Content
- 1 Description of the hydrangea variety Pinky Winky
- 2 Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky in landscape design
- 3 Winter hardiness of hydrangea Pinky Winky
- 4 Planting and caring for Pinky Winky hydrangea
- 5 Propagation of Pinky Winky hydrangea
- 6 Pests and diseases of Pinky Winky hydrangea
- 7 Conclusion
- 8 Reviews of Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky
The Pinky Winky hydrangea, which produces beautiful inflorescences throughout the summer, will help ensure long-term flowering of the garden. This variety is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful. The color of the panicles varies from white and greenish to rich pink tones. Thanks to this, Pinky Winky attracts attention and lifts the mood.
Description of the hydrangea variety Pinky Winky
This variety of hydrangea is a small, fairly compact shrub with elastic shoots. The height of the Pinky Winky hydrangea is about 1.5-2 m, so sometimes it even looks like a small tree with a dense crown. The greens have classic dark green shades that turn to orange-red tones in the fall.
Hydrangea blooms almost the entire season - from June until the beginning of October.At the same time, the flowers regularly change their color. At first they are pure white, then pink panicles appear, after which a greenish color may even appear. At the same time, inflorescences of different shades can be placed on the same brush, making the bush look very beautiful even on its own.
Thanks to its unusual coloring, Pinky Winky is considered one of the most attractive varieties of hydrangeas.
Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky in landscape design
The inflorescences of the Pinky Winky hydrangea are quite large: the length is 25-30 cm. Throughout the season, they densely dot the bush and look great both against the background of the lawn and along houses and other structures. Therefore, such a flowering tree can be used in the garden, in single plantings, and in flower beds:
- Hydrangea planted next to the porch of the house.
- Landing option close to home.
- Hydrangea can also be used with other plants in a common flower bed: since the other flowers and bushes are not so tall, it is better to plant them in front.
- The bush also looks good in single plantings.
- Pinky Winky and other hydrangea varieties are often placed next to a bench.
- To give the plant the appearance of a flowering tree, Pinky Winky hydrangea on a trunk is also used in the design of the side.
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Pinky Winky
The plant is characterized by high winter hardiness: there is evidence that the bush survives even when the temperature drops to -25 degrees. However, if the temperature in the region can drop lower, for example, to -30, the hydrangea must be covered for the winter. For this, any material is used (burlap, agrofibre). The roots are mulched with pine needles and leaves.
According to the experience of gardeners, adult Pinky Winky hydrangea bushes do not need shelter, since they survive even at 30-degree frosts: the older the plant, the higher its winter hardiness. However, young shoots can still die in such conditions, so it is better to take care of shelter in advance.
One of the simplest shelters is plastic film fixed with bricks.
Planting and caring for Pinky Winky hydrangea
Hydrangea Pinky Winky is a rather capricious plant for which you need to carefully choose a place. In addition, it requires good watering, especially during hot periods, timely application of fertilizers and pruning.
Selection and preparation of a landing site
When choosing a suitable place to plant a plant, you need to pay attention to the following factors:
- lighting level;
- soil fertility;
- attractiveness (will the bush fit into the design of a garden or other area);
- openness to winds (the plant does not tolerate constant drafts).
Panicle hydrangea Pinky Winky loves light, but not too bright light. At the same time, it does not tolerate shading well. Therefore, you can plant such a bush in light shade from other bushes or trees. If you place it near the house, then only on the south or southeast side, since otherwise there will be very little light and abundant flowering will not be achieved.
Pinky Winky likes bright places, protected from strong winds (near buildings or other trees).
Rules for planting hydrangea variety Pinky Winky
The soil for hydrangea must be fertile. Optimal composition (all parts in equal quantities):
- leaf soil;
- coniferous land;
- humus;
- peat;
- sand.
The bush takes root well on chernozems and light loams.The fundamental requirement is that the soil must have a slightly acidic reaction. Pinky Winky, like other hydrangeas, does not tolerate alkaline soil. You can acidify in different ways:
- sawdust, pine needles;
- fresh manure;
- leaf compost;
- high peat;
- ferrous sulfate (500 g per 10 m2);
- citric acid (1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water);
- 9% vinegar (100 ml per 10 liters of water).
Pinky Winky hydrangea is planted at the very beginning of spring, even before the juices flow. The planting technology is simple:
- First, dig a hole with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of no more than 50 cm. Its size should be such that the roots of the seedling are placed freely. At the same time, there is no need to make the hole too large - the root system of the plant is superficial.
- Water the hole generously with water - you will need 2-3 standard buckets.
- Then the soil of the required composition is prepared, for example, based on leaf, coniferous soil and humus.
- Prepare the seedlings - to do this you need to trim the roots a little so that they become the same size. The shoots are also trimmed to 1-2 buds (although this is not necessary).
