Two Key Points for Hydrangea Management in May
Comprehensive analysis of the two key points for hydrangea management in May related to flower planting experience. Let's understand this together next.
In the middle to late May, hydrangeas are in full bloom. At this time, apart from enjoying the flowers, there are two particularly important tasks to do. Otherwise, the hydrangeas are prone to wilting, yellow leaves, and premature flower fade.
Two Key Points for Hydrangea Management in May
During the flowering period of hydrangeas, in order to extend the blooming period and reduce the phenomena of yellow leaves and wilting, you need to pay attention to the following two things.
1. Keep Sufficient Water
Hydrangea leaves are very large and have a fast transpiration rate. Additionally, when hydrangeas bloom, the flower balls are also particularly large. Both flowers and leaves need to consume a lot of water to maintain an upright and vigorous state. Once the potting soil lacks water, the hydrangea is prone to wilting, and the entire flower ball and leaves will droop, not only affecting the观赏 value but also easily causing the flowers to fade prematurely. If the water shortage is severe, yellow leaves, dry tips, and flower wilt may occur.
Therefore, it is essential to keep the hydrangea well-watered during the flowering period. For outdoor potted hydrangeas, it is recommended to water them twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. If you water them only once a day, you need to observe whether the hydrangea is wilting during noon and afternoon. If wilting is detected, water should be supplied promptly.
Then, do you need to fertilize during the flowering period of hydrangeas?
Regarding this question, the suggestion is to pause fertilization after the hydrangeas bloom and only water with clean water. It is not that fertilization will shorten the flowering period; there is no such saying. In fact, fertilizing during the flowering period is more beneficial for hydrangea blooming and post-flowering growth. However, many gardeners do not master the concentration of fertilization well, and if the weather is hot and watering is not timely, fertilization can easily cause leaf and flower bud burn.
Therefore, if you are a beginner, just water with clean water and enjoy the flowers. Consider top-dressing after the flowers fade. Of course, experienced gardeners who do not mind the effort are recommended to continue fertilizing.
2. Provide Appropriate Shade
During the flowering period, apart from keeping the water sufficient, it is also necessary to provide appropriate shade. Hydrangeas are flowers that love light but do not tolerate strong sunlight. Excessive light can easily cause the hydrangeas to wilt and droop.
During the flowering period of hydrangeas, it is recommended to provide only gentle morning and evening light. From 11 am to 4 pm, it is advisable to shade them and place them in a bright area with diffused light, which is more conducive to extending the flowering period of hydrangeas. A more relaxed approach is to place them in a semi-sunny area in the morning, where they can get sunlight without being overly exposed.
Can you completely avoid direct sunlight during the flowering period?
Personally, I do not recommend completely shading them, as the color expression of many hydrangea flowers requires relatively sufficient sunlight. For example, the 'Pink Runaway Bride' will only show green and white if the sunlight is insufficient and will not turn pink. Even with other hydrangea varieties, lack of sunlight for an extended period can cause the flower color to fade. Therefore, I still suggest providing some gentle sunlight is better.
The above introduction of the two key points for hydrangea management in May and the specific content of doing these two things well can bring you help. Remember to visit the website often!