Do you want hydrangeas to the maximum splendor? There is a little known trick that can make their colors more brighter and spectacular. A simple, natural and surprising method.
When you see those bright colored hydrangeasso full and brilliant as to seem almost unreal, it is spontaneous to ask: why do their own appear flat, sometimes even tired? Many think that everything depends on the variety or that professional and expensive products serve. Still, often the explanation is much simpler, almost banal.
There is a trick, or rather, a small secret that really really consider. It has nothing to do with pruning or with the frequency of watering. The truth is hidden under the feet, in the ground. A quick observation and a simple gesture, perhaps at the end of the winter, can make a difference. There are no revolutions, only a small step in the right direction. And it is precisely in those details that sometimes the wonder is hidden.
The acidity of the soil makes miracles for hydrangeas (but only if you know it)
Here you enter a curious field, where botany and chemistry give their hand. The hydrangeas are chameleon -like flowers, and their color changes according to the pH of the ground. Yes, the same bush can become blue in a flowerbed and pink two meters further. If the ground is acidwith pH below 6, flowers tend to blue or purple. If, on the other hand, it is more basicabove 7, here is the pink, fuchsia, sometimes even a delicate red. A sort of natural magic, which, however, can also be piloted with some makeups. Among the simplest methods, there is the use of aluminum sulfatewhich is easily found in the Garden Center. But there are also more “home” alternatives. THE Coffee fundsfor example, or the pine needles: both help to lower the pH of the ground gradually.
And be careful of the water: that of tap, if too limestone, risks altering the balance of the soil. Better to collect rainwateror use the demineralized one. This small detail is enough, and the colors of the hydrangeas can change face.
The 3 natural ingredients that intensify the colors of the hydrangeas
You don’t need to empty the wallet in special products. In reality, three simple ingredients are enough, which many already have at home. And the beauty is that they really work. Maybe not immediately, but after a few weeks, the difference can be seen. And if you notice.
- Coffee funds: mixed with the earth, they release acid and nutrients. Perfect for more intense hydrangeas, especially in blue shades.
- Apple cider vinegar: a cup diluted in four liters of water. It is not a fertilizer, but lowers alkalinity. To be used sparingly, once a month it can be enough.
- Pine needles: left on the surface of the soil as a mulch. They release acidity slowly and help to maintain the right humidity.
There are those who prefer to use only one at a time, to better observe the reaction of the plant. And maybe it’s the best strategy. Each hydrangea reacts in its own way, also because every terrain has its history. You don’t need to be in a hurry, gardening is made of small experiments.
When and how to act to get the maximum effect
The timing here counts a lot. Treatments work better if made to end of winter or early springwhen the plants begin to wake up from vegetative rest. At that moment they better absorb everything in the ground.
If you live in rainy areas, it is better to intervene several times, because the water tends to wash away the effects of the treatments. A small call every three or four weeks is more than enough.
Who instead dreams of pink hydrangeas must do exactly the opposite: raise the pH. In this case the ash of wood or the dolomite limestonebut always with a light hand. Here too, a little at a time, without forcing.
Not all hydrangeas react in the same way. The blue ones, the classics Hydrangea macrophyllaare very sensitive to the pH. Others, such as white hydrangeas, remain more stable in colors. In short, before intervening it is better to know who you are dealing with.
And then it happens: from one day to the next, that extinguished bush that always seemed the same changes. The flowers light up, become protagonists. So yes, it is clear that it was worth it.
It takes little to turn on the wonder.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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