After the summer, to maintain healthy and colorful hydrangeas until October, 4 handfuls of acid soil and a yearnry every 7 days with controlled pH water are enough. It seems simple, and it is, but it is necessary to constantly. Those who have tested this method on balconies exposed to the south know how much the difference makes.
The hydrangeas, with their elegant bearing and changing colors, are among the most loved flowers. But after the summer months, the heat and drought can put them to the test. It is not just about beauty: without the right care, the plant risks weakening precisely when it should prepare for the next flowering. The good news is that the remedy exists, it is natural and it costs very little: the acid soilthe one used for Azalee, Camelie and Rododendri. This type of soil rebalances the pH, nourishes the roots and stimulates a vegetative recovery even in late September. It is not a miracle, but a good habit. And like any ritual, it only works if you repeat it carefully.
Why is it important to act immediately? Because the ground at the end of the summer tends to compact, loses drainage and can favor rot. To intervene now means preventing future problems and, in the meantime, enjoy a few more weeks of color. After all, who has never wanted a flowering that lasts longer than expected?
The hidden benefits of acid soil on hydrangea
Use the acid soil After the summer it is a bit like giving a regenerating spa to the fatigued roots. And it’s not an exaggeration. This light substrate, rich in organic substance, has the ability to retain humidity without suffocating the roots.
Among the most obvious advantages:
- Maintenance of the intense blue color in some varieties
- Reduction of risk of chlorosis foliar
- Stimulus to the formation of New gems
- Restoration of theoptimal acidity (pH 5,5-6)
- Increased Resistance to autumn rains
An alkaline soil, on the contrary, makes the colors fade and makes plants more vulnerable. Just observe the leaves: if they start by yellow in the center, with green veins, it is already an alarm bell.
When and how to apply it to get visible results
The best time to intervene is Between the end of August and the beginning of September. Temperatures begin to drop, but the soil is still hot: ideal for promoting the absorption of nutrients.
No complex operations are needed. After removing the dry leaves and slightly moved the ground, you can proceed with the addition of the soil:
- Distribute 2-4 handful Around the collar of the plant
- Gently incorporate with a garden fork
- Water with water a pH 5.5-6avoiding stagnation
This gesture, repeated every 10-15 days until October, maintains the substrate fresh and balanced. In some cases you can also add a handful of aluminum sulfateuseful for strengthening blue coloring.
Necessary to treat hydrangeas after the summer
Before starting, it is better to prepare everything you need. A few tools are enough, easily available in a gardening center:
- Specific acid soil For acidophilic plants
- Watering can with long spout
- Garden fork To move the soil
- Gloves light work
- Rainwater or demineralized (pH 5.5-6)
- (Optional) Aluminum sulfate For blue hydrangeas
Do not need expensive products or chemical fertilizers. The watchword is: simplicity. Even a balcony exposed to the wind can give great satisfaction, if treated with method.
Quick steps to reinvigorate the hydrangeas in 6 moves
They are enough 6 simple gestures To save the hydrangeas in September and prepare them for autumn:
- Remove dry leaves and flowers
- Landslide delicately
- Distribute acid soil In generous
- Incorporate without damaging the roots
- Water with acid wateravoiding excesses
- Repeat every 10-15 days Until October
Each plant reacts in its own way, but after two weeks there are already more green and consistent leaves. A bit like a person who, after a holiday, returns to shine.
The most common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Even if it may seem trivial, it is precisely the small carelessness that makes lasting damage. Some frequent mistakes:
- Use hard tap water (Alkaline)
- Compact the ground with too much force
- Add too fertilizing At this stage
- Expose the plant to cold air currents night
- Forget about Check the water pH
After all, who has never thought “enough once”? But no. The difference lies in repetition, in constancy. Ortensie know it.
Where and when it is better to act to save flowering
Not all exhibitions are the same. The hydrangeas cultivated in vaso They suffer more the heat and stagnation, then they must be checked more often. Those in Earthon the other hand, they need deeper, but less frequent processing.
The right time is always Before the September rainswhen the ground can absorb the best without spreading nutrients.
In windy areas or with strong thermal excursions, it is better to protect the pot with light mulch (dry leaves, cortex). A simple gesture, but effective as a scarf in late summer.
Small secrets of the Florovivaisti for Ortensie as a magazine
Among those who cultivate hydrangeas for years, there are tricks handed down as family recipes. Here are some:
- Use dry coffee funds mixed with the soil
- Vase a copper coin To encourage coloring
- Use the cooking water of the vegetables (cooled) to water
- Move the vase every 3 days To avoid fixed exposure
- Add A handful of peat To maintain acidity
Some swear that even the diluted milk help, but only in extreme cases. And always with caution. The hydrangeas, after all, are elegant flowers: they do not like excesses.
Photo © Stock.adobe and Ai
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