Growing hydrangea from seeds at home - a detailed guide with photos

Hydrangea has been used by gardeners for many years to create amazing landscape designs. A spreading bush with massive flower heads captivates at first sight. Thanks to its sophistication and easy care, it is successfully cultivated by both professionals and beginners. That is why it is necessary to know how the plant reproduces. Hydrangea propagates from seeds at home very easily. But the gardener should be aware that this option may not produce specimens similar to the mother plant.

Is it possible to grow hydrangea from seeds at home?

Many gardeners grow hydrangea at home from seeds. But to do this, you need to understand what high-quality planting material looks like and know the optimal timing for its placement in the ground. Seeds can be purchased or collected independently from a flowering adult plant. First, seedlings are grown by sowing planting material in a box or wide pot with prepared soil mixture. The main features of this process are listed later in the article.

How to collect hydrangea seeds

You can prepare hydrangea seeds yourself. This procedure is performed in dry weather after flowering, when the plant produces fruits in the form of small boxes. They appear only on small and inconspicuous flowers growing in the center of the bush, which are called fertile. Bright and lush inflorescences have a beautiful appearance, but are sterile.

To extract the seeds from the fruit, it is carefully opened. The resulting planting material is slightly dried at room temperature, and then placed in small paper bags and stored in a dry place away from sunlight. It is recommended to use the collected seeds within several months, since during this period the probability of their germination is highest.

When to plant flower seeds for seedlings at home

They begin to plant hydrangea seeds for seedlings in the second half of winter. With such planting, by the onset of summer the sprouts will already have several leaves. Grow seedlings indoors by preparing a suitable container and light, loose soil . To speed up the appearance of young shoots, planting material must be properly prepared. The procedure for planting seeds in the ground is quite simple and does not require special knowledge or experience from the gardener.

Preparing the landing tank

For planting seeds, it is recommended to use a wide wooden box of medium depth. It is recommended to fill it with soil so that at least 3–5 cm remains to the top edge - this will make it possible to cover the container with film without interfering with the germination of planting material. You can plant the seeds in special containers for seedlings, the internal space of which is divided into separate cells.

Soil preparation

To speed up the germination of planting material, it is planted in specially prepared soil. It should allow air and moisture to pass through well, and also contain enough nutrients necessary for the normal development of sprouts.

The substrate is prepared from the following components, taken in equal proportions:

• leaf soil;
• sand;
• peat.

The box is filled with the resulting mixture, and then it is generously watered with a strong, hot solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. After the soil has cooled, it is lightly irrigated with warm water.

Seed preparation

To improve germination and also prevent the occurrence of diseases, planting material must be prepared before planting in a container with soil.

To do this, it is recommended to follow these steps step by step:

1. Select planting material without damage or deformation.
2. Soak the seeds in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 30–40 minutes to disinfect.
3. Wrap the product in a damp cloth. Leave it for several days so that each seed swells and produces a small sprout.
4. As it dries, lightly sprinkle the napkin with water - it should always be damp. It takes 2–5 days to germinate the seeds.

Instructions for planting from seeds

After all preparatory measures have been completed, they begin to directly plant the seeds into the soil. They are usually sown in rows, maintaining a distance of 3–4 cm between adjacent plants.

Step-by-step landing instructions:

1. Spread the seeds on the surface of the damp soil in a container, lightly pressing them into the soil.
2. Sprinkle the planting material with a small layer of sand. Sprinkle it lightly with water.
3. Cover the container with film or glass and put it in a warm (+20°C) and sunny place.
4. Spray the soil in the container with a spray bottle as it dries. Remove the cover briefly every day to prevent the seeds from rotting without access to fresh air.
5. After the sprouts appear, remove the film or glass from the container.

Usually, several weeks pass from the moment the seeds are planted to the appearance of green shoots. When the first pair of leaves forms on the plants, they are planted in individual pots with a diameter of 6–7 cm, in which the seedlings will remain until transplanted into open ground. To fill individual containers, a soil mixture of the same composition as when planting is used.

When and how to plant seeds

It is believed that seeds need to be sown in February-March. But the least hassle will be when planting before winter directly in open ground or a cold greenhouse.

What do hydrangea seeds look like?

Hydrangea fruits are capsule- or urn-like capsules with a textured surface. They are produced only by small fertile flowers. The size depends on the type: the fruit of Chereshkova hydrangea reaches a diameter of 3-5 mm, and Tree-like - 2 mm.

In the central zone, if the weather is favorable, the boxes ripen in October - they become dry and crack at the top. They contain very small dark brown or almost black seeds, similar to tiny watermelon seeds, cut in half along the axis of symmetry.

Photos or videos of seeds that look like raisins are often posted on the Internet. This is definitely not a hydrangea. Usually on Aliexpress they pass it off as drupes of Eleutherococcus senticosus.

Preparation of planting material

Fresh seeds have excellent germination rate, for example, paniculate hydrangea - about 95%. They can be planted dry, without any preparation, which for some reason is usually only practiced during winter sowing.

Seeds in the spring, or if they are of unknown or questionable origin, are recommended to be soaked:

• first for disinfection in potassium permanganate;
• then in a stimulant solution.

There's nothing wrong with that. But the smallest grains will have to be dried, otherwise it will be impossible to plant them.

But the advice to germinate hydrangea, especially between two cotton pads, does not stand up to criticism:

• the seeds will have to be taken with tweezers and laid out one at a time, they are small, the operation will take a long time;
• It is unlikely that it will be possible to detach a seed from the cotton wool without breaking the root; the hydrangea simply will not sprout.

Selection of soil and planting container

Preparatory work depends on the time and place of sowing. You can plant seeds at two times:

• in open ground in late autumn;
• from mid-winter to early spring in seedling containers.

Growing seedlings indoors

It is better to sow hydrangea in wide bowls or shallow boxes. There should be holes or cracks in the bottom for the drainage of excess moisture - soaking of the roots usually ends in the death of tender sprouts.

