Why doesn't hydrangea bloom in the garden? Why don't hydrangeas bloom? Why do hydrangeas have few flowers?
- a beautiful, but capricious flower that does not always live up to the expectations of gardeners, and does not always bloom in response to compassionate care. What is the reason for this phenomenon, why does indoor or garden hydrangea refuse to bloom, and what should be done to correct the situation? There are many answers to these questions, let's look at them together.
The right choice when purchasing
When purchasing a room or garden hydrangea You should pay attention to whether there are buds on the stems. If the answer is yes, then the sellers watered the hydrangea with flowering stimulants, forcing it to bloom to give it a “marketable appearance.” Young plant It has already spent a lot of effort on forming buds, and after transplantation it may not bloom for two years, or may not take root in the new place at all. What to do in this case? Transplant the bush into another pot or into open ground along with a lump of earth so that it can better adapt to its new location. And after the adaptation period, start feeding him mineral fertilizers.
To answer the question: why doesn’t hydrangea bloom, you need to know what type of plant you are buying. Some types of hydrangea cannot bloom at a young age, or bloom poorly, because they have not yet accumulated enough useful substances for the beautiful and lush flowering. After all, the inflorescences of most hydrangeas are large, and the bush spends a lot of effort on them.
Such types of hydrangea as garden large-leaved, tree-like and paniculata hydrangea. The first 1-2 years after planting are spent developing the root system, then the above-ground part is strengthened; if both stages are successful, the plant will begin to bloom only in the third year.
And one more thing - for planting in open ground, choose zoned varieties of hydrangea. If the summer in your area is too short, the flower buds will not have time to form and there will be no flowering.
Effect of pruning on flowering
Improper pruning is another factor that has a significant impact on the flowering of garden or indoor hydrangea. In order not to wonder why the hydrangea does not bloom, it is necessary to prune it correctly. Moreover, the concept of “correct” is individual for each type of hydrangea.
So, in spring and autumn, only faded inflorescences are cut off so that they do not break under the weight of snow. If the hydrangea did not bloom in the summer, then there is no need to prune it at all.
In the spring, paniculate hydrangea is pruned before the buds open; if you miss the time of pruning, the development of the plant will be so arrested that it will not bloom this season. When pruning, weak and small shoots are removed, as well as shoots that froze in severe frosts. Annual shoots are pruned so that 3-4 pairs of buds remain.
Large-leaved hydrangea blooms only on last year’s shoots, or more precisely, on young branches that grew on last year’s shoots. And if you remove last year’s shoots when pruning, there will be no flowering. Pruning of large-leaved hydrangea is carried out only to remove damaged stems and last year's inflorescences.
Ground cover hydrangea blooms on young shoots this year. Its pruning consists of shortening too long young branches, due to which the bush becomes more branched and blooms more abundantly.
From this we can conclude: in order for a hydrangea to bloom, its pruning is carried out taking into account its species characteristics, otherwise you may never see it bloom at all. We must not forget that hydrangea, which grows in wildlife, blooms without any pruning, so at home you shouldn’t get too carried away with this operation.
Proper wintering
To protect hydrangea from severe frosts, they begin to prepare it for winter in the fall. In areas with a warm climate, it will be enough to cut off the inflorescences and wrap the bush with agrofibre, but where the winter temperature drops below 25 degrees, it is necessary to make a more reliable shelter.
Old inflorescences are cut off, the branches are bent to the ground and covered with peat, earth or sawdust. To do this, the bush is fenced with boards to create a box - the branches are placed in it. To avoid bending them too much, dry grass or leaves are first placed on the ground and branches are placed on this cushion. The box is also boarded up on top, and after heavy snowfall it is additionally insulated with snow.
In the spring, with the onset of warmth, the entire structure is removed, and the plant is rejuvenated by pruning. When spring frosts, which are so common in Russia, the bush needs to be covered with agrofibre - if the flower buds that have just begun to develop freeze, the plant will not bloom this year.
The whims of a home flower
Sometimes indoor hydrangeas growing in favorable conditions. What is the reason, and what to do in this case? Let's start from afar - in the fall, indoor hydrangea can completely shed its leaves and retire. At this time, it is taken out into a dark, cool room, watering is reduced, carried out only so that the roots do not dry out and with the beginning of spring the plant begins to grow and bloom again.
