Hydrangeas are flowering shrubs that come in a variety of colors including clear blue, vibrant pink, frosty white, lavender, and rose. They have a characteristic multiple flower head pattern, with each flower made up of many smaller flower heads. They are a very prominent variety of flowering shrubs that are easy to cultivate on almost any kind of soil. They produce flowers through the entire mid-summer and till fall. During this time most of the other flowering plants and shrubs do not flower, making hydrangeas very special. Hydrangeas can make an excellent garden as they can be planted as individual plants or as groups.
What makes them unique?
An interesting fact about hydrangeas is that the colors of some of the hydrangeas can change based on the soil pH. Soil pH indirectly affects the availability of aluminum ions. Blue flowers are produced with acidic soils (with pH less than 5.5) and pink blooms are produced with a soil pH greater than 5.5. It is seen that white flowers are not affected by pH.
Planting hydrangeas
Hydrangeas need to be planted about 3 to 10 feet apart, in rich and moist soils. Compost needs to be added to soils that are not moist enough. Planting needs to be done during spring or during fall. Planting the shrubs needs to be done in a hole and then filled with soil to half the depth. Once water is added and drained, more soil must be added to fill the rest of the hole.
Caring for hydrangeas
The leaves of hydrangeas will wilt if the soil is too dry. To avoid that, after planting or during dry weather, the hydrangeas should be watered properly. Though fertilizers are encouraged, it should be noted that too much fertilizer will cause leafy growth and lesser flowers. So, as a common practice, it is not required to fertilize hydrangeas if the soil is rich. If the soil is not very rich or is sandy, it is good to fertilize the plants once a year during late winter or spring. During the fall, cover the plants to a depth of 18 inches or more using pine needles, leaves or straw. However, it’s advisable to cover the entire plant by making snow fencing or chicken wire cages and filling the cages with leaves.
Pruning a hydrangea
Pruning is done by cutting one or two of the oldest stems down to the base so that branching can happen. But if the plant is old or neglected or damaged, it is advisable to prune all the stems down till the base. This also includes the flowers that will renovate the plant for future seasons. The process of removing faded and dead blooms is called deadheading. The process or the time to prune a hydrangea depends on the type of hydrangea. The technique varies from one variety to another. For example, Mophead and Lacecap, are two common varieties that are pruned after the flowers fade. Other hydrangeas like panicle and smooth hydrangeas are pruned in a different way. They should be pruned late winter when the plant is dormant before flowering. So, if the buds are killed during late winter, they will produce new buds in spring which will produce flowers. It’s a best practice to prune only dead branches.
-
Stunning earrings collections at the Diamond Studs sale
Read moreAs Elizabeth Taylor once said, ‘Big girls need big diamonds.’ That women love diamonds is no secret and no woman would ever say no to a beautiful pair of diamond studded earrings. Especially, when it comes as a gift from someone special. If you are a man who believes it is better to have a single flawed diamond than a sack of perfect pebbles, then there are classic diamond studs for you too. You can choose from black, brown, blue or yellow diamonds to suit your individual taste and masculine look from the grand variety offered by Diamond Studs.
This online American jewelry store sells certified and sparkling diamonds with which you can create the most dazzling pair of diamond stud earrings. You can design the perfect diamond jewelry you desire from the remarkable collections on offer at their diamond studs earrings sale. Choose from a variety of shapes: Round, Princess, Cushion, Asscher, Emerald, Hearts and Arrows, Marquise, Oval, and Pear. Order special handcrafted diamond studs that are custom made in the country, and sign up for newsletters to receive discount coupons and special savings promotions. Believing in making shopping simple and seamless for customers, and reducing their costs and passing on the savings to their customers, Diamond Studs provides the best value for money for every style of diamond studs that they sell. So choose to spend your money wisely at their diamond stud earrings sale where all jewelry purchases are shipped with a Certificate of Authenticity. Whether you choose to set your diamond stud earrings in the 4 prong basket, 3 prong basket, bezel or dangle setting in 14k White, Yellow or Rose, or 18k White or Yellow or in Platinum metal, you can pick the diamond quality and size according to your taste and budget.
