Hydrangea wilting help
by
Janice W
+4
I have not had any luck with this plant. This is my 2nd one and the instructions say partial shade but it's wilting on me. When I planted it I had to water it every other day and it would perk back up. Now it just looks awful with the leaves wilting. What can I do to save it? Should I move it to a sunny spot as the ones I see on here are in the sun? What am I doing wrong? I want to grow one of these so bad. I don't have any problems with any of my other plants as they always look fine. Help!!!
7 answers
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Some time when you purchased these plants they are root/pot bound, a root bound plant will eventually suffocate itself regardless of how often one may water or fertilize. When taken out of the pot loosen up the roots before planting in the ground so the plants is able to absorb water.
Luis
on Jun 21, 2013
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This one was not root bound. Even though it wasn't root bound I did loosen up the soil surrounding the few roots it had. Maybe I just got a bad plant.
Janice W
on Jun 21, 2013
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My hydrangeas wilt here in the south. They will survive, but need lots of water. I have some in the sun and some in the shade. The shade one is much larger, but does not bloom as profusely. It hasn't been quite as hot yet this year, but they really wilt in the heat. I would say make sure you are not watering too much (yellowing leaves) and if that is the case, water more. They are huge water hogs.
Suzanne James Fritze
on Jun 21, 2013
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Suzanne is right. I think hydrangeas are among the least drought-tolerant plants out there.
Douglas Hunt
on Jun 22, 2013
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I cut off some of the wilted leaves yesterday and a couple of stalks look fine. I'll keep watering and hope for the best. Thanks for your help.
Janice W
on Jun 22, 2013
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The trick is to find a place with morning sun and make sure they are in shade by late afternoon. I watered mine lightly each day for the first month. It did not have any flowers until the second year. I toss some 10-10-10 twice a year (early spring and mid summer) and water in. I also do not water mine overhead. Aim the water at the base of the plant. Rain water is fine, but for some reason tap water bothers my plants. Once established I let the rain water them for the most part. If there hasn't been rain for a week,I give them water. They do not like when the soil dries out too much, but overwet is not good either. I spray my 4 ft plants about 2-3 minutes under each one every other day during temps over 85 degrees. Avoid spraying the leaves and blooms, especially at night. I also built mine with little troughs around them to hold in all the rain water and not waste any when watering. Seems to work. You can also get new plants by pushing one stalk under the soil and placing a rock on it if needed. After a year (in my case) it rooted and I clipped it to plant elsewhere. I think they are the prettiest plants and would love an entire yard of them!
Cynthia
on Jun 22, 2013
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What time of day do the hydrangeas get sun? Mine gets sun until about noon and then it's shaded. I don't know if that has anything to do with yours wilting or not. I think morning sun is better for them than the hot afternoons. IMO
Frankie Laney
on Jun 24, 2013
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