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.
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.
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.
Transplant Shock
Water the hydrangea deeply once a day and continue the watering routine until wilting stops and the plant looks fully revived. Also mulch around the plant to preserve soil moisture. Otherwise, give it time to recover. By no means should you fertilize it, or prune any wilted plant parts.
It's when they consume most of their water, so they are most prone to wilting at night when they're not getting the water they're used to. You'll need to help your hydrangea blooms get the excess water that they need in a different way because they usually can't consume enough water from their stems alone.
A wilted plant can recover in a few weeks with the right care and attention to address the root cause of wilting. It is worth noting, however, that not every wilted plant has the stored energy to make a full recovery, and some plants can take months to look as they did originally.
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.
Symptom. Leaf scorch is a common symptom of transplant shock. Leaf scorch first appears as a yellowing or bronzing of tissue between the veins or along the margins of leaves of deciduous plants (those that lose their leaves in winter). Later, the discolored tissue dries out and turns brown.
Remove all the leaves. Fill your sink or a deep bowl with water. Dunk the heads of the hydrangeas right under the water. Leave them for at least 15 minutes or submerged overnight.
Watering Newly Planted Hydrangeas
You do not want to plant them in an area that has standing water, especially after rainfall. Hydrangeas in the ground should be watered at least 3 times a week when planted to help establish a strong root system. They have shallow roots so mulch is an absolute must!
Transplant shock is a common side effect of moving plants. The telltale signs are wilting and falling leaves, and hydrangeas not blooming. In severe cases, your plant may not recover. 'You can minimize the risk of hydrangea transplant shock by digging up as much of the root ball and surrounding soil as possible.
Hydrangeas often wilt after planting due to transplant shock which is due to a contrast of growing conditions from the garden centre or nursery where it was originally cultivated and your gardens specific conditions.
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.
Unfortunately, when you move seedlings outdoors, there's a chance they may droop or wilt somewhat right after transplanting if some roots were broken or disturbed. To speed recovery, keep them quite moist and out of the sun for two days and then give filtered sun or half-day sun for two days.
Be patient: If you treat your tree well, the tree should recover from shock and establish itself. It can take up to 3 years for a tree with transplant shock to fully recover.
Sugar water does not do anything to help plants with transplant shock, and it can make it worse. Often, plants recover on their own. Just give them time, keep them well-watered and protect them from too much sun to prevent more leaf scorch.
The primary reasons hydrangeas don't bloom are incorrect pruning, bud damage due to winter and/or early spring weather, location and too much fertilizer. Hydrangea varieties can be of the type that blooms on old wood, new wood or both. Old wood is the current year's growth and new wood is next year's (spring) growth.
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 you transplant while your hydrangeas are dormant (the best time), water them deeply one time. They may need no more water until spring when warmer weather arrives. Hydrangeas must be kept watered very well the first and second summer after they are transplanted. The best way to water is deeply.
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.
In addition to changing color, an overwatered hydrangea's leaves may wilt.
If you have a wilting plant the first thing you want to do is give it a thorough watering. You can accomplish this by putting your plant in the sink, or adding watering for anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes (depending on pot size and specific plant/soil requirements), letting the water completely drain out of the bottom.