- Preparation: Cut back the plant and prepare it by cutting it back first.
- Dig up: Carefully dig up the plant without pulling on it too harshly.
- Shake off the roots: Shake off as much dirt as possible from the roots.
- Divide: Pull apart the stems before grouping them based on the roots.
- Replant: After care: The most common big-leaf hydrangeas, like Hydrangea macrophylla, are easily propagated by division. Other types of hydrangeas can be divided by separating shoots emerging from the perimeter with a spade or by dug up and splitting into two or more pieces.
Choose a suitable time in early spring or late fall to divide a hydrangea. Big leaf, oakleaf, and smooth hydrangeas are best for division. Dig around the plant and gently separate natural divisions in the root system by hand. This method allows for the multiplication of the hydrangea collection and can help alleviate overcrowding, improve the health and vigor of the plant, and stimulate better blooming.
\n
- Layering: Dig up the plant you want to divide using two garden forks placed at opposite ends and carefully positioned to lift the hydrangea from the ground. Big leaf, oakleaf, and smooth hydrangeas can be propagated by division, while panicle hydrangeas and climbing hydrangeas are not easy to divide.
📹 Get Endless Free Plants | How to Divide Endless Summer Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are one of the most popular plants, and for good reason. They’re beautiful, easy to care for, and have a long lifespan.
Are smooth hydrangeas the same as big leaf hydrangeas?
A hydrangea with white globes in a shrub form is either a Smooth hydrangea (native form) or a White Big Leaf hydrangea. The plant’s growth habit and foliage can distinguish between the two. Smooth hydrangeas have rounded, slightly heart-shaped leaves with a matte surface, while Big Leaf hydrangeas have large, elliptical, waxy, and serrated leaves. The oblong, glossy leaves of Big Leaf Hydrangea are glossy, while the heart-shaped, matte leaves of Smooth Hydrangea are matte.
How do you propagate smooth hydrangeas?
To propagate a hydrangea bush, follow these steps: cut off a small branch, trim the leaves, consider dipping it in rooting hormone, plant it in seed-starting potting mix, keep the cutting well-hydrated, watch for signs of sprouting, and wait to transplant your hydrangea. This is a great and inexpensive way to expand your garden, and with a few cuttings from a favorite variety or a friend’s bush, you can create another big blooming bush. Hydrangeas can be one of the easier plants to propagate, according to Tara Finney, director of nursery operations at Fast-Growing-Trees. com.
What is the mistake for pruning hydrangeas?
Pruning hydrangeas is best done in late winter and early spring, making it a good weekend job during March. Pruning after winter frosts protects the plant from winter injury. Climbing hydrangeas should be left until early summer, as they produce flowers on old wood. Pruning too early may remove new buds before they bloom. Tom’s Guide offers expert editors to keep you informed and prepared for the prime growing season by pruning your hydrangeas at the right time.
What is the best month to take hydrangea cuttings?
Hydrangeas are woody-stemmed shrubs that root differently than non-woody, soft-stemmed plants, making them difficult to root in water. To optimize results, root them properly in potting mix. Professional growers use “softwood” cuttings, which root quickly and yield better results. Time propagation for late spring or early summer, when new stems first start to harden, between May and mid-July. This stage allows for vigorous growth and the use of a premium rooting hormone like GardenTech’s RootBoost™ Rooting Hormone.
To begin propagation, gather necessary tools, including a sharp, clean knife or pruners, a container with warm water, RootBoost TM Rooting Hormone, a planting tray or cup-like containers filled with moistened potting mix, a pencil-sized stick or garden dibble for planting holes, and plastic bags to form miniature greenhouses around the cuttings. This will help ensure efficient and clean cuttings for hydrangea propagation.
Where is the best place to plant smooth hydrangeas?
