How to care for hydrangeas in winter
A comprehensive explanation of how to care for hydrangeas in winter and tips for winter maintenance of hydrangeas, related experience in flower planting. Let's take a look together.
Hydrangeas have become a well-known internet celebrity flower, increasingly loved by people. The flowers of hydrangeas are large, with small flowers clustering together to form big flower balls, with a variety of colors and numerous species. Whether maintained indoors or in the courtyard, even in the shade, they can grow into a colorful and graceful hydrangea.
However, with the decrease in temperature, hydrangeas also gradually enter a dormant state. Many people move hydrangeas indoors, where they have plenty of water and fertilizer, allowing them to grow lush and green quickly. This can maintain the green leaves and blooming state, but it actually does not conform to the growth habits of hydrangeas.
If you want hydrangeas to bloom spectacularly in the spring of next year, you must "torture" them a bit in winter and not water and fertilize excessively. Although, in the northern regions where there is heating indoors and the temperature is above 20 degrees, hydrangeas can continue to grow by just watering and fertilizing, making the plant thrive. However, they might not bloom well next year, which goes against the growth habits of hydrangeas. So, how should we care for hydrangeas in winter?
How to care for hydrangeas in winter
First, let them freeze outside
We know that hydrangeas have a certain degree of cold resistance, capable of enduring temperatures as low as several degrees below zero. Some particularly cold-resistant varieties, such as panicled hydrangea and limelight hydrangea, can endure temperatures as low as 20-30 degrees below zero, and can be cultivated outdoors in the Northeast without any issues. However, the bigleaf hydrangeas and endless summer hydrangeas we usually grow have slightly lower cold resistance, but as long as the temperature does not drop below several degrees below zero, they will not have any problems.
Therefore, in the northern regions, it is fine to plant them outdoors, but in winter, you must let them "harden off" by placing them outside to freeze, allowing them to go through vernalization and experience low temperatures. This will make their leaves wither, enabling their flower buds to store more nutrients, which will result in better blooming next year.