Has your hydrangea turned into a barren bush with bare branches? It's because you're pruning it "like everyone else."
Most gardeners don’t even realize that hydrangeas have two types of flowering: on last year’s shoots and on new shoots.
If you cut off the tops in April, you destroyed the future buds.
For example, the large-leaved hydrangea sets buds in September. By pruning it in the spring, you deprive yourself of flowers.
The rule is simple: wait until the buds swell and remove only dead branches.
But panicle hydrangea, on the contrary, is cut radically - up to 3 buds.
But that's not all. After pruning, water the bush with a solution of succinic acid (1 tablet per 10 liters of water). It will relieve stress and stimulate growth.
And never leave the cuts open - cover them with garden pitch, otherwise the infection will destroy the plant.
In a couple of months, your bush will be covered with caps of flowers, and your neighbors will ask for instructions.
And if the hydrangea still does not bloom, check the soil. It should be acidic - add peat or pine needles to the soil.
An alkaline environment blocks access to nutrients.
Another mistake is excess nitrogen. Feed the bushes only with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers from July.
And don’t leave the hydrangea in a draft: the wind breaks the fragile shoots, and the plant spends energy on recovery.
Here's a life hack: to make the inflorescences brighter, water the bush with water with lemon juice (1 tbsp. per 10 l). The acid enhances the color saturation.
Within a year, your hydrangea will look like it was grown in a magical garden.
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya