Hydrangea is a flowering plant of the Hydrangeaceae family.

It is grown as a garden and house plant, and in the second case it is only large-leaved.

Hydrangea in open ground can grow up to 4 m, in indoor conditions - up to 1.5 m. Its leaf plates are simple and ovoid, painted bright green.

The flowers are collected in shields 10-15 cm. Along the edges there are pinkish ethereal flowers 3 cm in size. In some species, inflorescences are up to 20 cm. Their color can be pink, white, and also blue.

Varieties of indoor hydrangea

Large leaf hydrangea has many varieties. The most common ones are divided by color:

Colors	Variety	Description	Inflorescences Features of flowering
Light shades	Sister Teresa (Soeur Therese)	The bush is quite dense and large-leaved.	Painted white with a slightly pinkish-lilac sheen, about 30 cm. Abundant, continues until September. As the inflorescences wilt, they change color and become greenish-pink.
	Madame Emile Mulier (Mme E. Mouillere)	Compared to various other varieties, the leaf blades are narrower.	20 cm, and the color is white. At first they are white, but then they become slightly pinkish and bluish. Flowering is numerous and continues until October.
Blue	Airlie Blue (Early Blue)	The shrub is small, but its root system is quite strong.	Reaches 30 cm. Their color is blue, as well as blue and purple shades. Slightly greenish at first. Abundant and lasts until October.
	Nico Blue (Nikko Blue)	For bright flowers, it is necessary to maintain soil acidity at 5.5–7.0 pH. The bush will grow quite quickly.	Approximately 30 cm. The color of the flowers is bright blue. Very abundant until September or October.
Pink	Ramars Mars	The size of the bush is not very large.	They are painted in a pinkish-raspberry hue, and edged with white. 30 cm despite the small size of the bush. Continues until September.
	Miss Saori	The leaf blades are dark green in color and have a slight purple tint.	18 cm. Snow-white, framed with a pinkish border. The condition of the soil does not affect the color. This variety blooms until September.
	You and my love (You&me Love)	Reaches 100 cm in height. The leaves are resistant to powdery mildew. Withstands temperatures of +29 °C.	If the soil is alkaline, the color will be pink, and if it is acidic and contains a lot of aluminum, the color will be blue. Starts in May and ends in September.
Reds	Admiration	The crown of the bush is quite dense.	20 cm, bright red. Abundant, right up to the first frost.
Multicolor	Bavaria	Compact and small in size.	20 cm have a lime color, the middle with a bluish-violet tint. Rich until mid-autumn.
	Hot Red (Hot Red)	A bush with small inflorescences, very lush.	15 cm. Scarlet, but if there is a strong increase in soil acidity, they acquire a purple color. Continues until October.
	Schloss Wackerbarth	Flowers of this variety have light stamens.	They can reach 30 cm in size. At the very beginning of flowering, their color is green, and then turns pink, with a blue center and green edging appearing. Until October, sometimes until early November.

Planting indoor hydrangea

Indoor hydrangea usually lives for about four years.

In addition, it should be replanted annually, because it grows and requires more space for itself. The pot for this should not be too deep. The main thing is that it be wide, due to the fact that the roots of this flower grow in breadth. Each new container should be approximately 1.5 times larger than the previous one.

A large and beautiful hydrangea can be obtained by growing it in suitable soil, taken in the ratio (0.5: 1: 1: 2):

• sand;
• peat;
• leaf soil;
• turf.

Compost cannot be added because it negatively affects the root system of the flower.

Indoor hydrangea experiences stress from transplantation, which has a bad effect on its development in the future. To help you survive this event as best as possible, you need to use the transshipment method. At the bottom of the pot in which the plant will be placed, you need to place a sufficient amount of drainage. After this, place the flower in a flowerpot and then fill all the free space with fresh substrate. It should turn out that the root collar of the hydrangea will be flush with the soil surface.

Afterwards, you need to moisten the soil and sprinkle a little peat mulch on top. This helps maintain sufficient moisture in the soil.

Caring for hydrangea at home: table

Indoor hydrangea does not like bright light; the sun makes its flowers fade and spots appear on them. Therefore, it is better to place it on western or eastern windows. In summer it is good to take it out onto the balcony, terrace, or into the garden.