As a substrate, you can use seedling soil mixed with acidic peat and sand (2:1:1) or prepare it from the following components:

• leaf soil - 4 parts;
• red peat – 2;
• sand – 1.

Ingredients brought from the street must be calcined in the oven or treated with steam, and after filling the containers, pour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and allow to settle. This will reduce the likelihood of contamination of the substrate by pathogens or soil pests.

Pre-winter sowing in the ground

They dig up the ground, remove pebbles, roots of weeds, and break up clods. Fill with sand and acidic peat, water, and allow to settle. Then they roll or slightly compact the area in another way, otherwise after sowing the small hydrangea seeds will fall through, will not sprout at all, or will take a long time to make their way to the surface. Ideally, the area for hydrangea should be fenced with sides to keep snow out in winter, and after germination, it should be protected from the wind.

Growing hydrangea on high ridges is not recommended - in the cold season they freeze more strongly and dry out quickly in the summer.

Sowing seeds

The pecking of seedlings and the health of hydrangea in the initial stages of growth largely depend on the correct sowing of seedlings.

Planting seeds step by step:

1. Seedling containers are filled with substrate, lightly tamped, and leveled.
2. Water with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Let it cool.
4. At a distance of at least 2 cm, barely noticeable lines are drawn along the surface to indicate rows.
5. The seeds are mixed with dry, sifted and disinfected sand.
6. Sow along the intended lines as little as possible. They don't sprinkle it.
7. Lightly spray the surface with warm water from a household spray bottle to ensure better adhesion of the seeds to the soil.
8. Cover with glass or film.
9. Ventilate daily and remove condensation.

The seedlings do not hatch at the same time, from one and a half to 3 months.

Hydrangea is sown in open ground in the same way. Only the seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of sand, not watered; spruce branches or fallen leaves are placed on top. In winter, snow will need to be constantly thrown onto the garden bed.

Growing hydrangea - features

Well, now we can talk about the features of growing hydrangea in the garden. So:

• The color of large-leaved hydrangea flowers depends on the pH of the soil in which it grows: in neutral soil the flowers will be white or cream-colored, in acidic soil they will be blue or blue, in neutral soil they will be pink or lilac. Therefore, to create multi-colored bushes, it is enough to change the acidity of the soil under each of them;
• hydrangea is very moisture-loving, so take watering the plant seriously;
• Bright light is very important for hydrangea, but in direct sun the delicate petals quickly fade, so it is best to plant it where there is light partial shade in the hot afternoon;
• the most important factor in caring for hydrangea after the watering regime is timely and correct pruning;
• do not overfeed hydrangeas with organic matter, otherwise they, growing rapidly, will almost certainly not bloom;
• even cold-resistant varieties of hydrangea need warm shelter for the winter, but if your beauty is frozen, don’t despair: most likely, it will recover during the growing season;
• Hydrangea is very rarely affected by diseases or pests.

Planting seeds and growing seedlings indoors

When to plant hydrangea seeds for seedlings? When growing a flower indoors, the time required to complete the work is not specific. Nevertheless, experts indicate that it is best to sow hydrangea in winter.

Before sowing seeds, the gardener should take care of the availability of soil. You can buy ready-made soil at a garden center or prepare it yourself:

• 12 parts sand.
• 1 part leaf soil.
• 1 part turf soil.
• 1 part humus.
• 12 parts peat.

You can also use garden soil and molehill.

Wooden boxes are the best option for sowing seeds. Fill the container with prepared soil and moisten the soil. Spread the seeds and lightly press them into the soil. The crops are sprayed with warm water and covered with polyethylene to create greenhouse conditions.

Crops are kept on the windowsill at a temperature of 15-22°C. When the first shoots appear, the film is removed.

Hydrangea seeds, every gardener should know how to grow a lush bush. The difficulty of seed propagation in apartment conditions lies in picking seedlings twice.

Picking features:

• In the cotyledon leaf stage. Plants dive into fresh soil at a distance of 10 cm from each other.

• At the end of spring, when intensive growth is observed. Seedlings are planted in separate containers.

It is recommended to take young plants out into fresh air. They are placed in partial shade. It is also necessary to ensure that there is no direct exposure to the sun or draft. These two factors are detrimental to tender sprouts.

Note! Garden hydrangea, the seeds of which were planted in a closed space, is planted in a flowerbed only in the 3rd year.

Choosing hydrangea seeds for planting

Garden hydrangea is a flowering plant that is characterized by three methods of reproduction. If you do not have the opportunity to get cuttings or layering, then it can be grown from seeds.

When purchasing planting material, give preference only to trusted manufacturers. It is advisable to purchase grains that were brought from Japan or China. It is in these countries that the flower is found in natural habitats.

Before planting hydrangea seeds, you need to know what they look like, otherwise you may end up with a fake. High-quality planting material must meet the following requirements:

• the seeds must be whole, without any stains, marks or damage;
• have no traces of disease, not be frozen and lethargic.

The hydrangea seeds themselves are dark brown in color, very small in size and oblong in shape. Don’t forget to ask the seller whether the grains meet the varietal characteristics. Hydrangea varieties such as Macrophila, Paniculata, Treelike and Chereshkovaya are perfect for growing in Russia.

Hydrangea from seeds can easily be grown at home. This is a fairly effective method that gardeners often use. Next, we will tell you how to plant hydrangea in open ground and special boxes at home.

Appearance of seeds, collection and storage

Hydrangea seeds are small, oblong, dark brown grains. They don't look as attractive as inflorescences, but the results are amazing. In the proposed photo they can be seen on thin petioles located inside the inflorescence. After sowing, stunning flowering shrubs grow from several grown seedlings in a couple of years.

Signs of quality planting material:

• no stains, traces of mold or damage;
• the collection should not be frozen, lethargic or damp;
• corresponds to varietal characteristics.

