Surely every gardener, especially if he has been growing various exotic plants for a long time, has heard of hydrangeas - a very interesting and quite unpretentious tree. It can be successfully grown both in pots and as a decoration of flowerbeds or a garden, and the large species diversity allows you to create the most sophisticated compositions. Here take at least a hydrangea paniculata or specifically Grandiflora variety. Having a lush crown, the plant will look great on any part of your site, especially since the uniqueness of its inflorescences is not similar to any known species.
Description and origin
The mentioned hydrangea variety is one of the most ancient, since it was known in East Asia as far back as 1860. In those days, in the wild, such trees could reach up to ten meters in height, but modern specimens grown in our climate are more modest in size. Today Grandiflora is grown as a shrub or small tree, which reaches a height of about two meters (with a crown diameter of three meters). The flowers of the plant are grouped into large pyramidal inflorescences up to 30 cm long. All flowers are mostly sterile, which means that you are unlikely to wait for the fruits of the plant.
You will be interested to know about the variety of hydrangea "Annabel" and "Phantom".At the beginning of flowering, all the flowers are colored creamy white, but over time, their color changes to white first, and then becomes a delicate pink. But that's not all: with the arrival of autumn near the end of flowering, you will notice greenish-red flowers on your hydrangea Grandiflora.
Did you know? In the West, we learned about hydrangeas due to the first round-the-world expedition of the French, who found a flower on the island of Mauritius (located in the Indian Ocean) in 1768.The leaves are ovate, up to 12 cm in length, slightly pubescent on top and more pubescent in the lower part of the leaf plate (especially along the veins). The first flowering is observed on the fourth or fifth year after planting, and if the flowers are not sterile, then about the same time, fruiting occurs.
Flowering plants are quite long: from the second part of June until the end of October. If a fruit-box is formed, then soon it cracks at the top and from it you can get numerous small seeds. The viability of such seeds is quite high and is 95%.Important! If the acquired bush for a long time does not release the characteristic inflorescences for it, no need to rush to get rid of the plant. He just needs a certain time for development, so be patient and provide him with appropriate conditions for growth.
Growing conditions
As with the purposeful cultivation of any other plants in your garden, planting hydrangea Grandiflora, with a description of which you have already read, you need to know about the rules of caring for it. First of all, it is important to take into account such well-known factors as lighting and soil composition.
How to choose lighting
All paniculate hydrangeas (and Grandiflora variety is not an exception) prefer lighted but slightly shaded parts of the garden so that sunlight will fall on them in a scattered form. 
At the same time, the variety survives well in urban settings, near high-rise buildings or in open areas in parks, but only if it can be ensured that it is regularly and sufficiently watered. It is also worth remembering that hydrangeas do not tolerate strong gusts of wind, so planting next to the fence or other tall shrubs will also be beneficial in this regard.
Did you know? Homeland hydrangeas - Japan. There she received the name "Adzisai", which translates as "purple sun flower" or "flower that looks like a purple sun."
Soil type
Soil at the place of disembarkation of Grandiflora should be fertile, light and well moistened with an optimum level of acidity pH 4-6.5. If the latter is not high enough, then iron sulfate can be used as an additive.
Grandiflora Landing
Planting Grandiflora begins with the preparation of the pit and its filling with fertile soil, after which a seedling is placed in it and sprinkled with a layer of soil on top. But this is only a short description of the whole process, and now everything is in order.
Pit preparation
The most suitable time for planting hydrangea Grandiflora on the site is the period from the end of the thawing of the soil until the beginning of the appearance of the first buds on the trees. The planting pit for the described plant should have a depth of at least 40-50 cm with a circumference of 40 cm. However, more specific parameters depend on the height of the shrub and the fertility of the soil in your chosen area. That is, if you have to plant a plant on depleted land, then the seat should be deeper.
In addition, any hole must be additionally filled with a specially prepared soil mixture with the addition of 50 g of mineral fertilizer. 
Peat, turfy ground, sand and humus mixed with each other in the ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1 are suitable for the role of the components of such a substrate. In addition, it is useful to add urea, potassium sulphate and superphosphate to the planting pit, after which it is possible not to worry about feeding the plant for two years. Liming soil when growing Grandiflora categorically contraindicated.
Planting hydrangeas
A hydrangea seedling that you plan to plant on your plot should be dug up with a lump of earth, and shortly before being placed in a new place. All broken roots and branches of a young tree should be pruned with shears.
When the seedling is ready, pour a mound of the previously prepared mixture into the center of the planting hole (it should be flush with the upper edge of the pit) and carefully place the hydrangea root system on it, directing the roots in different directions. 
If we are talking about hydrangea Grandiflora, then at planting a slight (about 2-3 cm) root depth of the neck is allowed in the ground, otherwise the plant will not fully develop. The soil around the seedling should be tightly tamped so that there is no void left in the root zone.
Upon completion of the planting process, it remains only to water the seedling, sending a stream of water into the hole under the plant. The ground should be saturated with moisture throughout the depth of the pit, that is, up to 40-50 cm.
Important! Selecting the most optimal frequency of irrigation, be sure to consider the weather conditions, because in the rainy season it is wiser to reduce the number of irrigations or even eliminate them.
Care for paniculate hydrangea
If you seriously approach the cultivation of a flower and care for it, difficulties should arise.
Watering rules
Hortensia belongs to those plants that are very fond of moisture, but most of all she needs it during the flowering period. 
