A Detailed Guide to the Care and Propagation Techniques of Hydrangea

Hydrangea, also known as grass hydrangea, blooms from June to July. The flowers open white at first, gradually turning pink or blue, forming large spheres made up of sterile flowers. When the flowers are in full bloom, they look like snow weighing down the branches, charming and lovely. Its branches and leaves spread densely, and its roots are fleshy; it is highly adaptable, able to be planted in the ground in a family courtyard or a corner of a patio, and also suitable for container planting to add color to balconies and windows.

Hydrangea prefers semi-shade and a moist environment, and is not very cold-tolerant. In the intense heat of summer, avoid direct sunlight, otherwise the leaves easily scorch, wither and turn yellow; it does not tolerate excessive dryness, and grows best in light loam rich in humus, moist and well-drained. Its branches and leaves tend to wilt and wither after frost; when grown in the open ground, the above-ground parts die in winter, and the following year new shoots sprout from the rhizome and bloom again. If potted and overwintered in a greenhouse, it can remain evergreen.

The key maintenance and management points for the four seasons are as follows.

Spring: For potted plants, prune dead branches and repot with fresh soil; after the plant has settled in, apply one or two dilute liquid fertilizers mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer, which can promote the sprouting of branches and leaves.

Summer and autumn: Place in a semi-shaded spot or under a slatted shade frame to prevent direct exposure to strong sunlight and avoid the leaves turning yellow and scorching. Apply one or two topdressings before and after flowering to promote green leaves and abundant blooms. After the flowers fade, promptly remove the flower stalks to keep the plant looking neat. Keep the potting soil consistently moist, but prevent waterlogging after rain, so that the fleshy roots of the hydrangea do not rot from too much water.

Winter: After winter begins, plants grown in the open ground should be hilled up with soil for warmth so they can overwinter safely; potted plants can be placed in a warm spot facing south and sheltered from cold winds. In winter, although the leaves fall, the roots and branches remain alive, and new leaves sprout again the following spring.

Hydrangea can be propagated by cuttings or layering. Cuttings are often taken during the plum rain season, using vigorous young shoots of the current year, 10 cm to 15 cm long; the first cutting should have two or three nodes, and the survival rate is very high. For layering, the mound layering method can be used; when the plant begins growing in spring, use old branches for layering, and roots will form in about 30 days. Cut them off in June to July of that year, and divide and plant them in February to March of the following year; they can bloom that same year.