Botanical Identify: Hydrangea macrophylla
Good hydrangea care contains cool air, vibrant mild and moist soil. Give them what they need and you will be rewarded with an extended blooming season of spectacular magnificence.
Put a potted hydrangea on a eating desk, in a sunroom or anyplace you wish to add instantaneous backyard ambiance.
Hydrangea Varieties to Develop as Houseplants
Dozens of species exist. The most effective for rising indoors is Hydrangea macrophylla — the mophead hydrangea, which presents tons of of sorts.
It is a plant that basically is aware of the way to showcase. Massive, spherical clusters of small flowers cowl mophead hydrangeas all summer season in blue, violet-blue, white, pink or crimson. New cultivars are launched with bi-colored blooms, and in additional vibrant colours than we have ever seen.
Hydrangea ‘Countless Summer season’ produces an abundance of pale-blue blooms. It is one of many hardiest — good to know when you reside in a chilly local weather and plan to maneuver your plant outside.
Extra widespread varieties embrace violet-blue ‘Nikko Blue’, deep-blue ‘All Summer season Magnificence’ and snowy white ‘Libelle’.
New varieties make the prospect of rising hydrangeas indoors fairly tempting.Hydrangea Care and Upkeep
Preserve the soil moist. Dry soil may be the demise of this plant. Leaves that flip yellow and fall off are an indication of dry soil. Flowering crops are thirsty, so it is a good suggestion to test the soil daily whereas in bloom.
Hydrangea pruning. Mophead hydrangeas do not should be pruned again except you wish to management their measurement. Chopping off about 1/3 of the oldest stems offers you a fuller plant. When to prune hydrangeas: After blossoms fade. Hydrangea shrubs are perennials. Woody stems are densely coated with massive, oval leaves which can be deep inexperienced.
Pruning Hydrangea Care Tip
When pruning hydrangea, care must be taken not to tear the stems, which may harm the plant. Use clear, sharp pruners to chop the stem at a forty five° angle, 1/4-inch after a leaf axle.
Overwintering your plant. Hydrangea shrubs are perennials. When you intend to maintain your plant, repot after flowering is over and lower the woody stems again by half. Water sparingly in winter. Preserve the plant cool in the course of the winter, then transfer it to hotter circumstances in late winter to assist carry it into bloom.
When you meet the wants for hydrangea care, you’ll be able to rely on it to bloom 12 months after 12 months.
The right way to Preserve Blue Hydrangeas Blue
Blue hydrangeas want acidic soil (pH 5.5 and decrease) or they are going to change flower coloration from blue to pink. Alkaline soils (greater than pH 7) are fantastic for pink varieties. To maintain the blue coloration, add sulphur whereas the plant is blooming. Impartial pH (between pH 5.5 and pH 7) could make the flowers purple or a mixture of pink and blue.
It is essential to know that not all cultivars can change to blue, so purchase the colour you need and attempt to preserve it. It is a lot simpler to take care of a coloration than to vary it fully by experimenting with soil acidity. Apart from, some varieties will not change it doesn’t matter what you do.
The right way to Protect Your Mophead Hydrangeas
Drying Hydrangeas. Hydrangea coloration will probably be finest preserved by permitting the flower stem to dry on the plant. Reduce them off when the flowers have a papery really feel, with a stem size appropriate for a vase, centerpiece, or no matter flower association you select.
Strip off all leaves, after which discover a darkish, dry room the place the flowers can end drying. Cling the stems the other way up whereas drying to stop them from bending. Preserve the flower stems separate as they dry in order that not one of the flowers get squashed.
Mopheads are among the many most lovely dried hydrangeas, turning smooth shades of blue, inexperienced, violet or rose.
Indoor Hydrangea Care Suggestions
Give mophead hydrangeas loads of vibrant mild to bloom. Picture © ChernetskayaOrigin: Japan
Top: 2 ft (60 cm) indoors
Mild: Present at the very least 4 hours of vibrant, oblique mild daily.
Water: Preserve the soil evenly moist, however not soggy whereas plant is rising and flowering. Pots are normally packed tightly with roots, so water usually. Use lime-free water as a result of lime will make the soil alkaline. Water sparingly in winter, when hydrangea is resting.
Humidity: Common room (round 40-45% relative humidity). In case your indoor air is dry, use one among these simple methods to improve humidity to your houseplants.
Temperature: Preserve your hydrangea plant as cool as potential to delay the flowering time. Ideally beneath 60°F/16°C.
Soil: Peat-based acidic lime-free soil for blue varieties. Alkaline soil for pink.
Fertilizer: Feed each 2 weeks in spring and summer season with a balanced fertilizer (akin to 10-10-10) diluted by half. Or, use a slow-release fertilizer as soon as in spring and once more in summer season. Go simple — an excessive amount of fertilizer might scorch its leaves.
Propagation: Take 4 inch (10 cm) stem tip cuttings in spring or early summer season and root them in moist potting combine.