Transplanting a hydrangea - how does it work?

Transplanting a hydrangea - how does it work?

The new location

Choose this carefully so that the plant grows quickly and you don't have to transplant the hydrangea again after a while. Please note the following points:

  • Hydrangeas prefer shady locations.
  • Weather-protected places under a light tree are ideal.
  • The substrate should have a pH between 4.5 and 6.5 and be nutritious and well drained.
  • Choose a sufficiently large space, as the hydrangea will grow broadly bushy when uncut.

also read

  • When is the best time to use the hydrangea?
  • The hydrangea is sunburned - what can I do?
  • The hydrangea is drooping its flowers - what is the cause?

When will be transplanted?

So that the hydrangea survives the move in the garden undamaged, you should preferably move it in autumn. The hot summer months, when the hydrangea is also in full bloom, are unsuitable.

Alternatively, you can move the hydrangea in early spring. The plant should not have sprouted yet. The time of planting must also be chosen so that frosty temperatures are no longer to be expected.

Dig up hydrangea

In order not to damage the delicate roots of the hydrangea more than necessary, you should be very careful when doing this work. This procedure has proven itself:

  • Shorten large hydrangeas by about a third.
  • Dig a small trench around the hydrangea, roughly the same as the old crown diameter.
  • Carefully dig up the hydrangea, cutting through as few roots as possible.
  • Keep lifting the plant slightly to loosen it.
  • So that a lot of soil remains on the root ball, wrap it in dense sackcloth or foil.

Insertion in the new place

Dig a planting hole in the new location that is large enough to accommodate the entire root ball and the spreading roots. In places with heavily compacted soil, where waterlogging often forms, it is advisable to introduce a drainage layer made of coarse sand or gravel. If the soil condition does not meet the preferences of the hydrangea, you should dig out the topsoil generously and replace it with special hydrangea, rhododendron or azalea soil.

Place the hydrangea upright in the planting hole, fill it with soil and water the plant well. As a result, the substrate also gets between the fine branches of the roots and these can immediately absorb water again.

Make sure you have sufficient watering after moving. The substrate should always feel slightly damp.

Tips

After digging up, you can easily divide very large hydrangeas. The two to three new plants usually grow quickly.