At the end of winter indoor hydrangea taken out into the light and warm room, begin to water and feed well. At the same time, you should not place the flower pot in direct sunlight - hydrangea prefers cool and diffuse light. If the room temperature is too high, they try to create special conditions- move it away from the window and heating devices, often ventilate the room without exposing the flower to drafts. Hydrangea does not like sudden changes in temperature; this feature also needs to be taken into account.
Soon new shoots will begin to grow from the roots, on which inflorescences will form. If there are too many shoots, some of them are removed, leaving 3-4 of the strongest and largest ones. The remaining stems are fed with mineral fertilizers. Good fertilizer for hydrangea is coffee, which is scattered over the surface of the soil in a pot.
Every 3-4 years, the hydrangea is transplanted to a new place; for this, a soil mixture with an acidic reaction is made from peat, pine needles, leaf and turf land. Can be used ready soil for azaleas, adding a little pine needles to it.
Very beautiful lush hydrangea inflorescences can be seen on summer cottages and in city parks.
But there are also amateurs who grow this plant at home.
And from the big one garden bush This individual is distinguished by its dwarf growth, when only a flower cap of a brightly saturated or pale color peeks out from the pot.
It is for the sake of this charm that this culture is planted on windowsills. But it happens that a plant refuses to please others with its inflorescences. What is the reason why Hydrangea does not bloom?
Did you plant the flower correctly?
you brought home small miracle and wait with lust for it to bloom. But for some reason Hortense is in no hurry to do this. First of all, pay attention to the flower pot in which the plant is located.
- If this is a temporary shelter in which they seat flower seedlings in the store, then Hydrangea should be transplanted into a more suitable container. The pot should be wider than the one in which the flower is currently located. However, you should not choose a deep vessel, because... The roots of culture grow wider, not deeper.
- If Hydrangea has been in the same place for more than 2 years flower pot, then God himself ordered a transplant. It is the annual change of pots that stimulates the plant to flower.
Transplants should be carried out in the fall, using turf and leaf soil, peat and sand.
Soil acidification
Experienced gardeners know that Hydrangea loves to accumulate aluminum salts. The color of the inflorescences depends on the saturation of this element. The more acidified the soil, the bluer the flowers turn out.
An alkaline environment gives a pink tint, and a neutral one gives a white tint. When we're talking about For acidification, soil additives in the form of sawdust, peat or pine needles are usually used.
For the same purpose, spray the plant with acidified water. lemon juice or watered with alum.
And only an inexperienced gardener introduces nitrogen-containing fertilizers as a nutrient element. Naturally, they stimulate the growth of plants well, but at the same time suppress their ability to bloom - all the energy is spent on forcing.
Temperature and lighting
Despite the fact that Hydrangea is a plant of the southern type, it is not worth all year round“bathe” it in ultraviolet rays. Let the flower stand on a well-lit windowsill, where only diffused light from the street enters.
In the absence of such conditions, you should not move Hydrangea deeper into the room - such darkening will weaken the plant and cause it to refuse to bloom.
Temperature for budding plays an important role - room temperature is considered optimal (18-22°C). But this is only during a period of active growth.
When the time for seasonal dormancy has come (from late autumn to February), during this time Hydrangea needs to create a cool environment (about 7-10°) somewhere in the basement.
If the plant is left to winter on the windowsill in a warm place, then you should not ask the question “why doesn’t Hydrangea bloom on time?”
Finally 
Flowers should be treated like women, giving them affection and attention. Don’t ignore their whims; create the most optimal conditions for development.
And then Hydrangea will certainly reciprocate, giving her ruler a lush ball of inflorescences. And what color you prefer is up to you.
It is worth recognizing that hydrangea is one of the most beautiful and long-flowering perennials, which comes in both the form of a shrub and a small tree. Depending on the variety, it has very beautiful inflorescences various shapes, and can also change color during its flowering process.
But it often happens that hydrangea stops blooming or the flowering becomes less abundant and bright. Why this happens, and what needs to be done so that the hydrangea begins to bloom magnificently and brightly again - this will be discussed below.
