What causes hydrangea chlorosis and how to treat it

All types of hydrangea delight us with magnificent flowers. It becomes all the more offensive to us when suddenly the foliage loses its rich green color and turns yellow. The plant no longer looks healthy and beautiful, so it is necessary to immediately identify the cause of the ailment and take resuscitation measures to save the hydrangea. The most common cause of yellow foliage is chlorosis, a metabolic disorder associated with an insufficient amount of iron in the soil. How to replenish the necessary hydrangea elements, how to do it as quickly as possible - we will talk about this in this article.

Hydrangea chlorosis - what is it?

Hortense is of Oriental origin. From China and Japan, it arrived in Europe, and from there it spread throughout the world. Large-leaved, tree-like, paniculate - regardless of the variety, all plants are very beautiful. Large-leaved hydrangea is very popular and loved by gardeners, it's all about its huge bright inflorescences that can change their color depending on the composition of the soil in which the shrub grows. But the panicle hydrangea is also widespread in our gardens, not only because of its beauty, but also as the most unpretentious type of hydrangea.

Hydrangea chlorosis occurs due to a slowdown in the production of chlorophyll. In spring, this can happen due to the large difference between day and night temperatures, as well as due to the difference in air and ground temperatures. The soil has not yet warmed up enough, the roots are in a cold environment, and the aboveground part of the plant is already warming up in the sun. In such a situation, the production of chlorophyll slows down and if timely measures are not taken, this can lead to the death of the hydrangea.

At the initial stage, chlorosis is manifested only by yellowing of the leaves, but if it is not diagnosed in time, other symptoms may appear:

• - the size of the leaves decreases, their edges curl, the foliage begins to fall off.
• - deformed buds appear, often they crumble without blooming.
• - the apical shoots dry up.
• - the root system stops developing, then begins to die off, which leads to the death of the plant.

No matter how scary the described situation looks, chlorosis is not an incurable disease, moreover, if you notice the disease in time, you can cope with it pretty quickly. And it is important to know that anyone, both indoor and garden plants, can get sick with chlorosis, it has never been found only in violets. Therefore, you do not need to give in to this problem, you just need to know how to fix it.

Firstly, any plant must grow in loose and nutritious soil. The looseness of the soil is very important, because in the absence of good moisture permeability and air access to the roots, an unfavorable environment is created, which leads not only to the appearance of chlorosis, but also to the development of other diseases.

Secondly, chlorosis can develop with a lack of important elements such as iron, nitrogen, manganese, zinc and others. It is extremely important to systematically carry out top dressing either at the root or by spraying the crown of the plant.

Third, hydrangea can get sick when it grows in overly alkaline soil. These plants prefer acidic soil, so it is important to keep the pH under control and acidify the soil if necessary. For hydrangea, the optimal pH is 5-6, and the indicators of tap water are 7, it turns out that by pouring such water on a hydrangea, you regularly alkalize the soil. Therefore, water for irrigation must be defended and citric acid or vinegar can be added to it.

Hydrangea chlorosis - treatment

If you find chlorosis of a room hydrangea, then you need to transplant it as soon as possible into new soil that is ideal for it, so the plant will recover much faster. Hydrangea growing in the open field does not need to be transplanted, since a plant weakened by chlorosis will have difficulty in rooting. You need to take care of the necessary additives, and add acidifying agents (acetic, oxalic, citric, malic, succinic acids) to the water for irrigation.

Iron must be added in a chelated form, both root and foliar dressings are suitable (they often work faster, and the result can be seen in a day). You can use the following drugs: "Iron chelate" (marked "on the sheet" for spraying), "Micro-Fe", "Ferovit", "Antichlorosis", "Ferylene". You can treat with one of these drugs or prepare the medicine yourself. In a liter of boiled water, dilute 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid and two and a half grams of ferrous sulfate, you get an orange solution. The resulting solution can be watered with hydrangea (the roots will absorb it within three days) or spray (the result will be visible in a day), the solution can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks.

A similar therapeutic solution can be prepared by dissolving ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid (10 and 20 grams, respectively) in a liter of water.

A solution of potassium nitrate also has a healing effect, which is poured over the hydrangea for three days, then a three-day pause is made and iron sulfate is added under the bush.

If we talk about folk methods, then often gardeners bury nails, tin cans and other iron in the ground next to hydrangea.

Hydrangea preventive measures and care

Hydrangea foliage can change color for a variety of reasons, from inclement weather, lack of nutrients, to the wrong planting site. But by carefully caring for the plant and taking preventive measures in a timely manner, you can avoid most problems.

When choosing a place for a hydrangea, place it in a light partial shade so that it can sunbathe in the morning. Constant shade, as well as the scorching sun, do not benefit the shrub and lead to disturbances in the vegetation processes.

Prepare a suitable soil, provide a drainage layer and provide essential nutrients. Make sure the soil is loose and that the acidity level matches the hydrangea's needs.

Do not forget to water the plant regularly and abundantly, pre-settling the water and acidifying it if necessary.

Carry out top dressing in a timely manner, do not forget that plants need nitrogen in spring, and potassium and phosphorus in summer and autumn. Water or spray the hydrangea with iron chelate periodically.

In the spring, treat the hydrangea with a solution of copper sulfate, dissolving 100 grams in ten liters of water. Such treatment will save the hydrangea from various diseases and from the invasion of pests. In terms of diseases, hydrangea is one of the most resistant plants, but this does not negate preventive measures. Instead of copper sulfate, you can use drugs Spark or Topaz.

Pruning hydrangeas should be done as needed, removing broken or damaged branches. Some varieties form flowers on last year's branches, so if you cut them incorrectly, you will deprive yourself of the opportunity to admire the flowering.

Large-leaved hydrangea can change color depending on the acidity level of the soil and the presence of aluminum salts in it. Therefore, a field for experiments opens before you: by acidifying or alkalizing the soil, you can get, respectively, blue or pink flowers.

Hydrangea is not a capricious plant, and chlorosis, in turn, is not an incurable disease.With good care, your hydrangea is not threatened with the appearance of chlorosis, but if it does develop, then having the necessary theoretical knowledge and having the necessary preparations (chelated forms of iron) at hand, you will very quickly cope with it and return the hydrangea to its original beautiful appearance.