Hydrangea: what to feed in the fall for lush flowering, when to fertilize and how to do it

Many summer residents and gardeners, when choosing ornamental crops to decorate their plots, give preference to hydrangea. This beautiful shrub is covered in large buds of various colors in spring. In order for the plant to grow well and enjoy long, lush flowering, it is necessary to feed the hydrangea in the fall. This will give her strength and help accumulate nutrients for enhanced growth in the spring. For the procedure to be effective, mineral and organic substances must be correctly added, following the technology, dosage and timing.

Do I need to feed hydrangea in the fall?

During its flowering period, the shrub spends a lot of energy. In order for the plant to survive the winter better, it is necessary to replenish its supply of nutrients.To improve the appearance and abundant flowering until the coldest weather, it is necessary to feed the hydrangea in the fall.

Applying fertilizers in the autumn contributes to the effective formation of flower buds for the next season. If the hydrangea is not fed in the fall, it will weaken and become more susceptible to the effects of diseases and pests. A lack of nutrients will also affect the process of inflorescence formation. They will become small, the shades will become dull. Buds will appear less frequently. If you feed the hydrangea in the fall, it will get stronger and begin to grow actively with the onset of spring.

With the help of autumn feeding you can not only strengthen the hydrangea before wintering, but also get different colors of buds in the spring

When to fertilize hydrangeas in the fall

The optimal period for applying autumn fertilizing is the end of August and the beginning of September, when the hydrangea has already bloomed and the growth of new shoots has stopped. At this time, the root system actively absorbs nutrients from the soil, trying to create a supply of moisture and necessary elements.

Gardeners strive to feed hydrangea in the fall so that its stems have time to become covered with a dense layer of bark before the arrival of cold weather. The timing of feeding hydrangeas with fertilizers in the fall depends on climatic conditions and the region of growth. Top dressing usually coincides with the beginning of leaf fall and is carried out no later than a month before the onset of frost. Fertilizers are applied the final time during the period of warming the bushes.

How to fertilize hydrangea in the fall

Autumn feeding of ornamental shrubs has a beneficial effect on their general condition:

strengthens the root system;
nourishes weakened plants;
protects against pests and diseases;
prepares for wintering;
creates favorable conditions for more lush and abundant flowering in the spring.

To achieve these goals, gardeners use various means, preparations and application methods.

Feeding hydrangeas in autumn using folk remedies

To maintain the optimal level of acidity necessary for effective growth and lush flowering, gardeners often use folk remedies. Non-traditional feeding methods fertilize ornamental shrubs no worse than chemicals, but, unlike them, are safer for plants and soil.

Fermented milk products

Low-fat kefir, whey or yogurt is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:4. The resulting solution is used to water the hydrangea 2 times a month. If you feed a flower with a solution containing lactic acid bacteria, this will enrich it with microelements and protect it from the development of fungal diseases.

Broadleaf hydrangea can be fed in the fall and by spraying using the foliar fertilization method. Such autumn treatment will have a beneficial effect on growth and flowering.

Acidified water

The method has proven itself well for feeding hydrangea varieties with blue inflorescences. 60 g of citric acid or 100 ml of vinegar must be diluted in a bucket of water.

Hydrangea is watered with an acidic solution in the fall at the rate of 0.5 buckets per bush.

sour bread

A homogeneous slurry of sour bread soaked in water is an excellent fertilizer that stimulates the accumulation of nutrients in the autumn and the growth of hydrangea in the spring. It is recommended to apply the product under bushes every 10-15 days.

To effectively feed hydrangea, you can prepare another folk remedy. Add 1 tbsp to the bucket. l.granulated sugar, 1 kg of dark bread crackers or 1 pack of pressed yeast. Mix with water at room temperature and leave in a warm place for 24 hours.

Glucose solution

1 ampoule of the product, diluted in 1 liter of water, will compensate for the lack of nutrients and provide hydrangea with additional nutrition. Only healthy plants can be fed with this solution. If fungal diseases, mold, or rot are detected, feeding with glucose is contraindicated. This can provoke the proliferation of pathogenic flora.

Potassium permanganate solution

Feeding hydrangea in the fall with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, diluted in a weak concentration, will strengthen the bark, form the correct crown of the bush, giving it a compact shape and size. Manganese will help retain moisture in plant tissues and have a beneficial effect on hydrangea flowering.

succinic acid

250 g of succinic acid in the form of powder or tablets are stirred in 1 liter of water. The resulting solution helps strengthen plant immunity. You can fertilize garden hydrangea with this product in the fall no more than once a year.

Herbal infusion

Chopped nettle, dandelion, celandine are poured into a barrel and filled with water. To further enrich the solution with microelements, it is recommended to add a bottle of iodine to it. The mixture is covered with a lid and stirred daily for 2 weeks, after which it is diluted with cold water in a ratio of 1:5. The resulting herbal infusion can be watered every week in the fall.

Folk remedies are simple, accessible and time-tested. If you feed hydrangea in the fall in compliance with the rules for applying fertilizers, in the spring the hydrangea flowers will be beautiful, large and bright.