Why hydrangea does not bloom: reasons and what to do, how to properly care for it to make it bloom
Most often, hydrangea does not bloom due to the fact that it was initially planted incorrectly or not cared for according to the rules: fertilizers are applied at the wrong time, the irrigation regime is often violated, pruning is carried out incorrectly, they are forgotten or incorrectly covered for the winter. Sometimes this flowering shrub is attacked by pests or is affected by fungal diseases. As a result, the perennial weakens and blooms poorly or stops flowering altogether.
To with hydrangeas on garden plot this did not happen, you need to remember the basic agrotechnical measures, the accuracy of which depends abundant flowering these bushes.
The time has not come
Main mistake Many novice flower growers are as follows - they expect hydrangeas to bloom almost immediately after planting the seedlings in open ground. But you need to understand that these flowering shrubs.. during the season they will only take root and grow roots. By autumn, most varieties will only have formed flower buds, which will bloom only in the next season after planting. If there were seedlings, then they can bloom the next year.
Therefore, you should not panic if, after planting, your hydrangea does not begin to bloom - it’s just not the time for this yet. It is also possible that the flowering date will be delayed by another season or two if planting or care conditions are not met.
Worth knowing! Most often, hydrangea begins to bloom only in the 3rd or 4th year, and from the age of 5 it blooms profusely. Therefore, as a rule, 3-4 year old seedlings are sold.
Planting not according to the rules: incorrect choice of location, soil or incorrect planting of seedlings
The place for planting these flowering perennials should be sufficiently well lit in the morning or evening hours, but not with bright afternoon sunlight, which can burn the delicate foliage of hydrangeas. Very light partial shade is also suitable for these shrubs.
In general, it is believed that treelike and paniculate Hydrangeas bloom best when there is morning or evening sun, so they are best planted in light shade. Besides, it's too open space the bush will fade very quickly, and it will have to be watered more often, because hydrangeas, in principle, are moisture-loving.
Important! The more sun, the better flowering, but if there is too much of it, the flowering will not last long. Accordingly, in the shade the plant will bloom longer, but not profusely, so you need to find the optimal balance.
Another thing, large leaf hydrangea. This is truly a partial shade plant; in such conditions it will bloom very well.
Worth understanding! Despite the fact that hydrangea is considered a shade plant, it will bloom profusely only if there is good lighting in the morning (before lunch) or in the evening (from 5-6 o'clock until sunset).
It is equally important that the area where hydrangeas are grown is well protected from east and north winds, which can simply break all your beautiful flowers.
Advice! The ideal place in the garden for planting hydrangeas would be near a fence or garden house.
But you shouldn’t plant it under trees, since they will create shade (sometimes unnecessary) and also take away most of the necessary moisture, therefore, the plant will not receive the required nutrition and will not bloom.
Hydrangea does not bloom well in the shade
Hydrangea is also demanding on the composition of the soil, namely the degree of its acidity (required 4.5-5 pH). Although most varieties grow well in slightly acidic or neutral soils(For example, tree hydrangea), but here in alkaline soils, these perennials begin to get sick, do not bloom and die as a result.
Therefore it is necessary properly prepare the planting hole for planting hydrangeas, or rather to do acidic substrate to fill it (the hole). For this, acidic high-moor (or brown) peat and rotted sawdust are suitable. coniferous trees, pine litter or pine bark(you can collect all this in the forest).
Important! Under no circumstances into the substrate cannot be added dolomite flour, lime or wood ash(for example, as a potassium fertilizer), because all these are deoxidizers (reduce acidity), but we need, on the contrary, acidifiers (increase).
Optimal size The planting hole for young and small 1-2 year old hydrangea seedlings is 30 by 30 cm, for older and larger 3-4 year old hydrangea seedlings - 50 by 50 cm.
Note! Find out more about when (timing) and how to properly plant hydrangeas in your garden, you can from the following articles and.