Hydrangea arborescens, also known as Smooth Hydrangea, is a versatile plant that can be used in garden design due to its stunning blooms, rounded form, and compact size. It prefers partial shade, but can tolerate full sun if given enough moisture. It thrives in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade, but may produce fewer flowers in full shade. To create a woodland garden, combine it with shade-tolerant plants like Hostas, Ferns, and Astilbes, and use it in mixed borders with other flowering shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses.
What is the best month to prune hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas are typically pruned in late winter or early spring, with climbing hydrangeas being pruned after flowering in summer. Hydrangeas bloom from mid- to late summer, while mophead and lacecap hydrangeas bloom satisfactorily with little attention. Annual pruning encourages new growth and better flowering display. Other species, including climbing hydrangeas, benefit from a trim. Timing is usually late winter/early spring, but sometimes late summer. Pruning hydrangeas can be easy to moderate.
When to divide and move hydrangeas?
Transplanting hydrangeas is best done when they are dormant, typically in late fall in cooler climates. This allows the plant to establish roots while the soil is warm and not actively growing. In warmer areas, hydrangeas can be transplanted between December and February, as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Wait until flowers have died and leaves have fallen before moving the plant. Hydrangeas can also be successfully transplanted in spring, before the first flush of growth.
Do you cut back smooth hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas require different pruning times, so it’s crucial to know which type you have before pruning. The smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) flowers on new wood and should be pruned down to 1 foot in early March. This species propagates itself by sending up ground-level suckers, which may be cut out. Failure to prune regularly can result in a top-heavy shrub that flops to the ground by midseason.
The climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris) grows to 50 to 60 feet and only requires pruning to keep it within its boundaries. The bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) flowers on old wood and should be pruned shortly after it flowers. Gardeners should not wait too late into fall before pruning, as late-season pruning can stimulate tender new growth that might be killed during winter.
The panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) and its cultivars also flower on new wood but don’t require drastic pruning. They look best if one-third of the old growth is pruned back in late winter. The oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) flowers on old wood but is often left unpruned due to its spreading habit and attractive 12-inch flowers. If terminal buds are killed during winter, the plant will not flower.
How big do smooth hydrangeas get?
Hydrangea arborescens, also known as smooth hydrangea or wild hydrangea, is a deciduous shrub native to moist or rocky wooded slopes, ravines, streambanks, and bluff bases in New York, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Its gray-brown stems are clad with opposite, broad egg-shaped to rounded, dark green leaves. The plant blooms in May-July in flattened hairy clusters, with scattered continuing flowering throughout summer to September.
Dehiscent seed capsules ripen in October-November. The genus name Hydrangea comes from the Greek words hydor meaning “water” and aggeion meaning “vessel”, and arbor meaning “tree”, referring to its similarity to a small tree.
What is the best spacing for hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas are a popular and long-lasting plant that can be grown in various ways, such as as single specimen plants or in combination with other shrubs. They should be planted in spring or early summer, with regular watering and organic mulch covering the root zone. Spacing varies, but typically at least 5 feet apart. Plant tags should be checked for mature width when planting hydrangeas. Visit local display gardens or garden centers to learn about the best hydrangeas for your area.
Pruning hydrangeas varies by species, but most can be done in early winter or spring. Bigleaf hydrangeas should be pruned in mid-spring to see which buds survived winter. Hydrangea petals are dry bracts, making them easy to dry. Cut them after the colors fade and allow the stems to dry naturally in a dry vase for two weeks.
What happens if you plant hydrangeas too close to each other?
Planting hydrangeas close together can reduce airflow and increase disease prevalence. To ensure healthy plants and gardeners, leave adequate space between plants. Incrediball hydrangeas should be 3-5 feet apart, but can be spaced 3 feet if desired. The number of plants needed for a hedge depends on the plant spacing, and using a plant calculator can help determine the number of plants needed for your space. See how some great gardeners created hedges for inspiration.
📹 Spring hydrangea splitting from main plant
Grabbing an offshoot from the main plant in early spring. Amazon link to Great products that every DIYer and Handyman should …
Add comment