I am a recently first time homeowner, gardener, and now forum writer reaching out for some assistance with my newly planted hydrangeas. I planted them a few weeks ago at my Ohio home in the front yard which faces North. It seems so far I have had "success" with half of the plants which appear full and green with tiny tiny flower buds. The other half not so much, they appear wilted and sad. Unfortunately, I think the healthy ones may even be getting too much sun with slight browning around the leaves. I did not water as much at first due to many days of heavy rain, but now as it heats up I am watering more frequently. I just began ensuring that I am watering at the base of the plant because unfortunately I missed that memo at first as well. I've read that the first year is always rough, but any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Nicki,..welcome to GardenStew. Hydrangeas do love water,..as you wrote half of your plants are healthy with buds,..delighted for you on that score,..as for the other half being wilted with brown around the leaves,..that could be either lack of water,.. or watering the leaves when it was sunny,..drops of water on leaves will act like a prism and burn leaves,..if the leaves are very brown i would nip them off as this will encourage the plant to grow quicker rather than be wasting energy trying to keep alive burnt leaves,..you didn't mention the type of Hydrangea you have?,..though that is just a matter of interest on my half,..the picture below was taken today it shows my Hydrangeas,..on the very left is a Mophead Hydrangea,..Pink,..in the middle and the smallest is a Mophead Blue,..next on its right is a Lace Hydrangea,..buds are just beginning this week though the plants have quite a bit of growing to do. If you can,..do post a picture of yours,..fingers crossed for you that yours pick up and thrive.
Thank you, your information is very helpful! I feel as if my hydrangeas looked slightly more full this morning so that's a step! I apologize I forgot to mention these are endless summer hydrangeas, I am attaching a few photos but I have a total of 6 all together. I must say your plants look beautiful and so healthy!
Nicki,..those two look nice and healthy,..the one on the right is a blue?,..all my natural Hydrangeas are pink so to get a blue one i have to add the Hydrangea Colorant,..it even gives me bigger blooms. One thing about Hydrangeas,..as soon as they need water the leaves will droop though if they need water when in bloom the blooms suffer badly,..give them lots of water,..keep us up to date as yours progress
Thank you for the input! I am going to look into colorants, it looks as if my blooms will be blue, if I add more blue do you think I will get bigger blue blooms? I am also posting a picture of one of my "droopy" hydrangeas, some of the leaves feel crisp. Do you think that maybe I am not giving enough water? Thanks again!
Nicki,..without a doubt that plant needs more water,..just remember that when you pour a watering can full of water at the base of the plant most of it soaks away into the dry ground,..only part will be absorbed by the roots. I don't know if all your plants are ones with blue blooms,..so unless you know that don't add colorant to all of the plants as some might be pink,..or even red or white,..the colorant will make pink blooms blue,..it will make blue blooms a darker blue,..same applies to all the dark colors it makes them darker,..you will find out as they bloom what color is produced,..tag it so that next season you can start off the colorant earlier,..some people change the color when the plant is in bloom,..it works but personally i don't like doing that,..colorant does encourage bigger blooms.
nicki--I agree with everything Philip has said (ie"what he said!") This is what I can add: I sometimes I put an umbrella over new transplants, particularly ones that are struggling. Do you have a beach umbrella you could temporarily put up over that wilting one? Just to shield it from the sun until it settles in. The other thing I can suggest (& not everyone would agree) is using those water crystals when planting new transplants. It is too late obviously for these hydrangeas, but something to consider in the future. I use them if I am planting a lot of things at once & know I won't be able to keep up with the watering . My last thought is that my hydrangeas wilt spectacularly every summer when the temps get up to 85-90, and then they perk right up again at dusk. This wilting hydrangea of yours will probably be just fine, especially if you keep up with the watering. Philip: what is colorant? I know lime will turn blue blossoms pink, but that is all I know in the color department.
This was going to be my additional advice... if you don't have an umbrella (which most of us don't to cover very many plants, just use an old sheet (go to the thrift store and buy a couple of them, otherwise, and keep them just for gardening) put a couple sticks, poles, arches (whatever you have to work with) and drape the sheet over the plants and supports and weight them down so the can't blow off for the next few days.
Good to know Carolyn. I keep an eye out at the dollar stores for cheap beach umbrellas, but your idea is better. BTW I have a ratty umbrella over a Virginia bluebells at this moment. I got the Va Bluebell at the garden club sale. It is a pretty thing, an early spring bloomer, flowers even last in the vase, lovely blue color, goes well with forget-me-nots, etc. BUT our curious rodents (chipmunks?) uprooted the thing the first day after planting. It sat out in the sun for a full day before I discovered its desiccated body when I got home from work. It has been struggling since. Reading nicki's post reminded me to add sun protection to all the extra watering I have been giving it!
Some good tips from Cayuga Morning and Carolyn for you Nicki, Cayuga Morning,..ah yes the Hydrangea Colorant,..is produced mainly for Hydrangeas to color pink Hydrangeas to blue,..or to enhance darker colored Hydrangeas to a darker color,..it can be used on other plants to intensify the color,..it comes in a container and looks like sugar,..one just adds it to the soil at the base of the plant and water dissolves it so the roots can absorb it. Contains Ferrous Sulphate Heptahydrate and Aluminium Sulphate.
Hi Philip, I checked google & it seems that both those chemicals are acidic.... they lower Ph. Maybe that is why they change the color of hydrangeas. (But where oh where is Jerry Sullivan when we need him?) What I don't get is why these chemicals would make the blossoms bigger? ! ? Does anyone know?
Cayuga Morning,..i have forgotten most of my chemistry and science lessons but my soil PH was above 6.0 so therefore i only had pink Hydrangeas,..were it below 6.0 it would be acidic and produce blue blooms,..so i decided to change one pink Hydrangea to blue,..at the time i didn't know about the Hydrangea Colorant and was going to try adding rusty nails to the soil,..my Dad used to change sweet apples to cookers by using this method,..there are other things that can be changed by doing this,..anyway i was told to be more modern and get the colorant,..it did work and the blooms which at one time were pink on that shrub and of average size turned blue with blooms approx 9 inches across,..i wasn't expecting a bigger bloom and mentioned my surprise and was told yep that happens,..will it do this every season when the colorant is added,..that i don't know,..what was in the colorant to give bigger blooms,..Ferrous would be Iron in another form,..Aluminium Sulphate would contain salts,..i only know that these change the bloom development,.. in color,..i will try to find out why the enlarged bloom as well?
Chuckle. I have never heard of using rusty nails as a gardening additive, but I bet it works! When I googled those 2 chemicals in Colorant, one description was as a fertilizer.
I know,..i know many people would chuckle,..honestly its true,..before chemicals were available to alter Sweet Apples to Cooking Apples and change the color of Hydangeas rusty nails were used. It mentions Rusty Nails or anything rusty as an aid. Growing Blue Hydrangea - Midwest Gardening
