Preparing Your Hydrangeas for the Winter I Mainaam Garden

Prelude of frost is often nervy for gardeners and if you are dealing with hydrangea it becomes trickier due to its varieties. Efficient winter care would determine the course of blooming in summer, so get your ground ready as we bring forth some of the worth trying tips to walk you through the greys and cold of winter.

1. Knowing the varieties

The classic colorful foliage with glorious flower heads, hydrangea comes in three different forms: Vine, shrub, and tree. So it is absolutely important to know what we are dealing with before we winterize the plant.  The blog would help you to protect the shrub variety of Hydrangea in winter.

2. Protective frame                

To protect the old-fashioned shrub from the powdery spray of snow, consider constructing a frame from discarded pallets and planks then encircle it with chicken wire to create a makeshift. The idea behind constructing a cage-like structure is to allow snow to accumulate at a base to an extent providing enough insulation for the plant.

Note: the temporary makeshift is suggested only for those regions receiving snowfall, if it’s growing in an area where the temperature is moderate with no snowfall then it’s not required.

Perhaps you could check out our blog that gives a detail account on ways to winterize plants.

3. Winter water

You don’t necessarily need to water the plant as frequently as you were doing in other seasons but splash the ounces before the ground breaks into a layer of the white sheet it helps to keep the root of the shrub strong and steady.

Feel free to check a rich collection of Mainaam winter plants.

4. Insulation

During winter insulation is absolutely necessary for plant-like hydrangea and to insulate thankfully you don’t need something which is not available, all required elements like Styrofoam, jute burlap, garden fleece-like pine straws, oak leaves, egg-crate foam, etc. could be easily found.

While filling the cage with mulch, pine needles, oak leaves, and straws ensure a depth of 15 cm to adequately protect the plant. You could even bubble wrap the exterior of the cage but make sure you have secured enough space for air to circulate. Be extremely cautious when you are wrapping the shrub, do not break any branches or cause harm to the stem of the plant.

Note: Removal of protection should be done considering the weather condition. The season of spring is ideal though but remember the plant has just come out of dormancy, just beneath the leaves the growth of tender buds is as delicate as silk so let it rest in the artificial shade for a few days allowing foliage to acclimatize with bright and bursting daylight

5. Feeding of hydrangea

The best possible nutrients to supply for hydrangea come from the surrounding soil. You could prepare the mixture by adding compost and manure besides that a proportionate amount of coffee grounds and wood ash would provide a gem of combination for the hydrangea to stay pleasant during winter.

Note: adding mulch in a layered manner is advised to retain the moisture but with the footfall of spring it is better to clear the layering. Do not mulch before the inception of hard frost, it would attract rodents.

6. Pruning

The lovely-looking Hydrangea does not need extensive pruning as long as we do away with those dead branches affecting the sublime growth. The dead old woods are not particularly a matter of interest but while striking them off be careful not to harm the healthy ones because that’s where a bloom of spring would sit handsomely to spread its essence.

7. Pest and disease

The reason why hydrangea is everyone’s favorite, because the plant is pest and disease resistant which means low maintenance and prolific growth but still it may get sick sometimes by a disease like powdery mildew, rust, and leaf spot an infestation of Japanese beetles.

Powdery mildew, causing leaves to droop, a spray of Neem oil is a perfect remedy or you could just remove the infected leaves to prevent them from spreading further.

Rust and black spot is a result of fungal disease, treating the plant with a fungicide is a good option.

Note: using pesticides and fungicides is discouraged throughout the winter as plants sleep into a state of dormancy so spray it only when you notice the infestation and infection or else you could peacefully let it fall into a periodical stage of comatose.

Peppery winter although unpredictable but as long as you know what you are doing rest assured your hydrangea would continue to fill your life with extravagant freshness.

See also

Mainaam Premium Cymbidium Orchid

Warm Tolerant