How to plant hydrangeas

When is the time to plant hydrangeas? These plants, despite the fact that they differ slightly in their tolerance to cold or heat depending on the specific species (in this link you will see some of the varieties of hydrangeas), they share their predilection for temperate climates. In fact, no hydrangea tolerates either intense cold or extreme heat, but they are especially sensitive to cold in their early stages of growth.

Because of this, the best time to plant them in is spring, as soon as the frosts have passed, so that the seedling is not exposed to temperatures below 12 ºC once it has germinated. If you are going to plant your hydrangea indoors, fall It is also a good time, as long as you keep the plant above the aforementioned temperature.

You may also find yourself in need of transplant hydrangeas because they have grown too much for their current pot, or because they are in an area of ​​the garden that does not suit them. This plant does not have any complications for its transplant, but this must be done between late fall and winterwhen the plant has already entered its vegetative rest.

These plants do not tolerate direct sunlight well, especially in the most intense hours or in hot climates. Some species even need permanent storage locations. half shade. When in doubt, it is best to plant your hydrangea in a location where get a few hours of light in the morningbut be protected during the worst hours of midday and evening.

Also check that the soil is rich in nutrients, that it has a good drainage and that pH is slightly acidicespecially if you want your hydrangeas to give flowers with bluish tones, since the color of the flowers depends on the acidity of the soil.

follow these steps to plant hydrangeas:

1. Find an area in your garden where the hydrangeas will get a few hours of mild sun in the morning, but be sheltered the rest of the day, and check that the soil offers good drainage.
2. If you are going to plant in a pot, prepare yourself a rich substrate with excellent properties by mixing peat, coconut fiber and earthworm humus in equal parts, to which you can add a few handfuls of vermiculite and perlite to improve it even more.
3. Remember that with a pH between 4.5 and 5 you will get bluish flowers, while between 6 and 6.5 the flowers will be more pink.
4. Prepare the hydrangea seeds. They are best obtained freshly harvested from other hydrangeas, or stored until the following spring at the latest. It is advisable to always sow in a small container or seedbed to better control the germination of the seeds, keeping them in an area illuminated with indirect light and keeping the substrate moist but never flooded.
5. When sowing, it is not necessary to bury the seeds more than 1-2 cm and then you have to water abundantly, but always spraying the water so that it does not drag the seeds.
6. Once the seeds have germinated and the seedlings have grown several centimeters, you can transplant them to their final location or to a large pot. To plant hydrangea seedlings, you can guide yourself with this information on When and how to transplant a plant.

The use of hydrangea cuttings for its multiplication is, in fact, much more usual than the sowing of its seeds. With these plants, cutting has a good chance of success and is a much faster method. Take note of the steps to plant hydrangeas by cuttings:

1. The ideal time to make the cuttings is after flowering, but before the flowers of the plant wither (when no new flowers appear but the ones that exist are not yet past). It is advisable to take branches with at least three nodes but with new buds, which will facilitate growth.
2. Leave only half of the leaves at the top two nodes, pruning the others to reduce the plant’s water needs.
3. If you want to improve the chances of success, you can prepare the cutting with organic rooting agent and plant it in a container with a slightly acidic substrate.
4. Afterwards, keep it in the shade and water frequently but without flooding.
5. In about 20 days, the cutting should have taken root and we can move it to its final location, although in case of a transplant it is advisable to wait a few more weeks.

To finish, we indicate what are the basic care of hydrangeas:

• Climate: warm, not cold.
• Light: semi-shade or indirect. 3-4 hours of incidence in the morning.
• Substratum: rich in organic matter, well drained and slightly acidic.
• Irrigation: Frequent and abundant but without flooding or wetting the flowers.
• Pass: contribution of specific fertilizer or organic matter in the warm months to promote flowering.

Here you can expand this information on the care of hydrangeas, cultivation and care of blue hydrangeas and how to prune hydrangeas. In addition, below you can see the video guide on these care.

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