The variety is loved by summer residents and professional landscape designers for abundant flowering. Hydrangea Strawberry Blossom is grown well in the regions of central Russia. Tolerates even severe frosts.
Description of Hydrangea Strawberry Blossom variety and its characteristics
Hydrangea Strawberry Blossom belongs to the paniculate family of the genus Hortense. The height of the bush can reach 1.5 m. The species has thick stems and shoots. Flowers are collected in inflorescences that look like a cone. The diameter of the inflorescence, depending on the growing conditions, varies from 27 to 32 cm.
External features
History of occurrence
The name panicle hydrangea Strawberry Blossom, according to one version, comes from the Greek word Hydrangea and means "a vessel of water" in translation. Varieties of plants in vivo grow in almost all states of America. It was brought to Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, hydrangea numbered more than 500 varieties.
Grade Features
Due to the tight fit of flowers to each other, the plant resembles lilacs. Large oval hydrangea leaves. When creating favorable conditions, it is possible to achieve budding of the species in the first year of planting.
Hydrangea bloom
The flowering period can last from June to October. The color scheme of inflorescences depends on the time of year and the stage of maturation. In June, the flowers are painted green, later they begin to turn white, and by autumn they turn pink. By October, they acquire a raspberry shade with beige apical curls. The fragrance will delight until the frost.
Winter hardiness
Experienced has been proven high winter hardiness of the species. An adult plant can withstand even critical frosts - up to -30 ℃. If the winters in the growing region are too severe, then hydrangea can be saved by simply covering with burlap or fir spruce branches.
Planting and further care for Hydrangea Strawberry Blossom
Compliance with the rules of planting and timely preparatory work will allow you to grow the strongest plant.
Site selection and preparation
Panicled hydrangea for normal development, a fertile and nutritious substrate with a normal level of acidity is suitable. The recess for planting should be prepared in advance. At pH 6-7, hydrangea will form a large number of flowers. Landings are best placed in a sunny area.
Important! The view reacts negatively to any drafts. The development of the root system occurs to the side. This should not be forgotten during the performance of work on the plot.
14-20 days before planting hydrangea in the soil, pre-sowing work is carried out. The soil is plowed and weed is carefully removed. The depth of the pit should be at least 40 cm and a width of 50 cm. Landing work is carried out either at the very end of spring or at the beginning of autumn.
How to plant
It is important to carefully inspect the seedlings before carrying out planting. It is not recommended to plant damaged or diseased specimens. Before planting directly into the soil, planting material is treated with any stimulant. Perfectly proved themselves Kornevin and Epin.
Step-by-step landing in the open ground consists of the following activities:
- A large amount of water is poured into the pits. The approximate norm is 30 liters per bush. After all the liquid is absorbed, a mixture of the preparations is introduced: 20 g of urea, 20 g of potassium sulfate, 40 g of sand and 40 g of humus.
- Seedlings are planted in place, the soil around is carefully rammed.
- Watering is carried out at the rate of 30 liters of water per 1 square meter of landings.
Note! For humidification use only water at room temperature. Sudden changes can lead to the death of the plant.
Watering and feeding
Description of hydrangea Strawberry blossom can be found in all flower directories. Thanks to its second name - a vessel for water, one can understand that the species is extremely demanding on high humidity. For humidification, use settled water. Watering regularity depends on climatic conditions. In the central regions of Russia, 7-10 liters of water should be poured under one bush once a week.
In spring, nitrogen fertilizing is most suitable as a fertilizer. During the growing season, preparations containing potassium and phosphate are added to the soil. In autumn, it is recommended to apply superphosphates and potash fertilizers to the soil.
Pruning
For proper development, hydrangea bushes must be trimmed in a timely manner. The first formation is carried out at the moment when the plant is 4-5 years old. Not only damaged and frostbitten branches are subject to removal, but also shoots growing inside the bush. For normal growth, it is recommended to leave 6-8 of the most developed branches. Each should have at least 5-6 kidneys. Performing proper pruning in the future stimulates active growth and lush flowering. For old hydrangeas, it is important to conduct anti-aging procedures on time. To do this, leave 8-10 of the youngest shoots, and all the rest are cut to the root. Abundant flowering can be achieved only after 2-3 seasons.