Though the brand provides a free 30-day return and free exchange policy on their diamond and gemstone purchases, the company is confident and ensures that customers are happy with their selection of jewelry. It might sound unbelievable but one of the best features of purchasing beautiful diamond studs from this brand is their lifetime upgrade offer that lets customers exchange their jewelry to a product of greater value any time.
So enjoy a safe shopping experience with Diamond Studs that includes insured shipping too, along with many other happy and satisfied customers.
-
Redefine Your Looks with Brand New Contact Lenses
Read moreEyes are the reflection of your thoughts. So why hide your beautiful eyes behind those clumsy glasses? Replace your glasses with brand new contact lenses and redefine your looks.
Why choose contact lenses over spectacles?
Contact lenses are thin lenses placed on the surface of the eyeballs to enhance one’s vision. There are many reasons which may compel you to switch from specs to contact lenses; some of them are stated below.
Reasons that may compel you to switch your focus to contact lenses:
– These are rather more effective than spectacles
– These are comfortable for drivers or sportspersons
– You may wear sunglasses or goggles along with contact lenses
– You need not carry another pair of therapeutic glasses along with you
– Contact lenses don’t collect moisture from the air on their surface; therefore, you need not clean them every now and then
– Contact lenses help treat certain eye problems like keratoconus and aniseikonia more effectivelyClassification of contact lenses
Contact lenses are classified into different categories according to their usage, material that they are made up of, durability and replacement. The types of lenses according to usage have been listed below:
Vision corrective contact lenses
The vision-oriented lenses are carved to correct the refractive error. The lenses are designed differently to correct different types of vision disabilities. For example, spherical lenses treat myopia and hypermetropia, toric lenses treat astigmatism, varifocal lenses treat presbyopia etc.
Bifocal lenses
These lenses have multiple focal points and are apt to treat presbyopia. Hence, you need not carry two different pairs of glasses to treat near and far vision disability
Monovision lenses
These are single-vision contact lenses which are used as a treatment for eye disability. If one of your eyes possesses vision disability and the other one functions well, you may use these lenses. You may also use them in case one of your eyes possesses distance vision disability and the other one possesses near vision disability.
These lenses are carved with different focal lengths according to your eye, to deal effectively with your eyes.X-Chrom lenses
These lenses are designed to treat color blindness. Though not much effective, these lenses help people suffering from color blindness in differentiating between the colors. These lenses are also effective for those suffering from night blindness.
When differentiating on the basis of material, there are basically 3 types of lenses, viz.Hard lenses
These lenses were earlier made out of plexiglass and were harmful as they didn’t allow oxygen passage to the cornea, leading to several other eye diseases. Later the lenses material was modified into rigid gas permeable lenses.
Soft lenses
Made up of water containing plastic material, these lenses are easy to wear and remove. They adjust easily in your eyes and even allow oxygen passage.
Hybrid lenses
These are not very common and have recently been manufactured. It comprises of a rigid lens on the surface of a soft lens. This gives you the comfort of the soft lens and benefits of the rigid lens.
Different lenses on the basis of durability and replacement
Highly durable lenses can be used for a longer period while less-durable lenses must not be used for longer time. Some lenses allow continuous wearing and can be worn for even a month. Others allow extended wearing and need to be removed every night before sleeping. These lenses are cleaned using a special type of solution and are kept in a lens case.
The lenses must also be replaced after a certain time, to avoid eye problems or eye infections. The daily disposable lenses are for one-time use and must be disposed of after one use. Weekly disposable lenses must be disposed of every week. In the same way, the monthly disposable and quarterly disposable lenses must be disposed of every month. The non-disposable lenses can be used for a year or 1.5 years but not more than that.How to choose right contact lenses for yourself?
It is better to consult a good ophthalmologist before choosing any lens for yourself. In case, you are buying a lens just to enhance your style with different colored eye lenses, get the right size and shape of the lens. Focus on the quality of material and other important aspects so as to avoid any kind of damage to your eyes.