Difficulties in adaptation: the shrub does not take root
Often after planting purchased hydrangea seedlings on permanent place V open ground they take a long time to adapt to a new area or even begin to get sick, which means there can be no talk of any flowering. The main reasons may be as follows:
- Previous owners (if they gave it to you or bought it at a garden center) added it to the soil too much fertilizer so that the plant grows faster. And in a new place you filled the planting hole with fairly poor soil(they forgot to add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers), so the hydrangea does not grow and, accordingly, does not bloom.
Advice! To fill the planting hole, you must add 30 grams of potassium fertilizer (for example, potassium sulfate) and 60 grams of phosphorus (superphosphate) to the substrate.
- The same thing happens if you replant the hydrangea from initially acidic soil to slightly acidic(especially if it is a seedling with an open root system).
- If the purchased seedling has a closed root system, then when planting it in a permanent place You can’t shake off the earthen lump, especially undercut root system.
Advice! Actually, always it is preferable to buy seedlings in containers (with a closed root system).
Lack of moisture or waterlogging
Very important and correct mode watering the plant. Hydrangea is a flower that drinks a lot of water and always drinks, which means that for abundant flowering it needs constantly moist soil. But you can’t overwater it either, the bush can rot. However, in this specific case It's better to overfill than underfill.
If the soil under the bushes is too dry, then the plant will stand limp. What a bloom there is! Therefore, in summer, hydrangeas need to be watered at least 2 times a week. It’s better every other day or even every day if the heat is above +30. It is also recommended to mulch the soil next to the bushes to better retain moisture.
Note! If your soil is clayey, therefore, moisture will stagnate in it, so you definitely need to do good drainage at the bottom of the landing hole during disembarkation.
Wrong choice and untimely application of fertilizers, excess or lack of fertilizing
Excess fertilizer in the soil is also harmful flowering perennial, as well as their lack. Especially It is dangerous to use nitrogen fertilizers in the second half of summer and especially in autumn in large quantities, because nitrogen promotes the growth of vegetative mass to the detriment of flowering. And if such fertilizing is introduced into autumn period, then new shoots begin to actively grow on the shrub, which do not have time to sufficiently develop and ripen before the onset of frost. As a result, they simply freeze out and die in the winter. In addition, the growth of shoots in autumn time leads to the fact that nutrients The plant spends it not on preparing for winter, but on the growth of shoots, which significantly weakens the hydrangea, and as a result, the plant may freeze in winter.
Therefore, fertilizers, mainly containing nitrogen, are applied to the soil under hydrangeas only in the spring, and in summer and autumn, fertilizing should consist mostly (a little nitrogen is still allowed) of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Such fertilizers activate the appearance of inflorescences (promote budding) and excellent flowering, and in the fall they help the shrubs lay flower buds and better prepare for the onset of cold weather.
Thus, for example, if you realize that you have overfed the hydrangea with nitrogen, then you should fertilize it with an increased amount of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, but within reasonable limits.
Fertilizer application should begin with early spring when the buds on the shoots just begin to swell.
Note! It is advisable to dissolve each fertilizer in water (all doses are written for 10 liters of water and per 1 square meter of flower bed) and water it at the root.
There are also special ready-made fertilizers for hydrangeas.
Advice! If you rarely go to the dacha, then it is optimal to use special complex fertilizers long-acting. In other words, in early spring Fertilizer needs to be applied once trunk circle hydrangeas, and the plant will gradually receive nutrition throughout almost the entire season.
Soil acidification is not carried out
Note! The need for fertilizing, as well as acidification, arises approximately 2-3 years after planting, when the plant is completely pulled out of the substrate with which it was fed landing pit, all juices (all meals).
If you want hydrangeas to bloom luxuriously and not suffer from chlorosis, then the soil under the hydrangeas should always be acidic, which means it needs to be acidified periodically (at least once a month during the flowering period).
You can acidify the soil under hydrangeas with the following compounds and solutions:
- weakly acidic electrolyte solution (10 ml per 10 liters of water);
- vinegar (100 ml of 9% vinegar per 10 liters of water);
- citric acid (20-40 g per 10 liters of water).
Advice! Moreover, it is advisable to additionally add iron chelate or (20-30 grams per 10 liters) to the above solutions.
You can control the color of hydrangeas by changing the acidity of the soil. So, the more acidic the soil, the more purple or blue the color will be and, conversely, if the acidity is lower, the inflorescences may be pink or crimson.
