After a long winter, you can get your hydrangeas ready for spring step by step. In this article you will learn what you should consider when pruning, fertilizing and changing locations as soon as the days get longer and the temperatures get warmer.
How are hydrangeas prepared for spring?
The first care measure of the year for your hydrangeas should bepruning. You can do this as early as February. As soon as temperatures allow, you can gradually acclimate your hydrangeas to their outdoor space and remove winter protection. Now is also the right time to fertilize.
What do I have to consider when cutting back the hydrangeas?
Most hydrangea varieties, including the popular farmer's hydrangea, are recommended to be cut back in spring. The reason for this is the buds that formed the previous year and should not be removed when pruning. In February or March you can clearly see the new buds and limit your pruning to the part above the new buds or to dead shoots.
When can hydrangeas go back outside from their winter quarters?
Although hydrangeas are generally hardy, it can make sense to overwinter them in a cold but protected place. This way you can protect the ornamental shrub from new shoots freezing.
Get your hydrangeafrom April gradually used to its outdoor space by only putting it outside on warm days and bringing it back to its winter quarters in the evening. Avoid direct sun. As soon as the temperatures no longer fall below 12 degrees Celsius at night, the hydrangeas can stay outside completely.
When can I remove the winter protection from my hydrangeas?
If you have protected your hydrangeas in the bed or pot with fleece, mulch or other heat-insulating materials during the winter, you should remove them promptly in Mayafter the last night frost. Don't wait too long to do this, otherwise it can get too warm under the cover and you risk fungal infestation.
When do you fertilize hydrangeas in spring?
Depending on the weather and region, the growth phase of hydrangeas begins inMarch or April. Now is the right time to support vigorous growth with fertilizer. Use special hydrangea fertilizer from specialist retailers or home remedies such as coffee grounds or urine.
Tip
Be careful with newly purchased hydrangeas
You can buy blooming hydrangeas in garden centers early in the year. You shouldn't put them outside straight away, but rather wait until May and then slowly get them used to their final place.
