Climbing hydrangeas are great for clad a shady north face, but they also thrive in full sun. After planting and in the following three to four years, a lot of moisture is needed, especially in summer. However, once the plant is established, it tolerates drought quite well.

The climbing hydrangea is best propagated by cuttings

Select and prepare cuttings

Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris, as the climbing hydrangea is called in botanical Latin, can best be propagated from top cuttings. These are the shoot tips of an already woody side shoot, if possible this year. This should neither have bloomed nor have flower buds, both of which simply rob the cutting of too much energy. Choose a side shoot about 10 to 15 centimeters long and cut it off just below one eye. All lower leaves should be removed to prevent the cutting from evaporating too much moisture. However, the top two or three sheets can remain.

When is the best time to propagate climbing hydrangeas?

The best time to propagate climbing hydrangeas is in the summer months of July and August. This species of hydrangea blooms between June and July, so flowering is complete by the time the cuttings are cut. In addition, the young shoots had enough time to mature.

Planting and caring for the cuttings

The cut surface of the cutting to be rooted should be kept as slanted as possible, as this makes it easier for the shoot to absorb water. Dipping in a rooting powder also stimulates the formation of young roots. You can then plant the cuttings of the climbing hydrangea in a sand-peat mixture, with a mixing ratio of 1:1 having proven most effective. Place the pot with the young cuttings in a bright spot out of direct sunlight and keep them evenly moist.

Young plants are still very sensitive to frost

The cuttings should not overwinter outdoors as they are still very sensitive and will freeze to death there. It is best to overwinter them in a frost-free, but cool and bright place. The young plants only reach their final location in spring, as soon as late frosts are no longer to be expected. This is to be expected from mid-May at the earliest. Fill the planting hole with a mixture of excavation, mature mixed compost and ericaceous soil so that the young climbing hydrangeas have the best possible start.

tips and tricks

If you take cuttings from leafy shoots, the moisture loss through the natural transpiration of the leaves must be limited: the cuttings should be grown in a cold frame or under protective hoods (e.g. a mason jar pulled over it) where high humidity can build up.

Category:

Vegetable garden