The large-leaved variety of hydrangea Peppermint differs from the rest in the size of its inflorescences. Besides the fact that they are quite large, the color of the petals also changes from bright pink in the center to dazzling white at the edges. Of extraordinary beauty, the bush is in great demand among landscape designers, so they often decorate not only homesteads, but also city alleys.

Grade description

The well-known hydrangea Peppermint is considered a fast-growing shrub that lives up to 50 years. You can describe the leaves as large, dark green with a glossy sheen. Foliage retains its appearance until the onset of cold weather, which is very pleasing to all gardeners. Small sized flowers, white and pink, are collected in large shuttlecocks that attract attention.

It should be noted that the color of the flowers depends on the level of soil acidity. In some cases, instead of white, it may be bluish. Small seeds are found in a small box inside the flower.The bush grows 60–80 cm tall. The shoots are stiff, so the inflorescences of this variety do not wilt.

Winter hardiness

Despite the fact that Peppermint is an ornamental plant, it is quite frost-resistant and can withstand cold up to -29 ° C. In a subtropical climate or in the middle zone, where winters are relatively warm, a bush of large-leaved hydrangea can calmly winter without any shelter. But it’s better to play it safe and cover the hydrangea for the winter so that it does not die.

Did you know? Hydrangea — one of the few plants that can absorb and accumulate aluminum from acidic soil.

Planting and Hydrangea Care

Planting of a decorative plant occurs in early March or in the fall. Experts recommend not to tempt fate and give preference to the first option in order to avoid loss of shrubs. Before landing, you need to choose the right place. You need to take care of hydrangea regularly and in a timely manner. With proper care, it will grow quickly and will delight in abundant flowering.

Site selection and preparation

When choosing a permanent location for planting, it is necessary to take into account the acidity of the soil. For Peppermint, sour and well-drained soil is ideal. If the earth is not quite suitable for planting, do not despair, because it can be acidified with additives (oxalic, acetic or malic acid).

In addition, it is worth paying attention to the illuminance of the site. It must be sunny. Although the best option is plenty of light in the morning and partial shade during the day. Thus, delicate flowers will not dry out, and foliage will not burn out in the sun.

Landing rules

The rules for planting hydrangeas are quite simple. On a territory with a warm climate, seedlings are planted both in spring and autumn, in the northern regions - only in spring, when the soil begins to warm up, and the threat of frost disappears.

The landing pit directly depends on the size of the rhizome of the seedling. Most often, it is 50 × 50 × 50 cm in size. A drainage must be installed at the bottom. The planted plant is covered with an acidic substrate to increase the chances of survival and rapid growth. You can prepare the substrate yourself, using in equal amounts: horse peat, needles, humus and sand.

Important! The root neck of hydrangea does not deepen when planting, it should remain at ground level. The roots, like shoots, must be shortened before planting.

Watering

The process of caring for Peppermint is simple, but requires attention. Proper watering will help the plant grow and grow normally. In summer, hydrangea should be watered 2 times a week. An adult bush requires 3 to 5 buckets of warm, protected water. If the soil was mulched with peat, then the number of irrigations can be slightly reduced, depending on weather conditions.

Fertilizer

You can get abundant flowering with the help of fertilizers and top dressing, which should be applied at least 2 times a year. The best period for this will be the time before flowering and after. In the spring, urea solution is used for top dressing in the ratio of 2 g of substance per 1 liter of water.

It should be borne in mind that at least 30 liters of this liquid will be required per bush. After flowering, hydrangea is fertilized with complex minerals. In the summer, gardeners recommend fertilizing the plant with slurry. But it is important not to overfeed the plant, since inflorescences can grow too large and break branches.

Pruning

Shrub pruning is carried out only in the 3rd year of life, in early spring. This must be done before the kidneys open and the juice begins to move. Otherwise, the juice will simply flow out and the plant will die. Large-leaf hydrangea does not need global pruning. Only dry and damaged branches are removed, as well as every 4th shoot.

Winter preparations

Hydrangea wintering should be approached more than responsibly. If it grows in a territory with frosty winters, then shelter for it should be mandatory. It is carried out in late autumn, but strictly before the onset of the first frost. With the help of hooks and arcs, the plant is bent and pressed closer to the ground. Adult large bushes are quite difficult to bend, so they are usually divided in two and pressed on both sides until the branches take a horizontal position.

Stacked branches are mulched with peat or moss, and it is necessary to close all available gaps between them. The upper shoots and the place of separation must be covered with dry leaves. Then the bush is covered with non-woven material, preferably in two layers.

Important! Before wintering on the bush, you need to cut off all the inflorescences and remove the foliage, so that the shoots are not damaged.

Diseases and Pests

This type of hydrangea does not get sick very often. Diseases can be caused not only due to fungi, viruses, pests and parasites, but also due to poor seedlings, improper planting sites and errors in care. Treatment of fungal diseases is the most difficult and not always effective. The fungus appears as a result of high humidity or infection from the soil.

Fungal diseases include:

1. White rot.
2. Gray rot.
3. Downy mildew.
4. Powdery Mildew.
5. Septoria
6. Rust.

All these diseases are treated with systemic fungicides, which include: “Fitosporin”, “Fundazol”, “Alirin”, copper oxychloride, etc. Pests, like diseases, can easily destroy a plant, and with great speed. If you do not notice them in time, then you can lose not only one bush, but all the plants in the garden.

Pests and parasites that threaten hydrangeas include:

1. Leaf aphids.
2. Spider mite.
3. The nematode is gall.
4. The slug is garden.

Pests are destroyed by insecticides, for example, Aktara, Fitoverm, Akarin, Iskra, and others have proven themselves well. Timely care and detection of certain diseases can protect your flower from death, and also prevent diseases of other plants in your garden, because for most garden plants, diseases and pests are the same.

Did you know? Hydrangea has its own day. Every year, January 5, around the world celebrate the holiday of this flower.

Use in landscape design

Peppermint large-leaf hydrangea is striking in its beauty, so it can easily become a decoration of any alley or garden. Large inflorescences allow her to grow in splendid isolation, and in this case no one will feel empty. If you plant several hydrangea bushes of different varieties, you get an original composition of various shapes and colors.

Landscape designers often plant conifers along with hydrangea to emphasize the brightness and splendor of inflorescences. An excellent combination will be planted hydrangea and other large shrubs that will bloom at different times and, thus, decorate the site all summer. Designers also often combine hydrangea with perennial flowers and ferns. In this case, it is important to maintain color harmony and choose the right shades.

Hydrangea Peppermint has become one of the best creations of breeders. It is not only winter-hardy, but also has excellent decorative qualities. It may seem to some that this plant is very demanding and needs constant care, but this is not entirely true. Having paid him not so much attention, you will get a beautiful shrub with bright inflorescences, which will become the pride of your site.