Hydrangea is a genus of plants in the saxifrage family. Also known as pink ball flower, eight immortal flower, seven change flower, and hydrangea, it is one of the most popular flower varieties in the world and is known as the "girl with a thousand faces" among flower lovers. Whether hydrangeas are raised well in winter is directly related to the amount of flowering in the spring of the following year. Many flower friends move hydrangeas home early in winter, in fact, it is not conducive to its winter, it is best to freeze in the snow, and the amount of flowers can double the next year!
Why freeze hydrangeas?
Hydrangea is a relatively hardy flower, which can be cultivated in most parts of the south and parts of the north, and spent in the open air in winter. As long as the temperature does not drop below minus 8 degrees, hydrangeas will not freeze to death. The flower buds of hydrangea are very special, its flower buds begin to breed in autumn and winter, and the low temperature environment can stimulate the growth and development of flower buds, so that the flowering volume of the next year increases, this phenomenon is called "vernalization". Therefore, even if it is a potted hydrangea, it is not recommended that you move it back indoors early, as long as the temperature is above minus 8 degrees, put it in the snow to freeze more, and the next year can bloom more.
Generally, most flower varieties are pruned before the winter cools down, but hydrangeas are different, and they cannot be pruned in large quantities in the winter of that year and the following spring. Because winter shoots already contain a large number of flower buds, if you prune too much and too heavy, you will cut off the flower buds, and don't think about seeing the flowers the next year.
Flower raising points
From the winter of that year to the spring of the following year, although hydrangea seems to no longer grow, in fact, its flower buds are slowly differentiating, and maintenance must not be taken lightly. Flower friends should do the following 3 points to promote flowers for plants:
Apply winter fertilizer
Before and after the winter solar term, the temperature drops very low, hydrangea will have the problem of yellow leaves and leaves, at this time to add some fertilizer to the soil, commonly known as "winter fertilizer". Dig up the surface of the pot soil, sprinkle some organic fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer, and then fill it with soil. Well-fertilized hydrangea potted plants are best placed on the balcony or outdoors, not in a place that is too warm indoors, otherwise it will allow hydrangeas to germinate and consume nutrients in vain.
Do not mess with pruning
After the arrival of spring, as the weather warms up, hydrangeas also begin to sprout many small green shoots. At this time, do not prune hydrangeas, only completely dry branches can be cut, other fresh branches do not need to be cut, especially the small shoots on the branches, grow out can basically bloom, do not cut off.
Spring top dressing
After a winter of hydrangea maintenance, about February ~ March in spring, the outdoor temperature is no longer cold, it is recommended to move the potted hydrangea to an outdoor sunny position for maintenance. At this time, a lot of flower branches with buds will grow at the top of the branches (as shown below), and we need to apply some fertilizer to promote the flowers.
During this period, fertilization is mainly fertilizers containing high phosphorus and potassium, such as Huaduoduo No. 2, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and so on. Taking potassium dihydrogen phosphate as an example, according to the ratio of 1:1500, the fertilizer powder is added to clean water, and stirred evenly to make fertilizer liquid. Every half month, watering the potting soil of hydrangeas once can play a good flower promotion effect. By May, the buds of the hydrangeas will open, and as soon as the buds open, fertilization should be stopped.