Hydrangea panicula Brussels Lace is a panicled hydrangea variety, which is an excellent option for decorating problem areas in a personal plot. The plant will have to be carefully looked after, but its incredibly beautiful lace of flowers compensates for all worries.

Grade description

Brassels Lace is a bush. And hydrangea itself belongs to the Gortenziev family. First found in the Far East. The height of the bush can reach 2.5 m. Its crown always maintains a rounded shape. The medium-sized leaves are painted in a characteristic dark green hue. Their shape resembles a narrow chicken egg.

The inflorescence is presented in the form of a panicle, which can reach a length of 35 cm. It blooms with white-cream flowers. By the onset of autumn, a small pink blotch is often noticed. Hue may vary depending on the acidity of the soil. The description says that the first flowers appear in the month of July and disappear during the first frosts.

Important! Planting hydrangea is carried out in the spring. In autumn, only gardeners plant in the southern parts of the country.

The plant itself is not too whimsical and resistant to severe frosts of the middle strip.

A characteristic of the variety is its intolerance to alkaline soil. He does not like shrubs and plentiful watering. Too dense soil negatively affects the development of the root system. The plant perfectly takes root on loamy fertile soil. Before planting, it must be moistened, drained, acidified if necessary. Well established planting in a peat substrate.

Strong gusts of wind can cause irreparable harm to the shoots.. Hydrangea tolerates pruning remarkably and is rarely exposed to diseases or pests.

Shrub tolerates severe cold. Therefore, it can be planted even in western Siberia and the Far East. Only young shoots need to be protected from cold temperatures. Hydrangea prefers shaded areas of the garden, but grows well under short sunlight.

Reproduction is carried out at most by cuttings. They are harvested in early summer and late winter. In the first case, green shoots are selected, and in the second, woody shoots.

In landscape design

Growing hydrangeas in the garden to create a special design is very popular. The plant looks great as a solitary crop on the lawn. Often other trees or bushes are planted next to it. Perfect for creating flower arrangements, the so-called mixborders. There are known cases of creating a screen from a shrub for hiding or dividing individual parts of the garden.

It is believed that hydrangea is appropriate in any design.. However, in each case, it is best to choose different varieties. Variety Brussels Lace is great for planting in containers or flower beds. Used to create a romantic mood in the English and Russian style. Suitable for creating a wildlife corner.. You can decorate them with a gazebo or a place for everyday relaxation.

Landing rules

Planting hydrangea requires compliance with strict conditions for choosing a place and preparing planting material and site.

The shrub should provide:

1. Illumination. Shading is the main condition for choosing a territory. It should not be a constant shadow, but excessive sunlight is not suitable. Otherwise, the bush may disappear or its inflorescences will become much smaller.
2. The soil. It grows well on clay or loamy soil. Does not grow in sandy land. The soil should be slightly acidified. In this case, the flowers will cover the plant abundantly. You can add acidity using sawdust of conifers or needles, brown peat.
3. Humidity. Hydrangea loves to grow where there is enough water. Therefore, it is not planted near the same moisture-loving plants.

Important! No deoxidizing agents are allowed. The flower does not tolerate top dressing with lime, ash or dolomite flour.

Landing is carried out in spring or autumn. The prepared pit should have a diameter of at least 70 cm. Only in this case will the roots be completely straightened. Deepening in the ground is abundantly fertilized with organic and mineral compounds. They will definitely have to be moistened. At the time of disembarkation, in no case should the earth be poured above the basal neck. Tumbled earth and fill it with water.

If there is more than one bush on the site, then the distance between them should be at least 1.5 m. In the case when hydrangea is adjacent to other plants, they are allowed to be planted closer to each other

Care Features

Shrub needs minimal maintenance.The main point is watering. It must be carried out in accordance with established regulations. Although the bush scoops useful substances from the soil, fertilizing will also be necessary. It is recommended from time to time to carry out loosening the soil. This simple procedure will provide an improvement in the development of the root system, which in general will positively affect the development of the entire shrub. The basic rules and conditions of these processes are described below.

Video: Rules for planting, care and pruning hydrangea

Watering and feeding

According to general information, hydrangea should be watered once a day, or at least several times a week. In fact, such a rule is considered erroneous. It is recommended to add water under the shrub as needed. Accordingly, during rain, the plant will also not need watering.

A feature of the plant is that its roots are located in close proximity to the surface. This means that hydrangea will not be able to get water from the depths. This condition also affects the procedure for mulching and loosening. It is better to completely abandon the latter in favor of the first option. In addition, the mulch will prevent the evaporation of moisture, which will allow the roots to remain constantly moistened.

