My poor hydrangea has been wilting from heat for last month and recovering by morning... However, recovery has been less and less and this morning, it still looked like this...poor thing is no longer recovering over night. She gets 3-4 hours of morning sun and temps have ranged from 75-90 degrees. Is this a lost cause? Do I need to move her to full shade? Pot her and move to shade? Keep her there and see what happens? Help, it pains me to see her like this... Thanks! ( photo / image / picture from mshelenlu's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from mshelenlu's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from mshelenlu's Garden ) ( photo / image / picture from mshelenlu's Garden )
Is this a new plant that you bought from the nursery? To me it seems like a plant in shock due to transplant - and the heat is not helping either. I would try and provide some shade and also water as needed. I think it will come back just fine next spring.
Yes, Tina, I bought this plant from a nursery and she has had a hard time adjusting. I know transplant shock is "normal" to some degree but I worry at what point it is too much. I'll keep hanging on hoping for the best.
Is it possible someone has used weed'n'feed or something similar on the other side of the fence? While still small, I would move those away from the fence or to another location. Optimistically assuming they will do great and get bigger, they don't have nearly enough elbow room that close to the fence. This one is about 6 feet across, so needs at least 3 feet on all sides of the main trunk/stem. They can get even bigger. This one is 6-7 years old I think. Hydrangea ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden )
Thank you everyone for the excellent advice! I was water deep ingle 2x/week with a zap of extra when it seemed extra hot. It was having a rough time, but would seem to recover fairly well in the mornings so I wouldn't water it for a few days. I fear overwatering because that spot actually gets shade most of the afternoon so the soil can stay soggy if I am not careful. But now she has not had any recovery period for three days now despite water and milder weather. I am thinking of potting her and moving into full shade. Cut her blooms and baby her until next season? Thoughts? Again thanks for lending me your nuggets of wisdom! Purpleinopp- OMGoodness! I am blue with envy over your beautiful hydrangeas. Thanks for the heads up about spacing.
I have had large old plants act the same way. Provide more shade if at all possible. In Northern California at my MILs they grow beautifully in full shade under large evergreen trees. Here in the maritime northwest a sunny day in summer will wilt even an older plant (they get used to the gloomy days).
I wouldn't stress it any more than need be. I think digging it up and moving it would be the end of it. It looks very dry to me. Jam your finger down into the dirt about and inch or more...Is it damp? dry? Water if it is dry. Put a shade cloth (a sheet will do) over the plant if the soil is moist. In the Fall is the time to move it. Not during the active growing season or while it is stressed. And as Purple said...it needs more room. So yes move it, but in the Fall.
Great news... so I hit her with a good watering and we had a day of overcast weather with partial sunshine and when I woke up this morning... drum roll.please... she had perked up! She was about 75% recovered this morning and looking better than she has in over a week! I will keep her hydrated and build a sunscreen for her this weekend. Thank you ALL! Will heed your advice going forward to ensure she makes it. Will move her in the fall. Now to make sure I don't overwater...hehe
I hope your baby recovers! I love hydrangeas too. I have one that was given me last summer when I was in the hospital after that copperhead bite. I guess I babied it too much over the winter, because the main bush is dead, but it has a new sprout a few inches away from it. I had it wrapped over the winter to protect from freezing.... Some of my other shrubs need that, and not sure why now, but I did it with my hydrangea. Mine is a Nantucket blue if my memory is correct. Mine is in the eastern part of my yard and gets a good bit of sun.
