Hydrangea Diamond Rouge

Hydrangea is a truly unique plant in its beauty. For many gardeners, it is a favorite. You can meet him almost everywhere: both in private estates and in public gardens and parks. However, to our surprise, not everyone is familiar with the new variety of this stunning flower, which was bred not so long ago in France. This variety is undoubtedly distinguished by its appearance and survivability. That is why for the last few years he has been touring various exhibitions, where he receives the highest marks from the jury. Plus, it is truly appreciated by professional gardeners. Of the distinctive features of the Diamond Rouge variety, one can single out its incredible cold resistance and, in general, unpretentiousness.

Hydrangea Diamond Rouge: characteristic of the variety

As already mentioned, this hydrangea variety is distinguished by its exceptional beauty and attractiveness. It looks like a small shrub, although some describe Diamond Rouge as a small tree. The height of plants of this variety can reach one and a half meters, and its width is usually 1.4 meters.

The flowers of this hydrangea variety are quite large. Over time, they gather in lush panicle-type inflorescences. Inflorescences come in different lengths, but the average rates tend to forty centimeters. Most often, inflorescences are formed on shoots that have grown in the current season. The Diamond Rouge hydrangea begins to bloom in the summer: in mid-late June. However, the dates are very vague, because the beginning of flowering depends on countless factors: from the quality of the soil to the weather conditions. When the flowers first bloom, they are white, but over time, the hue changes to a deep pink. When autumn comes, the flowers take on an even richer hue. Sometimes even bright red.

Important!

The change in the shade of colors described above is situational and depends on a huge number of factors that are simply impossible to take into account. Therefore, if by September your flowers do not acquire a red tint, you should not be upset: perhaps, due to the weather, the staining is delayed.

Hydrangea Diamond Rouge blooms throughout almost the entire summer season: from mid-late June to almost the same numbers in September.

About the leaves of the Diamond Rouge variety: they have a rather oblong shape, but otherwise they are the most common. Their surface is covered with the so-called "fluff", therefore, passing through the leaves with your hands, you will feel as if you have touched a velvet fabric. Leaves also change their color throughout flowering. From deep dark green in June, they gradually move to no less dark orange in September. This varietal feature even more attracts the attention of gardeners to this hydrangea variety, because it is quite unusual.

Interesting facts for gardeners

Many gardeners prefer to know everything, everything, everything about the plants that they grow on their site. Therefore, we will try to reveal as many secrets of the Diamond Rouge hydrangea as possible.

The root system of plants of this variety is superficial, it goes quite far beyond the radius of the crown of the bush. In its development and structure, this hydrangea variety is very similar to most Far Eastern plants. Hydrangea, like they do not like the scorching heat at all, therefore they prefer to grow in cool places.In addition, this means that every year after the onset of spring, it is highly desirable to mulch the plot of land on which this sensitive flower is grown. In addition to protecting the plant from weeds and preventing moisture from evaporating from the soil surface, mulching also significantly increases the fertility of Diamond Rouge.

After you have planted a hydrangea of ​​this variety in your area, you will have to wait three years before the first flowers begin to appear. However, you do not have to worry at all about whether the flower will survive the winter. Some trees can envy its frost resistance.

Key Features of Diamond Rouge:

Diamond Rouge is an upright deciduous shrub. Despite its impressive height, this hydrangea variety can be called compact and decorative.

The flower belongs to the group of deciduous plants

It has an average rate of growth and development.

The root system of this variety, unfortunately, is far from the most developed: the roots go very shallow into the ground and practically do not branch.

Despite their dislike for heat, Diamond Rouge plants prefer to grow in the sun. As a last resort, you can plant a flower in partial shade.

Also hydrangea (not only this variety) prefers frequent and rather abundant watering.

The hydrangea variety Diamond Rouge has both its advantages and disadvantages, which are also important to mention. The advantages include the fact that, as already mentioned, the plant readily develops and grows in partial shade. In addition, the tremendous cold resistance of the plant is a huge plus. Let's not forget that it takes root well in urban environments. There is one drawback of this variety, but a distinctive one: Diamond Rouge is a protected hydrangea variety, which means that you most likely will not be able to plant it without special permission.

Planting rules for hydrangea Diamond Rouge

Don't worry too much about your flower not growing in direct sunlight. In fact, hydrangea flowers are not very whimsical to the place of cultivation. The most suitable time for planting a bush of this variety will be both early spring and autumn. However, you should not plant flowers right before the onset of cold weather. What a hydrangea really “hates” is a lack of moisture. She is very sensitive to the number and frequency of watering, and therefore you will need to monitor them very carefully.

When planting, you also need to pay attention to the planting pit. It must meet certain requirements: the width of the recess must be large enough. 70 centimeters is a good guideline. However, the pit may well be wider: the plant will not suffer from this. This is due to the way the plant develops the root system over time: the roots must be distributed as evenly as possible in order to maintain balance.

Fertilizing the hole before planting is also imperative. Organic fertilizers like humus are best suited for this. After planting, the young flower needs to be watered as abundantly as possible in order to give it a powerful "push".

