Hydrangea Pink Lady (Hydrangea Paniculata Pink Lady) - description
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Hydrangea Pink Lady stands out from its relatives with royal grace, tenderness and exuberant color all round summer. The unpretentious care adds to the plant even more popularity among florists who want to plant a flower in their garden. Hydrangea pink lady will decorate any garden plot, terrace, cottage, park.
The origin of the Pink Lady hydrangea
Dutch botanist Peter Zweinenburg worked on the breeding of this hydrangea variety for almost 20 years, from 70-80s. last century. He continued the development of plant breeding started by Robert and Helena de Belder. The British Royal Horticultural Society has highly appreciated the work of scientists, placing a new variety of hydrangea Pink Lady next to its varieties such as Limelight, Kyushu, Pinkie Winky.
Hydrangea Pink Lady
Description of the species
Hydrangea paniculata Pink Lady belongs to treelike shrubs with a lush crown. It sometimes grows up to 1.5-2 meters in height and up to 200 cm in volume. Its branches are decorated with large oblong dark green leaves, framed by a carved edge. The tops of each branch are crowned with cone-shaped panicles of inflorescences. From small flowers on each individual stem, inflorescences with a diameter of 15 to 30 cm are formed.
Each individual flower consists of 4 rounded petals. They are so densely and closely spaced to each other that during the period of active flowering they create the effect of an air cloud exuding a sweetish aroma.
In the process of growth and development, the buds change color, passing through several stages: white in early summer, then light green, cream and soft pink in September. The hydrangea bloom period lasts all summer months, and sometimes even until the first frost. Such a large plant has roots that are not deep, branching. It takes root well and grows on different types of soils.
Subject to all agrotechnical rules for care, the flower will not need to be transplanted to a new place for 10 years. Hydrangea perfectly tolerates winter frosts of 30 degrees.
Transplant hydrangea after purchase
Even before purchasing a garden specimen of hydrangea, you need to get acquainted with the features of its planting and growing. You just need to know three important details so that the planted bush will please with flowers in the first year: time, place and soil.
Time
The best time to transplant hydrangeas is spring. You can plant a flower before winter, but then you need to thoroughly insulate it.
A place
Hydrangea is very fond of the sun, warmth and a lot of moisture. It is better to protect young plants from direct sunlight.
The best place to plant Pink Lady hydrangeas is near the fence
The hydrangea will be able to unfold in all its glory only on an area open to light with a light shadow, but at the same time well protected from the winds.
Features of choosing a place for planting a seedling:
- the presence of partial shade or openwork shade for a future flower, especially a young specimen;
- wet topsoil;
- near the fence or wall of a building, gazebo;
- protection from wind and drafts;
- lack of lime and wood ash on the site (does not tolerate well).
The soil
Pink Lady grows well on any land, but especially loves sandy, well-moisturized soil.
After that, you need to prepare planting material purchased from a specialized store or horticultural society. Usually it is sold in containers, the roots are covered in the ground. If the seedling is healthy, then there should be no damage, cracks, or spots on the young bark. It is better to plant a young hydrangea not older than 5 years. The plant should not have more than 4-5 buds.
Hydrangea seedling in a plastic container
Armed with this minimal knowledge and a correctly selected seedling, even a beginner can plant a plant in open ground.
Step-by-step planting process
Having chosen a convenient place for planting an ornamental shrub, you should prepare a suitable piece of land. Although the plant takes root well in various soils, it blooms more abundantly on fertile loams. If there is a lot of clay in the ground, humus must be added. It is necessary to add compost and peat to sandstones to enrich the substrate, since it weakly retains useful minerals.
The procedure for preparing the landing pit:
- dig a hole 30 cm in diameter and 40 cm deep;
- mix fallen needles, a fertile soil layer, rotted manure and peat;
- fill the hole with the prepared soil mixture until the substrate settles, pour with a small amount of water;
Planting hydrangeas in open soil
- prepare the planting material: release the roots from the container, cut them and put them in the Kornevin solution or another growth stimulator prepared according to the instructions on the package for a couple of hours;
- lower the hydrangea into the hole, spread the roots and cover with the remaining substrate;
- leave the root collar above the surface of the soil, do not tamp, sprinkle on top with mulch (sawdust, dry needles);
- it is good to pour with warm water, separated from bleach.
Water the plant regularly after planting.
Reproduction
In order not to buy ready-made seedlings, you can independently grow a hydrangea from a cuttings of an adult plant or from seeds.