Therefore, at this stage of development, the regularity of irrigation should not be less than once a week, about 1.5-2 buckets of water per bush or tree. At the same time, Grandiflora cultivar can do without irrigation for a long time, although such drought tolerance is fraught with a decrease in the quality and quantity of inflorescences on the plant.
Fertilizer
All paniculate hydrangeas respond well to fertilization, so it’s not surprising that when you grow Grandiflora, you have to periodically feed it.
As a top dressing of plants also use: "Chunky", nitroammofosku, "Kemira", "Ammophos", biohumus.During the flowering period, an important role is played by mineral compounds, which are introduced once every two weeks, although one should not completely exclude organic matter, the use of which takes place no more than once every four weeks.
It is possible to get the optimal effect from dressing only with the gradual application of fertilizers:- For the first time, hydrangea is fertilized in early spring using organic compounds (mainly fermented manure diluted in water), but even here the dosage should be strictly followed (1: 3), otherwise the flowers will grow very large and may break the stems due to their weight.
- When forming buds, the soil is fertilized with a mixture based on potassium sulfate, superphosphate (35 g each) and urea (25 g), calculated for 1 m² of soil.
- The use of mineral compounds in the calculation of 25-30 g for every 10 liters of water will increase the duration of flowering of hydrangeas.
Important! To avoid tillering and improve the quality of flowering, do not forget to thin out the plant, removing last year's shoots that grow from one point (if there are more than two).
Shrub pruning
It is no secret that the paniculate species is characterized by a rapid growth of the crown with an annual increase in shoots and a decrease in inflorescences. For this reason, experienced gardeners advise cutting the plant heavily. If you wish, you can even form a shrub or tree out of it, properly starting to prune the young shoots. So, in order to get a tree as a result, it is enough to remove the lower shoots and begin to form the crown at the initial stage of growing hydrangeas. 
That is, pruning for hydrangea Grandiflora variety is not only recommended, but also a mandatory procedure, as it starts the process of forming new inflorescences and branches. To accelerate the growth of the bush, it is cut by about 2-3 buds, performing the procedure before they appear. For lush flowering shrubs better to cut off all the old shoots at the very root.
In the autumn, the care of Grandiflora provides for pruning of flowering inflorescences, because they spend a lot of nutrients, which leads to early termination of flowering shrubs or trees.
Shelter hydrangea for the winter
Grandiflora, like some other varieties of paniculate hydrangea, refers to frost-resistant plants, which means that shelter is not required when grown in the southern and middle regions of the country. Nevertheless, if weather forecasters predict a cold and dry winter, then to protect the roots from freezing, it is better to cover the soil around the bush with a layer of humus. 
When it comes to young specimens, then to protect them use several layers of burlap or dried leaves, creating from them a kind of "fur coat". With age, the resistance of a tree (or bush) to frost only increases, and very soon you will not have to worry about how it will survive the winter.
A little bit about breeding varieties
When growing hydrangea Grandiflora, one of the important aspects of caring for a plant is its reproduction. You can accomplish this task in several ways: by dividing a hive, by grafting, or by using layering (by the way, the last two options are most often used).
In any case, the survival rate of parts of the mother bush on a new site is quite low, which is why experts recommend soaking them for some time in a growth stimulator. 
The process of reproduction by layering proceeds according to the following scenario: to begin with, a small dimple in the soil must be done around the mother bush, then bend the branch to the ground and sprinkled with a layer of soil, tying its middle part to the support. As soon as the cuttings take root (this happens about a year later), the used twig can be separated from the bush.
As for grafting, the material for it can be harvested in the process of spring and winter pruning. Next, the resulting parts are placed in water for several days, after which the branches are cut into cuttings and treated with a root formation stimulator.
Important! There is an opinion that in the case of Grandiflora, parts of a plant grafted in early June better take root. At the same time, it is necessary to choose a stalk with 5-6 knots, cutting leaves from the two lower ones and prikopav it in a wet and loose earth into two knots.The ideal soil for cuttings consists of sand and peat, and after it takes its place in it (it should not reach the peat layer), it is necessary to cover it with a can or to build a film cover. The cutting is placed in the soil mixture for 2/3 of its length. Also a prerequisite for the successful implementation of the process is to conduct the entire procedure in the shade with the constant maintenance of the moisture content of the substrate.
You can perform transplanting during the whole growing season, but the best time for such a venture is spring or autumn.Possible diseases and pests of the bush
Grandiflora is threatened with diseases such as garden aphid and powdery mildew. In the fight against the latter, the drugs "Fundazol" and "Oksikom" performed well. Regularly using them to handle hydrangea at the beginning of flowering, you can protect it from the ailments mentioned. However, when using insecticides, it is important to clearly follow the instructions for the composition, not exceeding the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.
It will be useful for you to learn about the rules for controlling diseases and pests of other plants, such as begonia, asters, kalanchoe, streptocarpus, spathiphyllum, petunia.It is possible to rid the plant of aphids with the help of chemical compounds or by means of independently prepared folk remedies. For example, a good infusion of garlic, which is directly mixed with 5% of a hydrangea, is directly mixed with laundry soap at a rate of 5: 1 before spraying it directly.
With a responsible approach to growing plants in your garden, be it Grandiflora or any other culture, you will have no problems, and all that remains is to admire the lush flowering and the general decorative look of the shrub.