Factor	Spring Summer	Autumn	Winter
Lighting	Scattered.		Not necessary.
Temperature	+17…+22 °C.	+9…+12 °C.	+5…+8 °C.
Watering, water acidity	Once or twice a month, acidify with water, adding 5 drops of lemon juice or a pinch of its acid per 1 liter of liquid.	Once or twice a month, acidify the water.	Only after the soil has dried, acidification is not necessary.
Humidity	50-60%. In the morning it is necessary to spray with soft water.	Not lower than 50%.	Low.
Feeding	A couple of times a month with regular fertilizers for hydrangeas.	Do not apply.

Unusual properties

It is very interesting that this flower is unique in its ability to change the color of flowers due to different acidity of the soil. Many are trying to experiment in this area.

For example, when there is a lot of limestone, the petals turn pink and the aluminum turns blue. Increased soil acidity allows you to achieve high brightness and vice versa.

Hydrangea propagation

There are two ways to propagate hydrangea: seeds and cuttings.

When using seeds, it is necessary to sow them in the fall. Next do the following:

• Prepare the soil. To do this, you need to mix leaf and peat soil with sand (4: 2: 1).
• Place the seed in the substrate, sprinkle soil on top and moisten.
• Cover the pot with film. Sometimes you need to remove it - this allows the soil to ventilate.
• The temperature should be between +14 °C…+20 °C.
• When sprouts appear, you can remove the film.
• When two or three true leaves grow, it must be transplanted to another location.

Cuttings occur in winter. In this case you need:

• Make several cuttings and treat their cuts with Kornevin.
• Plant in moist peat-sandy soil. To a depth of about 3 cm.
• Cover with something (for example, film). It should look like a mini-greenhouse.
• Make sure that the temperature is approximately +20 °C and the humidity is about 80%.
• From time to time the plant should be ventilated and sprayed.
• When the roots appear (this takes about a month), the seedlings must be transplanted into other pots.

Some people use another method - layering.

To propagate it like this, you need a huge, spacious pot. The process itself goes as follows:

• Choose the largest branch.
• It is lightly cut and bent to the soil, and sprinkled with earth on top.
• The soil is kept moist.

This will give the shoot roots. After this, it is separated and placed in a separate pot.

Protection from diseases and pests

Symptoms Manifestations on leaves	Causes	Elimination methods
The flowers and shoots have withered.	The root system received too much moisture and because of this, root-gnawing pests appeared in the soil.	Replant the flower immediately. First, check the root system for rot; if there is any, remove it. Then treat with any fungicide. Dry the roots and do not water the plant for a while after replanting.
They turned yellow and began to fall.	The soil has too much lime and not enough iron. This can also be caused by very bright light.	Protect from bright light. The main thing is to measure the acidity level of the soil. If it exceeds 8 pH, the soil needs to be changed urgently. Remember that watering should be done with clean, soft water.
Dried from the edges.	Needs moisture.	Water in a timely manner and spray with boiled water in the morning.
The appearance of stains and plaque.	Fungal disease. Powdery mildew.	Treat with fungicidal preparations three times a week. Monitor temperature, watering, humidity and lighting. Fertilize.
Doesn't bloom.	The state of winter dormancy has been missed. The temperature regime is elevated.	Place in a cool, shaded place.
	The pot is too wide.	Transfer to a container suitable for roots.
The trunk turned black at the bottom.	The flower suffers from blackleg. This disease appears from abundant moisture and low temperature.	Check the flower for intact roots. If they are present, there is a chance of salvation. Take several healthy cuttings. Afterwards, replace the soil. Treat with Phytosporin and an immunostimulant. You can also treat with Trichopolum several times a week.
The shoots dry out and break.	The roots are overdried.	It is necessary to shed the soil several times, and also cut off the dried shoots. It is important to remember about regular watering and spraying.
Growths, fluff and cobwebs appeared.	Pests. The growths are scale insects, the fluff is mealybugs, and the webs are mites.	Treat the flower with a pest repellent (they must be removed first).
There are a lot of holes, the buds fade and then fall off.	Weevils and aphids.	Spray with any pest control product.
Traces of microworms are visible.	Nematodes have infected the soil.	Treat the soil and leaves with Nematophagin. It is best to replace the soil.
There are multi-colored circles. They also change shape.	Viral disease.	Remove damaged parts of the plant. For two months, treat several times a week with the following composition: Fitolavin on the end of a teaspoon + eight drops of Epin + a dose of Extra Flor No. 1 + Boric acid on the tip of a knife per liter of water.

