Pot of hydrangeas from 10 cm to 22 cm in diameter. Available in various colours (ask for any preferences if ordered).

The hydrangea is very widespread, the credit also goes to the not particularly difficult cultivation. These are plants that have a good hardiness that do not suffer too much from any "non-optimal" conditions. If you want to achieve a good result, however, you must follow the instructions for growing these plants

Terrain

Hydrangeas prefer acidic soil, however, they also grow in alkaline and neutral soils. The soil should be moist and placed in a cool, shaded area

Flower color and soil type ratio

In order to avoid blooms with flowers of unspecified or unbeautiful colors, it is essential to carefully evaluate the varieties to be included: if you have a neutral or alkaline substrate, it is better to opt for pink or red or white cultivars. If you want blue hydrangeas, acidic soil is indispensable. In this case, you can also intervene with aluminum salt-based bluers to make the color even more beautiful.

The different varieties, in turn, change depending on the soil in which they are placed.

Pink-flowered varieties when grown in acidic soils (ph 4.5) turn blue, and blue-flowered varieties turn pink in alkaline soils (ph 7.5 and above). When the values are intermediate (between pH 4.5 and 7.5) the color will have intermediate shades from intense blue, to light blue, to light blue, to pink, to intense pink.

If you want to obtain the blue color starting from pink cultivars to obtain blue flowers, you must add Aluminum to the soil and a fertilization rich in K2O and poor in P2O5 which causes the precipitation of aluminum phosphates. About 5-7 irrigations are needed from July to September with 5-10 g of aluminum sulphate per liter of water.

Watering

Frequent watering is essential to obtain beautiful hydrangeas, especially during the summer. If there is no rain from June onwards, it is advisable to water the plant with 7-8 liters of water.

Exhibition

Hydrangeas prefer to be exposed to partial shade. The ideal location on our peninsula is sunny in the morning and shady in the afternoon. Only in mountainous areas is exposure to full sun tolerated, otherwise it is good to place them in bright shade.

Fertilization

To ensure rich flowering, it is advisable to sprinkle a good slow-release fertilizer for acidophiles starting in March. In the case of neutral or alkaline soil, it is advisable, from the end of winter, to spread iron sulphate-based products on the ground or mix it with watering water

Flowering

The hydrangea remains bare during the winter and revegetates from the beginning of March. Flowering takes place in April and in the apartment it can last up to 6-8 weeks, as long as the placement takes place in a sufficiently bright place with exposure not direct to sunlight, rather cool, at a temperature that reaches a maximum of 16-18 °C that is watered in abundance.

In the apartment, even if you take all the necessary precautions, it is not easy to make the hydrangea bloom again for several years in a row. It can therefore be transplanted into the garden or into a sufficiently large planter on the terrace, this at the time when the plant begins to wither, generally after 2-3 weeks, if optimal conditions are not respected.

The flowers of the hydrangea are gathered in spherical inflorescences, called corymbs or panicles, with mostly sterile flowers, especially the external ones, so they are replaced by sepals, large and petaliform, while the other floral parts are aborted. The inflorescences of hydrangeas contain different colors, ranging from white to different shades of red, from pink to mauve, from blue to violet. The factors that determine the colors are the genetic heritage of the plant (some varieties are exclusively red or pink) and the type of soil where they are grown: in acidic soils the color is blue-violet, while in alkaline soils they are pink or lilac.

Multiplication

There are two ways to multiply the hydrangea: through gamic reproduction via seed or through agamic reproduction with cuttings. To obtain a hydrangea cutting, it is necessary to take a portion of the branch of 10-15 cm from the plant that has at least two buds.

For the cutting of hydrangeas, it is necessary to choose a branch that has not bloomed because it has a better chance of taking root. Then cut the branch and place it in acidophilic soil, choosing an area with good shade, humid and cool. The soil must initially be kept moist, paying attention to excessive water stagnation.

Slowly the hydrangea cutting will take root and give life to a new seedling destined to become a full-fledged hydrangea. The most suitable months for such are late spring and autumn, the latter compared to spring is even more suitable because it is less prone to sudden changes in climate.

Pruning

In order not to compromise flowering, it is essential to prune hydrangeas scrupulously.

The pruning of hydrangeas is generally done in spring at the end of the frosts, however, we will see the different cases.

It is advisable to completely remove only the oldest branches and those crooked or with little vigor.

As for the branches born the year before (they can be recognized because they have a bud at the top), it is advisable to preserve them and possibly only trim them. Eliminating 1/3 of the forehead stimulates the production of new vegetation and aerates the bush, avoiding cryptogamic problems.

Depending on whether the plant is grown in the garden or in the apartment and depending on the climate of the area in which it is grown, there are special indications for pruning. If the plant is outdoors and the weather is cold, pruning should take place at the end of winter to ensure that the branches intended for pruning act as protection for the rest of the plant. In the case of mild climates, pruning can take place immediately after flowering to allow the plant to produce lateral buds that will provide the following year.

Pruning hydrangeas grown in apartments can take place in September, leaving a maximum of two buds per branch.

Usually available in the following colors: White, Light Blue, and Fuchsia

NB

If you want particular colors ask for it when ordering (or via chat) and we will check the availability of the preferred color(s)