How have my pinky winky hydrangeas been damaged?

Evelyn
by Evelyn

One of my bushes and part of another one have undeveloped crinkly looking leaves and have not put out shoots.

  4 answers
  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Jun 17, 2019

    is that where they were cut off?

  • Beth Beth on Jun 17, 2019

    I found someone else with a similar problem: http://www.gardenanswers.com/plant-pests/curling-leaves-on-hydrangea/


    The answer was that it could be a few things:


    "1. Most common cause is a sucking insect such as aphids or lacebug feeding under the leaves when the foliage is young. This damages the cells early in the life of the leaf so that as the leaves open they are distorted. Spray underneath of foliage with insecticidal soap if you see tiny insects on the underside of leaves. 2. Herbicide damage. If an herbicide such as weed killer has been applied around the plant or on a lawn surrounding the plant this can cause what you’re seeing. Stop using weed killers on gardens and lawns. This includes pre-emergent products as well as broad-leaf weed killers. Water deeply to flush these out of the soil around hydrangeas. 3. Virus – least likely but possible. Usually with a virus you’ll also see yellowing of foliage not just the curling. There is no cure for a virus, but as we say, this is the least likely cause."

  • Grace Gleason Grace Gleason on Jun 18, 2019

    These are normally huge plants. Why are they so close together? They should be at least 6 to 8 feet apart.


    Also, why did you cut them totally off? You are supposed to cut only the previous year's wood (if any), not cut the whole thing slam off. Now they are struggling to recover. They're putting out too many sprouts in one place because there's no wood left to sprout from.


    Put them (yes, dig them up) somewhere they can grow large. Quit hacking them off. Maybe they will recover.


    Good luck.

  • Bmasecar Bmasecar on Jun 18, 2019

    I am with Grace on this one. If they recover and re-grow this year, quit pruning them to the ground. Look up some images on the net and see what they look like when pruned properly.