Indoor hydrangea is a semi-shrub plant that will decorate any room with its unusual flowering. But, it should be borne in mind that this beauty requires special care, so before purchasing it, you need to know some rules that will not allow you to make a mistake. In today’s article we will talk about the varieties and different types of indoor hydrangea and discuss the intricacies of caring for this flower.

Indoor hydrangea belongs to the category of perennial flowering shrubs. The home version of hydrangea is a miniature bush with a large number of stems. The foliage of the flower is large and has a rich green color. The buds and flowers themselves come in different sizes, depending on the variety, but they all have the shape of a ball.

If you follow the rules of care, this plant grows long stems - about 100 centimeters. Each bush has up to eight lush inflorescences, the diameter of which depends on their number - this means that the more flowers, the smaller they are.

Indoor varieties of hydrangea have a more intense color. They can be purple, snow-white, pink and cream.

Varieties and varieties of hydrangeas for the home

This family includes more than 75 different varieties of hydrangeas. Specimens for home cultivation are characterized by their short stature - they were mainly bred by breeders.

Table No. 1. The most popular varieties that are grown at home

Name	Description	Features of inflorescences
"Europe"	Shrub of medium height, has voluminous leaves	The flowers are pale blue in color and have an attractive appearance.
"Compact"	Miniature shrub, grows no more than 50 centimeters, has large bright leaves	The inflorescences are round and can have a snow-white or pink color - depending on the composition of the soil
"Goliath"	Tall semi-shrub plant, has green shiny leaves	Raspberry-colored flowers, united in inflorescences
	A miniature shrub plant, as it grows it acquires a rounded shape. Its leaves are small and bright green in color.	Snow-white inflorescences
	The bush of this plant grows small in the shape of a ball. The leaves are narrow, shiny and have a rich green color.	The inflorescences look like snow-white balls; the petals do not fall off for a long time
	The shoots of this plant grow to the sides, but at the same time gather into a dense spherical bush. The leaves are shiny, small and dark green in color.	Red inflorescences
	The bushes are small, have shoots of medium height and green-blue foliage	The inflorescences look like small balls; they are pink in color with a white border. As it grows, this frame becomes greenish.
	Quite tall bushes with a lot of leaves	The inflorescences are very densely arranged and have a blue color.

Video - Hydrangea. Types and varieties

Plant care

In order for hydrangea to grow strong and delight with its beautiful blooms, it is necessary to provide it with quality care at any time of the year. Note that indoor hydrangea requires minimal care and many consider this plant to be unpretentious, which is why flower growers love it.

Video - Care and cultivation of hydrangea

Lighting

This indoor plant requires a bright place, but the hydrangea dies when exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore, the best solution would be to place a flower near the windowsill in the southern part of the apartment - this will ensure maximum shoot growth and abundant flowering of the bush.

In addition, the plant needs to ensure the optimal air temperature in the room - 21-23 degrees. The presence of drafts is unacceptable, especially during periods of active growth. Closer to the winter period, hydrangea enters the resting phase, so until the end of this period the flower is moved to a cool place at a temperature of no more than 10-12 degrees. The pot is moved to a warmer place after the first buds have formed.

Important! Not only cold, but also intense heat poses a danger to the flower, so extremely high temperatures contribute to the shedding of foliage.

Humidity

Like any other flowers, hydrangea requires timely watering. The soil is abundantly saturated with moisture during the period of active growth of the bush (spring and summer).

Closer to September, watering is gradually reduced. During the period of complete dormancy, it is only necessary to water the plant periodically to keep the soil moist. Experts recommend using warm, settled or melt water for watering hydrangeas. In addition, once every 30-40 days you should add a little citric acid to the water for irrigation, because the plant loves highly acidic soil.

