Although hydrangeas prefer a lot of water they, like many other plants, are prone to root rot when the soil is too moist for too long. When they experience root rot, the plant tends to wilt, and in turn the gardener suspects the plant is dry and it needs to be watered, thus worsening its condition.
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. Rain showers and superficial watering with a can or garden hose aren't enough to saturate the root zone.
Trim an inch off the ends of the stems and submerge wilted flowers in a bucket, bowl or sink filled with cool water. If you're trying to revive multiple stems at once, weigh down the stems in the water with a lightweight plate so they stay completely submerged.
Hydrangeas can get root rot if they get too much water and the soil does not drain well. Clay soil in our area is therefore a problem but adding some organic compost helps. If a plant gets root rot, its leaves will appear wilted 24/7, including after you water it.
In addition to changing color, an overwatered hydrangea's leaves may wilt. In extreme cases, the leaves will begin to drop off the plant.
Wilting or mushy leaves: overwatered hydrangea leaves are heavy and drooping. They may be mushy or pulpy to the touch because their cells are flooded. Underwatered plants, on the other hand, will have dry and crispy leaves.
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 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.
Hydrangeas are amazingly resilient, she says. If they wilt in the heat of a summer afternoon, they will likely perk up by the next morning. But don't let them suffer too often or the cell structure will collapse and the leaves may not come back until fall rain or even next spring.
The main reason for hydrangeas wilting is when they are exposed to the wrong environmental parameters. Typically, exposure to too much sunlight and limited access to water can make the flowers droop and wilt, changing their colorful petals and green leaves into a dark, dry, and murky sight.
The reason for hydrangeas wilting and dying is because there is not enough moisture around the roots due to lack of watering or rainfall, the soil drains too quickly, too much sun or excessive wind saps moisture from the leaves. Hydrangea flowers can droop due to excess fertilizer.
Key Takeaways: The reason for a hydrangea dying is most often due to not enough moisture in the soil. Hydrangeas require the soil to be consistently moist and will droop or die because of drought. Hydrangeas can die due to frost damage, drought, transplant shock and because of too much sun.
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.
Remove the wilted hydrangeas from your arrangement and re-cut the stems on a 45-degree angle. 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.
The reason for wilting hydrangeas after planting is because of transplant shock. The contrast in soil, watering, sunlight and airflow causes the leaves to wilt as a sign of stress. The hydrangeas roots need time to establish in the soil after planting, to be able draw up water and revive the wilting leaves.
Reviving Wilted Blooms in an Arrangement:
If the water in the arrangement is more than a day old, change it for fresh water before beginning the revival process. Re-cut the stems of the wilted hydrangeas by removing a portion at the bottom. Use the Boiling Water Method: Boil water and pour it into a cup.
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.
If the leaves are drooping, it is time to water the plant. If the leaves are yellowing and turning brown, check for standing water or a clogged drainage hole.
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.
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 the soil is wet, it's overwatered - if it's dry, it's underwatered. Browning edges: Another symptom that can go both ways. Determine which by feeling the leaf showing browning: if it feels crispy and light, it is underwatered. If it feels soft and limp, it is overwatered.
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.
Shallow or inconsistent watering.
If a hydrangea is being watered every other day for twenty or thirty minutes (sadly, standard automatic irrigation settings) the plant is likely to wilt in hot weather. Once the flowers wilt a few times they will turn brown.