Content
- 1 Description of the hydrangea variety Silver Dollar
- 2 Hydrangea Silver Dollar in landscape design
- 3 Winter hardiness of hydrangea Silver Dollar
- 4 Planting and caring for hydrangea Silver Dollar
- 5 Reproduction of hydrangea Silver Dollar
- 6 Diseases and pests
- 7 Conclusion
- 8 Reviews of hydrangea Silver Dollar
Hydrangea Silver Dollar is one of the most sought-after plant varieties among gardeners. The shrub is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to the soil, it tolerates severe winters and hot summers well. Possesses high resistance to fungal diseases and insect infestation.
Description of the hydrangea variety Silver Dollar
The Silver Dollar hydrangea is a sprawling shrub with a lush crown. In adulthood, it reaches up to 1.5 m in height and up to 2.5 m in diameter. This must be taken into account when planting the Silver Dollar hydrangea on the site: enough space should be allocated for the shrub among the rest of the plantings.
The species belongs to the group of decorative perennials. The plant has straight, even shoots with dark green oblong leaves, slightly pointed at the edges. Inflorescences are even, pyramidal. Their bases are slightly widened, with a green color, which turns into white closer to the edges.
Silver Dollar is characterized by large light flowers, which become lilac or slightly pinkish in autumn.
During flowering (from mid-July to September), the inflorescences become heavier and denser in structure. Due to its unpretentiousness, the variety is suitable for cultivation in containers. The plant does not need a garter.
You can learn more about the external differences in the view from the video:
Hydrangea Silver Dollar in landscape design
Hydrangea Silver Dollar is one of the most suitable varieties for composing mixborder compositions. For this, gardeners use more than three shrubs.
The naturally spreading shape, as well as the airy large flowering of plants, give a wave-like shape to the site, emphasizing its dimensions
The multi-colored tops of Silver Dollar hydrangeas go well even with coniferous specimens.
Winter hardiness of hydrangea Silver Dollar
Hydrangea Silver Dollar has a fairly high level of winter hardiness. Can withstand a drop in temperature in winter to - 25 aboutC and is able to grow and develop normally without additional shelter in temperate climates. However, the maintenance of culture in the regions of the Urals or Siberia will not do without additional protection, since in these parts the temperature can drop to -30 aboutFROM.
Before covering, faded inflorescences must be removed, and the soil under the shrub must be sprinkled with hay or dry foliage. After that, a wire frame should be built over the plant, wrapped with a film, and a layer of spruce branches should be placed on top.
Planting and caring for hydrangea Silver Dollar
Despite all the unpretentiousness of the Silver Dollar hydrangea, the content of the plant on the site has several features and nuances. It is necessary to choose the right place and soil for planting, as well as strictly adhere to the rules of watering and feeding the bush.
Selection and preparation of the landing site
Hydrangea Silver Dollar is not picky about the composition of the earth: the crop can be planted in loamy, slightly acidic and fertile soil. However, the shrub does not take root well in the calcareous soil, so it needs to be saturated with humus and peat more before planting.
Silver Dollar grows and develops best in slightly shaded areas
Landing rules
Hydrangea of the Silver Dollar variety should be planted in a previously prepared hole, measuring from 30 * 30 * 30 cm.When planting in slightly acidic and acidic soil, a mixture with earth, humus and sand is preliminarily poured into the depression.
In terms of composition, the soil should correspond to the following proportions:
- 2 pieces of garden land;
- 1 part of humus;
- 1 part sand.
When planting shrubs in soil with a neutral reaction, a deeper planting recess with parameters from 50 * 50 * 50 cm will be required.In this case, it is necessary to use soil containing in the composition:
- peat;
- garden / leaf land;
- sand;
- humus.
After the Silver Dollar hydrangea has been placed in the hole, its roots must be straightened and covered with earth. It is important to monitor the position of the root collar: it should not be buried too deep. After planting, the shrub must be watered regularly, not forgetting to mulch the near-trunk circle with sawdust, crushed tree bark, and peat.
Watering and feeding
The correct watering and feeding scheme plays a significant role in the development of the Silver Dollar panicle hydrangea. In the summer, it is necessary to water the plant daily or every other day (depending on the air temperature) with a large volume of water - 2-3 buckets per shrub. You need to proceed from the size of the plant itself.