This perennial plant needs regular spraying from a spray bottle. In addition, it should be kept away from heating radiators. To further humidify the air, you can place a container filled with water next to the pot.

Trimming

Hydrangeas require pruning to give shape and proper distribution of nutrients obtained from the soil. This procedure is carried out in the spring and autumn seasons.

The method of pruning a plant depends on the growth rate of a particular species. This means that fast-growing varieties are pruned much more often.

Basic principles of pruning for a bush:

• if the plant is young (up to 4 years), then only dry shoots are pruned;
• All old and small shoots are cut off from mature bushes;
• in the spring, the purpose of pruning is to thin out the plant, and in the fall - the sanitary removal of dead shoots;
• Before the procedure, the bush should not be watered for 2 days.

The trimming process has the following sequence:

• it is necessary to trim off all excess and dead shoots using clean pruning shears;
• The cut area must be sprinkled with wood ash;
• The plant should be moistened no earlier than 24 hours after pruning.

Important! Each bush should have no more than 8 main trunks. There are 4-6 branches left on each of them.

Top dressing

An equally important stage of care is fertilizing the soil. Complex products for the Heather family can be used as fertilizers.

The main fertilizing is applied to the soil at the very end of winter or early spring. It is during this period that the active growing season of the plant begins. In winter, the shrub does not require such care.

Planting hydrangea

The lifespan of hydrangea as a house flower is about four years. In this case, the plant needs to be replanted every 12 months, which contributes to its active flowering. The peculiarity of the flower is that its root system grows on the sides and increases every year, so when replanting you will need to choose a pot of a larger diameter (almost twice as many roots).

It is worth considering that any soil is not suitable for the plant. Hydrangea loves acidified, light soil, rich in nutrients.

If desired, you can buy a soil mixture suitable for the flower at any garden store. If necessary, some gardeners prepare it themselves from the following components:

• fertile land – 45%;
• peat – 25%;
• rotted compost – 20%;
• coarse sifted sand – 10%.

Important! The plant requires a large amount of moisture, but it does not tolerate stagnation of water at the roots. Therefore, when planting, drainage must be used. For such purposes, you should take expanded clay or small stones.

During the planting process you will need:

• spacious pot;
• soil mixture;
• expanded clay or stones;
• peat or dry grass (for mulching);
• warm solution of manganese (to moisten the soil);
• purified water in a spray bottle (to moisten the foliage).

Some features of planting hydrangeas should be taken into account:

• roots that are too long can be shortened with a sharp blade;
• the neck of the root is deepened into the ground a couple of centimeters;
• when replanting, it is necessary to leave some soil on the roots;
• after planting, the soil is thoroughly compacted, otherwise the roots may dry out;
• As a result of transplantation, hydrangea leaves may fall off - this phenomenon is not a deviation from the norm.

Planting sequence: step-by-step instructions

Step one: carefully remove the plant along with the earthen lump from the pot. If you can’t do this, you can use a knife.

Step two: remove excess soil from the roots and carefully examine their surface. If necessary, you can remove dried or rotten roots.

Step three: put drainage at the bottom of the pot, fill it with soil mixture and place the hydrangea in the middle. Then pour out the remaining soil and compact it.

Step four: water the soil with a weak solution of manganese and spray the hydrangea foliage with warm water from a spray bottle.

Step five: mulch the soil with peat or sawdust.

Plant propagation

Home hydrangea, like its outdoor counterpart, can be propagated in different ways: by cuttings, seeds or dividing the bush. Below we will discuss each of them in detail.

By cuttings

This is the most affordable and effective way to grow indoor hydrangea, thanks to which it will bloom the next season. In addition, cuttings can be rooted in soil and water. The procedure is carried out from late spring to mid-autumn. For such purposes, annual shoots are taken.

In addition, you will need to prepare:

• clean knife or blade;
• drug Kristalin;
• soil for planting;
• small container, pot;
• a jar for shelter;
• spray bottle with warm water;
• wood ash.