You can collect it yourself at the end of the season; store it in a dry place at room temperature. Some gardeners use planting material from China and Japan, because it is there that hydrangea grows in natural conditions. The Aelita agricultural company offers customers a packaged collection of not only large-leaved, but also tree-like, paniculate, serrate and petiolate hydrangeas. On sale there are compact varieties with pyramidal and spherical inflorescences, powerful shrubs with giant panicles. The manufacturer recommends sowing in open ground from April to early June.

Garden or large-leaved hydrangea is best propagated by seed; planting and caring for it is possible not only in the open ground, but also at home. The main purpose of seed propagation is selection, but in the absence of cuttings, sowing can be carried out successfully. In cold regions, heat-loving species are grown as indoor crops. The maintenance rules coincide with the care on the site, only in winter the home hydrangea does not require shelter from the cold and snow.

Caring for hydrangea seedlings

For active growth, young hydrangea seedlings need warmth and a sufficient amount of diffused light, so they are placed on a southern windowsill. But direct rays of the sun should be avoided - under their influence, burns may appear on the leaves of the plant. For this reason, it is recommended to cover the window with tulle, slightly shading the seedlings.

In summer, the room with hydrangea seedlings should be at least +20°C, and in winter the plants are transferred to a dark place and kept at +10°C. Caring for young shoots consists of regular watering, fertilizing and proper pruning. And the described flower is transplanted into open ground only after 2 years, so that the seedlings have time to become sufficiently strong.

Watering

One of the most important factors influencing the active growth of hydrangea seedlings is watering. But when irrigating plants, you need to follow the norm, since waterlogging of the soil can lead to diseases and even death of the sprout.

Basic rules of watering:

• in spring and summer, watering is carried out with settled water at room temperature as the top layer of soil dries, and in the cold season the soil in the pot is kept only slightly moist;
• It is recommended to irrigate plants in the morning or evening;
• in the warm season, seedlings are periodically sprayed with a spray bottle;
• to increase the level of air humidity, place trays with water next to the hydrangea;
• Every 30 days, the sprouts are watered with slightly acidified water - this helps increase the acidity of the soil.

Top dressing

In addition to a sufficient amount of moisture, hydrangea also needs nutrients. Fertilizers help seedlings to get stronger before further planting in an open area and strengthen the plant’s immunity.

Basic rules for fertilizing:

• hydrangea is fertilized only in the warm season;
• frequency of adding nutrients - once every 2 weeks;
• for feeding use “Agricola”, “Agrovita” or a special store-bought fertilizer for hydrangeas, applying it according to the instructions presented on the package;
• the required dose of the substance is determined according to the instructions indicated on the package.

Trimming

When growing seedlings, pruning is not carried out, since the young shoots are not yet strong enough, and this procedure may adversely affect the further growth of hydrangea. The first time the shoots are shortened only after transplanting the seedlings into open ground, when they are 3 years old. But if, when growing seedlings, inflorescence buds appear on it, then they are cut off so that the plants spend energy exclusively on the growth of roots and green mass.

Growing seedlings

As soon as the shoots appear, the transparent cover can be removed. The soil must be moistened regularly, as soon as the top layer begins to dry out, the water should first be settled, and after watering the soil should be loosened very carefully. Young shoots need to be sprayed occasionally.

Hydrangeas need sunlight, but they should not be placed on a windowsill; direct sunlight can be dangerous, especially for young shoots. It is better to place the box close to the window so that there is enough light. Like any seedlings, hydrangea must be protected from drafts, and the temperature in the room should be maintained around +17...+20 degrees. After three true leaves appear, the seedlings can be planted into separate containers (seedling cassettes and plastic cups are suitable). By the end of spring, the seedlings will reach a size of 7-9 cm, at which time they again need to be transplanted into slightly larger pots.

1-2 times a month you need to feed hydrangeas with a special complex fertilizer for hydrangeas or azaleas. On warm days, you can take the seedlings out into the air, remembering to protect them from too hot sun. If buds appear in the first year, they must be cut off. The plant is still too young, the root system is not sufficiently developed, flowering will only weaken the hydrangea, preventing it from fully developing. At the end of August, you need to replant the hydrangea again, this time choosing a spacious container in which the hydrangea will grow before transplanting into open ground.

For the winter, the bushes should be moved to a cool, dark room, and at the same time stop applying fertilizers and water less often. At the end of winter, move hydrangeas to light and resume normal watering and fertilizing.

Hydrangea flowers - description

In natural conditions, hydrangea flowers are shrubs up to 3 m tall, medium-sized trees and vines that can climb tree trunks to a height of up to 30 m. In addition, depending on the species, they can be either evergreen or deciduous plants, and in our climate flower growers prefer to grow deciduous plants. Hydrangea leaves are usually large, opposite, oval with a sharp tip, often with serrated edges and noticeable venation. Hydrangea blooms from spring to frost with large spherical inflorescences, corymbose or paniculate, consisting of two types of flowers: small fertile (fertile), usually located in the middle of the inflorescence, and large sterile (sterile), blooming at the edges. There are, however, species in which all the flowers in the inflorescence are fertile.

Most hydrangeas bloom with white flowers, but a species such as large-leaved hydrangea (or large-leaved hydrangea) blooms not only with white and cream, but also with red, blue, lilac and pink flowers, and the color directly depends on the soil pH (level pH): on neutral soil hydrangeas grow with beige and cream flowers, on alkaline soil - with lilac or pink flowers, on acidic soil - with blue ones due to the aluminum contained in the soil, which the plant can absorb. The fruit of hydrangea is a 2-5-chambered capsule with small seeds. Sometimes plants from the close genus Schizophragma are confused with hydrangea, but you should know that the so-called petiolate hydrangea is actually a schizophragma.

