Panicle hydrangeas love the sun, but also thrive in semi-shade and love fresh, nutrient-rich soil. They are easily propagated by cuttings or cuttings. The latter method is faster and produces numerous young plants - a wonderful eye-catcher for your garden.
Head cuttings are best for propagating panicle hydrangeas
select cuttings
When propagating cuttings, not every shoot is suitable for propagation, since only a certain part of the plant is able to form roots and thus a new plant. For panicle hydrangeas, it is best to use this year's side shoots that have already become woody and have not flowered or have no flower buds. You should use head cuttings - i. H. Shoot tips - give preference. Always take cuttings from healthy and strong mother plants, as the cuttings from a weak mother will also grow puny. After all, the cuttings are always genetically identical to their original plant.
When is the best time to propagate cuttings?
In fact, hydrangeas are most easily propagated shortly after they have faded. However, since many panicle hydrangeas bloom into October, the time of propagation is brought forward - hydrangea cuttings cut in autumn very often do not thrive or only stuntedly. You can take the cuttings you want between June and early September. From around the middle to the end of August, the shoots are lignified and are therefore suitable for propagation by cuttings.
Preparing the cuttings
In order for the propagation to be successful, you must first make some preparations. You should first remove a large part of the leaves before planting in order to limit moisture loss and susceptibility to disease. It is usually sufficient to leave the top two sheets. Cut the cutting point as diagonally as possible to make it easier for the shoot to absorb water later. Incidentally, cuttings are always cut below a clearly visible bud (eye).
plant cuttings
Now plant the prepared cuttings either under glass in the cold frame or in individual pots. The young plants thrive best at an ambient temperature of approx. 15 °C, so they should never overwinter outside. It is best to put them in a bright place (e.g. on the windowsill). A mixture of one third each of fine peat, sand and bog bed soil has proven itself as a plant substrate.
Proper care of the cuttings
As soon as new shoots appear and thus signal rooting, repot the cuttings in a mixture of two thirds compost and one third peat soil. They should be cool but frost-free in winter. If you want to use the young plants later as flowering pot plants, you can shorten the shoot tip as soon as three pairs of leaves have formed to stimulate branching.
tips and tricks
Outdoor panicle hydrangeas are planted in a sheltered spot next spring and in the spot after the leaves fall in the fall.