The process of preparing cuttings has the following sequence:

Step one: cut the cuttings.

Step two: make an oblique cut under the last bud.

Step three: remove part of the shoot above the upper bud.

Step four: trim the lower foliage.

Step five: cut off half of all the leaves so that the plant does not waste excess moisture.

Step six: place the plant cut into the Kristalina solution.

Step seven: place the cutting in the soil and moisten it with a spray bottle.

Step eight: cover the cutting with a jar and place it in a shaded place for 30 days.

Instead of soil, the cuttings, after being treated with Kristalina solution, can be placed in a glass of water. There is no need to replace the water, because hydrangea cuttings do not emit components that can spoil its composition. In this case, the liquid is periodically topped up in case of evaporation.

Dividing the bush

Seeds

Propagation of hydrangea by seeds is not widespread because it is a labor-intensive method of obtaining seedlings. In addition, such plants begin to bloom only after 3 years.

However, some gardeners still prefer seed propagation of flowers, which has some features:

Seed planting sequence:

1. Fill a small container with damp soil mixture and place the seeds on the surface.
2. Fill the top layer with fine sand and moisten it with a spray bottle, and then cover the container with film.
3. Place the container in a warm place (at a temperature of 22-25 degrees). You can use a lamp for such purposes.
4. Periodically remove the film and wipe off the accumulated condensation.
5. We completely remove the cover when sprouts appear.

Usually seeds germinate in 30-40 days, depending on air temperature. After which you need to wait until 2-3 leaves form on them, and then plant them in pots according to all the rules.

Diseases and pests of hydrangea

Like other indoor plants, hydrangea sometimes suffers from various diseases and pest attacks. Therefore, it is important to recognize the problem in a timely manner and begin to deal with it.

Table No. 2. Common diseases and pests

Title, illustration	Brief comment and method of struggle
	The disease occurs due to excessive watering of the flower, which causes the foliage to become covered with gray spots and rot. You can cope with this problem by spraying the bush with copper sulfate and treating it with fungicides.
	The disease is characterized by the appearance of yellowish spots on the foliage. The reason for this process, as in the previous case, is a violation of the irrigation regime.
	As a result of the appearance of spider mites, a coating in the form of a cobweb forms on the surface of the leaves and stems of the plant. The reason for this process is often excessive dryness of the soil. You can cope with this problem by spraying the bush with a solution of laundry soap.

An unusual feature of hydrangea

A unique property of the plant is the ability to change the color of flowers depending on the composition of the soil, so many gardeners independently regulate this process.

For example, with a high limestone content, the petals acquire a pinkish color. A high concentration of aluminum in the soil will produce blue flowers. Acidic soils make it possible to give any color an extraordinary brightness, and when planted in neutral soil, hydrangeas become faded.

Let's sum it up

Growing hydrangea at home is quite simple. Although such a plant requires care, the efforts invested will not be in vain, thanks to which you can admire the unique flowering in any season and weather conditions.

You can read more about growing hydrangeas in.

Hydrangea is a common plant. It is grown as a garden and indoor crop. Flower growers and simply lovers of beautiful plants are captivated by the lush caps of flowers in different pastel shades. The color range is very wide; breeders have developed many spectacular varieties. The plant is capricious and requires special care. We invite you to learn everything about caring for indoor hydrangea at home.

A beautiful flowering shrub-type perennial. Home hydrangea is a compact bush with many stems. The leaves are large and intense in color. Flowers of different sizes depending on the variety are collected in spherical inflorescences. Colors - lilac, cream, pink, white. The color changes depending on the acidity of the soil. In alkaline soil the flowers will be lilac and pink, in acidic soil they will be blue, and in neutral soil they will be white.

With good care, some varieties of hydrangea reach a meter in height. Each bush is decorated with up to seven inflorescences. Flowers bloom at the very top of the shoots. The size of the inflorescence depends on their number on one bush. The fewer there are, the larger the flowers. As a houseplant, hydrangea has brighter colors than garden varieties.