Next, the plant is installed exactly in the center - so that the root collar remains visible (at ground level). The bush is watered again, after which the roots are mulched with peat and sawdust.
The hole should be spacious for the seedling, but not very deep
Watering and fertilizing
Pinky Winky loves water very much, so the optimal watering regime is as follows:
- in the presence of natural heavy rainfall, watering is excluded;
- 1 time per week in spring, in autumn in case of complete absence of rain;
- 2 times a week in the summer, if the weather is hot, dry.
The top layer of soil should remain slightly moist if possible. But excessive moisture is also not allowed - it harms the plant.
Fertilizing for hydrangea is extremely important - if you do not apply fertilizer, the bush will not grow as actively, and flowering may stop completely. Therefore, fertilizing is applied at least once a month (on poor soils it can be every 2 weeks). The application mode is as follows:
- As soon as the first leaves appear in the spring, nitrogen compounds are added. You can use both mineral and organic fertilizers (infusion of mullein or chicken droppings).
- As soon as the first buds begin to form on the bush, potassium and phosphorus compounds are added monthly. They will ensure the longest and most luxuriant flowering. At the same time, in mid-summer they stop giving nitrogen.
- The regime of fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium is valid until the end of August. At this point, the application of all fertilizers stops - the plant must prepare for a dormant period.
Pruning Pinky Winky Hydrangea
Hydrangeas need to be pruned regularly. The main haircut is carried out at the very beginning of spring (after the snow has melted). The main task is to remove all damaged shoots and give them the correct shape. To do this you need to delete branches:
- in a dense crown;
- advocating for common boundaries;
- growing inside the bush.
To form the correct crown, shoots up to 5 buds are removed from young bushes, and from adults they are removed almost completely, leaving branches 5-7 cm high.
The most convenient way to prune is with pruning shears.
Preparing Pinky Winky hydrangea for winter
Seedlings up to 3 years of age are usually grown indoors, since their shoots can be damaged even at a temperature of -1 degrees. And even adult plants in the unfavorable Russian climate (especially in Siberia and the Urals) need winter shelter.
Preparation for winter is carried out in several stages:
- In the fall, the final pruning is carried out: it is necessary to remove dead, damaged branches, and treat the cuts with ash or a special solution. At the same time, it is not necessary to remove dry inflorescences - they can be left to decorate the garden in winter.
- All fallen leaves are removed from under the bush. It is better to take it away or simply burn it.
- Hydrangea is covered with the help of available materials - burlap, agrofibre.
- As soon as the first frosts begin, the roots must be mulched with sawdust, bark, and peat. The layer should be large - up to 10 cm.
You can cover the bush with regular burlap
Propagation of Pinky Winky hydrangea
The bush can be propagated in the usual ways:
- seeds (rarely used, since a full-fledged seedling will appear after 2-3 years);
- layering;
- cuttings.
Among them, the easiest way is to propagate Pinky Winky hydrangea by cuttings. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Green cuttings are cut at the beginning of summer at the stage of bud formation.
- Young apical shoots are selected, leaving 2-3 pairs of leaves.
- The bottom 2 leaves are removed, the rest are cut in half.
- The petiole is soaked overnight in a solution of a root stimulator, for example, for this you can choose “Epin” (0.5 ml per 1 liter of water).
- After an hour, the cuttings can be planted in damp sand at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Immediately after this, they need to be sprayed with water and covered with a glass jar.
- It is necessary to water periodically, until transplanting into a container with soil.
The first roots will appear within a month - at this stage the cutting can be transplanted into a pot, and transferred to a permanent place next spring
Pests and diseases of Pinky Winky hydrangea
Pinky Winky is susceptible to the same diseases and pests as other hydrangea varieties. Therefore, when organizing care, it is necessary to carry out periodic preventive maintenance and inspect the plant.
Most often, the bush is affected by chlorosis (yellowing) and burns of the foliage. In these cases, it is necessary to feed the plant and transplant it to a less lit place. If the bush does not bloom, it means that it needs potassium and phosphorus fertilizers, which should be applied 1-2 times a month.
Fungal diseases of hydrangea are often observed:
- powdery mildew;
- leaf spot;
- gray rot;
- root rot.
Various fungicides are used to prevent and treat Pinky Winky hydrangea. Spraying is carried out according to the instructions, in dry and windless weather at sunset.
Finally, the plant cannot be ruled out by pests - mainly aphids and spider mites. Treatment for them is carried out with insecticides or folk remedies (solution of wood ash, soda, ammonia).
The presence of yellow-brown spots on the leaves is a clear sign of spider mites
Conclusion
Pinky Winky hydrangea is easy to grow, since the variety is fully adapted to the climatic conditions of Russia.It can be grown not only in the middle zone, but even in the Urals and Siberia. If you feed it in a timely manner, the bush will bloom all summer and September. This is an important advantage that distinguishes hydrangea from many other flowers.
