Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: How to Extend the Life of Cut Hydrangea Stalks
• Method 2 of 2: How to care for your planted plants

Hydrangea is an incredibly beautiful flowering plant that comes in a variety of colors and sizes. If you want your hydrangea to look good in your yard, remember to prune and water it regularly. Dip the cut hydrangea stems in burnt alum, change the water regularly, and submerge the blossoming hydrangea flowers in warm (room temperature) water.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: How to Extend the Life of Cut Hydrangea Stalks

1. 1 Cut off the stem at an angle. Make a deep diagonal cut at the bottom of the stem. A diagonal cut will reduce damage to the stem tips.
   • Pruning the stems under running warm water will help prevent air bubbles from forming on the stem, which could harm it.
2. 2 Dip the cut hydrangea stems into the burnt alum. Place a small layer of powder, about 1.3 cm thick, on a plate. Insert each hydrangea stem into the alum. Then insert the stem into a vase of water and arrange the flowers. So they will bloom longer.
   • Burnt alum can be purchased at a pharmacy or ordered online.
3. 3 Place the cut hydrangea stems in room temperature water. Cut hydrangea stems should be placed in water as soon as possible. Pour about 7.6-13 cm of room temperature water into a clean vase.
   • Do not crush the ends of the stems, otherwise the flowers will not be able to absorb water.
4. 4 Sprinkle water on the petals once a day. Hydrangea absorbs more water through its petals than through its roots and stem. If you have cut off the stem of a hydrangea and want the flower to look good, water the petals daily to maintain a healthy water balance.
   • Use a spray bottle to spray the plant with a fine mist to avoid damaging the delicate petals.
5. 5 Change the water in the vase daily. Fresh water will keep the hydrangea healthy and prevent it from withering so quickly. Remove the cut hydrangea stems from the vase and discard the old water. Fill a vase with fresh water at room temperature.
   • Before filling the vase with fresh water, rinse it to remove all debris from the vase.
6. 6 If the hydrangea wilts when exposed to high temperatures, add ice to the vase. If the hydrangea starts to wilt, fill the vase with 1: 2 ice water. This will cool the plant if it is overheated.
   • You should see noticeable improvements in a day. Continue adding ice to the vase for the next few days to revive the plant.
7. 7 Submerge the inflorescence in warm water if it starts to wilt. If the hydrangea flowers start to wither, try to revive them by immersing the flowers in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes.
   • Be very careful when pulling the hydrangea out of the water as it will make the plant quite heavy.

Method 2 of 2: How to care for your planted plants

1. 1 Plant your hydrangea where the sun's rays will fall on it and where it will be protected from the wind. Hydrangeas need direct sunlight to grow well, so plant them in an area with full or partial light. Plants also need to be protected from the wind.
   • The wind can dry out the hydrangea even more, so be sure to protect the plant from the wind and water it frequently.
2. 2 Plant hydrangeas in temperate climates. The hydrangea thrives best in hardiness zones from 3 to 9. The ideal temperature for hydrangeas during the day is 21 ° C and 16 ° C at night. If yours is warmer, the flower may wither. At lower temperatures, the inflorescence can suffer from cold.
   • In the fall, the hydrangea will have buds that will bloom next year. For hydrangea buds to appear during this period, a 6-week window with temperatures below 18 ° C is required.
3. 3 Plant your hydrangea in regular potting mix or compost. If you are going to plant the hydrangea in the ground (and not in a pot), be sure to add some potting mixture or compost to the hole so that the plant can survive this transition. Please note that the color of hydrangea inflorescences will depend on the level of acidity of the soil.
   • Due to the high amount of aluminum ions in the earth, the hydrangea flowers will be blue.
   • A pH level of 6.0 or higher will make the flowers appear pink.
   • White hydrangea inflorescence does not depend on the pH level of the earth.
4. 4 Water your hydrangea every day to keep the ground moist. For a hydrangea to survive, it needs to get enough water, especially in the first few years. If the soil is too dry, leaves and petals will begin to wither. Try watering your hydrangea every day (to keep the ground moist) and see what happens. Hydrangea should be watered at least three times a week.
   • Water less often if you live in very rainy climates and more often if in dry climates.
   • If the leaves start to wilt, try watering the plant again. If the plant starts to look bad or gets damp, water less often.
5. 5 Prune your hydrangea. While the idea that a plant needs to be pruned to improve growth and health may sound absurd, it is actually a very common method. Cut off old stems and shoots that have begun to wither and disappear.
   • Always cut over a knot on the stem.
   • Removing old stems will make room for new growth!
6. 6 Cover the plant with leaves and mulch in fall to keep it free from frost. If you want the hydrangea to survive the winter, cover it in the fall and through the spring, until it's warm again outside. This will protect the plant from cold temperatures and prevent frost damage. Cover the plant with 46 cm of mulch made from bark, needles, leaves or straw.
   • If you want to cover the entire plant, make a large wire mesh cage and cover the plant with it. Fill the cage with leaves and mulch to keep the plant out of the cold.
   • Do not use maple leaves for this, as they decompose very quickly.
7. 7 Prevent gray mold growth by cutting off affected stems and spraying the plant with an antifungal agent. Blackening mold, or gray mold, is a fungal disease that often affects hydrangeas. If you see fluffy gray dots on the plant, cut them off immediately. Cut off the affected stems and discard them. Then spray the hydrangea with a natural antifungal agent that will protect the plant from further infestation.
   • Remember to disinfect the pruning shears with a household disinfectant after each use to prevent the spread of fungal spores.
   • Sulfur (liquid spray or wettable powder) can be used as an antifungal agent. Most importantly, stop using sulfur if the outside temperature rises above 27 ° C, as sulfur can harm the plant in hot weather.
   • Water the plant under the branches to keep the leaves from getting too wet. This will help prevent gray mold from developing.