Hydrangeas are among the most beautiful ornamental shrubs. They are especially impressive during the growing season when amazingly colorful flowers appear.
Hydrangeas are actually very easy to care for, and sometimes the challenge is that they grow too fast. Therefore, many owners wonder if it is possible to divide a hydrangea if it gets too big.
You can divide a hydrangea when it gets too big. By doing this, you will receive two new plants from a mother’s body.
In general, division is one of the most widely used methods of propagation in shrubby plants.
However, it is recommended that you propagate some types of hydrangeas, such as climbing hydrangeas, by cutting rather than dividing.
It is possible to divide a hydrangea, but you have to know how to do it correctly. Also, not all varieties of hydrangeas like dividing them.
When dividing a hydrangea, make sure you have watered the hydrangea well the night before and the day before.
To divide your hydrangea, dig up your hydrangea, find the root ball and prune it with your spade or pitchfork, this should be done in early spring.
Don’t worry, in this article we’ll walk you through the hydrangea propagation process and give you some tips for keeping your plant happy and healthy.
Contents
What types of hydrangeas can be divided?
As already mentioned above, not all varieties of hydrangeas can be divided. Some will not be able to withstand the division and will die.
Therefore, it is essential to know which species can be divided. For example, if you have panicle hydrangeasthey have a single large trunk and are difficult to cut evenly.
Also, any other type climbing hydrangeasthose with tall vines probably cannot be divided.
The guy likes sweet hydrangeas Yes great advantage will do well with division as they are shrubby and have cluster varieties. These multiple divisions make it relatively easy to divide and propagate a hydrangea.
Can you split a hydrangea?a?
You can divide a hydrangea and you won’t harm your favorite plant. Hydrangeas are shrubs with nodes in the root system.
Its roots are designed like a ball and all this allows them to spread by division. Even looking, you will see where these groups might be.
These are usually where groups merge, and if you look closely at the base, you’ll eventually know where to aim.
If the hydrangea has been in the same place for a long time, it will be a little difficult to divide it, and vice versa, if it has recently moved to its current location, then it is very easy to divide the hydrangea.
If the newly purchased hydrangeas have well-developed roots, they can even be separated and uprooted with bare hands.
The trickiest part is dividing mature hydrangeas, but it’s not impossible. As hydrangeas age, their roots harden and are a bit more difficult to separate.
Young hydrangeas separate better because they have not yet deployed their roots and the root ball is not yet fully developed.
What are the benefits of splitting a hydrangea??
Splitting hydrangeas is actually very beneficial for the plant and for you. There are several benefits to dividing your beloved plant.
If you have a hydrangea in the container, the roots may bind together if they can’t find a place to grow.
They have the shape of a ball and are therefore limited in space. Hydrangeas grow very quickly and their root system can also develop quite quickly.
Therefore, it is better for the health of the plant if it is split. The division gives the individual parts more air, space and available nutrition.
Another reason you should divide a hydrangea is for space. If they grow aggressively, they sometimes clump together and can shade out other plants. Therefore, dividing it creates more free space, which benefits you and your plants.
In addition, the purchase of a new plant may be associated with additional costs. Dividing a hydrangea saves you expense and gives you the option of having multiple hydrangea bushes in your garden.
What material do you need to split your hydrangea?
Each hydrangea plant is unique and has individual characteristics. Therefore, the equipment you need depends entirely on the strength of the plant’s root system and the maturity of the hydrangea plant.
If you have a hydrangea plant in a flower pot or container, its root system, most likely, will not be too complicated, and it will be possible to divide even a hydrangea by hand. All you need are gardening gloves.
However, if you have a hydrangea in your garden, some additional tools can help.
Tools include:
Shovel,
gallows,
rope or twine,
watering can or garden hose,
secateurs or garden shears,
mulch, and
A little topsoil.
If the hydrangea is very old and well established, this may not be enough and, in addition, a pick or an ax may be necessary.
What time of year should you divide a hydrangea??
The most important thing to consider when dividing your hydrangea is timing. These beautiful plants can be divided in the spring before new growth appears or in the fall.
This is the dormant period, and therefore the division will not stress the plant as much.
In addition, in the fall the leaves have already dried up and fallen off, which will not require additional energy, and all your strength will go to the development of new plants.
You shouldn’t divide a hydrangea in the summer. It’s blooming season for them and all the energy of the plant is dedicated to flowers and growth.
The roots are still fragile, and if they split, they will not be able to revive quickly. Therefore, the plant will be stressed and damaged.
How to divide your hydrangea
To divide the hydrangea, make sure the plant has at least two stems. Stems should come from the main root.
In most cases, when hydrangea plants grow, they will have one main stem. From there the small buttresses grow and all this happens on the ground floor. If the hydrangea has these little buds, it is perfect for division.
We will now discuss step by step how to divide a hydrangea. First, the night before, you plan to split a hydrangea and water it well and soak it.
Tiling bookcases with the warp or warp eases the dividing process when creating sections. This not only eases the transition of the plant, but also keeps the stems and roots as they were.
The second step is to dig up the root ball with a shovel. A shovel provides the ability to make deep, clean cuts and also loosens roots.
Be careful not to hit the roots with the shovel. Roots should be dug 2 feet below the main trunk. Carefully remove the carrots. Remember that if the hydrangea is old and large, the root system can be very heavy.
The next step is to divide the roots. the bigger and deeper the roots, the healthier the hydrangea plant looks. You can use a shovel and fork to gently break up the root ball.
There can be as many sections as the plant offers. You can divide a hydrangea by placing the blade of the shovel in the middle of the root ball and pushing it down with pressure.
Try to aim for the center to get clods the same size as the taproot.
If you want more parts, you can divide the middle into two parts and then divide those two parts into smaller parts. It is always best to cut the root ball into two or four pieces, as long as the plant allows.
How to repot the new hydrangea
After dividing the root system of the plant, it’s time to replant. It is always best to plant split hydrangeas when the sun is not shining.
Make a small hole and fill it with water. The depth of the hole should be approximately equal to the hole left after the stock roots are removed.
You also need to loosen the soil around it a bit so the new roots can move in and grow quickly. Then place the root ball in the hole.
Newly planted hydrangea divisions can be covered with topsoil and organic matter like manure or compost to ensure proper nutrition.
The soil should reach the stem in the same way as the original plant. Planting your hydrangea in a deeper division is not recommended.
After planting your new hydrangea, add some water to keep it well hydrated using the slow drip method for a few hours.
Most likely, the leaves and stems of the plant will drop during the first few days due to the adaptation phase. New hydrangeas will need more Water because the roots need more nourishment.
That’s it, if you do everything according to the instructions, your split hydrangea will thrive and put out beautiful blooms in the summer.
final thoughts
Hydrangeas are like a vegetable diva. They are beautiful and grow quite quickly. When this beautiful shrub gets crowded, it’s time to separate it.
The separation can be done by fractionation. After division, both parts will be good for propagation and produce a new plant.
Remember that not all hydrangeas like to propagate by division and some varieties will not survive. Therefore, they can be propagated from their cuttings.
Newly planted hydrangeas need a little more TLC and care, but once they get used to the new soil and environment, they will eventually grow to be happy and beautiful.