Water your hydrangeas through the growing season as well as in late fall. You should also water them occasionally if you have a warm, dry winter. Water your plants at the base, around the root zone, to avoid wasting water and getting the foliage wet.
The Right Way To Water Hydrangeas
According to Karen Mitchell, Jefferson County Master Gardener, irrigating below the leaves and flowers at the base of the plant is best practice to avoid fungal-related issues and ensure the water goes directly to the root system.
Continue watering until the ground is saturated. Avoid getting the leaves wet as this can cause disease. Alternatively, you can use a soaker hose near the base of the Hydrangeas and leave it turned on until the soil is moist but not soaking wet, usually about 30-45 minutes.
All you need to do is submerge hydrangeas bloom-down in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes to an hour, taking care not to leave the arrangement submerged for too long. "Prolonged exposure of the petals in water can actually damage the flower," says Manhattan-based florist Rachel Cho of Rachel Cho Floral Design.
Place the hydrangea(s) in the vase filled with hot water. Let sit for a minimum of one hour and voila! Revived hydrangeas.
Yellow or Brown Leaves
When a hydrangea has been overwatered, one of the most obvious signs is yellow or brown mushy leaves. Touch your hydrangea's leaves just to make sure – dry leaves can be a sign of underwatering, so feeling them will help you tell the difference.
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.
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.
Keep good air space between the plants; don't crowd them together or against other plants. Don't give bigleaf hydrangeas too much love; if they're too comfortable (water, fertilizer, etc.), they may devote all their foliage to leaves instead of blooms.
When a hydrangea is cut, displayed in a vase, and looking quite lifeless, turn the flower upside down and completely submerge its head into a bowl of water overnight. “Hydrangeas are one of the only flowers that actually absorb water through the petal,” the florist said in the video.
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.
Roots need oxygen to thrive, and if they are sitting in water for too long, they may begin to rot or die. The best way to prevent root rot from forming is to plant your hydrangea in well-draining soil to reduce the chances of fungal development.
As soon as hydrangeas are cut, the stems should immediately be put into tepid water. And adding a little bit of flower food to it would be a great idea too. Use a sharp knife or clippers to cut each stem on a diagonal and submerge! Cut hydrangeas in the morning and choose only the most mature blooms.
This is my number one tip to keep your hydrangea from drooping! Put hydrangea in very hot water – boiling temperature. Nearly all flowers like warm to very hot water. Never use cold water.
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.
Some gardeners report success in turning their hydrangeas blue by applying coffee grounds to the soil. The coffee grounds make the soil more acidic, allowing the hydrangea to more easily absorb aluminum. In addition, fruit peels, lawn clippings, peat moss and pine needles, are thought to have a similar effect.
Hydrangeas grow best in full sun (more than 6 hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun). With that being said, all hydrangeas can handle some shade, but the timing and type of shade are important to consider. They can be in full shade during the hottest part of the day, as long as they are getting some morning sun.
Cut the stems at an angle.
Hydrangea (just like lilacs) love to drink a LOT a water and they need as much surface area to do that. So give it a good cut to help it out!
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.
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.
Removing spent flowers will ensure your hydrangeas produce healthier, more bountiful blooms later on.
The simplest method is to mound shredded leaves or bark mulch around the base of the plant to about 12 inches or so. Put the mulch mound in place in late fall after the ground freezes, and uncover plants in spring when temperatures begin to stay above freezing.