Fertilizing hydrangeas in the fall with mineral fertilizers

The use of mineral fertilizers in the fall increases soil fertility and stimulates lush flowering in the spring. Inorganic compounds have a narrow focus and must be used in strict accordance with the established scheme.

Potassium sulfate

Potassium sulfate is a highly concentrated product that contains elements such as iron, sulfur, and sodium. Potassium-based fertilizers help strengthen the root system and protect hydrangeas from freezing. Potassium sulfate is used in both liquid and dry form (granules, powder).

The advantage of potassium sulfate is the absence of chlorine in its composition, which is difficult to tolerate by plants

To prepare a nutrient solution, 1 tbsp. l. The products are diluted in 10 liters of water. At least 7 liters should be spent on each bush.

Superphosphate

The most common simple mineral phosphorus fertilizer strengthens the immune system and reduces susceptibility to major diseases, stimulates the formation of buds for the next season, which promotes lush flowering in the spring.

Superphosphate has a long-term effect on flowering ornamental crops

Feeding hydrangeas in the fall with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers saturates the plants with beneficial nutrients and helps to compensate for the lack of elements necessary for growth, development and annual beautiful flowering.

Ferrous sulfate

If you feed hydrangea in the fall with iron sulfate, this will improve the structure of the shrub bark, ensure the growth of green mass and the continuation of the hydrangea's flowering period.

If you feed hydrangea with iron sulfate in the fall, the safe fungicide will protect it from the effects of diseases and pests.

Calimagnesia

The universal product consists of three components - sulfur, potassium and magnesium. Improves the decorative appearance of inflorescences, provides the necessary elements for the winter and accelerates the restoration of vegetation in the spring.

Kalimag has an environmentally friendly composition, does not contain chlorine and improves soil quality, promoting enhanced flowering after winter cold

To feed hydrangea in the fall, dissolve 20 g of fertilizer in 10 liters of water. This amount is spent on 1 adult bush. The drug can also be used in dry form. To do this, 20 g of powder is scattered near the trunk of the bush, lightly compacted, then watered.

Drug Kristalon from Fertika

The water-soluble product is designed specifically for nutrition, healthy growth and development of ornamental shrubs. Autumn feeding of large-leaved hydrangea increases the color intensity of flowers and allows you to get the most magnificent flowering in the spring, increasing its duration and intensity.

The concentrated liquid composition is diluted in water in accordance with the instructions.

One 200 ml bottle is enough to prepare 50 liters of nutrient solution.

Pokon granules

If you feed hydrangea in the fall with this long-acting preparation, the plant will receive all the necessary substances and will delight with lush flowers throughout the next season.

Fertilizer is often used by experienced gardeners to give and maintain the blue color of hydrangeas.

To feed hydrangeas in the fall in September, granules are mixed with soil, scattered around the trunks of shrubs and watered with plenty of water. When dissolved, the substance is absorbed by the roots, saturating the plants with mineral components.

How to fertilize hydrangeas in the fall

When preparing ornamental shrubs for wintering, it is necessary to add humus to the soil. It will protect the roots from freezing, and with the onset of spring, as a result of the decomposition process, it will enrich the soil with nitrogen, which will activate the flowering process and plant growth.

You can use droppings or manure by dissolving them in water in a ratio of 1:10. Higher concentrations may cause burns. The solution is applied in a circle under the root.

Complex products are applied in September before pruning and covering for the winter. In rainy weather, granules are scattered around the bushes. They will gradually dissolve, feeding the plants. If there is little precipitation, ornamental shrubs can be fed with a liquid composition prepared from the following components:

15 g superphosphate;
15 g monophosphate;
10 liters of water.

For feeding paniculata hydrangea in autumn, liquid products are more preferable, as they are better absorbed by the root system.

Important! Liquid fertilizers should not be applied after the soil temperature drops below 10°C.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Flower buds for the next season begin to form in late summer and early autumn. Early flowering varieties need to be fed during this period. Late varieties are fertilized 2 weeks later, before pruning.

Important! After pruning, the plants are in a dormant state, and it is no longer possible to feed them at this time.

By experimenting, you can achieve a change in the shade of the inflorescences:

regular application of 5 g of alum diluted in 1 liter of warm water will change the pink color of the buds to blue;
a mixture of 70 g of potassium sulfate and 80 g of potassium chloride, combined in a bucket with peat and distributed as mulch near the hydrangea stems, will color the caps blue;
potassium permanganate solution, “Flower” and “Agricola-7” preparations will enhance the pink color;
combining loamy peat with river sand will produce white caps.

Experienced gardeners do not recommend using preparations containing ash or lime. They reduce the acidity of the soil, which negatively affects the splendor of flowering and the appearance of ornamental plants.

Attention! It is recommended to fertilize plants in the first year. It is important to carry out the procedure annually.

Conclusion

In order for ornamental shrubs to delight gardeners with lush blooms in the spring, it is necessary to feed the hydrangea in the fall. Thanks to the integrated use of mineral and organic fertilizers, plants will easily survive the winter and will bloom luxuriantly in the new season.