Hydrangea Summer Snow: description, planting and care, photo

Hydrangea Summer Snow is a low-growing perennial shrub with a spreading crown and attractive large white inflorescences. With proper care, they appear during July, August, September and even early October. Due to its high decorative value, Summer Snow is often used to decorate country gardens and country houses. The variety is characterized by high winter hardiness, which makes it possible to grow shrubs in most regions of Our Country.

Description Hydrangea Summer Snow

Summer Snow is a kind of panicled hydrangea with snow-white flowers, collected in lush inflorescences in the form of large panicles (up to 35 cm long). It has a long flowering period – from mid-July to early October. Moreover, the first inflorescences appear already in the year of planting the seedling.

Hydrangea Summer Snow is a lush, spreading shrub with a dense spherical crown (mostly up to 80-150 cm in height). With proper care, it grows up to 3 m, resembling a beautiful flowering tree. The leaves are large, with a pointed end, have a dark green color and a matte surface. Thanks to this, the inflorescences resemble snow that has powdered a bush. Therefore, the name of the hydrangea is translated as “summer snow”.

Hydrangea Summer Snow has luxurious white flowers, which are collected in large panicle inflorescences.

Hydrangea paniculata Summer Snow in landscape design

Paniculata hydrangea Hydrangea Paniculata Summer Snow will decorate the garden, flower garden, lawn in front of the house well. Since the bush grows quite sprawling and tall, the variety is more often used in single plantings. Along with this, there are other applications. For example, it can be used:

• in mixborders with other colors;
• in compositions with perennial herbaceous plants;
• to form a hedge (in this case, the planting interval between adjacent seedlings is reduced to 80 cm).

Hydrangea Summer Snow looks good both against the background of the lawn and on the “bare” ground

Winter hardiness of hydrangea paniculata Living Summer Snow

Summer Snow belongs to varieties with good winter hardiness. There is evidence that it can withstand winter frosts down to -35 degrees. Therefore, it is suitable for cultivation in almost all regions of Our Country, including:

• Central part;
• The Urals;
• South of Siberia;
• Far East.

Planting and caring for hydrangea Summer Snow

The bush is purchased in nurseries in order to plant it in early spring (possible in April, after the snow melts). The only exception is the Krasnodar Territory, the North Caucasus and other southern regions. Here, Summer Snow, like other hydrangeas, is allowed to be planted in the fall (approximately in the second half of October).

Selection and preparation of the landing site

To select the optimal location, you need to consider several points:

1. Hydrangea Summer Snow loves well-lit hills where precipitation does not stagnate. If groundwater comes too close to the surface, the soil should be drained with small stones.
2. A small shadow from buildings, neighboring shrubs is allowed, and in the south this is even desirable.
3. If possible, the site should be protected from strong drafts and wind – it is optimal to plant Summer Snow hydrangea next to the house or other buildings.
4. You should not plant a flower next to trees, as they absorb a lot of moisture.

Before planting Summer Snow hydrangeas, the site is cleared of debris and dug up. The optimal soil reaction is moderately acidic, with a pH of about 5,0. A neutral reaction is allowed, but Summer Love, like other hydrangea varieties, will grow very poorly on highly alkaline soil. Therefore, you can pre-neutralize, for example, with 9% vinegar (half a glass per 10 liters of water).

In open areas, Summer Snow hydrangea looks especially beautiful.

Rules of landing

Before planting, it is necessary to prepare a fertile mixture of the following components:

• leaf ground (2 parts);
• humus (2 parts);
• peat (1 part);
• sand (1 part).

The landing process itself is simple:

1. Holes are dug in the prepared area with a depth and diameter of 30 cm.
2. Root the seedling and sprinkle it with a mixture so that the root collar remains on the surface.
3. Give 1-2 buckets of water.

Watering and top dressing

Hydrangea of ​​this species has a high need for water. It should be watered regularly, so that the top layer of soil does not dry out and, moreover, does not crack. The standard volume of water is 1 bucket per seedling and 2-3 per adult bush. Water once a week in the absence of precipitation, and in drought – a little more often. If it rains, they are guided by soil moisture.

Top dressing is applied regularly (at least 3-4 times per season) to ensure lush and long flowering:

1. At the beginning of spring (March-April) give a complex mineral fertilizer.
2. At the beginning of spring, you can once pour slurry diluted with water 10 times.
3. At the stage of bud formation, it is useful to feed with superphosphates (70 g per 1 m2) and potassium sulfate (40 g per 1 m2).
4. The last 2 top dressings are made in July and August: the composition is the same (potassium and phosphates).

For lush flowering, Summer Snow will need regular watering and top dressing.

Pruning hydrangea paniculate variety Summer Snow

The bush needs annual pruning, which is best done in early spring, before the buds open (optimally at the time of their swelling). For cutting, use a pruner or garden shears. The basic rules are:

1. All dead and damaged shoots are removed.
2. Well-developed branches are significantly shortened, leaving 3 buds.
3. Old flower stalks are removed completely (they give flowers for 2 years in a row).

Preparation for winter

Summer Snow is highly frost-resistant, so it does not need special shelter. However, in autumn it is advisable to lay out a layer of mulch from foliage, needles, peat, sawdust up to 6-7 cm and spud a bush (15-20 cm) so that it survives the winter safely. If extreme frost below -30 degrees is possible in the region, it is advisable to cover the plant with spandbond, burlap or a special cover.

Reproduction

Hydrangea is bred:

• seeds;
• layering;
• vaccination;
• division of the bush.

The simplest method is propagation by green cuttings. The instruction is as follows:

1. Cut the apical shoots with 2-3 pairs of leaves.
2. Remove the top leaves and cut the bottom ones in half.
3. Soak overnight in root stimulator.
4. Plant in moistened sand and grow under glass for 1-1,5 months.
5. After the appearance of several pairs of leaves, transplant into a pot and send to winter at a temperature of 14-16 degrees.
6. In the summer, transplant to a permanent place.

Hydrangea cuttings Summer Snow can root both in wet sand and in a glass of water.

Diseases and pests

Summer Snow is quite resistant to diseases and pests. But periodically the bush can affect fungal infections:

• powdery mildew;
• gray rot;
• rust.

Also, various pests often parasitize on the foliage and roots:

• aphid;
• spider mite;
• Chafer;
• noctuid.

To combat them, it is recommended to use effective fungicides (Bordeaux liquid, Skor, Maxim) and insecticides (Biotlin, Green Soap, Aktara). Preventive treatment is recommended in April.

Conclusion

Hydrangea Summer Snow is a rather unpretentious shrub that takes root well both in the middle lane and in the South, and beyond the Urals. If you regularly water and feed the plant, as well as cut off unnecessary branches, the hydrangea will bloom for a very long time. Therefore, Summer Snow will surely appeal to all flower growers and will be able to decorate more than one garden.

Hydrangea Reviews Summer Snow