It's time: how to prepare hydrangeas for the winter cold

Hydrangea is a real garden decoration that fascinates with its bright and lush blooms. Experienced gardeners emphasize that the quality of flowering in the next season will be significantly affected by the proper preparation of plants for winter.

OBOZ.UA tells you what fertilizers hydrangeas need and whether to cover the plants for the winter. Frosts can damage young shoots that have not yet lignified, so you should think about fertilizing in early fall.

How to fertilize hydrangeas

The last fertilization is recommended by the end of September. Use fertilizers that do not contain nitrogen. Nitrogen is responsible for the growth of green mass, which will be unnecessary in the fall.

You should also start removing the lower leaves to speed up lignification of the shoots. The leaves should be removed gradually, starting from the end of August to the beginning of October. The procedure is simple - you should move from the bottom of the bush to its top.

For the winter, it is sufficient to leave only the leaves at the tips of the branches to protect the young flower buds. All dry inflorescences should also be removed.

In mid-September, it is recommended to apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to hydrangeas. This will help strengthen the plant and make the root system more stable. The roots should accumulate nutrients for the winter.

At the end of September, the last watering is carried out, and then there will be enough natural precipitation so as not to stimulate the movement of sap at a later time.

How to make a shelter for hydrangeas

First of all, you need to wrap the bushes in any material with high air permeability. You can use cotton, linen, wool, or other natural fabrics. Agrifiber is also suitable.

Around the hydrangea that has already been wrapped, you need to install a frame made of mesh or boards rolled into a cylinder. Please note that the top of the cover should be 10-15 cm higher than the bush, and the distance between the bush and the frame on the sides should be at least 10-15 cm.

The ground between the hydrangea and the frame should be sprinkled with dry sawdust or leaves.

Gardeners also advise wrapping the frame from the outside with foil, roofing material or other insulating material.

A cushion made of armfuls of pine needles and dry leaves will act as a "shock absorber" in the event of heavy snowfall and can prevent damage to the branches.

For adult varieties of tree hydrangeas and panicle hydrangeas, it is enough to simply carefully wrap the soil over the root and sprinkle this particular area with a layer of leaves or sawdust. For these hydrangeas, it is more important to protect the root system than the shoots.

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