Planting the Diamond Rouge hydrangea in the fall is not an easy and risky task. In addition, not every region is suitable for this. If you do not live in southern latitudes, it is best not to experiment with such late landing times.

However, time is not the only important factor that will affect how your hydrangea will develop. It is also important to pay attention to the landing site. How to choose it - below:

1) Diamond Rouge hydrangeas really love to grow in sunny places, however, they cannot stand direct, baking rays. Therefore, if you are not completely sure that the direct rays of the sun will not fall on your flower, it is better to plant it in some semi-shaded place. It, of course, will not be the best possible, but this way you risk nothing.

2) Talk also about soil.None of the hydrangea varieties, including Diamond Rouge, are too whimsical to the soil in which they grow. However, they still have preferences. Most of all, this flower loves to grow in both loamy and clay soils. It is especially important that it is as fertile as possible. Generally speaking, the most suitable habitat for hydrangeas is loose earth, which contains a large amount of nutrients. The moisture of such land should not be excessive, as well as its acidity. It is in such a land that the chances that by the fall your flowers will acquire a rich bright red hue tend to the maximum. If your soil is not acidic enough, you can resort to using milk whey. It is used quite often by gardeners, and therefore you should not worry about how it will affect your flowers. Another way to increase the acidity of the environment is brown peat. Sawdust or dry needles may also work.

3) Since, as you already know, the Diamond Rouge hydrangea is an extremely moisture-loving crop, planting next to the same moisture-dependent plant can lead to a real battle for moisture under your garden. Therefore, it is better to plant hydrangea next to crops that are unpretentious for watering. For example, ground cover flowers can be good neighbors.

Step-by-step instructions for planting varietal hydrangea:

1) The first thing you should do is prepare the planting holes. As already mentioned in this article, the most optimal diameter for them will be 70 centimeters. However, this value can vary depending on the personal qualities of each individual seedling.

2) You need to thoroughly prepare for the process of planting or transplanting, because it will last at least 2 days. On the first day of these two, you will need to pour an abundant amount of water into the prepared planting hole. It should be well absorbed, and therefore we will plant only the next day.

3) Just before planting the Diamond Rouge hydrangea in her new home, you need to pour a large amount of organic fertilizer into the hole prepared for it. For this business, a mixture of several substances is best suited: humus, peat and sand.

4) The last elements that must be added to the fertilizer are potassium sulfate and urea. This will allow your hydrangea to grow and develop more efficiently. All of the above ingredients should be mixed until a homogeneous gruel is obtained and evenly distributed over the area of ​​the planting pit.

5) Now, after all preparations have been completely completed, you can proceed directly to planting. The seedling must be lowered into the hole carefully and carefully. After that, it is abundantly sprinkled with fertile soil and tamped down. Care must be taken to ensure that there is no empty space between the roots.

Important!

If, for some reason, the plant was planted in an unsuitable place for it with the scorching sun, it is imperative to transplant it. After the transplant operation is successfully completed, the hydrangea will need to be covered so that the weakened flower does not injure the winter frosts.

By the way, there is absolutely no difference between planting hydrangeas in groups and planting single flowers. And in one, and in another case, the plants will feel great. The only thing that will need to be monitored more closely than usual when planting a large group of Diamond Rouge hydrangeas is more abundant watering.

Hydrangea Care Diamond Rouge

Ornamental plants, even those that are not too whimsical, need careful care. Regardless of your skills, there are certain rules you must follow that will allow your flower to live long and bring beauty to your garden.

If your shrub has only recently been planted, close maintenance is essential.The first thing you should take care of is regular and abundant watering. If the weather promises to be particularly hot in the near future, you will have to spend at least 30 liters of water per square meter of planting during each watering. They need to be produced at least once a week. However, of course, if the weather is rainy, this frequency can be reduced, as, in fact, the amount of water poured out. In simple terms, the soil under the hydrangea should never be dry. To make your job easier, you can resort to mulching. This is a very useful procedure that will not only reduce both the frequency and the amount of watering, but also protect your Diamond Rouge hydrangea from weed infestation. In addition, during watering, potassium permanganate can be added to the water. This will help you disinfect the soil and get rid of diseases before they even have a chance to arise.

Fertilizer should be applied at least four times during the growing season of the hydrangea. In principle, you can fertilize it more times, but it was the number 4 that was considered the most optimal. The steps listed below must be followed if you want to ensure the flower grows well.

1) The first feeding should take place in the spring. The most appropriate time will be the period when inflorescences begin to form on the branches. For this top dressing, it is best to use some kind of organic fertilizer.

2) The second feeding should be done when the very first buds begin to open on the branches of the Diamond Rouge. This time, the usual organic approval will not be enough, so you will have to add a few additional substances to it, namely: potassium, urea and superphosphates.

3) The time for the third feeding is coming pretty soon. It is enough to wait until the moment when the overwhelming number of all the buds have bloomed. The composition for this top dressing should be as varied as possible. It is best to use a complex of various mineral fertilizers. This feeding will not affect the growth rate of the hydrangea in any way, but it will significantly extend its flowering time so that you can enjoy its beauty longer.