To slow down the process of moisture evaporation, it is necessary to mulch the soil under the hydrangea using pine bark, needles, shavings or sawdust.
It is strongly not recommended to water the Silver Dollar with chlorinated water, as this can provoke the appearance of chlorosis of the foliage. The best option would be to use a settled one: for this you need to collect several buckets and leave them in the sun for a while. When the liquid becomes warm and the chlorine evaporates, you can water the shrub with it. This should be done twice a day, in the morning and evening. In this case, it is important to pour the liquid under the root so that it does not come into contact with foliage and inflorescences.
The time of the very first feeding of hydrangea paniculata is the spring period, namely, in April. A small part of nitrogen mixed in irrigation water is added to the soil. After that, at the end of May, the soil under the plant is fertilized with a potassium solution (in a proportion of 1 tbsp. L. Per bucket of water). It is necessary to introduce complementary foods along the entire perimeter of the crown under the root system.
Another top dressing should be carried out during budding using a potassium-phosphorus solution (2 tablespoons of substance per bucket of water). It is also applied under the root system or simply sprinkled under the bush before watering or rainfall.
The final top dressing with the same solution is useful at the end of flowering. To do this, hard water needs to be slightly acidified with vinegar or citric acid (manganese solution is also suitable).
Proper watering and feeding increases the resistance of the panicle hydrangea to hot summer days, as well as severe frosts in winter.
Pruning Hydrangea Paniculata Silver Dollar
It is necessary to cut the Silver Dollar variety in the spring, before the process of active sap flow. Spring pruning gives the shrub the correct shape and removes all the shoots that have had time to freeze over the winter. In autumn, it is necessary to remove faded inflorescences from hydrangeas, which can bend under the weight of snow piles.
Pruning is also necessary for thinning: all small and weak shoots growing along the plant are cut off. Other branches are removed only 1/3 for the growth of new ones with inflorescences.
Rejuvenating pruning is also carried out - on perennial specimens with old shoots and bad inflorescences. To do this, in the autumn, all branches are removed from the shrub.The root system is covered for the winter. In spring, new, strong shoots and inflorescences appear from the branches.
Preparing for winter
You need to start preparing for the winter period in the middle of autumn. Then the Silver Dollar root system is sprinkled with dry foliage or hay. The shoots themselves do not need to be cut, since new inflorescences should appear on them.
In the event of a winter that is too harsh for the plant, you can create a special frame made of boards, sprinkle it on top with dry foliage and cover with a film or cloth.
Reproduction of hydrangea Silver Dollar
Propagation of hydrangea paniculata Silver Dollar is carried out using vegetative methods: cuttings, dividing the bush or using layering.
The first option is the simplest and most common among gardeners, since plant cuttings can be obtained in unlimited quantities during the pruning process. They are cut into small pieces of 15 cm and planted in a container where rooting will take place. The plant quickly sprouts, but transplanting into the ground can only be carried out in the spring of next year.
Shrub layers are obtained from the longest branches at the bottom:
- The branch should be cut in the middle (near the bud) and a match should be placed in the resulting incision.
- After that, dig the layers into the ground at the cut and water them well so that the plant can take root in the fall.
- In winter, the layers are located next to the mother plant, and at the onset of spring they must be transplanted to a separate site.
It is possible to use the method of dividing the bush only on very large and overgrown hydrangeas and only with further transplantation.
Diseases and pests
One of the main advantages of the Silver Dollar variety is its high resistance to fungal diseases. The only dangerous disease is foliar chlorosis. Often the reason for its appearance is improper care of the bush.
The initial symptom of the disease is lightening, and a little later - yellowing of the leaves.
Chlorosis can lead to excessive fragility of branches and inflorescences, and as a result - to the complete death of the plant.
To eliminate the disease, it is necessary to carry out the treatment several times with potassium nitrate. To prepare a solution, you need to mix 30-40 g with 10 liters of filtered water. After 2-3 days, fertilizing with iron sulfate should be carried out. The solution is prepared in a similar way.
Conclusion
Hydrangea Silver Dollar is one of the most common shrub varieties. Differs in unpretentiousness to the soil, planting site, and also has high endurance to sudden changes in temperature and various pests. The only dangerous disease for a plant is foliar chlorosis, which can be eliminated with a solution of potassium nitrate.
