Content
- 1 Description of the Pinkie Winky hydrangea variety
- 2 Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky in landscape design
- 3 Winter hardiness of Pinky Winky hydrangea
- 4 Planting and caring for Pinkie Winky hydrangea
- 5 Reproduction of Pinkie Winky hydrangea
- 6 Pinkie Winky hydrangea pests and diseases
- 7 Conclusion
- 8 Reviews of hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky
The Pinky Winky hydrangea, which gives beautiful inflorescences throughout the summer, will help ensure long-term flowering of the garden. This variety is rightfully considered one of the finest. The color of the panicles varies from white and greenish to deep pink tones. Thanks to this, Pinky Winky attracts attention and cheers up.
Description of the Pinkie Winky hydrangea variety
This hydrangea variety is a small, fairly compact shrub with tough shoots. The height of Pinky Winky's hydrangea is about 1.5-2 m, so sometimes it even looks like a small tree with a dense crown. Greens have classic dark green shades that turn into orange-red tones in the fall.
Hydrangea blooms almost the entire season - from June to early October. In this case, the flowers regularly change their color. At first they are pure white, then pink panicles appear, after which a greenish color may even appear. At the same time, inflorescences of different shades can be placed on the same brush, thanks to which the bush looks very beautiful even on its own.
Due to its unusual color, Pinky Winky is considered one of the most attractive varieties of hydrangeas.
Hydrangea paniculata Pinky Winky in landscape design
The inflorescences of Pinky Winky hydrangea are quite large: the size of the length is 25-30 cm. Throughout the season, they densely dot the bush and look great both against the background of the lawn and along houses and other structures. Therefore, such a flowering tree can be used in the garden, and in single plantings, and in flower beds:
- Hydrangea, planted next to the porch of the house.
- Landing option near the house.
- Hydrangea can also be used with other plants in a common flower bed: since the rest of the flowers and bushes are not so tall, it is better to plant them in front.
- The bush also looks good in single plantings.
- Pinky Winky and other varieties of hydrangea are often placed next to the bench.
- To give the plant the appearance of a flowering tree, the Pinky Winky hydrangea on the trunk is also used in the design of the pollock.
Winter hardiness of Pinky Winky hydrangea
The plant is highly winter-hardy: there is evidence that the bush survives even when the temperature drops to -25 degrees. However, if the temperature in the region can drop even lower, for example, to -30, the hydrangea must be covered for the winter. For this, any material (burlap, agrofibre) is used. The roots are mulched with needles, foliage.
According to the experience of gardeners, adult Pinkie Winky hydrangea bushes do not need shelter, since they survive even in 30-degree frosts: the older the plant, the higher its winter hardiness. However, young shoots in such conditions can still die, so it is better to take care of the shelter in advance.
One of the simplest shelters is plastic sheeting fixed with bricks.
Planting and caring for Pinkie Winky hydrangea
Hydrangea Pinky Winky is a rather capricious plant for which you need to carefully choose a place.In addition, it requires good watering, especially during hot periods, timely fertilization and pruning.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
When choosing a suitable place for planting a plant, you need to pay attention to the following factors:
- lighting level;
- soil fertility;
- attractiveness (whether the bush will fit into the design of a garden or other site);
- openness to the winds (the plant does not tolerate constant drafts).
The Pinky Winky panicle hydrangea is very fond of lighting, but not too bright light. At the same time, it does not tolerate shading well. Therefore, you can plant such a bush in a light shade from other shrubs or trees. If you place it next to the house, then only from the south or southeast side, since otherwise there will be very little light, and it will not be possible to achieve abundant flowering.
Pinkie Winky loves lighted spots, sheltered from strong winds (near buildings or other trees).
Planting rules for Pinky Winky hydrangeas
The soil for hydrangeas must be fertile. Optimal composition (all parts in the same quantity):
- leafy land;
- coniferous land;
- humus;
- peat;
- sand.
The bush takes root well on black soil and light loam. The fundamental requirement is that the soil must have a slightly acidic reaction. Pinky Winky, like other hydrangeas, does not accept alkaline soil. You can acidify in different ways:
- sawdust, pine needles;
- fresh manure;
- leaf compost;
- high peat;
- ferrous sulfate (500 g per 10 m2);
- citric acid (1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water);
- 9% vinegar (100 ml per 10 liters of water).
The Pinky Winky hydrangea is planted at the very beginning of spring, even before the juices move. Planting technology is simple:
- First, dig a hole with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of no more than 50 cm. Its size should be such that the roots of the seedling are placed freely. At the same time, it is not necessary to make the depression too large - the root system of the plant is superficial.
- Water the pit abundantly - you will need 2-3 standard buckets.
- Then the soil of the desired composition is prepared, for example, on the basis of leaf, coniferous soil and humus.
- Seedlings are prepared - for this you need to cut the roots a little so that they become the same in size. Shoots are also cut into 1-2 buds (although this is not necessary).
