How to grow hydrangeas on a balcony? The secrets to making them bloom into a sea of flowers are all here
When you think of plants to grow in summer, what comes to mind? Is it petunias, clivia, or roses and gardenias? In fact, besides these long-famous excellent plants, in recent years quite a few high-appeal plants have become new internet sensations, and among them the hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is one of the representatives. Its leaves are emerald green and shapely, its flower clusters are brilliantly colored, and the whole plant is very beautiful. And if you know how to grow it, the hydrangea can bloom for several months in a row, which is truly a delight to the eye. So how exactly should you grow it? Let's take a look together below.
First, gaining some understanding of the hydrangea's habits will help us cultivate it better. Generally speaking, the hydrangea likes a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment; it fears both drought and waterlogging, and is not cold-tolerant. As for soil choice, it is best to use soil that has both fertility and a certain degree of drainage; as for acidity and alkalinity, slightly acidic or slightly alkaline both work and will not have much effect on the hydrangea's growth. It will only change the flower color: in acidic soil the flowers are blue, and in alkaline soil the flowers are red. You can keep this in mind.
As mentioned above, the hydrangea likes a humid environment, so when it comes to watering, we should best keep the potting soil moist; basically, as soon as you notice signs of the soil drying out, you can water it. But do not water too much; you can judge whether the potting soil lacks water by inserting a wooden chopstick into the pot. Of course, on rainy days we need to watch out for waterlogging; remember never to let water accumulate in the pot, otherwise it can very easily cause oxygen deficiency in the soil, leading to root rot or even the direct death of the plant.
After understanding the issues of potting soil and watering, fertilization is the next point we need to pay attention to. In this regard, to enable the hydrangea to produce fuller and more abundant flowers, sufficient nutrients are certainly indispensable, so we can apply additional fertilizer during the hydrangea's growing period. As for frequency, you can fertilize once every half month; for fertilizer choice, it is best to use decomposed cake fertilizer diluted 800-1000 times.
The hydrangea is a short-day plant; in normal cultivation, avoid direct sunlight, and 60%-70% shading is ideal. When the light is too strong in midsummer, appropriate shading can extend the flowering period. As for temperature, the most suitable temperature for hydrangea growth should be 18-28°C. Even in the colder winter, the lowest temperature should not fall below 5°C. So in the north, in winter it is best to move the hydrangea indoors.
If you want the hydrangea to bloom well and bloom vigorously, pruning is also essential. Before flowering, before the leaves and flowers sprout, prune the hydrangea once, cutting off dead branches and leggy shoots; after flowering, promptly prune off the spent flowers so they do not rob nutrition, so that new flower buds open more beautifully and fully. And it can grow more side branches, making it even more luxuriant!