Little trick! Hydrangea changes color depending on the acidity and chemical composition of the soil. Flower growers use this feature to create unusual colorful bushes. If you want to get a blue color, water the flower with a solution of iron salts or ammonium-potassium alum. Pink or purple - lime is added. Try applying different fertilizers on each side and you will see how the hydrangea bush becomes colorful. This technique only works on varieties with pink flowers.

Popular varieties

The hydrangea family includes about 80 species. Indoor hydrangeas are compact and low-growing. Most of them are bred artificially, specifically for apartment conditions.

• Hydrangea paniculata. A low variety no more than half a meter. Buds form in July, mass flowering begins only at the end of August. The flowers are white, often tinging with purple and crimson. It is characterized by increased cold resistance.
  
  
• Tall shrub up to two meters. It is distinguished by very large ovoid leaves. The color of the flowers depends on the composition of the soil. Blooms in late summer. Most often used for growing outdoors. Low-growing varieties are chosen as pot crops.
  
  
• Oakleaf hydrangea. The average height is about a meter. The leaves are shaped like oak leaves. The color of the leaves is green in summer, becoming reddish in autumn. Flowers also change color as they bloom.
  
  
• Hydrangea. In temperate latitudes it is often grown in gardens and parks. Height - from one to three meters. The leaves are large, the inflorescences are spherical or flattened, white.
  
  

Important information! The flower belongs to deciduous crops. In winter, it sheds its leaves even in warm weather, entering a dormant phase. During this period, the plant is kept in a dark, cool room and watered occasionally. The flower rests for about 2-3 months and starts growing again in the spring.

Subtleties of care

Hydrangea in a pot is a capricious flower. It is susceptible to growing conditions and care. Carelessness, irregular watering, inappropriate wintering conditions - all this is immediately reflected in its appearance. It is recommended to strictly adhere to a number of rules.

Temperature	Even in summer they maintain moderate temperatures no higher than 18°C. In winter it is reduced to -8...-10°C. In the spring they gradually increase. Heat has an adverse effect on decorativeness, weakens the plant, and leads to pest damage.
Lighting	Prefers light partial shade to sunny areas. Leaves get burned easily.
Watering	Moisture-loving flower. Hydrangea is often and abundantly watered, bathed in a warm shower. The method of watering is practiced by completely immersing the pot in water. It is advisable to take rain or boiled water. In winter, watering is limited until flower buds form.
Humidity	High humidity has a beneficial effect on the condition of the plant. Frequent spraying is recommended, regardless of the time of year.
Feeding	They are fed year-round with complex mineral fertilizers. Recommended dosage - 2g. mineral complex per liter of water. The interval between fertilizing is a week.
The soil	Loose, nutritious. The recommended composition is coniferous soil, peat, sand and humus. Optimal acidity is pH 5.5.
Transfer	The intervals between transplants are at least two years. The exception is young specimens - they are replanted annually. Each time the pot is increased by one and a half times.
Trimming	Held twice a year. After flowering, all weakened, thin shoots are cut out, strong shoots are shortened by half. In spring, very elongated branches are shortened.

Reproduction options

Hydrangea is grown from seeds at home if vegetative propagation is not possible. Hybrid varieties are not propagated by seeds collected with one’s own hands.

• Division. The easiest way. During transplantation, the plant is removed from the ground, the rhizomes are freed from the ground, and divided into two parts. An adult, heavily grown plant can be divided into more parts. The roots and shoots are shortened, and the divisions are planted in separate pots.
• Cuttings. Cuttings are cut at the end of winter or the very beginning of spring. Cut from root shoots. 3-4 internodes are left on each cutting. The lower leaves are cut off completely, the upper ones are cut in half. The cutting is placed at a slight angle in a peat-sand mixture, and the soil is slightly moistened. Before rooting, keep under cover, systematically water and ventilate. Roots appear on average within a month. Wait about two weeks and transplant into a permanent pot with a complete soil mixture.
• Seeds. Sown at the end of winter. Use light, nutritious, breathable soil. Seeds are distributed over the surface of the substrate without being buried. Soil is not sprinkled. Keep under film, ventilate daily and spray with a spray bottle. At the stage of 2-3 true leaves, they are picked into separate cups.

