Reproduction of hydrangea – all available ways to get new bushes
Explain how hydrangea propagates. We bought a dacha and as a bonus, I, an avid florist, got a gorgeous bush with just huge raspberry inflorescences. It was my dream, which was not easy to realize, because it is difficult to get a seedling here. Now I want to plant these flowers and plant them under the house. How best to do it and when?
It is unlikely that anyone will be left indifferent by the lush inflorescences of hydrangea, striking in their abundance and variety of colors. However, it is not always possible to purchase this plant: the seedlings are decent, and the choice is sometimes very limited. Do not be upset, because hydrangea propagation can be done in other ways. If this gorgeous shrub is already growing on your site, it will serve as material for vegetative propagation. In the case when this is your first hydrangea, it will be cheaper to buy and sow seeds.
Reproduction of hydrangeas – all ways to breed a beauty
So, as already mentioned, there are two ways to get a flowering perennial – seed and vegetative. The latter implies the following methods:
- division of an adult bush;
- cuttings;
- rooting of layering;
- young growth.
What skillful gardeners can not invent in order to propagate a rare variety, even new methods of propagation. So, some amateurs manage to get at least a dozen young bushes from one seedling in just a season. To do this, in the fall, plant a seedling in a special way (lying down), digging at the same time and pre-fanned branches. By the end of summer, each branch will form its own root system and it will be possible to separate and plant them.
How to grow hydrangea from seeds
First, seedlings should be grown by sowing seeds in pots. They do not need preliminary processing, and it is also not necessary to deeply deepen the seeds. Until the emergence of seedlings, it is better to keep the crops under a film. When the seedlings grow up, dive it into separate flowerpots and grow it indoors for at least another 2 years. In the third year of life, young hydrangeas will reach a height of about 40 cm.Then they can be planted in the garden in a permanent place.
The seed method is not suitable for hybrids. Plants obtained in this way do not retain varietal characteristics..
When to divide a bush
The overgrown hydrangea can be dug up and divided into parts. Each section should have its own roots. It is better to do this in spring, so that the bushes have time to get stronger before the arrival of frost. Shoots and roots that are too long are recommended to be shortened.
By division, all shrub species of perennials can be propagated. This method is not suitable for panicle hydrangea..
Features of cuttings
Green cuttings taken in early summer from the lateral shoots of young bushes take root best. Leaves can be left on them, but cut off half of the plate so that the moisture does not evaporate so quickly. Lower the cut (always oblique) into the growth stimulator solution for a couple of hours. Then plant in a mixture of sand and peat in a 1: 2 ratio and cover with a jar. For the winter, young plants need to be covered, and in the spring they can be planted and grown.
If the hydrangea is already old, before harvesting the cuttings, it must be rejuvenated by pruning.
How to root layers
In early spring, until the buds have blossomed, dig up the ground around the bush. Make grooves and place the lowest shoots in them, pinning them with a staple. By August, they will give young twigs, which will need to be hilled every 10 days, gradually pouring a mound up to 25 cm high.You can separate the layers in mid-autumn by transplanting them to the garden for growing. Young hydrangeas are planted in a permanent place after a year..
When can you separate the shoots
Hydrangea often produces root growth, which is an excellent breeding material. It is better to dig it up in the fall, very carefully so as not to damage both old and young roots. The resulting bush should be grown for at least a year, or even better – two.
