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Hydrangea are one of the most popular garden plants in Germany, and they inspire with their dried flowers over the winter. The hydrangea likes to be included in a variety of garden projects and needs to be transplanted to a different location. However, this often becomes a problem as hydrangeas are site-loving plants that are best not transplanted. Because of this, it is important to know what is important when transplanting correctly.
reasons for conversion
A new location is always associated with stress for the hydrangea. Since the plants can grow very large and form densely branched, sensitive root networks, transplanting is only recommended if there are certain reasons:
- got too big
- bumps into building
- bad site characteristics, for example a lot of midday sun
- if you want to share the crop
If you are redesigning your garden and want to relocate the hydrangea for this reason, this is of course possible as long as it is relocated to a suitable place. However, before planting the hydrangea for the first time, you should always consider whether the location will need to be changed in the future. This saves you a lot of work, since relocating a hydrangea is not exactly easy.
location
Hydrangeas are extremely robust plants that are popular with gardeners in Central and Northern Europe because they tolerate shade. In order to maintain its vitality, a suitable place in the garden is necessary so that it does not become ill or weaken. Above all, too much sun can damage the plant. The new space in the garden should have the following characteristics:
- Light requirement: shady to semi-shady
- no direct midday sun
- Ideal place under sparse trees
- weatherproof
- permeable
- nutritious
- pH: 4.5 - 6.5
- enough space
Also make sure that there are no house walls, fences or other obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the hydrangea, as they could bump into them. Also, no sensitive plants should be in the immediate vicinity of the hydrangea. Otherwise, the hydrangea plant causes a nutrient deficit in the plant and can displace it in the long run. If you have a blue strain like 'Endless Summer' you can adjust the color by pH as this determines the hue:
- purple: 4.5 - 5.0
- blue: 5.2 - 5.5
- pink: 6.0 - 6.2
It is therefore essential to check your soil with test strips or a laboratory analysis for the pH value. This does not apply to white or yellow varieties.
tip: If the leaves of your hydrangea turn a pathological yellow in their new location within a short period of time, it is chlorosis. Chlorosis in hydrangeas is caused by too high a pH of 7.5, more rarely 7.0, and can be reduced by adding acidic substances such as ammonium sulphate, oak leaves, coffee grounds or pine needles.
time
When the hydrangeas are transplanted is just as important as the chosen place in the garden. Since the plants are very location-loyal and require a lot of energy during the flowering period, they should never be relocated during the summer. Especially the time between June and September should be mentioned here. The following possible dates are a good time to implement:
- autumn after flowering
- Spring before budding
- mild early winter
Autumn from mid-September to mid-October is ideal. Make sure that no frosts are to be expected after the hydrangea has been relocated, as this can severely affect the newly transplanted plants due to frostbite. This also applies to the spring date.
transplant
No matter when you transplant your hydrangea, the process is always the same. Choose a day when the sun does not “bang” on the earth or there is no cloud cover over the garden, as hydrangeas only tolerate direct sunshine to a limited extent when relocating. Rainy days are also not recommended, as this makes digging the planting pit much more difficult. Follow these instructions to transplant the hydrangea without stress:
manual
1. The first thing to do is to get the plant out of the ground. Since large specimens are quite heavy, you should prepare a sturdy foil over which you can transport the plant.
2. Now trim the crown of the hydrangea by 30 percent with clean and sharp secateurs. The less plant material left after transplanting, the faster she will get used to the new place.
3. Remove the planting material and begin digging a pit, using a spade and shovel, equal to the original diameter of the crown. Remove the soil from the outside in, being careful not to damage the fine roots.
4. As you dig up, keep lifting the plant to check how firmly it is still in the ground. The closer you get to the root ball, the smaller shovels or your hands, obviously in gardening gloves, should be used to dig up. After the entire bale has been dug, you can move the hydrangea to its new location. Make sure that there is still enough soil on the root ball during transport.
5. Now dig a planting pit at the chosen spot in the garden, which corresponds in size to the original planting place of the hydrangea. If the ground is always heavily compacted at this point, you should loosen the soil with sand or fine gravel. Alternatively, you can choose one of these three substrates and fill the pit with them:
- hydrangea soil
- azalea soil
- rhododendron soil
6. Check the pH and adjust if necessary. Then place the plant in the planting pit. A second person is recommended for this, because the hydrangea must be upright in the pit. Fill the planting hole with soil and water well.
7. After relocating, you need to water more for the first time, especially in dry, sunny weather conditions.
Share: Instructions
If you want to share a particularly large specimen, this is particularly useful when moving it. The plant is divided immediately after digging up and the individual sections are planted as described above in the new location or in buckets with a suitable substrate. Here's what to watch out for when sharing:
- use a sharp, disinfected saw
- saw carefully
- Saw must not tear
- Treat cut surfaces with charcoal
- this prevents bacteria, germs and viruses
You don't have to pay more attention to the division. The most important thing is a well-prepared tool that cuts through the root ball quickly and cleanly.