Description of culture

Hydrangea (Hydrángea) is a tree-like shrub from the Hydrangeaceae family. It was brought to Europe at the beginning of the 14th century from East Asia for the wealthy segments of the population. It grows wild in Russia in the Far East. Today there are about 600 varieties of garden hydrangea. Mostly shrubs reach a height of 1 m or more. The bush is round in shape, the shoots are thin, slightly pubescent. The leaves are large, up to 20 cm long, opposite on the shoot. Flowering continues from July until autumn. The inflorescences are paniculate, beautifully spherical in shape.

Most varieties have two types of flowers:

1. Fertile. They are small, centrally located, and produce pollen and fruits.
2. Sterile. Large, eye-catching, unable to reproduce.

Growing hydrangea
There are varieties that have only sterile flowers. They do not produce seeds and reproduce only vegetatively. Some varieties require pruning annually, as the bushes become so elongated that they can break under the weight of the inflorescences. This extraordinary plant has varieties whose colors depend on the acidity of the soil: the higher the pH, the more saturated blue the flowers will be. If you water the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, the flowers will take on a pink tint for several days.

Popular varieties

Despite the fact that hydrangea has several dozen varieties, not all of them take root in domestic latitudes. Plants may suffer from extreme heat or frost, so for growing in the garden it is better to choose certain varieties that adapt well to difficult conditions.

Table 1. The most popular varieties of hydrangea that are suitable for growing in the garden.

For reference! The large-leaved variety of the crop has the most varieties - this plant variety can be grown both outdoors and as a houseplant.

Choosing Hydrangea Seeds

It is believed that seeds germinate best from the eastern countries where hydrangea comes from (China and Japan). Cheap seeds can be found in online stores that work directly with Chinese suppliers. The parcel is sent by mail cash on delivery. However, consumer reviews indicate the opposite: it is better to trust Russian producers, despite the fact that the seeds may cost a little more.

To determine a quality seed, you need to carefully look to see if it has any damage. It must be intact, without dents. What hydrangea seeds look like: they are small, oblong, dark brown. If they are a different color, they may be damp. You can collect the seeds yourself. They are formed only on fertile (small, inconspicuous) flowers. Bright large flowers serve to attract insects; they do not produce pollen.

Transplanting mature seedlings to the site

Before planting hydrangea seedlings outside, you need to find a suitable place for them. It is recommended to choose a well-lit area with loose and light soil containing a sufficient amount of nutrients. In terms of acidity level, the soil should be slightly acidic. It is recommended to plant seedlings outside in May. Before this, the soil in the selected area in the garden is cleared of weeds and dug up with the addition of a small amount of peat.

To fill the planting holes, prepare a fertile substrate by mixing the following components in equal proportions:

• leaf soil or black soil;
• peat;
• sand.

Step-by-step instructions for transplanting hydrangea seedlings to a plot:

1. Dig planting holes 2–2.5 times larger than the size of the earthen ball around the roots (approximately 50x50 cm). The distance between neighboring plants should be 1–1.5 m.
2. Place a drainage layer of pieces of broken brick or pebbles at the bottom of each recess. Sprinkle some nutrient soil on top.
3. Water the soil in the pot with the seedling generously. Remove the plant from the container along with the earthen lump.
4. Lower the seedling into the planting hole, placing its root collar at the level of the soil surface. Sprinkle the roots with the remaining soil mixture.
5. Lightly compact the soil around the hydrangea. Water the seedling generously with warm water, saturating the soil with moisture to a depth of 30–40 cm.
6. After absorbing moisture, cover the ground around the plant with sawdust or peat.

Growing seedlings from seeds using the seedling method

Thanks to this method, it is possible to obtain earlier and more abundant flowering. However, the method is labor-intensive, since it requires several pickings and keeping the seedlings indoors for 2 years. To obtain friendly shoots, you need to germinate the planting material. It is immersed in a container with warm water and absorbent material.

You can place the seeds between two layers of cotton wool or gauze, add boiled water, and leave for 2 days. If mucus with an unpleasant odor appears, you need to urgently rinse the contents and soak again. When the hydrangea seeds swell and roots appear, you can plant them as seedlings in a container.

You can plant seeds at home without prior germination. In this case, it is recommended to soak in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or the drug Epin. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of illness. Planting is carried out in a loose nutrient substrate, which consists of humus, peat, sand, leaf and turf soil. The container for seedlings is taken in accordance with the number of seeds. For mass propagation, you will need a wide wooden box; for one bush, such as for dwarf lilac, the varieties of which are so diverse, a flower pot is enough.

When to sow seeds and how?

If planting is carried out in February or March, then in the third year in the spring it will be possible to transplant the stronger bushes to the site.

How to organize seeding correctly? The sequence is as follows:

1. Soil is poured into a box (with drainage holes) 15-20 cm high, leaving 2-3 cm to the edge.

Caring for hydrangea seedlings

The soil in pots should always be moderately moist. Each subsequent watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries. For humidification, settled soft water is required. Periodically, the soil needs to be loosened. Young shoots require regular spraying.

The light should be bright, but diffused. Boxes with sprouts are placed at some distance from the window. There must be enough light, otherwise the sprouts will fade and stop developing. Direct light will cause burns on the leaves. The optimal temperature in the room where the seedlings are standing should be +14 or +20 °C. Young shoots should not be exposed to drafts.

With the appearance of 2-3 leaves, the seedlings are thinned out and planted in separate pots. Repeated picking is carried out in May, when the sprouts stretch 7-8 cm.

Fertilizing is carried out during the growing season twice a month with complex fertilizer for hydrangeas, rhododendrons or azaleas. In warm weather, the pots are taken outside to harden. They must be returned indoors at night.

Towards the end of the season, young seedlings are moved to a larger pot. Wide and low containers are suitable due to the structural features of the hydrangea root system. The seedlings overwinter in a dark, cool place. Fertilizers are not applied and watering is rare.