Common Pests and Problems

Low air humidity, close placement of flowers on the windowsill, irregular ventilation of the room - all these factors contribute to the appearance of pests. Most often, hydrangea is affected by spider mites and aphids. Sometimes you have to deal with powdery mildew. Insects are treated with insecticides, and powdery mildew is treated with fungicides. Other problems are related to improper care.

Despite the capriciousness of the plant, many gardeners love and grow hydrangea. With good care, it forms a lush bush, strewn with flowers of different shades.

Hydrangea is a plant, according to many, a purely plant. But any real amateur gardener, having once seen a blooming hydrangea on the windowsill (and anywhere else in the room), will definitely want to have such an indoor flower for himself. Usually the flowers of indoor hydrangea are somewhat smaller than the flowers of its garden relative, but if you put in enough effort and effort, their size can even exceed the size of the chic balls of garden hydrangea. And it's not difficult to care for her. And in the house it is always before your eyes, there is no need to go out to the site and inspect the flower garden.

How to care for indoor hydrangea

First of all, I want to note that indoor hydrangea is not at all a separate type of this plant. This is the same garden flower, but “prescribed” at home (the same can be said about or). Its beauty also lies in the fact that its flowering does not necessarily have to be tied to the warm season. It will successfully delight you with flowering even in winter. Like most indoor plants, hydrangeas have the most attractive and decorative appearance at a young age - in the first or second year of life. Then the flower grows, the flowers become smaller, and the shoots, on the contrary, become longer and bend. If you want your hydrangea at home to always be lush and beautiful, you will have to rejuvenate it every year or two. Therefore, all care for it can be divided into three time stages: growing season (active development), flowering period and dormant period. All these periods in the life of a plant are very important, but the most important can be considered the growing season of hydrangea. It is at this time that the reason for which we grow it is prepared - abundant and lush flowering. Moreover, during the growing season you can change its color. Yes! Exactly! In nature, hydrangea flowers are white and pink (from pale pink to red). All other colors can be obtained artificially. But more on that below. Now directly to the growing conditions and care of indoor hydrangea.

Hydrangea first year. Bloomed!

Content temperature

During the growing season and flowering, the most comfortable temperature for hydrangea is +18-22 degrees, i.e. most . After flowering, indoor hydrangea goes into retirement. For proper rest of the plant, it is desirable to keep it at a lower temperature (within +6-8 degrees). The flower is actually a garden one... But a lower temperature is not desirable due to the limited volume of the pot and a significantly weaker root system.

Lighting and location

When choosing a place for indoor hydrangea, first of all, keep in mind that this plant is very light-loving, but it is better not to place it under hot summer sun rays. And in general, in summer it is better to take hydrangea out into the fresh air. But if this is not possible, then it is advisable to keep it near windows of eastern or western orientation. It is also possible in the south, but with obligatory shading from direct sun. In winter, when the sun is not so hot, you can do without shading.

Air humidity, watering and fertilizers

No less than light, indoor hydrangea loves moisture. It must be watered regularly and not allow the soil to dry out completely. But you shouldn’t overfill it either. If her garden sister is able to take in a large amount of moisture, then overwatering can be dangerous for a room sister. Water after the top layer dries. Don't forget about . Hortense loves this thing very much.

You can (and should) feed the plant only during the growing season and flowering. It doesn’t really matter what fertilizer you use, organic or mineral, it reacts well to both. To stimulate abundant flowering, you can also use regular superphosphate. Frequency – once every two weeks.

Propagation of hydrangea by cuttings

Unlike garden hydrangea, indoor hydrangea is propagated only by cuttings. The most suitable cuttings for this should be taken from non-flowering, usually root shoots. It doesn’t really matter what size the cutting is, but you shouldn’t take a big one; it’s enough if it has 2-3 pairs of leaves. For better rooting, it is highly advisable to soak the cuttings in a root former solution for 5-6 hours. You can root cuttings in ordinary damp sand or, or you can make a richer mixture of peat and sand (perlite). The rooting time for hydrangea cuttings is from two weeks to 20 days. You shouldn’t really hope for flowering in the same year; most likely it will only come the next year.

