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Hydrangea help needed

Gardeningnewbie84Gardeningnewbie84 Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi there, 

I’m a newbie and clueless, sorry I’m advance. 

I planted a few lovely hydrangeas in some pots outside and they are doing well and look healthy but one is looking decidedly sad and unhealthy. I’ve watered it lots but can’t see to get it to perk up. Any ideas or suggestions on what it is that’s causing the leaves to look so bedraggled? Any ideas to fix it? 

Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Hydrangea don't flower until much later in the years so these have been kept in an artificial environment to bring them into flower now and they cannot cope with putting outside with the cold nights we have been having without being hardened off. That's putting them out in the day and bringing them in at night.
    That might recover but there isn't really anything you can do until you see sone fresh growth.
    Don't drown them with water push a finger into the soil for and inch or two to see how wet it is first before you give them any more. If they are too wet the roots can't breathe.
  • Gardeningnewbie84Gardeningnewbie84 Posts: 4
    Thanks so much @K67 I had no idea :# Ok maybe the one which is struggling is because it’s most exposed. The pot is heavy but I think I can put it on wheels and bring it inside for the chilly nights. 
    So helpful, thanks again. So helpful, think I need to do my homework a bit more....
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Yoyre welcome.
    If you can't move the pot you could try covering it at night, horticultural fleece is usually used but anything that doesn't weigh too heavy will do, bubble wrap, net curtain. Try and insulate the pot as well to protect the roots just in case they get frosted but it shouldn't be cold enough to do that.
    As long as the roots are fine your hydrangea has a chance of regrowing.
    Moving them to shelter against a house wall will also help protect them.
    Hope they recover.
  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    Hopefully the chilly nights will soon go. Unfortunately it is common for Hydrangea to be forced on so they look pretty to sell this time of year and without people realizing they suffer with the frost. 

    As others have said, as long as the roots are fine your plant will be ok. You may not get much off it this year but next year it should be ok and you will get some good blooms.

    I have a Hydrangea which is very well established and this year, the leaves have been caught by the frosts. For the past few years this has not happened. I am not too worried as it is still growing.
  • Gardeningnewbie84Gardeningnewbie84 Posts: 4
    Hopefully I've caught it and it can recover. I've put a pram cover over it for now while I figure out if I can move it inside, looks ridiculous but not a bad fit really and has ventilation :) 
    Fingers crossed and thanks again
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Just putting the cover on in the evening should be enough,
  • luis_prluis_pr Posts: 123
    Oh my, Gardeningnewbie84. If you did get some cold nights, I hope they go away soon too. In case you still have a chance of more, bring the pot into a protected location or cover it. The plan to put wheels on the pot is great. I do that with my heavy tropicals. Take action if you see that temps at night will be much less than 10°C.

    Keep it where it gets morning sun only and keep the soil as evenly moist as you can... but not soggy. Test the potting soil first and do not water if it feels moist or soggy.

    Also, try not to use diluted vinegar and water mixes to acidify the soil. Vinegar is an organic weed killer that could damage the shallow, tiny, fibrous roots of hydrangeas. I prefer to amend with either greensand, garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate.




  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Also, try not to use diluted vinegar and water mixes to acidify the soil. Vinegar is an organic weed killer that could damage the shallow, tiny, fibrous roots of hydrangeas. I prefer to amend with either greensand, garden sulfur or aluminum 

    No need to worry about the above as yours are in pots. If you plant in ericacous compost it is supposed to turn your pink flowers blue. 
    https://www.gardenworld.co.uk/case-study/getting-the-best-from-hydrangeas/
  • Gardeningnewbie84Gardeningnewbie84 Posts: 4
    Great, thank you  :)
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