Worth knowing! Make from pink hydrangeas blue is not so simple. Even if you have a very acidic soil, but there will not be enough movable aluminum in it, then there will be no color changes. Therefore, you need a solution of potassium alum (30-40 grams per 10 liters, consumption per mature plant- up to 2-3 liters), or you can use aluminum sulfate (dig into the soil, up to 500 grams per 1 square meter).
Improper pruning in spring and/or autumn
No trimming for example, actually it is impossible to achieve chic and friendly flowering of tree hydrangea, which blooms only on the shoots of the current year. Therefore, it can be argued that pruning directly affects flowering. But you should understand that this does not apply to all hydrangeas. That is why it is very important to know the characteristics of your particular species and variety, because other species bloom on last year’s shoots, and if you cut them out every year, the hydrangea simply will not be able to bloom.
Important! Often not experienced flower growers remove flower buds. In this case, the hydrangea will not bloom next year. Therefore, most often, although the essence of pruning does not change.
In addition, some types and varieties of hydrangeas form too many shoots; in this case, excess branches growing inside the bushes must be removed so that the bushes do not thicken. If in a timely manner do not thin out the bushes, the inflorescences will be smaller, and on heavily dense perennials, flowers may not appear at all.
It is equally important to periodically (every 4-5 years) carry out anti-aging pruning, because Inflorescences will not appear on very old branches.
Video: how to achieve flowering of tree hydrangea through correct pruning
By the way! You can check out nuances and hydrangeas in separate detailed articles on our website.
Lack of shelter for the winter
It is necessary to cover hydrangeas for the winter in most regions of our country. This is done so that the flower buds do not freeze out - in this case, the perennial will not bloom next year. However, not all types of hydrangeas need shelter. Thus, the tree-like and paniculate varieties are quite frost-resistant, but they should also be lightly hilled or mulched, while the large-leaved variety must be covered for the winter.
Before the onset of cold weather, all shoots are tied together and covered non-woven material. Or you can simply cover the stems with coniferous spruce branches on top, which will protect the plants well from temperature changes. However, it is still better to install the frame on top and place covering material on it.
Important! About, what hydrangeas are and how to properly cover them for the winter, read in detail.
Video: why large-leaved hydrangea does not bloom and winters poorly
Diseases and pests
Most often, hydrangea does not suffer from anything, and it is rarely overcome by any pests. In addition, she can quite successfully resist such attacks on her own. But if the plant does become ill with something, and because of this its flowering has stopped, then you urgently need to help it.
For example, most often hydrangeas experience chlorosis, which manifests itself in the fact that the leaf blades begin to turn pale, become light-bile in color, spots appear on them, and they begin to fall off, and the flower ovaries become smaller. This occurs due to alkalization of the soil and a lack of iron in it. To defeat the disease, you need to add an increased amount of iron and an acidifier to the soil for its normal and rapid absorption. A solution or iron chelate, as well as one of the acidulants (sulfuric acid, vinegar or citric acid), is suitable for this. For example, in a bucket of water, mix 20-40 grams of citric acid and 20-30 grams of iron sulfate.
Fungal diseases“attack” hydrangeas very rarely and only when the soil is too moist. Therefore, to prevent them, you should follow the watering regime so that the soil is moist, but without stagnating moisture in it. However, it happens that on the leaves of hydrangea you may notice powdery mildew. Treatment with a solution or
The most common pests that can appear on hydrangeas are:
- slugs and snails;
- spider mite;
But for strong and strong shrubs, attacks from such pests are not terrible. Usually they can be dealt with traditional methods: spraying with soap or onion infusion. Or you can use insecticides such as Fitoverm, Fufanon or Actellik.
Thus, in conclusion, I would like to note that all varieties of hydrangeas are distinguished by long-lasting and abundant flowering, if these shrubs are properly cared for and initially planted according to all recommendations. However, it is worth recognizing that these flowers can hardly be called unpretentious, since if the watering regime is violated, improper feeding, lack of acidification, or incorrect pruning, these perennial shrubs may stop flowering. But if you follow all the rules for caring for these perennials, you can be sure that hydrangeas will thank their owners with abundant and lush flowering.