In any case, increased humidity is a normal condition for the growth of a healthy plant.

Panicle hydrangea is fed in three periods: in spring, summer and autumn. The selection of fertilizers depends on the composition of the soil and the age of the bush. If top dressing was carried out during planting in open ground, then in the first two years after that it will not be needed. Only from the third year does the procedure begin, which is described below.

Did you know? In Japan, hydrangeas are called «adzay». Translated, this means "a flower similar to the sun."

Although there are a lot of recommendations and they are often contradictory, the basic principles are reduced to the following rules:

1. In the first month of summer, fertilizer is added that contains nitrogen. In most cases, organics are suitable - poultry litter, manure or humus. Any of these components is filled with water and infused for 7-10 days. 10 clean liquids should be added to 1 portion of fertilizer. During this time, the composition should be constantly mixed. The fertilizer obtained must be filtered before use, separating dry and undissolved residues. If necessary, it is again diluted with water. If mineral fertilizer is used, then urea and potassium sulfate are suitable. You will need a tablespoon of each of them and 10 liters of water. Under each plant, pour no more than 0.5 volume of a bucket. The best option is the use of complex mineral fertilizers that are created specifically for hydrangeas.
2. In the summer, when the first buds appear on the plant, he will need other nutritional components. Therefore, during feeding it is necessary to use potassium or phosphorus compounds. Their introduction is carried out according to the instructions that are available for each licensed fertilizer. At home, you can cook herbal infusion of nettle, dandelion and dreams. You will also need a small amount of boric acid and the drug "Uniflora bud." For each bucket of water there are approximately 0.5 l of infusion, half a cap of fertilizer and half of the norm of boric acid specified in the instructions for use.
3. The third time feeding hydrangeas is carried out in the fall. Potassium humate is ideal for this purpose.

After each rainy period, it is recommended to add the preparation “Radiance 1”

Pruning

Trimming twice a season. For this purpose, a warm spring and autumn day is chosen. At the beginning of the year, branches are removed as early as the weather allows. In this case, more time is allocated for the development of flowering and young shoots. Under normal conditions, this process is carried out while the first kidneys begin to swell. It is recommended to leave at least 3 fully formed leaf ovaries on one shoot. If there are small branches, they can be cut at all. In the spring, you can give the bush and the desired shape.

In autumn, faded buds are removed.. The flowering process takes place exclusively on annual branches, so you can cut them. If this procedure is not done, then under the weight of the snow, they can break down the main shoots. Also, pruning will help to make wrapping for the winter more comfortable for the gardener.

Wintering

Shelter of young shoots for the winter is done with the aim of preserving them in the coming year. In most cases, this procedure is very simple. After all, even the bush that was planted this year easily tolerates the winter of the middle lane. The main condition is the safety of the plant from temperature extremes. In some cases, such shelters compensate for the lack of snow.

The first step is to carry out shallow loosening of the soil at the base of the shrub. Then mulch is introduced. To create it, you should use leaves stacked in a thick layer.

Did you know? Its greek name «Hydrangea» hydrangea received for two possible reasons: because of a love of moisture or because of the shape of the seed boxes that resemble a jug.

Hydrangea, the branches of which managed to wood, does not need special conditions for wintering. It is enough to cover the bush with spruce branches. In this case, it will not be possible to tilt the branches, so wooden stakes are driven into the ground. Shoots are tied to them. In this position, they are covered with needles or fallen leaves. An alternative would be wrapping the bush completely. For this purpose, cardboard or any nonwoven fabric is used.

Sometimes branches are laid on a specially prepared artificial surface, for example. metal or wooden sheet. This is done so that the branches do not come into contact with the soil surface. In this case, the shoots are fixed with a rope.

It is allowed to cover the shrub with plastic wrap. But, of course, holes are made in it. This will provide the necessary ventilation for the plant. If severe frosts are predicted, then these holes are closed for the duration of their action.

In the absence of snow in winter, but the presence of frost, the bush can be additionally insulated with spruce branches.

Hydrangea is an unpretentious plant that requires a minimum of attention from a gardener. But, the fulfillment of the conditions and their sequence will ensure the full development of the bush. And only in this case, from year to year, flowers will fill the garden with aroma, and the form will attract the enthusiastic looks of the guests. Provide hydrangeas with all the necessary conditions and you will not have to plant new seedlings of shrubs annually on your site.