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.
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.
Here's what to look for: Leaf discoloration: hydrangea laves typically become yellow and brown when overwatered. However, the discoloration can also be a sign of underwatering. Usually, when the plant is overwatered, the browning occurs on the edges of the leaves.
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.
In order to figure out how much water your new hydrangea needs, start by watering it two-three times per week (less in spring and fall and more in summer) and checking the soil in between waterings. Use your finger to feel into the soil around the base of the plant and check for dryness.
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!
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.
You might be able to revive less-wilted blooms in just an hour or two, so check on them a few times while they soak to see if they're back to looking their best. If you notice they still look wilted after a few hours, leave them to soak overnight to see if that does the trick.
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.
If you've spotted the signs of overwatering, you'll be happy to hear that your hydrangea plants can recover. Though you can technically allow the plant time to dry out before you water it again, this isn't the most sure-fire way to help your plant survive.
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.
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.
Revive Hydrangeas With Warm Water
According to Stembel, hydrangeas are one of the rare flowers that absorb a portion of their water intake through their petals. "This is why a tired-looking bloom can be revived with a quick dunk in warm water," she says.
Water them for longer.
"Keep in mind that light surface watering may help the foliage bounce back, but if the plant has experienced significant shock, deep soaks will help the root system rebuild and regain strength," she explains. "Watering them three to four times per week for a full five to 10 minutes is ideal."
It is suggested that Hydrangea wilt so soon after being cut because their stems contain a sticky substance that clogs the stems preventing moisture reaching the top of the stem to the head. Top Tip - Cut 10 cm off the stem and place in boiling water and leave for 24 hours.
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.
Removing spent flowers will ensure your hydrangeas produce healthier, more bountiful blooms later on.
Iron deficiency is common in hydrangeas and can cause the leaves to turn yellow. A sign that your hydrangea is suffering from an iron deficiency is if the new leaves are yellow while the veins remain green. This is called "chlorosis" and it's a sure sign that your plant needs more iron.
Make a vertical slit in the incision and hold the stem upright in the boiling water for about 60 seconds. Place the hydrangeas back in your floral arrangement and they should revive themselves in an hour or so. Don't forget to check out our pro tips for arranging flowers!
EMERGENCY RESCUE FOR WILTING HYDRANGEAS
Then recut and place the stems into boiling water and then back into a vase of fresh water. They should revive in a couple of hours and live another day or two.