Hydrangeas can be overwatered, and they do not want to be in soil that is too wet. Hydrangeas require moist soil, but if the soil is too wet, the plant may suffer from root rot. Overwatering a Hydrangea can also stunt its growth, slow down its production of blooms, and eventually lead to its death.
Hydrangea Care Tips
Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. Deeply water 3 times a week to encourage root growth. Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture.
It's also an increasingly common practice to grow hydrangeas indoors. While being relatively easy to take care of, overwatering can cause severe damage and may even kill the plant. A single overwatering can be treated by simply not watering the plant until the soil has time to dry out partially.
Symptoms of Phytophthora root rot are the sudden wilting and yellowing of the foliage. Infected hydrangea roots may exhibit brown discoloration and this discoloration can be seen on crown at the soil line and stem above the soil line as well.
Brown, tan, yellowish or black spots on hydrangea leaves may be anthracnose. You can also identify it by cankers that form on stems and branches. Anthracnose can be fatal to hydrangeas, so prune out dead or diseased plant parts and destroy them.
If you've overwatered your hydrangeas, you can revive them by removing dead roots and replanting them. Afterward, be sure to check the soil to ensure you only water your plant when it's required. And keep an eye on the growing conditions to determine what it needs.
When a plant is first becoming overwatered, leaves turn yellow. If soil doesn't have a chance to dry out before you water again, leaves start to wilt. When overwatering is the problem, wilted leaves are soft and limp. (If too little water is the issue, wilted leaves are dry and crispy.)
However, if your Hydrangeas look wilted in the morning before it's hot outside or in the evening once the temperature starts to drop, then this is a sign that your Hydrangeas need water. Brown leaves can be a sign for underwatered and overwatered Hydrangeas, so rely on checking the soil to tell the difference.
Too much sun exposure can cause your hydrangea shrubs to burn on its leaves and blooms. Also, be sure to put your fingers in the soil to see if it needs watering. We do recommend a soak versus light watering each day, but you should be sure that the soil is always moist – not wet – by sticking your fingers in the dirt.
Water your hydrangeas in the morning before the heat of the sun is strong enough to quickly evaporate soil moisture. Try to avoid watering at night, which can encourage mold and mildew as the moisture sits through the cool night. Water your hydrangeas through the growing season as well as in late fall.
For hydrangeas planted in ground.
For optimal growth, bloom production, and quality, fertilize three times: In early spring when plants are just leafing out. In early May to boost their flower production for summer. In late June/early July to help your plants finish the summer strong.
Most common hydrangeas prefer a partial sun location - ideally receiving sun in the morning hours and shade in the afternoon. The reblooming Endless Summer® Hydrangea series prefers part shade.
Removing spent flowers will ensure your hydrangeas produce healthier, more bountiful blooms later on.
But hydrangeas are among the few plants that can draw moisture in through their florets, so it's possible to perk up wilted blooms by completely submerging them in water and letting them sit for a few hours to rehydrate.
Hydrangeas should be planted in moist, rich soil. In soil that drains quickly, such as sandy soil, wilting occurs much faster than in soil rich in organic matter with better water-holding ability. Shallow watering can also cause wilt.
There's no way around it: Hydrangeas in pots will have to be watered more frequently than those in the ground. Because it's living in a smaller space, you can expect this space to dry out more quickly than the ground will. To keep your potted hydrangea happy, try watering it every other day in the summertime.
The goal is to have them last about two to three weeks! If they start to droop after a few days, cut the stem again and change the old water out to hot water once or twice a week. You can also mist the blooms daily – hydrangeas are one of the very few flowers that can actually drink water from their blooms!
Browning leaves are typically caused by under watering, sunburn, or overwatering. If the leaf tips are turning brown and crunchy, the soil likely became too dry for too long in between waterings. This can also cause the plant to drop leaves.
If you think your plant is overwatered, take a break from watering it. Otherwise, the problem will continue to get worse. Don't add more water to the pot until you're sure the roots and soil are dry. This can take several days, so don't worry if there's a big gap between waterings.
Is Overwatering Worse Than Underwatering? Overwatering is much worse for plants and has a much greater chance of resulting in the plant dying. Overwatering causes much more extensive root damage, which often must be treated by pruning off the affected roots and repotting the plant.
Symptoms of overwatered hydrangeas may include brown and wilted leaves, yellow leaves that will drop from the plant, and stunted growth. Signs of root rot may present themselves as well. This could appear that half of your plant is dead, and you may see white fungus near the crown of the hydrangea.
Place the hydrangeas on the cutting board and use the sharp knife to cut the end of the hydrangea at a 45 degree angle. Then cut a small slit vertically up the middle of the newly trimmed stem. Place the hydrangea(s) in the vase filled with hot water. Let sit for a minimum of one hour and voila!
Potted hydrangeas overwinter best in a garage or basement where the temperature stays cool but doesn't freeze. The plants will go dormant, but you'll still need to water the pots occasionally, about once a month, to keep the roots moist, until spring.