How to propagate hydrangea by cuttings in spring
Many are wondering how to propagate hydrangea. There are many ways. Some are easier, others are more difficult, but even beginners, using additional information, will be able to master this process.
When breeding a flower, there are many nuances that must be observed. You need to know about its reproduction, temperature conditions, watering, feeding. With proper care, the plant will delight the owner with a beautiful flowering and its healthy appearance.
Breeding hydrangea
There are several ways how garden hydrangea reproduces:
- By germinating seeds;
- Root offspring;
- Winter, spring, summer cuttings;
- Layers;
- By dividing the bush.
Flower cultivation methods
Features of the reproduction of hydrangeas of different varieties
The flower has many varieties. Its main subspecies are treelike, paniculate, large-leaved. All of these varieties can be propagated in almost any way. To get the result faster, you need to know which breeding method is best suited.
Tree varieties are less susceptible to the influence of low temperatures, they are not sheltered for the winter, they are easy to care for. The best seating position is shaded or semi-shaded. In hot weather, the flower needs optimal watering. The most convenient breeding methods are cuttings, layering. It is possible to propagate a hydrangea of this species by seeds, but the process is long. It is better to purchase planting material in a specialized store. The division of the bush is carried out to immediately obtain adults and flowering individuals.
Paniculate varieties have inflorescences more than 25 cm in diameter, their leaves are long and fluffy. The color palette is very diverse. To prevent the sun from burning the buds, the plant must be planted in the shade. Bushes of this variety grow quickly, so they need to be pruned. The resulting cuttings are used for propagation. This breeding method is a little more problematic than seed or layering.
The most beautiful and capricious variety is large-leaved. She has beautiful flowers, large bright green leaves. The bush itself is low and spreading.
This variety is propagated by cuttings, dividing, layering, seeds, depending on how quickly and what result the gardener wants to get.
Hydrangea seedlings care
The plant is easy to care for, you need to follow all the rules for growing.
Seedling care
Watering mode
Hydrangea is very fond of moisture, at the same time, it is not recommended to flood the soil too much. Throughout the depth of the roots, the soil should be moderately moist.
Water the plant regularly and abundantly. The optimal regime for an adult bush in central Russia will be 2 buckets per week. In dry weather, watering is doubled.
Rare abundant watering during the dry season is not very favorable for hydrangeas.
Top dressing
For lush flowering, the plant needs to be fed. In spring, when the frost is over, the hydrangea is fertilized with any special complex product: Bona Forte, Agricola Aqua, Flower Paradise, Pokon.You can also prepare top dressing yourself: mix 20-25 grams of ammonium sulfate (urea), 30-40 grams of superphosphate, 35 g of potassium sulfate.
In cool regions, to improve the resistance of the plant, young foliage is sprayed with Zircon, Epin-extra.
Stage 2 of feeding geraniums occurs at the beginning of budding. Dilute a mixture of 45 grams of potassium sulfate and 80 grams of superphosphate.
Stage 3 of feeding falls on the end of summer, beginning of autumn. Up to 20 kg of compost or rotted manure is applied under each bush.
Preparing for winter
Not all types of hydrangeas need to be insulated for the winter. The panicle variety can withstand temperatures up to minus 30 degrees. The tree type is less frost-resistant, only young shoots can freeze in it. In this case, hydrangea is easily restored. These two species only need to be huddled a little before winter.
The large-leaved variety is more capricious. Flower buds of this hydrangea are formed on the shoots of the last year. If they are subjected to frost, then next year there will be no flowering. Therefore, it is recommended to prepare this variety for winter (thoroughly insulate). These measures are especially required for the middle zone and cold regions.
Home breeding methods for hydrangeas
Cuttings
The flower can be planted by cuttings. This is one of the easier ways to breed new individuals.
Hydrangea cuttings timing
Hydrangea cuttings are carried out in spring, summer and autumn. In the spring, pruning is done before the start of sap flow. In summer, cuttings are harvested in June or July.
Winter cuttings
In winter, cuttings are done in large-leaved varieties transplanted into pots. The plant is placed in a room with a temperature of 2 degrees until January, after which it is increased to 10. In February, young shoots are cut into cuttings with two internodes. The large top leaves are cut in half.
Prepare pots with loose and acidified soil. The lower cut is treated with a growth stimulant. Cuttings are planted in pots. Cover with a glass jar on top, making a mini-greenhouse. Water and ventilate periodically.
Cuttings
With the rapid development of a flower, it can be planted in open ground in the spring, or you can place a pot in partial shade in a garden plot and leave it that way until autumn.
How to cut a hydrangea in the summer? A young plant of any variety is easy to grow during this period. In late spring - early summer, green cuttings are cut at right angles below the node by a few centimeters. The side shoots of this year are taken, which do not break. Their length should be 10 cm. To reduce evaporation, the lower leaves are cut off. The time is chosen early in the morning or when it is cloudy.