Transplanting mature seedlings to the site

The next stage of cultivation is moving the seedlings into open ground. By the time they stay at home for two years, the bushes will have stretched 30-35 cm. The place for further growth of hydrangeas needs to be illuminated, but excess light affects the number of inflorescences. The optimal place for bushes to grow will be the western or eastern side of buildings. The soil for hydrangeas is selected to be loose, permeable and always acidic or slightly acidic.

You can increase acidity in several ways:

• introducing a layer of high-moor peat into the planting hole;
• citric acid solution (1 tsp per 10 liters of water);
• fertilizers: ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, iron sulfate.

The sequence of transplanting seedlings into open ground:

1. Prepare a planting hole; its size should be 2-3 times the volume of the seedling’s root system. The distance between plantings is 1-1.5 m.
2. Crushed stone or broken brick is poured into the bottom in a layer of 15 cm.
3. Sand, peat, and black soil are added to the planting hole in equal proportions. You can add humus and superphosphate.
4. The seedlings are moved from the boxes to the center of the recess, sprinkled with prepared soil, and lightly compacted.
5. After planting, the soil is watered abundantly and mulched.

Video on how to perform a transplant.

When to plant hydrangea in open ground

For the first 2 years from the moment the seeds are planted, hydrangea is grown as a potted plant. After this, young seedlings are planted in open ground. This is done in the spring, after the soil has warmed up well. The place for planting hydrangeas must be chosen in advance. The area should be well lit, but direct sunlight has a bad effect on the flowers, they fade and become faded. Lighting should be diffused, so the best place for hydrangeas will be the east or west side of the house.

The soil for planting and growing young seedlings should be loose, well-fertilized and moderately moist. A prerequisite is that the soil must have slightly increased acidity. This indicator can be increased by adding high-moor peat or citric acid to the soil. Fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate or potassium sulfate increase acidity. The top layer of soil taken from a coniferous forest is well suited for growing hydrangeas; it is usually mixed with pine litter.

Planting young hydrangea seedlings is usually not difficult. Planting holes are placed in a row, maintaining an interval between them of 1 to 1.5 m. Their depth and diameter depend on the size of the container in which the seedlings grow; the hole should be at least twice as large. For backfilling, prepare a soil mixture from equal amounts of humus, turf soil and peat. The seedlings are carefully removed from the container, placed in the center of the planting hole and filled in without deepening the root collar. Then the planted plant is watered with approximately 10 liters of water and the top layer is mulched with the bark of coniferous trees.

Planting seeds in boxes at home

This is a more labor-intensive way to grow hydrangea from seeds. You can sow in containers already in winter. The landing steps are as follows:

1. Before planting, the seeds need to be germinated. Place tousled cotton wool in a low saucer, carefully arrange the seeds and cover with a second layer of cotton wool. Pour a small amount of boiled water and leave for a couple of days. If mucus or an unpleasant odor suddenly appears, rinse the grains under running water and re-soak. As soon as the seed swells or a root appears, you can begin planting.
2. The soil for planting should contain sand, leaf soil, turf soil, humus and peat in a ratio of 12:1:1:1:12. If you don’t have such components, then collect them from a molehill or dig up forest soil. Wooden boxes are ideal for planting.
3. When everything is ready, sow the seeds in prepared boxes with soil mixture, press down a little, sprinkle with water and cover with film or glass. Try to ensure a temperature of 14-20 degrees. This way the seeds will germinate well.
4. The film should be removed when the first shoots appear. Before this, periodically ventilate the soil and monitor soil moisture.

The laboriousness of seed propagation in boxes lies in the fact that hydrangea seedlings need to be picked twice. This procedure involves transplanting seedlings into separate pots or large containers at a great distance from each other.

The first time picking is done in the cotyledon leaf phase. The second pick occurs in May, when the weather is sunny and warm.

Pots with plants should be taken outside during the day to harden them. Make sure that there are no drafts and that direct sunlight does not fall on the young seedlings. The pots should be brought home at night.

Seedlings obtained in this way should be grown in pots for 2 years. When the first buds appear, they must be cut off immediately so that the nutrients go to the roots and the plant takes root properly. Flowers can be planted in open ground only in the third year.

Instructions for planting seedlings in open ground

Hydrangea cuttings are planted both in early spring, before the leaves bloom, and in autumn and summer. The distance between the bushes should be at least 1 m. Planting should be done as follows:

1. Dig a shallow hole that is 2-3 times larger in diameter than the root system.
2. Pour the fertile mixture into the bottom and mix it with the soil. Soil mixture for hydrangea, which contains a top acidic layer of peat, can be bought in the store.
3. Place the seedlings so that the roots are not above ground level. Fill with soil and compact lightly.
4. Water the bushes generously and mulch the soil.

Types and varieties of hydrangea

Before you plant hydrangea in your garden, you need to know which type is right for you, since each of them has its own requirements in agricultural technology. Growing paniculata hydrangea, for example, differs in some important aspects (pruning, preparing for winter) from growing tree or large-leaved hydrangea, therefore, the more you know about the species, the easier it will be for you to care for any of them. So…

Tree hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)

A species widespread in the gardens of our climate zone. Tree hydrangea is a shrub that reaches a height of one to three meters. Inflorescences are formed at the ends of annual shoots; at the beginning of flowering, the flowers have a greenish tint, but when they bloom, they become white or cream.

Popular garden forms are Invisible Spirit - pink hydrangea, Sterilis - white hydrangea, characterized by abundant flowering, Annabelle hydrangea and Grandiflora hydrangea with large snow-white inflorescences (just do not confuse this variety of tree hydrangea with the paniculate hydrangea variety of the same name).

Hydrangea paniculata

In nature it grows as a shrub or tree with a height of two to five meters. In garden culture it is one of the most popular species. Hydrangea paniculata can grow in one place for more than forty years. Its shoots quickly become woody, which makes this species resistant to cold. Inflorescences form on the tops of the current year's shoots, so the flowering is very abundant, although the buds that appear at the end of June open only by August or September. Hydrangea inflorescences are paniculate pyramidal in shape, the flowers at the very beginning of flowering have a greenish tint, then turn white, closer to autumn they become pink, then brick and at the end of flowering they become greenish again.

