Winter is in full swing and the garden is often covered with snow. Despite this, we still need to take care of the plants – there is no time to rest this month. This time we will take a closer look at hydrangeas. How to take care of them in winter? When to cut bushes? You will find answers to these questions in this article.
You need to care for hydrangeas all year round. In autumn, we limit watering of these plants to prepare them for the upcoming frosts. At the end of November, we must cover their lower shoots and roots with a mound made of pine bark or soil mixed with compost. As a last resort, we can use the soil itself. In turn, we protect the lower shoots with agrotextile.
Now that we have prepared hydrangeas for the upcoming frosts, how should we care for them during frost? In winter, we do not water these plants, but we protect their upper parts with agro-textile. If we have specimens in pots, we cover them with Styrofoam or straw. Then we move the flowers to a quiet place where they will have access to the sun.
Appropriate protection of the bushes ensures their abundant flowering in the next season. It is worth spending time on this so that the plants will reward you with beautiful flowers. This is especially important in the case of young seedlings, which are more sensitive to frost.
Let’s remember that The capricious garden hydrangea requires winter protection. There is less work in the case of bouquet or tree hydrangeas. Varieties that are resistant to heavy frosts are: Vanille Fraise, Little Lime, Grandiflora and Limelight. The first one will withstand up to -28 degrees Celsius, and the others up to -30 degrees Celsius.
Gardeners advise to prune hydrangeas only after the frosts have stopped. Therefore, we cannot perform this procedure in winter. So what are the best months for cutting?
These plants are best pruned in March or April. That’s when the leaves start to come out after the frost. It is worth marking this date in your calendar now so as not to forget about this important treatment for these shrubs.
Let’s also remember that cut garden hydrangea shoots into 2/3 of their length. The situation is similar with tree hydrangea, whose branches should be cut at a height of 25 cm from the ground. Tree and climbing hydrangeas, on the other hand, do not require pruning – only dry and damaged twigs should be removed.