4) The fourth feeding is carried out when it comes time to prepare the plant for the winter season. This time, you will need a very highly specialized fertilizer that has been developed specifically for hydrangeas. Most often these are mixtures of all kinds of chemicals. You can buy them in any market, but it is better to buy such important fertilizers from trusted sellers in large stores.

Also, an important element of hydrangea care is its pruning. This procedure is not tied to any specific time and is carried out exclusively as necessary or as desired by the gardener. Most often, they resort to it in order to give the crown the desired correct shape. Another reason for the desire to prune branches is their disease.

There is, however, a mandatory cropping. It is carried out exclusively in the fall and is needed in order to prepare the plant for the winter cold. Naturally, old shoots that senselessly load the root system must be removed.

If you want to cut off old shoots, you need to follow a simple rule: you need to leave no more than 5 centimeters. Only the so-called small "stump", which will in no way interfere with you or the plant. If you want to give the bush the correct shape, you must first select the strongest and most branched shoots on the bush. Seven will be enough. After that, they are pruned so that no more than five buds remain on each of the shoots you choose. This will allow your hydrangea to deliver nutrients only to the most promising branches.

Preparing hydrangea Diamond Rouge for winter

This hydrangea variety, of course, is cold-resistant, as you have read about more than once.However, this does not make it completely immune to frost, and it is still your responsibility to cover your flowers if you want them to successfully winter.

Important!

Covering mature plants completely is a futile task. Their shoots do an excellent job with the cold. But the root system may well suffer from too low temperatures. Another question is young seedlings. They are far from being as strong as older ones, and therefore need full cover for the winter.

In order to cover the hydrangea, you will need:

1) Prepare some organic fertilizer in the form of rotted manure. It is laid around the trunk to warm the root system during severe frosts.

2) Fallen leaves or peat fertilizer can also be used as a warming layer, but they are much better suited to adult hydrangeas than young seedlings.

3) If you are afraid to completely cover the plant for the reason that the fabric can damage the fragile branches of the hydrangea, you can build a "personal" frame for one flower, which will allow it to safely survive the winter cold.

You don't need to do anything else. These two procedures (pruning and covering) are more than enough to prepare the Diamond Rouge hydrangea for a successful wintering.

Reproduction of varietal hydrangea

Most often, gardeners resort to the method of propagating the Diamond Rouge hydrangea by cuttings. Not surprising, because this method has been recognized by professionals.

The branches that were previously pruned are placed in water for a number of days. After they absorb enough moisture, cuttings are formed from the branches, which will have at least three internodes. After that, the lower cut of the cutting is treated with a special preparation that stimulates growth.

It is best to grow cuttings treated in this way not on the street, but at home and give them enough attention. Indeed, without close care from the gardener, the plant may well get sick with one of the most common diseases that will definitely not bring the owner unnecessary joy. The most common diseases affecting hydrangea are in the next section:

The main diseases of the Diamond Rouge variety

1) Perhaps the most common disease not only of this plant, but of all existing garden crops is powdery mildew. This is a fungal disease that affects even indoor plants. It is not difficult to recognize this ailment: over time, white oily spots, dotted with a dark coating, begin to appear on the surface of an infected plant. The fungus that causes this terrible disease enters the plant through non-neutralized soil and begins to eat it from the inside. Moreover, the more humid and warm the weather conditions in which the plant existed, the higher the chances that the fungus will manifest itself. To protect the hydrangea, which shows early symptoms, it is necessary to spray the plant with a solution containing copper sulfate. If this does not help, and the disease continues to develop by leaps and bounds, you will have to resort to chemicals.

2) The second, but not according to the level of danger, disease of hydrangeas Diamond Rouge is Tracheomycotic wilting. The source of the disease, as in the case of the previous disease, is a fungus that enters the plant through the soil and with its huge mycelium captures the entire body of the affected hydrangea. Over time, symptoms of the disease begin to appear on the stem and leaves, and if nothing can be corrected in time, the plant will be destined to die. However, if you do find early signs of the disease, the hydrangea can be saved. It is enough just to remove and burn the affected parts, and carefully treat the cut points with a mixture based on manganese. And in order not to encounter this fungus at all, it is better to take preventive measures that will not allow the disease to even begin to develop.However, this will have to resort to the use of chemical fungicides.

Unfortunately, fungi and bacteria are not the only inhabitants of your garden that can cause a lot of trouble for your hydrangeas. In addition to them, there are a huge number of insects that are not at all averse to feasting on the tissues of flowers. In order to prevent creeping, flying and jumping parasites from devouring your flowers, it is necessary to resort to the use of insecticides.

Conclusion

Hydrangea Diamond Rouge is one of the most beautiful ornamental plants you can find. And now you know not only its features, which another experienced gardener might not have known, but you are also aware of how to care for her, and how to save her from the ubiquitous misfortunes. We hope this information will help you, and you will think about purchasing this wonderful flower.