When autumn comes, all plants and all plant owners begin to prepare for winter. Most plants go dormant in winter, so the autumn period is very important for them.
How you care for your hydrangea in the fall largely determines how well the plant will survive the winter and be there in the spring. Therefore, it is important to prepare your beauty for snow and cold.
Fall care for your hydrangea is sorely misunderstood. Many people think they don’t need much, but they do benefit from the size and any protection that helps in the winter.
To care for a hydrangea in the fall, you need to know what type of hydrangea you have. Oldwood hydrangeas have a summer bloom time. It can be pruned immediately after flowering. If pruned in the fall, growth will be stunted the following season.
If you have a type of hydrangea that normally produces flowers in the fall, these belong to the new growth types. You can prune it in the fall.
A little hydrangea preparation for fall can help your plant get through the winter more easily and thrive in the spring. That is why in this article we discuss how to care for your hydrangeas in the fall and also mention some important points that can help you.
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What to do with a hydrangea in autumn
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One of the main questions many people have is how to prune hydrangeas. Knowing whether to prune your specific type of hydrangea in fall or midsummer is the first step.
There are two different versions of hydrangeas. one that blooms on old shoots of wood and the other blooms on new growth.
Oldwood hydrangeas have a summer bloom time. This particular one should be pruned right after flowering. If pruned in the fall, growth will be stunted the following season.
If you have a type of hydrangea that normally produces flowers in the fall, these belong to the new growth types. These can be pruned in the fall, just after the flowers have faded.
How to properly prune the hydrangea
Caring for fall-flowering hydrangeas and summer-flowering hydrangeas are similar in some ways. They all love the sun and need the same type of food.
However, size requirements may vary. In general, it is about the moment of pruning and not about the method itself.
You can prune your hydrangea plant all the way to the bottom, where it has weak, wispy growth. This will keep them from drawing too much energy from the whole plant and new flowers.
look for dead stumps. They will not have produced buds or new wood from the original old wood. To completely remove dead stems, cut them to the ground at the base. This will give the new growth below a chance to flourish.
To make room for new growth, old and dead flowers should be removed. To encourage blooms for next summer, remove the flower head directly above the first leaves.
Observe the shape of the plant from a distance. The pruning allows you to shape the bush however you want. Generally, the usual shape is spherical, but you can carve it as you wish!
You may also be interested in: How Much Water Do Hydrangeas Need?
What to do with the fall flowers of hydrangeas.
You have two options after your hydrangea flowers turn brown, regardless of their color. Just below bloom, you can remove spent flowers from the plant or leave them in place over winter.
Most dried hydrangea flowers drop off at some point in the winter, and any flowers still attached to the plant can be picked in the spring.
Late August and early September are the best times to pick blue or pink flowers if you want to dry them and keep them that way.
Instead of young blue flowers, cut off those that have begun to change color and turn lavender-gray. They can be made into a floral garland, placed in a dry vase, or hung upside down to dry.
Preparing hydrangeas for winter
The climate where you live determines how you prepare for winter. First, hydrangeas can benefit from one thing each fall:
They also help with the compost. If you put the compost at the base of the plants.
It not only protects the roots from winter, but also gradually provides them with nutrients that can be used for development and flowering the following year.
In the maintenance of autumn hydrangeas, it is essential to put a ground cover. The new cover is beneficial for hydrangeas whether you are in an area with severe winters or milder winters.
In addition to protecting hydrangea roots from sudden thaws and freezes, mulch can also be added.
Mulch also helps retain moisture. However, the amount of mulch to use depends on where you live.
If you live in a colder climate, it is recommended to use more mulch than if you live in warmer regions. The more mulch you need, the colder the weather will be.
Adding a few inches of mulch to the soil near the base of the plant will help retain moisture in areas where it is extremely unusual for temperatures to drop below freezing.
A 6 inch layer is more suitable if you live in a colder place with freezing winters.
And if the temperature drops too low in your area, cover the main base with an 8-12 inch layer.
Sprinkling a little fertilizer around the base of the plant will help your hydrangea grow better in the new season. Therefore, fall fertilizing is a fantastic idea.
Also, it’s always a good idea to pick up fallen hydrangea leaves. As a result, the area around the hydrangea bush is less likely to attract disease and insects during the winter.
Indeed, many small insects and organisms hibernate in dead leaves. You have to be careful, especially with the chile trip often found on the leaves.
final thoughts
Hydrangea care is an important part of plant care. If the treatment is done correctly, your hydrangea will thrive the next blooming season, delighting you with its beautiful leaves and blooms.
In general, hydrangea care includes pruning, mulching, fertilizationand cleaning. However, they can differ in types of hydrangeas and can also change depending on location and weather.