The most famous garden forms: Grandiflora, hydrangea Vanilla Fraze, Kuishu, Tardiva.

Large leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Which is called garden, is most often grown in the garden, but there are compact varieties that can be grown in containers on terraces and even indoors. This species has dense foliage of bright green color, the shoots of the current year are herbaceous, so the plant has very low cold resistance. However, the buds for the current year's shoots, at the ends of which inflorescences bloom, are laid the previous autumn, so it is believed that large-leaved hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots. The shape of the inflorescences is usually umbrella-shaped, viburnum-shaped, which is usually called Japanese, or hemispherical. The color of the flowers depends on the pH level of the soil.

For example, the following varieties of recently bred cold-resistant varieties are interesting: Endless summer - blue hydrangea if it grows in acidic soil, and lilac if it grows in neutral soil; Renata Stanger – blue hydrangea; variety forms with double flowers Romance and Expression.

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

A very attractive appearance, but, unfortunately, not at all winter-hardy, therefore requiring thorough insulation for the winter. It impresses not only with its lush flowering, but also with its beautifully shaped leaves, unusual for hydrangea. Oakleaf hydrangea grows up to two meters in height, has paniculate inflorescences 10-30 cm in length with white flowers at the beginning of flowering, and eventually purple flowers that bloom in June-July.

Ground cover hydrangea (Hydrangea heteromalla)

Or hydrangea variegated - a frost-resistant species, reaching two to three meters in height in nature. In culture it is often used to form a standard form. Dark green leaves 20 cm long have a smooth surface and a woolly, pubescent underside; the inflorescences are loose, corymbose, at first white, but turning pink towards the end of flowering. Blooms in late June or early July. Particularly popular is the Bretschneider groundcover hydrangea, which blooms profusely with large milky-white inflorescences.

In addition to these most popular types of hydrangeas, gardeners are also interested in radiant hydrangea, ashen hydrangea, rough hydrangea, serrated hydrangea, Sargent hydrangea, and the climbing species petiolate hydrangea, which (you remember) is only conditionally a hydrangea.

Sections: Garden plants Perennials Flowering Shrubs Plants on G Hydrangeas

Further care

Young hydrangea bushes after transplanting into open ground need increased attention and delicate care. After planting, it is necessary to water the plants regularly, but not too much. After each watering, the soil in the tree trunk circle is loosened superficially and covered with a layer of fresh mulch. Loosening is an important agrotechnical technique that ensures optimal gas exchange in the soil and access of oxygen to the roots of shrubs.

However, when carrying out this procedure, it is important to take into account that the root system of hydrangeas is superficial. For this reason, loosening the soil in the tree trunk circle should be done to a shallow depth.

It is not necessary to feed the plants in the first year after planting. Gardeners claim that during the adaptation period, young hydrangeas will receive a sufficient amount of nutrients from the fertile soil mixture. Fertilizing can be applied if the bushes do not take root well, slowly and reluctantly grow green mass and form shoots. Ready-made organo-mineral complexes for perennials are used as fertilizing. A full feeding regime is usually started a year after planting. Observations show that hydrangeas grown from seeds begin to bloom at 3 or 4 years of age.

Timely fertilizing at this stage allows you to stimulate the first flowering.

So, the first feeding is carried out in early spring after the snow melts, using a solution of bird droppings or rotted manure. The second time hydrangeas are fed during the budding period, using potassium-phosphorus preparations. The third feeding is done during flowering, using mineral fertilizers.

The final fourth feeding is carried out at the end of summer, using complex fertilizers designed specifically for hydrangeas.

Other ways to propagate hydrangea

Growing hydrangea from seeds is a labor-intensive and time-consuming method. It is suitable for those who have a serious interest in this matter and enough patience.

Hydrangea cuttings

For faster and easier reproduction, there are vegetative methods:

1. The easiest way to propagate hydrangea is by green cuttings; their rooting percentage is close to 100. To do this, in April-June, you need to select annual shoots from the crown, cut cuttings from them, 10-12 cm long with 2-3 pairs of leaves. The cut is made at a right angle. The leaves from the bottom need to be removed and treated with root growth stimulants. When planting, you need to deepen the lower pair of buds to the middle of the internode. Cuttings take root on average 20-30 days. All this time you need to maintain sufficient humidity. It is better to grow seedlings in a greenhouse with fertile soil or cover the plantings with plastic bottles. Next year, plant the bushes in a permanent place.
2. You can divide an adult bush in the spring. To do this, you need to dig it up, divide it with pruners or a sharp shovel into several parts so that each has several roots and shoots. The resulting divisions are planted in a permanent place in fertile soil at intervals of 1 m. Usually the divided plants take root well.
3. Hydrangea is also propagated by layering. To do this, in spring or autumn, select a healthy bush, bend annual shoots to the ground, pin them and dig them down 2-3 cm. A top of about 20 cm should remain on the surface. Periodically you need to add soil and regularly water the cuttings and bush. After a year, the shoot should take root. Then it is carefully separated from the mother bush with pruning shears and planted in beds for growing. After another year you can plant it in a permanent place. Young bushes will begin to bloom in the 4th year of life.

Growing hydrangea is not the easiest task in floriculture. But there is nothing supernatural either. You just need to plant it in a draft-free place, in moderately acidic soil, regularly water, fertilize and prune. You also need a lot of patience and love for flowering plants. With proper care, hydrangea will grow healthy, lush and look royal.

When is the best time to plant hydrangeas in spring?

So, you have firmly decided that you want to grow this wonderful shrub on your site. But you don’t know exactly when it is better to plant garden hydrangea in open ground in the spring, in what month? The optimal time for spring planting of seedlings is in April and early May.

