Hydrangea Selection

The popularity of hydrangeas in recent years has increased significantly: its lush inflorescences continue to conquer the hearts of gardeners and are ubiquitous in garden plots. The variety of varieties of this shrub plant allows each owner of the site to choose a variety that fully meets his wishes, as well as the environmental conditions of a particular region.
A variety of panicle hydrangea called Selection hydrangea is one of the relatively new varieties that have already won the sympathy of gardeners. It combines high decorative qualities and unpretentious character, which does not require much effort to care for this lush flowering shrub. This article will talk about how to properly grow the Panicle Hydrangea Selection.

Panicle hydrangea Selection: variety description and characteristics

Panicle hydrangea Selection: photo

Hydrangea variety Selection refers to tall plants: its shoots, on average, grow up to 2 m, but can reach 3 m. Due to their thickness and strength, they are able to withstand the weight of numerous and dense inflorescences during the flowering period of the bush. The leaves are large in size and have a slightly corrugated surface of a bright green leaf plate. The beginning of the flowering period of the Hydrangea variety Selection falls in July, it is quite long and can last until the second week of October. Volumetric inflorescences in shape resemble a cone wide at the base. Their constituent flowers change their color during the season. So, at the very beginning, they have a greenish tint, and then brighten and become pale pink.

Choosing a landing site

Panicle hydrangea Selection: photo

Competent placement of Hydrangea Selections bushes will save you from further hassle of caring for them. First of all, it should be borne in mind that this variety differs from its counterparts, who prefer darkened areas. For successful growth and flowering, this type of hydrangea needs sunlight and does not feel well in the shade. Only slight shading is permissible, otherwise the inflorescences will lose their volume, the flowers that make them are crushed, and the flowering period itself will be significantly reduced.

The panicle hydrangea variety Selection does not tolerate through wind well, therefore the area for growing this variety must be thoroughly protected from the wind.

As for the composition of the soil, weakly acidic or acidic loam is optimal for cultivation of the "Selection" variety. Stagnant water is detrimental to hydrangeas, so it will not be superfluous to take care of the drainage of the site ahead of time. To speed up the adaptation process of hydrangea seedlings after planting, it is recommended to prepare a nutritious potting soil mixture to fill the planting holes. It is quite easy to get it at home: it is enough to mix the earth extracted from the planting pits with peat, humus, sand in equal proportions. It also does not hurt to add some needles to the resulting mixture.

Hydrangea "Selection" landing

Panicle hydrangea Selection: photo

Step-by-step instructions for planting Hydrangea Selections in open ground include the following steps:

• To begin with, planting holes are dug - 2-4 weeks before the planned landing. Their size should exceed the volume of an earthen coma that protects the root system of hydrangea seedlings.
• 24 hours before the planting procedure, the holes are poured abundantly with water - for each there are from 2 to 3 buckets.
• On the day of planting, a drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the holes, which is covered with part of the nutrient soil mixture.
• A hydrangea seedling is placed on top of the nutrient layer - its root system must be carefully straightened and sprinkled with soil mixture without deepening the root collar.
• After planting, the soil around the seedlings is spilled with water and covered with a mulch layer, which will protect it from drying out and weeds.

Hydrangea Selection: variety care

Care for the selection hydrangea consists of watering, fertilizing, sanitary and formative pruning, as well as protection from winter frosts.
Moisture-loving hydrangea is sensitive to watering - it is necessary to regularly moisten the soil in the area with bushes, while avoiding stagnant moisture.

Fertilization
Fertilizers are applied several times during the season: their composition is dictated by the plant's needs for certain nutrients at different stages of its development.

The first top dressing occurs in the spring and involves saturating the soil with nitrogen, which is necessary to build up the green mass of hydrangea bushes. For these purposes, solutions based on urea or potassium sulfate are suitable. To prepare them, it is enough to dilute only 1 tablespoon of the active substance in a 10 liter container with water. Slurry-based feeding is also effective, which should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10.

During the period of bud formation, it is recommended to use mineral complexes: solutions are prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon of the drug per bucket of water.

At the moment when the flowers of the hydrangea are just beginning to open, stimulants of the flowering process can be used.

Autumn feeding is aimed at preparing hydrangea bushes for wintering. For this purpose, potassium-phosphorus mixtures based on superphosphate or potassium sulfate are suitable. Only 1 tablespoon of the mixture is enough for 10 liters of water.

Pruning procedure
Pruning plays an important role in maintaining the attractive appearance of hydrangea bushes. With its help, it is possible not only to give them a shape, but also to extend the flowering period, as well as to strengthen new shoots. The first pruning is of a sanitary nature and is carried out in the spring before the juices begin to move in the tissues of the plant. During this procedure, all dry, frozen, broken shoots are cut, the crown is also thinned out. In this case, only old shoots can be shortened, since inflorescences will form on last year's branches, so it is not recommended to touch them.

Autumn pruning contributes to the formation of the crown of the bush, as well as its relief on the eve of winter - too thick branches will trap snow, which can damage the shoots with its weight. The hydrangea bush painlessly tolerates the shortening of branches to a length of 3 to 5 buds. Old bushes can be cut more radically, removing the shoots almost completely - it is enough to leave 3-4 eyes.

Shelter for the winter
The panicle hydrangea Selection is considered to be a fairly resistant to winter frost variety: in regions with a mild and temperate climate, the bushes of this variety can overwinter without shelter. However, where winters are long and harsh, it is advisable to take care of a protective layer of mulch. In this capacity, you can use dry grass, spruce branches, straw, fallen leaves. Mulching will protect the root system of the hydrangea bush from freezing.

Propagation of hydrangea

For the propagation of hydrangea varieties Selections, you can use both the seed method and vegetative methods - cuttings, the formation of layering, dividing the bush. Reproduction by cuttings and layering is the most popular because of its simplicity, as well as painlessness for the plant. Seed propagation is rarely used due to its laboriousness.

In order to propagate panicle hydrangea Selections by cuttings, it is enough to plant the cuttings about 15 cm long after cutting in the seedling containers.Within a year they will be ready to be transplanted into open ground. The formation of layering also does not require special efforts and skills: it is enough to dig in a long lower shoot incised in the middle. Next spring, it can be separated from the parent plant and planted separately.

The panicle hydrangea variety Selection combines the high decorative qualities inherent in this plant, with a rather undemanding character. It is enough to follow simple agrotechnical recommendations in order to grow lush bushes covered with spectacular pale pink inflorescences on your site.