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Hydrangea Summer Snow is a low-growing perennial shrub with a spreading crown and attractive large white inflorescences. With proper care, they appear during July, August, September and even early October. Due to its high decorative value, Summer Snow is often used to decorate country gardens and country houses. The variety is characterized by high winter hardiness, which allows it to be grown in most regions of Russia.
Description of hydrangea Summer Snow
Summer Snow is a variety of paniculate hydrangea with snow-white flowers, collected in lush inflorescences in the form of large panicles (length up to 35 cm). It has a long flowering period - from mid-July until early October. Moreover, the first inflorescences appear already in the year the seedling is planted.
Hydrangea Summer Snow is a lush, spreading shrub with a dense spherical crown (mostly up to 80-150 cm in height).With proper care it grows up to 3 m, resembling a beautiful flowering tree. The leaves are large, with a pointed end, have a dark green color and a matte surface. Thanks to this, the inflorescences resemble snow dusting the bush. Therefore, the name hydrangea translates as “summer snow.”
Hydrangea Summer Snow has luxurious white flowers, which are collected in large panicle inflorescences
Hydrangea paniculata Summer Snow in landscape design
The paniculate hydrangea Hydrangea Paniculata Summer Snow will decorate the garden, flower garden, and front lawn well. Since the bush grows quite spreading and tall, the variety is often used in single plantings. Along with this, there are other applications. For example, it can be used:
- in mixborders with other colors;
- in compositions with perennial herbaceous plants;
- to form a hedge (in this case, the planting interval between neighboring seedlings is reduced to 80 cm).
Hydrangea Summer Snow looks good both against the backdrop of a lawn and on bare ground
Winter hardiness of hydrangea paniculata Living Summer Snow
Summer Snow is a variety with good winter hardiness. There is evidence that it can withstand winter frosts down to -35 degrees. Therefore, it is suitable for cultivation in almost all regions of Russia, including:
- Central part;
- Ural;
- South of Siberia;
- Far East.
Planting and caring for hydrangea Summer Snow
The bush is purchased from nurseries with the expectation that it can be planted in early spring (possibly in April, after the snow melts). The only exception is the Krasnodar Territory, the North Caucasus and other southern regions. Here Summer Snow, like other hydrangeas, can be planted in the fall (approximately in the second half of October).
Selection and preparation of a landing site
To choose the optimal location, you need to consider several points:
- Hydrangea Summer Snow loves well-lit hills where precipitation does not stagnate. If groundwater comes too close to the surface, the soil should be drained with small stones.
- A small shadow from buildings and neighboring bushes is allowed, and in the south this is even desirable.
- If possible, the site should be protected from strong drafts and wind - it is optimal to plant the Summer Snow hydrangea next to the house or other buildings.
- You should not plant the flower next to trees, as they absorb a lot of moisture.
Before planting the Summer Snow hydrangea, the area is cleared of debris and dug up. The optimal soil reaction is moderately acidic, with a pH of approximately 5.0. A neutral reaction is allowed, but Summer Love, like other varieties of hydrangea, will grow very poorly on highly alkaline soil. Therefore, you can first neutralize, for example, 9% vinegar (half a glass per 10 liters of water).
In open areas, Summer Snow hydrangea looks especially beautiful.
Landing rules
Before planting, it is necessary to prepare a fertile mixture of the following components:
- leaf soil (2 parts);
- humus (2 parts);
- peat (1 part);
- sand (1 part).
The landing process itself is simple:
- In the prepared area, holes are dug with a depth and a diameter of 30 cm.
- Root the seedling and sprinkle it with the mixture so that the root collar remains on the surface.
- Give 1-2 buckets of water.
Watering and fertilizing
This type of hydrangea has a high water requirement. Watering should be done regularly, so that the top layer of soil does not dry out, much less crack. The standard volume of water is 1 bucket per seedling and 2-3 per adult bush. Water once a week in the absence of precipitation, and a little more often in drought. If it rains, use the soil moisture as a guide.
Fertilizing is applied regularly (at least 3-4 times per season) to ensure lush and long flowering:
- At the beginning of spring (March-April) they give complex mineral fertilizer.
- At the beginning of spring, you can water it once with slurry diluted 10 times with water.
- At the stage of bud formation, it is useful to feed with superphosphates (70 g per 1 m2) and potassium sulfate (40 g per 1 m2).
- The last 2 feedings are applied in July and August: the composition is the same (potassium and phosphates).
For lush flowering, Summer Snow will need regular watering and fertilizing.
Pruning Hydrangea paniculata Summer Snow
The bush needs annual pruning, which is best done in early spring, before the buds begin to open (optimally when they swell). For cutting, use pruning shears or garden shears. The basic rules are:
- All dead and damaged shoots are removed.
- Well-developed branches are significantly shortened, leaving 3 buds.
- Old peduncles are removed completely (they produce flowers for 2 years in a row).
Preparing for winter
Summer Snow is highly frost-resistant, so it does not need special shelter. However, in the fall, it is advisable to lay out a layer of mulch from leaves, pine needles, peat, sawdust up to 6-7 cm and hill up the bush (15-20 cm) so that it survives the winter safely. If extreme frost below -30 degrees is possible in the region, it is advisable to cover the plant with spandbond, burlap or a special cover.
Reproduction
Hydrangea is bred:
- seeds;
- layering;
- vaccination;
- dividing the bush.
The simplest method is propagation by green cuttings. The instructions are as follows:
- Cut the apical shoots with 2-3 pairs of leaves.
- Remove the top leaves and shorten the bottom ones by half.
- Soak overnight in root stimulator.
- Plant in moistened sand and grow under glass for 1-1.5 months.
- After several pairs of leaves appear, transplant into a pot and send for the winter at a temperature of 14-16 degrees.
- In summer, transplant to a permanent place.
Summer Snow hydrangea cuttings can take root both in wet sand and in a glass of water
Diseases and pests
Summer Snow is quite resistant to diseases and pests. But periodically the bush can be affected by fungal infections:
- powdery mildew;
- gray rot;
- rust.
Also, various pests often parasitize foliage and roots:
- aphid;
- spider mite;
- Chafer;
- scoop.
To combat them, it is recommended to use effective fungicides (Bordeaux mixture, Skor, Maxim) and insecticides (Biotlin, Green Soap, Aktara).Preventive treatment is recommended in April.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Summer Snow is a rather unpretentious shrub that takes root well both in the middle zone and in the South, as well as beyond the Urals. If you regularly water and feed the plant, and also trim off unnecessary branches, the hydrangea will bloom for a very long time. Therefore, Summer Snow will surely appeal to all gardeners and will be able to decorate more than one garden.
