How to grow indoor hydrangea at home

Beautiful flowers can transform any room. Planting indoor hydrangea and its further cultivation make it possible to get a wonderful plant. But you need to know all the intricacies of care, as it is quite demanding.

How to grow indoor hydrangea

Asia is considered the birthplace of hydrangea. This is a perennial shrub, which is distinguished by large spherical or brush-shaped inflorescences. There are both garden varieties and indoor varieties. Reproduction is possible in three ways: using seeds, cuttings or dividing a bush.

To grow hydrangeas from seeds, you should sow them in a bowl over the surface of the soil. Then it should be covered with glass. It needs to be ventilated every day and moistened as it dries using a sprinkler. After the first sprouts appear, the glass must be removed, and when real leaves appear, transplanted into a more suitable container.

But growing from seeds is considered laborious and problematic, so experienced growers prefer to propagate hydrangeas at home with cuttings. They are easier to care for. The optimal time for this is winter, January or February. In the fall, you can get a multi-stem bush. If the planting is done in the first months of spring, then there will be only one shoot.

Root shoots are used to obtain cuttings. They are cut into pieces about 7 cm long, with up to three internodes remaining on each. At the bottom, the leaves must be removed completely, at the top, half or a third are removed, it depends on their size. Then the cuttings are treated with a growth stimulant and planted in specially prepared soil. They should be covered with glass jars, given fresh air daily, and watered as needed. It will take a month for rooting, after which the cuttings can be planted in separate pots. Their diameter should be 7-9 cm.

Another way to reproduce hydrangeas at home, in addition to growing from seeds and cuttings, is by dividing the bush. It is quite simple, but all the procedures must be performed very carefully. During transplanting, the plant must be divided so that growth points and sufficient roots remain on each part. The strips should be shortened a little, this also applies to the roots. Then placed in separate containers. They need watering and mulching with peat. It is best to perform these manipulations in early spring.

Suitable soil, temperature and lighting

Caring for a room hydrangea will require some effort, regardless of whether it is grown from seeds or cuttings. First you need to take care of the soil. You can either buy a suitable one in the store, or make a mixture yourself. It should include:

• 3 parts of sod land;
• 3 pieces of leafy land;
• 2 pieces of sand;
• 1 peat.

Next, you need to take care of the pot. You should choose it from a dense material, the best option is ceramic. The diameter should be about 9 cm. It is important that there is a hole in the bottom through which excess water will go.

Caring for the plant includes providing a suitable temperature and lighting. Indoor hydrangea feels good at a temperature of 18 - 22 degrees, so it is easy to grow it at home. Sudden changes in temperature should be avoided, and pots should not be placed in a draft. In winter, the flower has a dormant period. At this time, he restores resources that were spent on flowering. A suitable temperature for this time is about 7 degrees.If this is not followed, the plant may miss the flowering year. By the end of winter, buds will appear on it. This will serve as a sign that it is time to return it to a warmer room.

Tip: It is not recommended to plant the hydrangea directly in a large pot. It will build up deciduous mass, which will adversely affect flowering.

When choosing a place for a plant, you need to remember that indoor hydrangea does not like dark corners. But you also should not allow direct sunlight to fall on it. This can cause stains on the leaves. Optimal - the place is not very far from the window.

How to water

Caring for a plant at home includes several important procedures, none of which can be ignored. First of all, this is watering. Indoor hydrangea is very moisture-loving, as evidenced by its second name - "Hydrangea". It is translated as “a vessel with water”. Therefore, it must receive a sufficient amount of moisture. Especially plentiful watering is needed in hot weather; less water is required in spring and autumn. In winter, when the period of rest comes, it is generally symbolic.

Water for irrigation should be filtered or separated. You can freeze it, but before use, it must thaw and warm to room temperature. Rainwater is only suitable if it is collected in an ecologically clean area. It is recommended to add a little lemon juice to the water for irrigation once a month (5 drops per liter are enough).

You also need to take into account that indoor hydrangea does not like dry air. The humidity in the room is needed quite high; you should not place the pots with the plant near the radiator and other heating devices. Only in such conditions will it be able to develop normally.

How to feed

So that the flower grows lush, and the flowering is plentiful, you cannot do without feeding. Nursing should be especially active during the growth period. It is advisable to apply fertilizers every two weeks. Any complex fertilizers intended for flowering plants are suitable for this. They have been using them since the beginning of February. But during the winter dormant period, they are not needed.

A characteristic feature of hydrangea is that the color of its flowers can change if it is watered with different substances. For example, a solution of ammonia-potassium alum or salt will make its inflorescences blue. And lime added to the soil will give a pink or lilac shade. In this case, you can water half of the pot with one means, and the second with another, and as a result you get a multi-colored bush.

How to prune and replant

Plant care cannot be imagined without pruning. This procedure is needed not only by the garden, but also by the indoor hydrangea. Moreover, it should be carried out twice a year:

• In the fall, to prepare for the rest period. Strong shoots need to be cut in half, and weak ones must be cut off completely.
• In spring, overly stretched, weakened shoots are removed.

The next important procedure included in the care is transplantation. The hydrangea should be planted in a new location each year, using a slightly larger pot each time. It should be spacious enough to accommodate a horizontal root system. And in about 4 years she will need an update.

The most gentle way to minimize stress from the procedure is transshipment. Landing in this case is carried out with a lump of earth. Drainage material must be placed on the bottom of the pot. Then lower the plant into the container, and then fill it with the prepared substrate. The level must correspond to the previous place. When planting is complete, it is advisable to cover the soil with peat mulch so that moisture does not evaporate too quickly.

Pests and diseases

Sometimes pests can attack the hydrangea. In this case, timely care is needed to preserve the plant. If aphids have been seen, it is necessary to treat with soapy water or karbofos.You can forget about spider mites if you just spray the bush with water, you can also use acarin. But if a nematode is damaged, the flower will have to be thrown away.

The most common disease at home is chlorosis. It causes the leaves to lose their color. If such signs appear, then the flower should be watered with water to which copper sulfate has been added. Powdery mildew and gray mold infections are also possible, but proper care can help prevent this.

Hydrangea is a very beautiful houseplant that will decorate any home. To achieve a lush flowering, you need to find a place for it that does not get the direct rays of the sun, ensure sufficient watering and replant on time. Care must be regular.

If you use special means for watering, then the color of the flowers may change. This property will help you get bright and varied flowers that will delight the eye.