The cut is treated with Kornevin, Heteroauxin or other root formers. Prepare the soil: mix sand, peat, turf in a ratio of 4: 3: 1. The cuttings should be planted at a distance of 5 cm and at an angle of 4 cm deep. It is necessary to maintain a temperature of 20 degrees and spray the cuttings 4 times a day. After 7 days, the hydration is reduced to 2 times. You need to air the greenhouse once a week for 10 minutes.
Rooting will take place in the summer for a month. With the advent of new leaves, watering is reduced. The transplant is done in the fall or in the spring.
Spring cuttings
How to propagate hydrangea by cuttings in spring? Propagation of hydrangeas by cuttings in spring is a little different. Cuttings are harvested during pruning. Lignified young branches cut in spring are placed in water for 5 days. After that, a cut is made on the branches closer to the bud at an angle of 45 degrees.
Cutting hydrangeas in the spring also includes the treatment of branches with root formers. This is necessary in order to quickly root the planting material. Prepared cuttings are planted in pots filled with half-washed river sand.The angle of inclination of the branches should be 45 degrees, the planting depth should be 3 cm.
The cuttings are covered with a film, periodically sprayed and ventilated. The room temperature should be between 15 and 25 degrees.
Next, the seedlings with roots are moved into pots 10 cm in diameter. The plant is kept indoors at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. In warm weather, hydrangeas are planted in the garden.
Semi-lignified cuttings
Reproduction is carried out with lignified cuttings with green shoots for all varieties of hydrangea.
For planting, take the same soil as for green cuttings. The temperature is maintained at 18-22 degrees. The branches are deepened by 3 cm and mulched. The pots are placed in a shady place. The soil needs to be moistened. After 2 months, they are transferred to a semi-shady place until frost.
Layers
Reproduction by layering
This hydrangea breeding differs in slightly different ways. Young plants are obtained from last year's shoots. For reproduction, they are bent and buried in a groove.
This type of hydrangea breeding is carried out in early spring or late autumn. It is necessary to wait until the end of flowering.
Around the bush, grooves are radially made 5 cm deep. A branch is bent into each groove with wooden or metal staples. Above, at 45 degrees, a part of the shoot is left, its length is 20 cm.
Cover the grooves with earth. You need to water and mulch them. The beginning of the growth of cuttings can be seen after 2 weeks. When the shoots reach 10 cm, you need to spud them.
You can plant sprouts in early spring of next year or in autumn. To do this, cut off layers with roots from the mother plant with a secateurs.
Bush dividing technology
The division of the bush is only suitable for large-leaved and tree-like varieties. The procedure is done in spring or autumn. In cold regions, the best time to divide the bush is spring, in warm regions - autumn.
Splitting the bush
To begin with, the bush is dug up and divided in two. In one and the other parts there should be a growing point and a root. A pit is prepared for planting with a depth of 30 cm. The soil should consist of humus, sand and peat. They make a landing.
In the future, you need to water the delenki. To retain moisture, you can mulch the soil. By autumn, the layer covering the ground must be increased to prevent freezing.
Growing from seeds
Seed propagation
The seed is small. The seeds are in capsule fruits and are only 3 millimeters long. They are not prepared for sowing in advance.
To grow a hydrangea from seeds, you need to decide on a planting site. In greenhouses with heating, planting is done from December, at home - from March. Sowing in open ground is done in April-May.
For large spaces, you need to make a high bed. Lay drainage at its bottom. The soil should be composed of sand, peat and leafy earth in a ratio of 1: 2: 4. The earth is compacted and seeds are poured. Sprinkle on top with washed river sand. Moistened with a spray bottle. It is necessary to cover with a film and shade, watering and feeding with potash and nitrogen fertilizers are periodically required.
For pots, the composition of the soil is the same. You need to make a hole and sow the seeds. They are not covered with earth from above. Spray with a spray bottle gently so as not to wash the seeds. They also need to be fed.
Sprouts sprout in a month. 95 percent of the crop is germinated. As soon as two leaves grow, the plants are planted in pots or in a greenhouse.
Care
Sprout care rules:
- Watering is necessary as the topsoil dries up. For this, soft and settled water is taken.
- Periodic loosening of the soil is necessary.
- Regular spraying is required.
- Saplings need to be slightly removed from the window. Illumination is required diffused so that the sprouts do not stop developing and do not get burned.
- The optimum temperature is from + 14-20 ° С.
- Eliminate drafts.
- When 2-3 leaves appear, the first dive is made, in May, when growing up to 7-8 cm, the second.
- You need to feed it 2 times a month with a special complex fertilizer.
- The sprout pots are hardened by taking them outside in warm weather. They bring it back at night.
After that, the seedlings are planted in wide low pots. Plants need a dark and cool place for wintering. Fertilizing is not required, watering less often.
By observing all these recommendations, you can propagate the hydrangea yourself. You can also learn how to properly care for her.
