Content
Paniculate hydrangeas are becoming increasingly popular among gardeners. Plants are valued for their unpretentiousness, ease of care and decorative properties. One of the new varieties is the Fraise Melba hydrangea. The novelty is attractive due to its lush inflorescences with unusual colors.
Botanical description
Paniculata hydrangea is an ornamental, profusely flowering shrub, frost-resistant and unpretentious. The Fraise Melba variety was obtained by the French breeder Jean Reno. The variety was presented at the Moscow exhibition in 2014.
Work on the Fraise Melba hydrangea lasted for 10 years. The variety got its name from the famous strawberry dessert. The shrub produces large pyramidal inflorescences that change color from white to burgundy. The contrast between the white top and red base is reminiscent of strawberries and cream.
Paniculata hydrangea Freise Melba reaches 2 m in width and height. The bush has a compact appearance. The shoots are erect, brownish-burgundy in color.
The leaves are small, petiolate, located along the entire length of the shoots. Inflorescences form at the tops. The flowers are sterile; after flowering, no fruits are formed.
Paniculata hydrangea looks good in single plantings, on lawns, and next to ornamental shrubs. It is used to decorate garden plots, greenhouses, parks and recreation areas. The Freise Melba variety is suitable for creating a hedge.
Planting hydrangea
The Fraise Melba variety grows in one place for 30-40 years. Therefore, special attention is paid to preparing the site before planting. If necessary, nutrients and other components are added to the soil to increase its acidity.
Preparatory stage
Paniculate hydrangea Frize Melba grows well in sunny areas. In the southern regions, the shrub is planted in partial shade. Under the hot sun, the development of the bush slows down and its decorative properties are lost.
The shrub is often planted next to houses or fences. This way the Freise Melba variety will receive protection from the wind and partial shade. It is not recommended to place the plant near fruit trees.
The shrub develops best in fertile loamy soil. In sandy soil, hydrangea grows more slowly, since beneficial substances are quickly washed out of the soil. The addition of peat and humus will help improve its composition.
For planting, seedlings of the Freise Melba variety are selected at the age of 4-5 years, which will bloom the next year. Younger plants need time to develop root systems and shoots.
You can prepare planting material yourself. To do this, cut off the required number of shoots, which are rooted in a separate bed.When transplanting hydrangeas, seedlings are obtained by dividing the main bush.
Work order
Paniculata hydrangea Fraze Melba is planted in the spring from April to May. It is possible to postpone work until the fall. The shrub should be planted in September or October before the onset of cold weather.
The procedure for planting hydrangea varieties Fraise Melba:
- A hole is dug at the site with a depth of 40 cm and a diameter of 50 cm.
- When planting several shrubs, leave at least 2 m between them.
- A substrate is prepared for plants, containing fertile soil, peat, compost and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1. From fertilizers, add 30 g of potassium sulfate and 70 g of superphosphate.
- The components for the substrate are mixed. Adding spruce sawdust helps increase the acidity of the soil.
- The substrate is poured into the planting hole.
- After the soil has settled, planting begins in 1-2 weeks. The plant is carefully removed from the container and transferred to the planting hole.
- The hydrangea roots are straightened and covered with soil.
- The soil is compacted. The seedling is watered abundantly.
After planting, Fraise Melba is protected from direct sunlight. A canopy is built over the bush or covered with paper caps at midday.
Hydrangea care
The development and flowering of paniculata hydrangea Freise Melba is ensured by abundant watering and fertilizing. Regular pruning stimulates the formation of new inflorescences. Special preparations are used against insects and diseases.
Watering
According to reviews, hydrangea Frize Melba is sensitive to lack of watering. The soil under the bushes is kept moist. With a lack of moisture, the number of inflorescences decreases and their decorative properties deteriorate.
For irrigation use warm, settled water. Moisture is applied at the root in the morning or evening.2-3 liters of water are poured under each bush.
When watering, make sure that the roots of the bush are not exposed. It is best to loosen the soil after adding moisture or mulch it with peat.
Feeding
The Fraze Melba variety is fed with organic matter and mineral complexes. Several treatments are carried out during the season.
Feeding scheme for hydrangea Frize Melba:
- before buds open in spring;
- at the beginning of budding;
- in midsummer;
- in the fall before preparing for winter.
For the first feeding, an infusion is prepared based on organic components: bird droppings or mullein. The fertilizer is poured with water in a ratio of 1:15 and left to infuse for 2 days. The resulting product is used to water the Freise Melba variety at the root.
When the first buds form and in mid-summer, the shrub is fed with fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium. Special preparations have been developed for hydrangea, which contain the necessary components. One of them is Fertik fertilizer Crystal. For 1 liter of water, 1 ampoule of concentrate is required. The bushes are watered with a solution at the root.
In autumn, the Freise Melba variety is fed with superphosphate and potassium salt. Apply 50 g of each fertilizer under the bush. In the autumn, nitrogen-based preparations are not used.
Trimming
By pruning, the Frize Melba hydrangea bush is given the required shape. Treatment is carried out in the spring before the beginning of the growing season or in the fall after leaf fall.
From 5 to 10 of the most powerful shoots are left per bush. Each of them is trimmed at the top. The remaining shoots are eliminated.
In summer, remove broken or diseased branches. Dry inflorescences are trimmed to stimulate the formation of new buds.
Protection from diseases and pests
In cold and humid weather, hydrangeas of the Fraise Melba variety show signs of powdery mildew. The disease has the appearance of a grayish coating that appears on leaves and shoots.
In the early stages of the disease, a solution of the drug Fitosoprin is used. If the lesion has covered a significant part of the bush, it is sprayed with solutions of Tiovit Jet or Fundazol fungicides.
For insects, the drugs Actellik Fitoverm and Trichopolum are used. To spray hydrangea, prepare a working solution. Among the folk remedies against pests, infusions of garlic and onion peels are effective.
Preparing for winter
Paniculate hydrangea Frize Melba is resistant to winter frosts. In the southern regions and middle zone, the shrub tolerates winter without additional insulation.
A 20 cm thick mulch layer of dry leaves and humus will help protect the hydrangea roots from freezing. Young plants are covered with burlap or agrofibre. Additionally, a snowdrift is thrown over the bushes.
Reviews from gardeners
Conclusion
Hydrangea Fraise Melba is suitable for decorating a garden plot or recreation area. To ensure abundant flowering, the shrub is cared for by watering and fertilizing. To give the bush the required shape, shoots are pruned. In cold regions, hydrangea is covered for the winter.