Winter preparations
A healthy plant, with proper care, tolerates even the strongest cooling. In late autumn, to protect adult hydrangea, Strawberry is recommended to carefully cover the ground around the plant with a thick layer of mulch. Before the onset of winter, a young bush is covered with any agrofibre or plant debris.
Wintering
Additional Information! When using any covering material, it is important not to forget that the plantings must breathe.
Breeding
Hydrangea paniculata Strawberry Blossom propagates in three ways: by parts of the shoots, by dividing the root or by layering.
The most effective and easiest way to propagate is cuttings. Using this method allows you to get several seedlings at once. Reproduction by twigs is carried out in late spring or summer. For rooting, branches remaining after anti-aging pruning are used. Before landing on a personal plot they need to be prepared.
Division by cuttings
To do this, lignified shoots are soaked for 2-3 days in water at room temperature. After that, the material is planted in peat soil diluted with sand. After rooting, the seedlings are planted on a personal plot.
Important! Each stalk should have at least 2-3 buds. In the summer, green shoots are used for reproduction.
Green shoot propagation
Before planting, the lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, and the upper ones are halved. Slices of cuttings are subject to preliminary processing by Kornevin. Planted in a peat substrate. In winter, cuttings are kept in conditions close to greenhouse. Rooted planting material is planted on the site only next spring.
When propagating by layering, it is necessary to bend the lower shoot of an adult bush to the ground and place it in a previously prepared depression. In this case, the top of the shoot should remain on the top of the soil.
Hydrangea cultivation by layering
By the end of summer, rooting will take place and young twigs will appear. For oxygen availability, the landing is spurred once every 7 days. Separation of the lay from the maternal adult plant is carried out in the fall. In the future, a young seedling is transplanted to a new site.
Note! To divide the bush, the entire bush is pre-excavated. At this stage they liberate him from all the earth. An adult plant can be divided into 3-4 parts. Each dividend should have at least 4-5 kidneys. Pits for planting 40 × 40 cm in size are prepared in advance.
If the flower has root offspring, then they do without digging up the maternal species. In this case, the delenki are simply separated without damaging the roots of the main bush. The method is convenient in that already this year budding and flowering of hydrangea stroberry will occur.
Proper rooting
Diseases and pests, means of combating them
Despite the excellent innate immunity, non-compliance with basic rules of care can lead to the following diseases:
- Chlorous damage to the green part of hydrangea. The first external signs are a partial yellowing of the leaf plates. For treatment, they increase the acidity of the soil using peat and aluminum sulfate.
- If the flower is not placed correctly, hydrangea becomes covered with white, and sometimes gray spots. Their appearance is a sign of sunburn. All damaged areas are subject to immediate destruction. The rest of the plant is urgently shaded.
- The scourge of almost all shrubs is powdery mildew. The disease develops at a temperature of +18 to +25 ℃. Sick plants are urgently sprayed with pesticides.
- Another serious illness is gray rot. Outwardly, it manifests itself in the form of a dense gray plaque. Unfortunately, with this disease, plantings are not amenable to any treatment and are destroyed.
- Cancer of the species - tracheomycotic wilt. It mortally infects the stem of the plant. All plantings are removed from the site, and the place of growth is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Most diseases can be avoided with the preventative treatment of hydrangea with fungicides. Weed should be removed from the plot and straw covered around the flower.
Use in landscape design
Most often, specialists use this species as a low fence or the so-called "hedge". A beautifully flowering plant looks great near the road. With the help of hydrangea, whole floral arrangements are created.
The use of hydrangea in the design of the site
Panicled hydrangea is not only a capricious species, but also will decorate any site with its flowers. When choosing planting material, it should be remembered that the procedure determines the quality of the future plant.