The suitable time may differ in different regions due to different climatic conditions:

• In the middle zone (including the Moscow region) - you can plant in mid-April.
• In Siberia, the Urals, and the Leningrad region - at the end of April or beginning of May.
• In the South (Krasnodar Territory (Kuban), North Caucasus) - early April.

An excellent assistant in determining favorable and not so favorable times for the procedure are the moon cycles. Thus, the timing of planting a hydrangea seedling according to the Lunar calendar 2022:

• Favorable days: in March - 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31;
• in April - 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 24, 25;
• in May - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31;
• in June - 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25.

Wintering hydrangea

Preparing hydrangea for winter

In warm, snowy winters, even heat-loving large-leaved and serrated hydrangeas can overwinter without man-made shelter, but no one will tell you for sure to what temperature the thermometer can drop in winter and how high the snow cover will be in the coming winter. To believe in assumptions and be wrong means to ruin your garden, so it is better to be vigilant and, perhaps, even distrustful of forecasts, but sleep peacefully on frosty nights, knowing that your plants are also fast asleep under their warm shelter.

So, how and when to cover hydrangeas for the winter? It is better to do this after the first frost, during October. Very young bushes are simply covered to the top with dry soil. Older bushes are bent to the ground and covered with lutrasil or roofing felt, which are pressed down with bricks so that they are not torn off by the wind. Mature bushes will require a lot of effort from you: the bush is carefully tied and wrapped with lutrasil or spunbond. Then a cylinder-shaped frame is built around it from a metal mesh at a distance of 20-25 cm from the bush, and the frame should be 10 cm higher than the plant. The space between the mesh and the hydrangea is filled with dry foliage, which is more than enough in the gardens at this time of year. In the spring, in April, the frame with foliage can be removed, and when a stable above-zero temperature is established, the spunbond is also removed.

Hydrangea in winter

Whether or not to cover your hydrangeas for the winter is up to you. We offer shelter options in case of a harsh and, most importantly, snowless winter. If there are no severe frosts in your area, then the shelter may be symbolic, and if your hydrangea is also a winter-hardy species, then perhaps there is no need to protect it from frost. But if the hydrangea in your garden is not a cold-resistant species, and winters in your area are unpredictable, use our tips in the fall to sleep peacefully in the winter, see how the hydrangea comes to life in the spring, and admire its incomparable, beautiful blooms in the summer .

Planting process

After acquiring the seeds, it’s time to start planting them. What is it recommended for every gardener to know about this process? You can sow seeds immediately after purchasing them, although pre-germination is still encouraged. Take cotton wool or gauze, wet it with water, and spread the grains on top. When they swell, sow them into the ground.

Regarding the process of planting hydrangea seeds, here first of all pay attention to the composition and quality of the soil. It is desirable that it include peat, sand, humus, turf and forest soil. Let's say you want to save on substrate, what should you do in this case? A good alternative is to use soil from molehills.

When the substrate is ready, take a small box, fill it with soil, and then spread out the seeds. They can be sprinkled with a thin layer of soil on top. The main thing is to cover them with glass on top. From time to time, do not forget to remove it to spray the substrate with water.

Diseases and pests of hydrangea

If care recommendations are not followed, hydrangea may suffer from diseases and pests. In such a situation, the gardener needs to recognize the infection in time, find the true cause of the problem and immediately begin treating the bush.

Most often, the flower is attacked by the following infections and insects:

1. Gray rot. It occurs as a result of waterlogging of the soil and thickening of the plant crown. At the same time, a fluffy gray coating appears on the leaves, which leads to yellowing and death of the foliage. Infected areas are cut off and destroyed, and the hydrangea is treated with Fundazol.

2. Powdery mildew. The disease develops under conditions of lack of moisture in the soil, as well as with an excess amount of nitrogenous fertilizers. Yellow-green spots appear on the leaves, which are covered with a gray or purple coating on the reverse side. Over time, the size of the spots increases, covering the entire leaf, and the plant begins to lose its green mass. To treat a diseased specimen, Topaz is used.

3. Septoria. Occurs in cold weather with high humidity. The infection first affects the lower part of the shoots - small spots with a dark brown edging form on the leaves, which gradually cover the entire surface of the leaf plate. The affected areas must be removed from the bush and destroyed, and the hydrangea should be treated with the “Profit” preparation.

4. Viral infections. These include ringspot and cancer. In the first case, characteristic stains in the form of rings appear on the leaves of the bush, and in the second, brown spots appear, on the back of which small ulcers are visible. Viral diseases lead to deformation of shoots, and the plant loses leaves and withers. Infection can occur through gardening tools or poor-quality planting material, and there is no cure for such ailments.

5. Aphid . It feeds on the sap of leaves and shoots, causing them to turn yellow and dry out. Insects are clearly visible on the surface of the leaves and quickly spread throughout all the bushes. For treatment, hydrangea is treated with the drug “Iskra”.
6. Spider mite. This pest quickly spreads on the plant in dry and hot weather, enveloping the leaves and stems in a thin web. As a result of this, the green mass of the bush dries out and curls, the hydrangea stops growing and dies. You can get rid of ticks using the drug "Akarin".

7. Root nematode. It affects the roots of the bush, so it can be difficult to detect. The main symptom is red swellings at the bottom of the plant stem, which begin to rot over time. In this case, the hydrangea stops growing, withers and dies. To combat nematodes, the drug “Actofit” is used.

8. Slugs. They feed on the tender pulp of leaves and young stems of hydrangea. The pest actively reproduces in areas with high humidity and dense thickets, and its appearance can be noticed by characteristic damage to the shoots and sticky marks on the plant. Slugs must be collected manually, and their egg clutches, which are located in the axils of the leaves of the bush, must be destroyed.

To prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests, perform the following actions:

• choosing the right place to plant bushes;
• use of high-quality planting material;
• compliance with watering and fertilizing schedules;
• removal of plant residues and weeding on the site;
• annual pruning of the bush.

