangea is illuminated only in the morning or in the evening.
In order for the plant to take root in a new place, a mixture is made, which includes:
- 2 parts of enriched soil;
- 2 parts high-moor peat (for acidification);
- 1 part of humus (10 kg per 1 m2);
- 1 part of sand (to perform a drainage function so that water does not stagnate);
- 25 g of urea;
- 65 g superphosphate;
- 25 g potassium sulfate;
- a little needles (for acidification).
When planting, the root system of a young bush is sprinkled with the finished mixture.
In order for the hydrangea to take root better, it is sprinkled not with earth, but with a special mixture.
Rules of landing
After thawing the soil, pits are dug in it, about 60 cm wide and 40 cm deep. The bottom is sprinkled with soil mixture. A small layer of small stones is also laid out there. The minimum distance between the pits is 1,5 m. If it is less, the grown Confetti will interfere with each other and compete with each other for the sun’s rays. Next, diseased and dried roots will be removed from the seedling. There should be at least 3 growth buds on its stem.
Confetti is immersed in a hole and sprinkled with the remnants of the soil mixture. The latter is slightly rammed. The planted young bush is generously watered and mulched. Pine needles or tree bark are used as mulch for Confetti. Its layer should be 8-10 cm.
Watering and top dressing
Hydrangea paniculata confetti is a moisture-loving plant. It is watered twice a week. At the same time, 3 buckets of water are spent under each adult bush. During periods of cold weather and frequent precipitation, the frequency of the procedure is reduced, and in drought, if necessary, increased. It is desirable that the water does not contain chlorine. Rain is ideal for these purposes. Some summer residents collect it in advance and store it in barrels, bathtubs. They try to water Hydrangea Confetti carefully, so as not to wet the leaves and flowers.
In order for the crown of Confetti to be lush, top dressing is periodically applied. This is usually done during the following periods:
- in the fall, phosphorus and potassium preparations are added;
- in the spring, 20 g of urea is dissolved in a bucket of water and watered with a ready-made plant solution;
- during the growing season, 8-10 liters of manure is poured under each plant.
In addition, there is a feeding recipe that stimulates the abundant flowering of a young hydrangea bush. They do it like this: 30 g of potassium sulfate is mixed with 30 g of urea and 30 g of superphosphate. The resulting mixture is dissolved in a bucket of water. The maximum dosage is 3 buckets.
Pruning Hydrangea Confetti
Trimming the Confetti bush is done twice:
- wilted inflorescences are removed in autumn;
- pruned diseased, dry branches in the spring.
In the summer months, if necessary, thin out the bush and adjust its shape. This allows you to achieve the most aesthetic appearance. When removing shoots, at least 4 growth buds must be left for the further development of the plant.
Preparation for winter
Despite the fact that Confetti easily tolerates cold, after pruning, the hydrangea is prepared for winter. They do it like this:
- The plant is wrapped with insulation.
- Above it, a structure is created from the base and a mesh coating, and the inner void is covered with dry fallen leaves.
- From above, the mesh with the frame is covered with a dense, waterproof film.
So it is possible to create a favorable microclimate around the hydrangea Confetti and save it from icing in the event of a sharp temperature drop.
Despite the fact that Confetti is a cold-resistant variety, it still needs to be insulated for the winter.
Reproduction
Hydrangea flowers are sterile and do not participate in sexual reproduction of the plant. Therefore, gardeners propagate bushes by the following methods:
- Cuttings. The procedure involves harvesting hydrangea cuttings before the tissues begin to coarsen (June). The cuttings are immersed in water, they are in it until the roots appear. After the end of the adaptation period, the young plant is planted in a permanent place.
- By dividing the bush. An adult hydrangea is divided into several young bushes.
- Layers. Escape Confetti bend to the ground and fix. This method is the least efficient.
When transplanting hydrangeas, you need to dig up young bushes with a lump of soil. This will avoid damage to the root system. The main advantage of asexual reproduction of plants is that it allows you to fully preserve the qualities of the mother. This means that the mother individual and the young bush will look like one to one.
The roots should be placed in a plastic bag and pour a few handfuls of peat and raw sawdust into it. It is necessary to ensure that the roots of the young bush do not dry out.
Diseases and pests
When growing hydrangeas, you can encounter a number of problems, especially with young bushes.
This is, first of all:
- spider mite attack. The pest infects the lower part of the leaf and braids it with a brown web. As a result, it turns yellow, and then dries up and falls off. At an air temperature of 30 ° C and a humidity of 40-50%, the cycle of its development takes a week. At an air temperature of 10 ° C and a humidity of 85%, its activity decreases. The problem is eliminated by spraying the bushes with thiophos (7 g per bucket of water).
For a year, the pest gives up to 12 generations
- Aphid attack. In closed ground conditions, when forcing plants, an attack by green leaf aphids is possible. To combat it, a solution of anabazine sulfate is used (15 g of the substance is diluted in a bucket of water). They spray Confetti twice.
When attacked by aphids, the leaves begin to wilt immediately.
- Downy mildew. Its main symptom is oily spots on the leaves, which gradually turn yellow and darken, increase in size. A yellow coating forms on the lower part of the leaves. Often it is present on the stems. The most active pathological process develops at an air temperature of around 20 ° C and excessive humidity. To fix the problem, the leaves are treated with 150 g of green soap, 15 g of copper sulfate and a bucket of water.
The pathological process affects the leaves and stems of Confetti
- Chlorosis. The main symptom of the pathological process is the lightening of the leaves. Only the veins on them retain their color. The frequent introduction of humus can lead to a problem. To cure hydrangea from chlorosis, it must be poured three times with a solution of potassium nitrate (40 g per bucket of water), and after three days with a solution of ferrous sulfate (also 40 g per bucket of water).
Chlorosis most often affects Confetti, which grows in soil with a high lime content.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Confetti is a bright representative of a culture that can not only please the eye with bright beautiful flowers, but also surprise with a change in the color of the petals during flowering. The plant is not whimsical at all. Caring for it includes regular watering and top dressing, pruning of diseased and old branches, warming for the winter. Even a beginner can handle this task.