Video: how to achieve gorgeous hydrangea blooms
Heiress of the Far East natural species and selection novelties of the European collection, hydrangea (Hydrangea), as this flower is called in botanical atlases, is represented in domestic floriculture by several varieties resistant to cool summers and harsh winters:
There are no evergreen forms among them. Sometimes, for wintering, certain varieties have to be transplanted into pots and brought indoors, but minus temperature up to 10◦C, and even -25◦C, some of the hydrangeas (for example, paniculata) can withstand reliable temperatures.
All parts of the growing hydrangea are considered poisonous because they contain cyanogenic glycoids, but folk medicine root extract is used as a tonic, wound healing, diuretic and analgesic.
Necessary conditions for flowering
Among gardeners, there are two opinions on cultivating hydrangea: unpretentious plant, and - quite capricious. They are based on correct and incorrect choice landing spots.
After all, growth inhibition, poor flowering, chlorosis or powdery mildew- a consequence of unsuccessful placement of the bush, or choice of soil composition. The plant may also suffer from an excess of gardener love: excessively flooded or “fed” with fertilizers.
Optimal conditions for growth:
- Well-lit hill above the horizon groundwater, where there is no direct sun, but partial shade forms.
- Natural or artificial protection from constant winds and rainfall.
- Podzolic soils and nutritious loams; acidity is not higher than pH4.5-5.
- Constant moisture of the earthen coma.
- Temperature background is not lower than +12◦С.
- Regular removal of weeds and shoots from the root circle.
- Formative pruning.
- Proper preparation for wintering.
IMPORTANT: In areas with alkaline soil for the well-being of the bush, artificial acidifiers are used: lemon or oxalic acid(30 ml per bucket of water), and even battery electrolyte(1 ml per liter of water).
Watch a video about the conditions for lush flowering of hydrangea:
The ability to influence color is a rare gift of nature to man.
At the very beginning of flowering, regardless of the variety, they all have a light green color. Only over time does it become obvious what color the panicles will be.
The palette of blooming hydrangea: from chaste white and pale beige through all shades of pink to delicate tones of lilac, blue and blue. It's hard to believe but The color of the inflorescences is determined by the acidity and content of chemical elements in the soil:
- the presence of Al or Fe in the form of alum guarantees all shades of blue;
- on slightly alkaline soils, sterile flowers will have a pink (natural) color;
- The addition of peat also contributes to the color change.
ATTENTION: Harmless ones are commercially available chemical compositions, capable of changing the color of inflorescences, with greater or less intensity depending on the amount of added substance.
This treatment is carried out at the beginning of the growing season. Regular use of additives gives unambiguous color of panicles, irregular use results in two-colored appearance.
Special hybrids of hydrangeas have been developed that can change color and are very easily “repainted” into the desired color - “NikkoBlue”, “Blaumeise”, etc. The snow-white varieties are the most difficult to change color; at best, their inflorescences can become slightly pink tint. By influencing color samples, you can get complex shades of red and blue - lilac, violet.
People have discovered this feature of influencing the color of hydrangea inflorescences experimentally a long time ago: they buried rusty objects in the bush or watered the plant rusty water.
How to prolong the joy of admiring?
A flowering bush pleases the eye for several months; inflorescences cut for a bouquet stand in water for 2 weeks. But the desire to extend the flowering season prompted florists to preserve blooming hydrangeas different ways for up to a year. This is drying:
Such a flower will last floral composition year, without loss of color, but then it will still fade.
You need to cut flowers for drying at the end of the season., when fertile flowers begin to actively bloom, and sterile ones begin to change color and fade. It is very difficult to catch this moment: if you hurry, the flowers will dry for a very long time, to the detriment of their beauty; if you are late, they will turn from colored to brown. Plucking faded flowers is also not recommended, as this can cause the entire panicle to wither.
IMPORTANT: Hydrangea does not tolerate drought, but excess moisture is also harmful to it. From him appear fungal diseases, the roots may rot. A weakened plant is a home for aphids, mites and nematodes.
Read more about how to protect garden hydrangea from diseases and pests.
