Demands on the soil quality
The hydrangea prefers nutrient-rich, deep, humus-rich and acidic soil. Most varieties tolerate a low lime content. So that the plants thrive right from the start, it is important to prepare the subsurface accordingly.
also read
- Which soil does the hydrangea prefer
- Grow the hydrangea as a standard stem
- Hydrangea growth: how big and wide is the hydrangea?
Hydrangea soil, a very special soil
The easiest way to create the optimal conditions is to plant in special hydrangea soil. This substrate has a pH value of 4 to 4.5 and is enriched with all trace elements that the hydrangea needs to grow. Alternatively, you can use rhododendron soil, which has roughly the same composition.
Mix the soil yourself
If you want to create a whole border with the attractive flowering plants, you need a relatively large amount of the expensive substrate. Instead, mix the hydrangea soil yourself. This also has the advantage that you can optimally match the substrate to the flower color.
Acidify soils
If the pH value of the soil is well above 5, you should add acidifying agents to blue and pink flowering hydrangeas. Sand or peat quickly lower the pH value, although for ecological reasons you should only use peat in exceptional cases. Instead, mix in rotted leaves, chopped wood or grape marc. Moisten the substrate and wait a week before measuring the pH again. If this is still too high, mix in a little more of the acidifying agents.
Blue hydrangeas, which thrive in this acidic soil, also need hydrangea blue twice a year.
Move acidic soils to the alkaline range
Red and pink colored hydrangeas only keep their bright flower color in alkaline soils with a pH value of at least 7. If this value is not reached, the flowers gradually turn pink.
If the soil is loose, deep and able to store enough water, it is sufficient to lime the acidic substrate at regular intervals. Since hydrangeas often show a lack of iron in alkaline soils, you should use a fertilizer that contains this trace element.
Tips & Tricks
In order to be able to assess whether you need special soil, it is advisable to first carry out a soil analysis. Test strips are available from specialist retailers. Alternatively, you can have a well-founded soil analysis carried out in a laboratory, which also provides information about the trace elements present in the soil.