Cuttings
In order to grow a seedling from a cutting, in the spring you need to cut off a shoot with four buds and plant it in a container with an earthen mixture. After a while, the branch will take root, after which it can be planted in open ground. The first time a seedling needs to be covered for acclimatization. With systematic watering, the young plant will take root in the ground. When the buds open, it can be opened.
A variety of cuttings is the method of using bends. Tilt the lower branch of an adult plant to the ground, fix it with a bracket and sprinkle it with soil. With regular watering, roots are formed at the point of contact with the earth's surface.
Cutting method of reproduction
By autumn, they form a strong root system, which will allow the branch to be transplanted to a new place.
Growing from seeds
Seed propagation of hydrangeas is a more lengthy and laborious process, which will be within the power of an experienced gardener.
Sowing seeds is carried out from April to June. The grown seedlings must be dived after the appearance of 3 leaves. Repeat the pick in May, when the seedlings grow by 7-8 cm.Take care of it according to the general rules for growing hydrangeas: timely watering with settled water, feed the soil no more than 2 times a month, keep it in the light, but not in direct sunlight.
Seed breeding method
The main task of growing hydrangeas from seeds is selection. You can use seedlings to create an indoor flower. If there are no cuttings or seedlings, then the seedlings can also be grown on the site according to the general scheme. You can only plant Pink Lady in two years.
Care
It is not difficult to care for young plantings and mature bushes. However, in order to obtain lush flowering, hydrangea requires adherence to certain care rules. These include regular watering, fertilizing, loosening and mulching.
Watering mode
The moisture-loving hydrangea plant requires abundant watering. Do not allow the soil around the bush to be dry. With weekly morning or evening watering, up to 30 liters of water should be poured under an adult bush. In cool rainy weather, the rate should be reduced to 10 liters.
Complex fertilizer in granules for hydrangea
It depends on high-quality watering how the inflorescences will form, and whether the whole bush will develop. After each watering, you need to loosen the ground. To prevent the roots from opening, sprinkle them with a mixture of dry leaves or sawdust, peat and humus.
Top dressing
The roots of the pink lady hydrangea are close to the surface, so they cannot get their food from the ground. Therefore, the decorative bush must be supplied in a timely manner with both organic matter and minerals. You need to feed the plant 4 times a year, applying a variety of fertilizers to the soil. Meals are carried out according to the following scheme:
- spring feeding (before the opening of the first buds) consists of bird droppings or mullein in a ratio of 1:15;
- summer fertilization during the period of inflorescence formation (ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and water in proportions of 35 g: 20 g: 10 l);
- in late July - early August, feeding from special granules (30 liters of a solution prepared according to the instructions for each bush);
- in the fall, at the end of flowering, add 50 g of superphosphate and potassium salt for each plant.
During flowering
In the phase of active color, the main task of the grower is to create comfortable conditions for the preservation of bushes and inflorescences. In addition to compliance with all agrotechnical requirements, plants must be protected from pests and diseases. During summer cold snaps and rains, the bushes are affected by powdery mildew. Sick leaves and branches should be sprayed with a solution prepared according to the instructions from the drug "Fundazol".
The most harmful enemy for hydrangeas is aphids, which can be eliminated by an infusion of garlic or onion peels.
During the rest period
In late autumn, when Pink Lady's panicle hydrangea prepares for winter, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work with its bushes:
- Cut off dried inflorescences and remove dry leaves.
- Correct bushes by pruning and removing broken branches and shoots.
- Reduce the watering rate and gradually stop altogether.
- Where necessary, prepare shelters, especially for young seedlings.
- Hydrangea roots can become bare over the summer and autumn, so you need to insulate them with a layer of dry leaves and humus.
Preparing for winter
Hydrangea Pink Lady is bred in all regions of Russia, including Siberia and the Urals. Although this plant tolerates low temperatures well, it is necessary to create light shelters, especially if frosty winters with little snow are expected. Carefully insulate the root system.
Hydrangea paniculata Pink Lady in landscape design
Cover the shrub with a special cover or just a bag. Throw the first snow that fell, creating a kind of snowdrift. Such events are usually not held in the south.
Hydrangea paniculata Pink Lady is widely known not only for its excellent agricultural characteristics, magical beauty and delicate aroma of flowers. This ornamental shrub can decorate any site both independently and in a compositional solution.
Looks great next to evergreen and coniferous trees. It will be a good neighbor to the plant that shares its requirements for light and shade, the composition and moisture of the soil.