Watch a video about drying methods:
Why doesn’t it bloom in the garden and what should be done in such cases?
This is perhaps the most important disappointment of the gardener. Well, in the first year - of course, it’s too early for her. And then? The reason may be:
- an incorrectly selected variety for a given region;
- artificial stimulation of a pre-sale copy, as can be seen from the emerging buds;
- a sharp change in the substrate in which the purchased plant was located and the garden soil;
- lack of development of the root system;
- early release of the bush from frost protection in spring;
- frost damage to the upper buds;
- improper pruning of stems, with the removal of flower buds;
- constant plant stay in the shade;
- lack of a fertilizer complex.
Correctly identifying the causes will help to correctly eliminate them, and wait for the solemn moment: the lush flowering of the hydrangea bush.
Often, even experienced gardeners are faced with the problem of a lack of flowers in their garden. This plant is demanding on growing conditions. The slightest mistake in care can lead to its buds withering and falling off, or even not appearing at all.
To ensure long and abundant flowering of young and adult bushes, you need to know what factors most often affect their flowering. In this case, you can quickly fix the problem when it appears.
The main reasons for the lack of flowering and their solution
Most often, novice flower growers make the following gross mistakes in flower care. Why garden hydrangea does not bloom:
Anomalies in the growth and development of the root system are often encountered, especially in newly acquired plants. This leads to disruption of the development of the bush and lack of flowering.
Let's look at the reasons why hydrangea does not bloom in more detail.
Preparing for winter
Hydrangea does not tolerate frost. Any drop in air temperature below 0ºC can lead to freezing of flower buds. In this case, the plant will not bloom. To protect the bush from frost, it needs to be covered for the winter.
Without waiting for autumn frosts, the leaves are torn off the bush, the branches are tied together with a rope and wrapped in covering material. The bush is bent to the ground and covered with spruce branches. In the spring, it is gradually freed from spruce branches, but is finally opened only with the disappearance of frost and the onset of warmth.
Trimming
In order for the plant to bloom, it must be pruned correctly. In spring, dry, old and weak branches are pruned.
All well-developed shoots from last year are not touched. Usually it is at their tops that flowers form. If an inexperienced gardener trims these shoots, the plant will not form buds and will not bloom.
Top dressing
Hydrangea does not respond well to excess fertilizer in the soil. It is especially harmful to apply nitrogen fertilizers to the soil in summer and early autumn.
They are used to enhance the growth of green mass and do not promote flowering in any way. A fast growth shoots in the fall leads to the fact that they do not have time to ripen before the cold weather and freeze.
Proper feeding of the plant is carried out several times a season. At the end of spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied to enhance the growing season. In summer, fertilizing with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers is used to stimulate and maintain flowering. At the beginning of September, potassium-phosphorus preparations are introduced to strengthen the shoots and prepare for winter.
Root development and flowering
To flower, the bush must have a powerful root system. If the roots are poorly developed, there is no hope for early flowering. Bushes that are too young or overfed with fertilizers can take several years to form roots. And only after that such bushes bloom.
Choosing the right place to plant a bush and caring for it will allow you to overcome all difficulties and achieve annual flowering.
The flowering of a bush can also be affected by:
- Insufficient watering;
- High air temperature;
- Excess sunlight or lack thereof;
- Heavy clay soil.
Reasons for the lack of flowering in some species and varieties
U various types hydrangeas have their own reasons for the absence of flowers and buds, peculiar only to this variety. Among garden hydrangeas, the following are especially popular:
Let's look at the most likely reasons why they don't bloom.
Paniculata hydrangea is the most frost-resistant type. It tolerates cold so easily that it does not need to be covered at all for the winter. Its buds do not freeze over, since the inflorescences form on the shoots of the current year. However, this species may not bloom for some other reasons.
The main reason why paniculata hydrangea does not bloom is the unsuitable composition of the soil.. Heavy loamy soil with weak acidity is more suitable for such a plant. Light sandy soils are not acceptable for this species.
Also, very often the plant refuses to bloom due to lack of nutrition. Therefore, special attention must be paid to feeding.
Why large-leaved hydrangea does not bloom: most often due to freezing of shoots and buds. There are many varieties of this species that have varying winter hardiness.
