Problem with hydrangea

VickyC3 · July 2021

I bought a hydrangea this year and replanted it in a large pot. In between when I bought it and repotted it, a few branches turned brown, the leaves blackened a bit and it shrivelled. The rest looked healthy so I cut off the dodgy parts when I repotted it. It’s grown quite a lot since then but I’ve had two more branches that have finished flowering and then turned brown and shrivelled up. The rest looks really healthy but I’m scared it will spread. Does anyone have any ideas what might be wrong?

luis_pr · July 2021

Hard to tell without knowing how it changed to get this way. Typically though, these are the things I would consider with a new hydrangea: replanting can disturb the shallow, tiny, fibrous roots which then causes difficulties getting enough nutrients and water; the roots may be getting too much water and-or maybe even developing root rot; the roots may have needed more water or the root system may have been small, which then causes frequent wilting episodes when summer arrives (they usually perk up on their own by the next morning provided the soil is sufficiently moist).

Inconsistent watering can be tough on a new hydrangea. It is best to aim for soil that is as evenly moist as you can make it. As soon as the soil feels dry or almost dry at a depth of 10 cm, water the soil again.

Having working water drainage holes helps as otherwise, the soil stays too soggy. To check for soggy soil, insert two fingers 10-15 cm deep and extract some soil; press the soil with the two fingers and observe to see if the soil forms water droplets. In a few years, I have had to drill extra holes when the potting mix and the existing drainage holes do not "work well" together (typically the hole is too small).

Note: hydrangeas can get quite large and you appear to have several plants in one small looking pot; that may work for one or two growing seasons but just be ready to either separate them into their own pots soon or switch to a much larger pot (or individual pots).

Elfer · July 2021

Looking at the leaf size your pot looks way too small, as a first course of action I would pot it up to a much larger size with a mix of JIno3, compost & grit.

Lyn · July 2021

Did you buy this in flower from a supermarket or garden centre?
they bring them on in a hot house to flower before they should then you bring it home and plant it out and it gets a shock from the cold spell we had. In normal circumstances you wouldn’t even have a dead flower head yet.

I think it looks fine for now, cut the old flowering shoot down to the base, I would also take of those new buds, the plant need to get roots established before it can cope with flower heads.

Thats a healthy plant, nothing to worry about. