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It is not always just about your own plants: there may be a snowball hydrangea in a friend's garden that is blooming very nicely: In this text you will find out how you can easily multiply them.

In a nutshell

  • Snowball hydrangeas are easy to propagate
  • various possibilities
  • It is easiest to use cuttings or sticks
  • large hydrangeas can also be divided

Propagation by cuttings

It is possible to propagate snowball hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) by cuttings. You can find out how this works in the following instructions.

1. select suitable shoots

Only healthy shoots can be used for propagation. These must not show any signs of disease or pests. The selected shoot must be firm and fresh green. In addition, must not have flowers or buds.

2. Cut shoots

  • correct pruning time is in July
  • but it should not be too warm or too dry
  • Use a sharp knife or appropriate scissors
  • It is best to disinfect tools beforehand
  • Cut off the shoot below the third pair of leaves
  • produce cut edges that are as smooth as possible

3. Treat shoots

  • remove the lower pair of leaves
  • Cut diagonally below the leaf knot
  • Cut the middle pair of leaves in half to reduce evaporation
  • cut above the shoot
  • Then let the cuttings dry a bit

4. Prepare the culture vessel

To prevent waterlogging, provide a pot or bowl with a drainage layer, which can consist of gravel or clay granules. Then fill in the potting soil for hydrangeas, moisten and press down slightly. To increase the humidity, cover the culture pot with foil. Cut some cling film or have a freezer bag ready. Small wooden sticks are suitable as spacers between the foil and the surface of the earth.

5. Plant cuttings

  • Dip shoots in rooting powder
  • dig a few inches deep into the ground
  • be careful not to crush the shoots
  • Press down the soil well around the shoots
  • water carefully without washing away soil

6. Cover the culture vessels

After planting the shoots, the seed pot is covered. To do this, stick the wooden sticks into the ground at a small distance. The shoots must protrude. Carefully stretch the foil over it and then attach it to the edge of the container with clips, a string or a rubber band. It is important that the film is removed from time to time to air out.

Notice: A greenhouse is also suitable for growing cuttings, but it must not be in the sun.

7. Care until planting out

  • Set up planters in the shade
  • Avoid too dark corners as well as too much sun
  • don't water too much
  • protect from wind outdoors
  • can also stand in a cool place in the house
  • Root formation then takes place after about two weeks
  • recognizable by the formation of new leaves or shoots

8. Repot and plant out

In the first year, young plants are still too sensitive to be kept outdoors. You should therefore transplant the young snowball hydrangeas individually into larger pots and then place them in the garden. In the winter you have to put them back inside the house and plant them in the garden in the intended spot next spring.

Propagate with sticks

Propagating snowball hydrangeas using sticks is the same as propagating using cuttings. The only difference is in the shoots used. Sticks are woody shoots, they are cut in the cold season. This eliminates the need to remove or trim the leaves. Propagation then takes place in early spring.

Propagate by division

Snowball hydrangeas can also be propagated by division. Shrubs that are not too big are best for this, as the root ball has to be dug up. The bale is then divided into pieces with a sharp spade. Simply plant these sections back in the designated places in the garden.

Propagation by offshoots

An offshoot of a shrub is formed by rooting a shoot on the ground and later separating it from the mother plant.

Manual:

  • Bend down long, healthy shoots of snapball hydrangea
  • fix it to the ground with two hooks
  • leave a larger gap
  • pile up this space with soil so that the shoot disappears into the soil
  • as soon as shoots push through the earth, roots have formed
  • Separate the shoot from the mother plant
  • cut off excess length
  • replant the rooted section

Notice: Root suckers sometimes form, which can be severed and dug up. With these, the hydrangeas can also be multiplied.

frequently asked Questions

Do these propagation methods also work with other hydrangeas?

Yes, depending on the type, one or the other variant may work better.

How can infection with pathogens be prevented?

This is best achieved by working cleanly and dipping the shoots in charcoal powder before they come into contact with the ground. Any open wounds should also be treated with the powder.

Why is a division not so well suited for propagation?

When dividing, the root ball, including the plant, is divided into at least two halves. However, the shape of the bush is destroyed in the process. A previously round-cut hydrangea no longer looks so attractive.

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Category:

Garden plants