Hydrangea transplant

It is carried out only with plants that are young enough and have not yet lost their decorative properties, and rooted cuttings must be replanted. Considering their “infancy” age, small pots should be taken (9 cm are quite suitable). When a young plant grows up and the pot becomes too small for it, it must be transferred to a larger container.

• One part is peat;
• One part is sand (perlite);
• One part is leafy soil.
• For adult specimens, the soil must also be “adult”. For example:
• One part is coniferous land;
• One part is peat;
• Half of the part is humus;
• Half of the part is sand (perlite).

How to change the color of hydrangea flowers

Plants with pink (red) flowers are best suited for this color correction. Unlike white ones, they contain more natural pigment, which allows for more successful correction. Artificial coloring of flowers should be carried out at the stage when they still have the green color characteristic of the beginning of flowering.

The popular and beloved blue color of hydrangea can be obtained by watering the initially light pink hydrangea at the root with a solution (5 to 10 grams per liter of water) of potassium alum. This solution can also be used for brighter flowers. The more saturated their initial (natural) color, the more saturated the final color will be. So the dark pinks will turn into lilac, and the reds will turn into purple. You can also achieve a rich blue color by using a solution of aluminum or iron sulfate.

But hydrangea, both indoor and garden, can change color without your permission. This can happen if the soil drops below pH5.5.

Possible problems during cultivation

Actually there shouldn't be any problems. Indoor hydrangea is not one of those plants that requires a lot of attention and is capricious. All problems that arise when growing it are, in most cases, the result of our mistakes and miscalculations.

If the hydrangea leaves turn brown and begin to dry out, then this is a signal of insufficient watering and dry soil.

The leaves also wither and dry out if the plant is in a draft or watered with too cold water.

Of the pests you should be wary of. But both of these pests cannot tolerate humidity, which once again speaks in favor of regular spraying.

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Instructions

It is recommended to replant hydrangea annually for better flowering, replacing the soil in the pot each time. It should be fertile, not sandy, and the pot should have good drainage. This flower prefers acidic soils to all others and will not grow in alkaline soils. On poor, sandy soils, growth will slow down and there will most likely not be flowering. To keep hydrangeas indoors, choose a wide pot of small depth, since the root system of hydrangeas is fibrous and superficial. The plant will need to be replanted immediately if purchased in a store. Hydrangea is very often affected by scale insects, and it is necessary to exclude the fact of its presence by examining the roots immediately after purchasing the plant. Special soil for azaleas is suitable for replanting, and expanded clay balls should be used as a drainage layer.

Planned transplantation is carried out in early spring, before the period of active growth begins. Before replanting, choose a suitable pot with a diameter 1-2 cm larger than the previous one, and dry the soil of the replanted hydrangea for 3-4 days. Then, newspapers, polyethylene or paper are spread on the work surface, wide window sill, table or directly on the floor, so that later you can easily collect all the spilled soil. Place the pot with the plant in the center of the area prepared for replanting and carefully take the hydrangea by the base of the trunk. At the same time, the pot is tilted, removing the plant along with a lump of earth. If for some reason the hydrangea remains in the pot, you need to separate the soil from its walls. To do this, place the pot on its side and lightly tap the side walls to help remove the plant. You can use a thin ruler or knife for this, carefully inserting it between the earthen lump and the edge of the pot and drawing it in a circle.

After removing a hydrangea from an old pot, you should not shake off the soil from its roots. If the hydrangea was purchased in a store and the roots need to be checked, place it in a basin of water and very carefully wash off the soil from the root system. During a planned transplant of hydrangea, it is transferred to a new pot along with a lump of earth from the old one, unless the dry earth has crumbled on its own. A drainage layer at least 3 cm thick is placed at the bottom of the new pot, and sometimes a layer of chopped sphagnum or neutral peat is placed on it. Approximately 1 cm of soil is poured onto the peat and an earthen ball with hydrangea is placed in the center. After this, you can, holding the flower by the base of the stem, add soil to the desired level. At the same time, you should not bury the hydrangea more than before, as this may cause its stem to rot. After planting, the soil should never be compacted; this can damage the roots of the flower. The hydrangea is sprayed and placed in a permanent place, starting with a little watering starting the next day.