Panicle hydrangeas are among the most popular and beautiful hydrangea species and can be found in numerous gardens, which is partly due to their ease of care. But in order for the panicle hydrangea to produce a sea of flowers, the right care strategy is of great importance. Even the wrong location can cause problems for the plant and cause it to dry out and die. So that this doesn't happen to you, we would like to give you a few tips on panicle hydrangea care.
Panicle hydrangea care – which location is best?
Ask yourself, “Which hydrangeas tolerate sun“? Although panicle hydrangeas feel very comfortable in a sunny to partially shaded location, you should keep in mind that summers have become significantly hotter in recent years and the plants are therefore more at risk of drying out. For this reason, the location should not only depend on how sunny it is, but also how often you can water the plant. This type of hydrangea can certainly survive shorter dry periods. However, regular watering is still the better decision when it comes to proper panicle hydrangea care. Also make sure that the hydrangeas are protected from wind.
Plant the hydrangea bush
Once you have found the perfect location, you can plant the panicle hydrangea. Spring is particularly suitable for this, but only when frost is no longer expected. If you missed this time of year, don't worry. You can still do this until autumn. However, it is important that the flowering bush is well supplied with water right from the start. Therefore, start by removing the root ball from the pot and then placing it in water for a long time. This allows the plant to fully absorb enough water.
Dig a hole twice the diameter of the root ball, place the plant in it, and backfill the hole with soil (and compost if necessary). You can protect the young plant from drying out by covering it with a layer of mulch that can retain moisture.
Fertilize panicle hydrangea
Plenty of water is therefore very beneficial for proper panicle hydrangea care and its lush flowering, but the water should not accumulate, otherwise the roots will rot. Therefore, make sure that the soil is permeable and enrich it with nutrients, because hydrangeas need a lot of them. If your garden has rather nutrient-poor soil, enrich it with compost or mature manure when planting and spread a layer of organic fertilizer under the mulch layer (e.g. horn shavings).
Otherwise, the bushes don't need much fertilizer: once in the spring, before they sprout, organic fertilizer can be incorporated, which is then completely sufficient for the season. However, the panicle hydrangea is an exceptionin the bucket. If the plant is grown in a pot, the fertilizer requirement is also higher. In this case, use special liquid fertilizer, which you administer regularly until the beginning of September (frequency should be noted on the packaging).
Is your panicle hydrangea turning yellow? This could be a sign that she is suffering from a nutrient deficiency.
Prune the lush flowering bushes correctly
How, if and whenCut back hydrangeascan, depends mainly on the variety. Some of them form their buds immediately after flowering and if the branches were removed in autumn, the new flowers would fail. Fortunately, this is not the case with panicle hydrangeas. How should you cut the panicle hydrangea correctly?
When to cut panicle hydrangea?
It's best to cut back your panicle hydrangea in spring and simply shorten the shoots by about a third. The cut is then made directly above the respective pair of buds. Try to maintain a certain shape by making the shoots a little shorter from the inside out. In this way, light can penetrate better into the interior. This cutting time is also just right to remove dead parts of the plant as well as shoots that are growing weakly and thinly.
Overwinter panicle hydrangea
These hydrangeas are extremely hardy, so you can expect them to survive the cold winter without any problems. However, this does not yet apply to particularly young plants. It may well be necessary to dig them up in the first year or two and overwinter in a milder place.
Older specimens, however, have no problems with frost, ice and snow and they will not even freeze to death in a bucket if you protect them with special mats and place them in a protected place. A house wall that radiates a certain amount of heat is recommended. It is also important that the pot is larger than 50 cm in diameter. Small pots, on the other hand, can be placed in winter quarters, for which you can choose the garage or the basement, provided they are not too dark (then provided with a plant lamp).
During the winter, be careful not to let the plant dry out. For this purpose, water them every now and then.
Panicle hydrangea care – robust varieties for gardens and containers
- Diamant Rouge' initially white, then pink and at the end of the season strong pink; Flowers are particularly large
- Panicle hydrangea 'Limelight' with lime green flowers
- 'Kyushu' with white, fragrant and insect-friendly flowers
- 'Phantom' in white to creamy yellow, then gradually pink or even red
- 'Tardiva' white-pink flowers in late autumn
- 'Vanille Fraise' with an interesting color gradient from creamy white with a touch of pink, then stronger pink and purple at the end of the season
Dwarf panicle hydrangeas are ideal for pots. These include, for example, the robust:
- 'Little Spooky' in white
- 'Little Fraise' in white-green to pink-red
- 'Mojito' with lime green flower colors
