Hydrangeas not only shine in the garden bed, they can also be cultivated wonderfully in a bucket. We'll show you how.
With hydrangeas (Hydrangea) planted in pots, you can not only beautify the entrance area, but also the terrace or balcony. But no matter where the diverse plants ultimately find their place: they will always enchant every viewer with their large flowers, which are available in many different colors. Nevertheless, there are a few things to consider when planting hydrangeas in pots.
The right place for pot hydrangeas
Hydrangeas like it mild, warm and bright, so the terrace is an ideal place where the plants are sheltered. Although the hydrangea is very warm, you should not put it in the blazing sun, otherwise there is a risk of sunburn. In addition, the blossoms are not as lush by a long shot.
The sun in the morning and in the evening is not nearly as intense. The hydrangeas tolerate these quite well. Partial shade is therefore ideal for hydrangeas. They should also be sheltered from the wind, but it still needs to be nice and airy.
Important: There are also varieties of hydrangeas that are not hardy. They have to spend the winter indoors. The others can stay outdoors if you place them in a sheltered spot.
» Recommended reading: Overwintering hydrangeas in tubs - Here's how it's done
The ideal plant substrate for the hydrangea
If you want to plant a hydrangea in a bucket, you must also consider the appropriate substrate. Hydrangeas need a slightly acidic soil that does not contain lime. A special commercially available azalea soil is therefore ideal for filling the tub, as it meets all the needs of the hydrangea:
If you plant a variety with blue flowers, the pH must be between 5 and 5.5. But you can also plant a pink variety and then add either potassium alum or ammonia alum from the pharmacy via the irrigation water. Then the flowers also turn blue. (Reading tip: Change the color of hydrangeas - Here's how!)
Important: So that the hydrangea toothrives well in the planter and their roots can develop without any problems, you have to repot them every two to three years.
Water tub hydrangeas correctly
As far as hydrangea care is concerned, you should know that hydrangeas need a lot of water. However, waterlogging should never occur. Ideally, use rainwater for this and avoid calcareous (tap) water. If the hydrangea gets too much lime, this is reflected in yellow leaves. Later the plant even dies off completely.
Especially in summer, when the hydrangeas are in bloom, they need a lot of water. At high temperatures, you should therefore even water in the morning and evening. You must always keep the soil evenly moist. During the hibernation, however, the hydrangea does not need as much water. Only from February does the demand for water slowly increase again.
Important: Incidentally, you should only water the plants in the root area, because if the leaves and flowers get wet, there is a risk of mildew infestation.