To grow hydrangea from seeds at home, the gardener needs to be patient and put in some effort. Using the information presented in the article, you can successfully prepare planting material, plant it correctly in the soil and provide young plants with proper care. And the resulting plant will have strong immunity and will delight you with lush annual flowering.

Choosing a place and soil in the garden for transplanting seedlings

Answering the question whether it is possible to grow hydrangea from seeds at home, gardener-breeders answer - yes, but this is a long and troublesome task. In addition, you need to know how to plant seedlings grown in the house so that they take root and develop steadily for decades.

Advice! Plants in a flowerbed are planted at a distance of 100 cm between specimens.

Technology of planting seedlings:

1. Dig a hole with a diameter three times larger than the root system of the crop.
2. Fill the bottom with nutritious garden soil.
3. Install the seedling by carefully removing it from the container.

• Cover with soil.

Nutrient compositions with high or normal acidity are used as soil for hydrangea. The best option is a substrate that consists of garden soil, sand and acidic peat. You can buy ready-made soil for hydrangeas at a garden center.

When choosing a place for a flower bed, you should be guided by the preferences of the variety. Regardless of the variety, hydrangea prefers diffused light without direct sunlight. An ideal area is considered to be one in which partial shade dominates in the first half of the day, and where the sun warms in the second half.

You should also take care of protection from drafts. To do this, young seedlings are planted near walls, fences, under the protection of tall bushes.

To successfully grow seedlings, you should provide optimal care:

1. Avoid areas with hot sun.
2. Feed in accordance with established standards and frequency.
3. Regularly water and mulch the soil surface to retain moisture.

Sufficient freedom is a factor that influences the formation of the crown.

Hydrangea after flowering

When the hydrangea fades, it is time to prepare the plant for winter. Young seedlings growing in pots are transferred indoors, and the wilted inflorescences of garden hydrangeas are removed so that suddenly falling wet snow does not stick to them and break the fragile branches of the plant. In addition, you will need to hill up the base of the hydrangea bushes and mulch the area in which they grow to reliably protect their shallow root system for the winter.

The most cold-resistant hydrangeas are paniculata and groundcover. Their shoots become completely lignified by autumn, so they can more easily withstand winter cold even without shelter, if you do not live in a cold climate. Tree hydrangea can also withstand a mild winter without shelter.

Aftercare

In the first season after planting in open ground, hydrangeas from seeds need especially careful care. It is impossible to grow them without:

• Glaze. The substrate in the flowerbed is constantly maintained in a moderately moist state, preventing it from drying out. Mulching the tree trunk circle will help retain moisture in the soil. The intervals between watering are determined taking into account air temperature, frequency and intensity of precipitation.
• Loosening and weeding. Hydrangeas from seeds need these measures only if the flowerbed is not mulched. The soil is loosened and weeded 2-3 times a month. Weeds can simply “strangle” hydrangeas from seeds.
• Feeding. If the planting pit has been prepared taking into account all the recommendations, hydrangea from seeds does not need fertilizer in the first season after transplanting into a flowerbed. But in general it is impossible to grow a bush without fertilizing; abundant and prolonged flowering takes away a lot of nutrients.
• Pruning. Targeted crown formation begins in the second season after transplanting to the flowerbed. In the first, the main goal of the seedling is to grow green mass. Therefore, at the end of the season they limit themselves to sanitary pruning.
• Shelter for the winter. Despite the good frost resistance of many varieties and hybrids of hydrangea, which seedlings often “inherit,” in the first winter it is better to play it safe and provide them with high-quality shelter. “Warming” the bases of the shoots with humus, as well as special covers or boxes covering the above-ground part, will help to grow a bush without problems associated with freezing.

Seed storage

Transplanting hydrangea from one place to another - when and how to do it

Before planting, the seeds should be kept in a dry, well-ventilated room. It should be dark and cool. It is important to maintain a stable temperature throughout the storage period. It should be +10-15 degrees. Air humidity should not be higher than 50%.

Important! Seeds are stored well in thick paper bags. Bags made from natural materials are also suitable for this purpose.

Landing conditions

The seeds must first be prepared and germinated. Take a saucer, put cotton wool there, then distribute the seeds over it and cover with another layer of cotton wool. Pour boiled water and leave it like that for several days.

If an unpleasant odor appears from the saucer, it is imperative to rinse everything. The most important thing is to prevent rotting and not to overexpose the seeds in a humid environment. We will sow when the sprout “hatches”, but it is also possible when the seed is still dry.

Advice! Buy Epin Extra, it is a natural biostimulant, absolutely safe. It costs about 15 rubles, but protects the plant from stress during the growth and planting stages. It also strengthens the “immunity” and has a beneficial effect in general. According to the instructions, dilute with water and soak the seeds.

Care and cultivation

• Potassium and nitrogen liquid fertilizers will be a good fertilizer. Mineral fertilizers are applied regularly.
• Be sure to loosen the soil; nothing will grow in dense soil. The top layer must be constantly wet.
• As for temperature, the optimal is 17-22 degrees. In winter, they are taken to a cool (9 degrees) room and left at rest, again, constantly monitoring the humidity. Watering should not be as abundant as in summer, but the soil should not remain dry.
• Use “Fitoverm” or the drug “Meta” to control pests.
• It is necessary to trim off the weakest branches and leaves so that the hydrangea focuses on the main stem.
• You can take it out onto the balcony in winter if the temperature there is normal for hydrangea at this time of year.
• The air in the room must be humidified; you can install a sprayer.
• Direct sunlight is contraindicated, but hydrangea needs bright, diffused light.
• It is better to wipe the leaves rather than wash them. Roots, especially in winter, should not stagnate in water.

A little about reproduction. Indoor hydrangea is propagated by cuttings and dividing the bush. It is difficult to grow from seeds, but it is possible.