Transplanted hydrangeas in April. Will they live?

Nikki
by Nikki
So...Back in April I bought and transplanted seven hydrangea bushes (sticks) from a backyard gardener who lives not too far from me. She did a good job of digging up the roots and keeping the native soil around the roots. The bushes already had leaves on the sticks when we did the transplant. Since planting them in my yard (tilled and amended the soil with gardening soil and mushroom compost) all the leaves have dried up and fallen off and I have seven, tall, gangly, bare sticks in my yard. They look pretty dead to me. Is there a possibility that they could make a come back? I shouldn't do any trimming right now, right? I'll try to post pictures later.
  10 answers
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on May 09, 2012
    scrape the bark gently with a dull knife....if there is green underneath you still have a chance
  • Renee B Renee B on May 09, 2012
    Funny I had a similar question. One of my Hydrangea paneculata (sp) just turned brown and reddish color while in bloom and now looks wilted and dead. I have watered and all the other ones seem to be doing fine. When I did the scraping on the bark it has some green on the stem. Should I just leave it and see or is it a goner? Really puzzled as to what could have killed it.
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on May 09, 2012
    Leave it and see, you have nothing to lose. Pretend it is alive and treat it as such until you are sure it is dead. Hydrangeas are wonderfully resilient.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on May 10, 2012
    Plants want to grow, Nikki. I would not give up yet.
  • Kathy R Kathy R on May 10, 2012
    We had them along our front walk. They got so big they blocked the walk LOL We dug them in March cut them in half and stuck them in the back bed (my I dont know what to do with this plant bed). They took off like crazy. They are tough plants !
  • Nikki Nikki on May 31, 2012
    Just wanted to give an update that all seven of my little hydrangeas have beautiful leaves and one even has a little cluster of lavender blooms! So happy! Thanks for helping me have patience. :-)
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jun 01, 2012
    Great news, Nikki!
  • Dorothy F Dorothy F on Jun 18, 2012
    i live s jersey. what would be a good time to move my hydrangeas.
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Jun 18, 2012
    cool Nikki! Post a picture soon :)
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jun 19, 2012
    @ Dorothy: the ideal time would be late fall, when your hydrangea is losing its leaves.