Pranicle hydrangeas love the sun, but also thrive in partial shade and love fresh, nutrient-rich soil. They are easily propagated by cuttings or cuttings. The latter method is quicker and produces numerous young plants - a wonderful eye-catcher for your garden.
How do I propagate panicle hydrangeas?
The best way to propagate panicle hydrangeas is through cuttings. To do this, cut off woody side shoots without flower buds between June and early September. Remove most of the leaves, leaving the top two. Plant the cuttings in the cold frame or in pots with a mixture of peat, sand and ericaceous soil and keep them frost-free until next spring.
Choose cuttings
When propagating cuttings, not every shoot is suitable for propagation, as only a certain part of the plant is able to form roots and thus a new plant. For panicle hydrangeas, it is best to use this year's already woody side shoots that have not bloomed or have no flower buds. You should use head cuttings - i.e. H. Shoot tips – give preference. Always take cuttings only from he althy and strong mother plants, as the offshoots from a weak mother will also grow puny. After all, the cuttings are always genetically identical to their original plant.
When is the best time to propagate cuttings?
Hydrangeas are actually easiest to propagate shortly after they have finished blooming. However, since many panicle hydrangeas bloom into October, the propagation time is brought forward - hydrangea cuttings cut in autumn often do not thrive or only thrive poorly. You can cut the cuttings you want between June and early September. From around mid to late August the shoots are woody and are therefore suitable for propagation by cuttings.
Preparing the cuttings
In order for the propagation to be successful, you must first make some preparations. You should first remove the majority of the leaves before planting in order to limit moisture loss and susceptibility to disease. It is usually enough to leave the top two leaves standing. Cut the interface as obliquely as possible to make it easier for the shoot to absorb water later. By the way, cuttings are always cut below a clearly visible bud (eye).
Planting cuttings
Now plant the prepared cuttings either under glass in the cold frame or in individual pots. The young plants thrive best at an ambient temperature of around 15 °C, so they should under no circumstances overwinter outside. It is best to place them in a bright place (e.g. on the windowsill). A mixture of a third of fine peat (€8.00 on Amazon), sand and ericaceous soil has proven to be suitable as a plant substrate.
Proper care of cuttings
As soon as new shoots appear, signaling rooting, repot the cuttings in a mixture of two thirds compost and one third ericaceous soil. They should be kept cool but frost-free in winter. If you would like to use the young plants later as flowering pot plants, you can shorten the shoot tip as soon as three pairs of leaves have formed to encourage branching.
Tips & Tricks
Pranicle hydrangeas intended for outdoor use are planted next spring in a sheltered location and then in place after the leaves fall in the fall.
