Content
Hydrangeas come in a wide variety of varieties. Magical Sweet Summer is one of the most unusual of them. Compact, beautiful bushes retain their high decorative value even without flowering. At any time of the year, the Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea will look spectacular on the site and harmoniously complement other garden compositions. If you follow the rules of planting and agricultural technology, you can grow luxurious bushes that will delight you with their abundant, delicate blooms all summer long.
The color of the variety changes depending on the stage of flowering
Description of hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer
This variety is paniculate, and it was bred back in 2006 by Dutch breeders. The bush is quite compact (maximum height is 1.5 m). The crown is spherical and voluminous. Elongated inflorescences, which resemble bunches of grapes in appearance, are evenly distributed over its surface.Their length reaches 15 cm.
The color of the inflorescences changes depending on the stage of flowering. At the very beginning they acquire a pistachio hue, gradually turning into beige and, finally, light pink. The beauty of the unusual flowers of the Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea can be admired from the second half of July until mid-October. Autumn coolness does not interfere with flowering.
Another decorative element of the shrub is the foliage, which, closer to autumn, turns from rich green to different shades of purple.
Hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer in landscape design
Bushes with a voluminous, beautiful crown and unusual flowers look good in single plantings. They are also used as hedges, planting cuttings around the perimeter of the garden.
Another option is to line paths paved with beautiful slabs
In group plantings, daisies, roses and lilies will help highlight the beauty of the Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea. Among shrubs, lilac and thuja are considered the best neighbors.
You can organize a small flowerbed in the yard, where medicinal herbs and wildflowers will grow along with hydrangeas
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer
Hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer is highly frost-resistant. In most areas, the shrub overwinters well without additional shelter. An exception may be young plants. It is recommended to dig them up without damaging the earthen ball on the roots. The plant is transferred to a pot or tub and placed in a warm place
If you create the right conditions, the hydrangea will delight you with its beauty all winter, but the bush will have practically no energy left for spring flowering.
Planting and caring for hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer
This variety of hydrangea has a shallow root system, so proximity to large trees in the garden is undesirable. They will draw large amounts of moisture and nutrients from the soil, which will slow down the growth and development of the hydrangea.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
Hydrangea paniculata Magical Sweet Summer prefers partial shade and soft diffused light. Open areas in direct sunlight are not suitable in this case. You should also avoid drafts, as they have a detrimental effect on the condition of the shoots and inflorescences.
Before planting, special attention is paid to the composition of the soil and the condition of the site. The soil should be quite loose, fertile and have a high acidity level. To achieve this, you need to use several important components: garden soil, humus, coarse river sand and peat, crushed into crumbs. Another option is to combine soil from the swamp with compost and peat (in equal proportions).
But ash, fresh organic fertilizers and lime components are not used. In such an environment, hydrangea begins to hurt and quickly dies. Before planting, the area is cleared of weed residues and loosened.
Landing rules
It is necessary to prepare a landing hole in advance. To do this, measure the volume of the root system of the cutting along with the earthen ball and multiply by at least 1.5. This is exactly the width that an ideal hole should be.A layer of good drainage is placed at the bottom, and the prepared earthen mixture is poured on top. After that it is watered. This will require 2-3 buckets of pre-settled water. Watering is carried out 24 hours in advance so that the moisture can permeate the different layers of the soil.
Before planting, the roots of the Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea are carefully straightened and the ends are trimmed to about 4 cm.
The cutting is lowered into the hole and carefully sprinkled with soil on top. It is necessary to ensure that the bush is in a strictly vertical position. The soil is compacted from above and watered again. In order for the bush to grow well, its shoots are shortened so that no more than 5 strong buds remain on each.
Often several bushes of Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea are planted at once. In this case, a distance of approximately 2 m is left between them so that the roots have enough space. And it will be much easier to care for such neat plantings. To preserve moisture, the ground near the cuttings is mulched with sawdust, chopped tree bark or pine needles. During the process of decomposition, these components will become a good source of nutrients.
Watering and fertilizing
For normal growth and development of the Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea, a large amount of moisture is required. The soil near the roots should not dry out. There is no specific irrigation scheme. It all depends on the climatic characteristics of a particular region and the rate of drying of the soil. You can select the optimal frequency by constantly observing the plant.
Tap water must be settled so that chlorine is removed from it. Because of this substance, Magical Sweet Summer hydrangeas often get sick. It is best to water the bushes early in the morning or late in the evening. This will protect the roots and leaves from getting burned.Regular spraying will help the plant survive too hot days.
Hydrangea paniculata Hydrangea Paniculata Magical Sweet Summer best absorbs liquid fertilizers. During one growing season, fertilizers are applied 3 to 4 times. This helps to obtain abundant flowering and strengthen the bush before the winter cold.
Fertilizing is carried out in three stages:
- At the beginning of spring. This procedure will help the bush quickly grow green mass. Use organic solutions, for example, urea (1 part to 10 parts water).
- At the end of spring. During this period, ammonium sulfate (50 g) and potassium sulfate (15 g) are required for the same amount of water.
- During bud setting and flowering. Potassium sulfate (40 g) and superphosphate (25 g) are additionally added to the previous base composition.
Soil fertilization must be balanced. A lack or excess of nutrients will equally negatively affect the condition of hydrangea.
Pruning Hydrangea paniculata Magical Sweet Summer
In the fall, sanitary pruning is usually done. All dry inflorescences are removed from the bush, and old branches are also trimmed. In the spring, weak and frost-damaged shoots are removed from the Magical Sweet Summer hydrangea. At the same time, shorten the stems (so that 4 to 6 buds remain).
You can also do rejuvenating pruning of old bushes, getting rid of all the dried branches right down to the stump. Over time, young strong branches will grow, and the bush will become lush and healthy.
Preparing for winter
Young bushes of Magical Sweet Summer need additional shelter for the winter. They can be sprinkled with earth, sawdust or fallen leaves. Mature bushes are bent to the ground and insulated on top using lutrasil or roofing felt. The material is additionally secured to the ground with bricks.The procedure must be carried out carefully so as not to break the branches.
Reproduction
You can grow hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer in the following ways:
- Cuttings. Root shoots are used as material for cuttings. They are cut in June or July. Up to 5 healthy and strong buds are left on each branch. On the lower part of the cutting, all large leaves are removed, but small ones can be left untouched. The finished cuttings are buried in the ground at an angle to a depth of approximately 2-3 cm. It is not recommended to cover the plantings with film. Under non-breathable material, putrefactive processes begin.
Care must be taken to ensure that the soil is not dry
- By layering. Many cuttings are formed on a healthy mother bush. Of these, you need to select the most viable ones, remove the bark and some leaves from them. Then the shoot is carefully pinned to the ground and covered with a layer of soil, leaving only the top on the surface. This procedure is usually carried out in June in order to obtain the first young seedlings in the fall. With the arrival of cold weather, they need to be well covered. By next year, the cuttings will turn into a full-fledged seedling with fully formed roots. It is separated and transplanted from the mother bush.
Diseases and pests
Hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer is resistant to most diseases and pests. Infection often occurs from unkempt plants that grow in the neighborhood. Another reason is improper care.
The greatest danger is posed by:
- chlorosis;
- powdery mildew;
- spider mite;
- aphid.
For preventive and therapeutic treatment, common insecticides and fungicides are used. They can be either biological or chemical.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Magical Sweet Summer is one of the most successful varieties.It combines almost all the positive features of different species. On any personal plot it will take its rightful place. Growing does not cause much trouble, but the result amazes even experienced gardeners. Beautiful flowers of different shades appear on one bush, looking like a magical rainbow.
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