Next, the plant is placed exactly in the center - so that the root collar remains visible (at ground level). The bush is watered again, after which the roots are mulched with peat and sawdust.
The hole should be spacious for the seedling, but not very deep
Watering and feeding
Pinky Winky loves water very much, so the optimal irrigation regime is as follows:
- in the presence of natural abundant rainfall, watering is excluded;
- Once a week in spring, autumn in case of complete absence of rain;
- 2 times a week in summer, if the weather is hot, dry.
The topsoil should be kept slightly damp if possible. But abundant moisture is also not allowed - it harms the plant.
Top dressing for hydrangeas is extremely important - if you do not apply fertilizer, the bush will not grow so actively, and flowering may stop completely. Therefore, fertilizing is applied at least once a month (on poor soils, it is possible every 2 weeks). The application mode is as follows:
- As soon as the first leaves appear in the spring, nitrogen compounds are added. You can use both mineral and organic feed (infusion of mullein or chicken droppings).
- As soon as the first buds begin to form on the bush, potassium and phosphorus compounds are added monthly. It is they who will provide the most long-lasting and lush flowering. At the same time, in the middle of summer, the supply of nitrogen is stopped.
- The mode of feeding with phosphorus and potassium is valid until the end of August.At this point, all fertilization stops - the plant must prepare for a dormant period.
Pruning Pinkie Winky hydrangea
The hydrangea should be pruned regularly. The main haircut is carried out at the very beginning of spring (after the snow melts). The main task is to remove all damaged shoots and give the correct shape. To do this, you need to delete the branches:
- in a dense crown;
- protruding beyond common boundaries;
- growing inside the bush.
To form the correct crown, shoots of up to 5 buds are removed from young bushes, and in adults they are removed almost completely, leaving branches 5-7 cm high.
Pruning is most conveniently done with pruning shears.
Preparing for the winter pinkie winky hydrangea
Seedlings up to 3 years of age are usually grown indoors, since their shoots can be damaged even at a temperature of -1 degrees. And even adult plants in an unfavorable Russian climate (especially in Siberia and the Urals) need winter shelter.
Preparation for winter is carried out in several stages:
- In the fall, the last pruning is carried out: it is necessary to remove dead, damaged branches, and treat the cuts with ash or a special solution. In this case, it is not necessary to remove dry inflorescences - they can be left to decorate the garden in winter.
- All fallen leaves are removed from under the bush. It is better to take it away or just burn it.
- Hydrangea is covered with the help of available material - burlap, agrofibre.
- As soon as the first frosts begin, the roots must be mulched with sawdust, bark, peat. The layer should be large - up to 10 cm.
You can cover the bush with ordinary burlap
Reproduction of Pinkie Winky hydrangea
The bush can be planted in the usual ways:
- seeds (rarely used, since a full-fledged seedling will appear after 2-3 years);
- layering;
- cuttings.
Among them, the easiest way is to propagate Pinkie Winky hydrangea by cuttings. The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Cut green cuttings in early summer at the stage of bud formation.
- Young apical shoots are selected, leaving 2-3 pairs of leaves.
- The bottom 2 sheets are removed, the rest are cut in half.
- The petiole is soaked overnight in a solution of a root stimulant, for example, for this you can choose "Epin" (0.5 ml per 1 liter of water).
- After an hour, the cuttings can be planted in wet sand at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Immediately after that, they should be sprayed with water and covered with a glass jar.
- It is necessary to water it periodically, up to transplanting it into a container with soil.
The first roots will appear in a month - at this stage, the stalk can be transplanted into a pot, and the transfer to a permanent place is carried out next spring
Pinkie Winky hydrangea pests and diseases
Pinky Winky is exposed to the same diseases and pests as other varieties of hydrangea. Therefore, when organizing care, it is imperative to carry out periodic prophylaxis and inspect the plant.
Most often, the bush is affected by chlorosis (yellowing) and foliage burns. In these cases, it is necessary to feed the plant and transplant it to a less illuminated place. If the bush does not bloom, then it needs potash and phosphorus fertilizers, which should be applied 1-2 times a month.
Fungal diseases of hydrangea are also often observed:
- powdery mildew;
- leaf spot;
- gray rot;
- root rot.
Various fungicides are used to prevent and treat Pinky Winky hydrangea. Spraying is carried out according to the instructions, in dry and calm weather at sunset.
Finally, damage to the plant by pests is not excluded - mainly aphids and spider mites.Treatment from them is carried out with insecticides or folk remedies (solution of wood ash, soda, ammonia).
The presence of yellow-brown spots on the leaves is a clear sign of the appearance of a spider mite.
Conclusion
Pinky Winky's hydrangea is easily bred, since the variety is fully adapted to the climatic conditions of Russia. It can be grown not only in the middle lane, but even in the Urals and Siberia. If fed in a timely manner, the bush will bloom all summer and September. This is an important advantage that distinguishes hydrangea from many other flowers.