While some of them can be grown in open ground, covered for the winter, others freeze even with careful covering. Such varieties can only be grown indoors as potted plants.
Pruning large-leaved hydrangeas should also be done carefully.. Flowers form on last year's shoots, which cannot be touched during pruning. If you shorten them, the flower buds will be removed and the plant will not bloom.
This species is quite frost-resistant. However, if the bushes are not covered, in severe winter conditions most of the flower buds will freeze. In summer, a frozen bush will not bloom. Therefore, the plant needs to be covered for the winter.
This species needs to be fed regularly., first with fertilizers for leaf growth, then with fertilizers for flowering. Without feeding, the plant will refuse to bloom.
The reason why tree hydrangea does not bloom may be improper watering. In overdried soil, especially in the summer heat, such a bush develops very slowly and never blooms.
Garden hydrangea has refused to bloom for several years now.
Your garden beauty pleased you with its annual flowering, but for several years now there have been no flowers on it. What is the reason? If the bush was protected from frost, it was fertilized and watered correctly, most probable cause lack of buds are diseases and pests. Sick or affected harmful insects the plant will not bloom.
Aphids settle on garden hydrangea, spider mites, weevils and many other pests. To kill insects, it is recommended to treat the bush with insecticides.
Hydrangea is most often affected by viral mosaic disease and fungal diseases: downy mildew and gray rot. To destroy fungi, the bush is treated with fungicidal preparations. In case of a viral infection, all affected areas of the plant are cut out and burned.
Proper feeding of garden hydrangea for flowering
What to do if garden hydrangea does not bloom - perhaps the reasons are feeding. Feeding hydrangea is a mandatory procedure for correct height and flowering. Spring, summer and autumn are fundamentally different in the composition of the fertilizers used.
At the beginning of spring When leaf mass is actively growing, the plant requires nitrogen fertilizers. Usually a mixture of urea and potassium sulfate is used. One tablespoon of these substances is diluted in 10 liters of water. An adult hydrangea bush requires about 5 liters of solution. Sometimes slurry is used for irrigation, which is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10.
At the end of spring When the period of bud formation begins, it is recommended to feed the plant with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
Superphosphate gives the best results. One tablespoon of this substance is dissolved in 10 liters of water. You can also use any other mineral complex fertilizer.
During summer period , when the plant is actively blooming, it is fed 2-3 times with special fertilizers for flowering plants garden plants. It is also useful to acidify the soil in the place where the bush grows.
To do this, use whey or citric acid. The serum is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3. Citric acid take on the tip of a tablespoon and dissolve in 10 liters of water.
Early autumn To strengthen the shoots and prepare for winter, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are applied. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate and superphosphate in 10 liters of water and water the hydrangea bushes.
Now you know why hydrangea doesn’t bloom in the garden, but what to do if you have a houseplant?
Why doesn't hydrangea bloom indoors?
IN room conditions The following reasons are possible why hydrangea refuses to bloom:
- Wrong choice of lighting;
- Unsuitable soil composition for the plant;
- Lack of moisture in the soil and air;
- Sudden changes in temperature;
- Bush age.
So that the plant in the room blooms every year, it must be kept in a lighted place, but straight Sun rays should not fall on the leaves. If there is too little or too much lighting, flowering will most likely not occur.
The plant loves acidified soil. Also for indoor varieties it shouldn't be very heavy. Clay soil won't do.
It is better to choose a purchased fertile soil mixture without clay, but with a small amount of peat. Also, we must not forget about the annual transplantation of the bush in new soil so that it blooms long and abundantly.
The flower does not tolerate dry soil and too dry air. For creating optimal conditions For its growth and flowering, it is necessary to keep the earthen ball in the pot always moist, and spray the leaves with settled water.
Do not allow a sudden change in temperature in the room where the flower grows. In such conditions, it does not grow buds. If the buds have already formed, then a sharp drop in temperature may cause them to fall off.
Over time, the plant, even with good care, stops blooming. It is recommended to grow the bush for no more than 4-5 years, after which it is better to replace the plant with a young one. You can read more about caring for hydrangea at home.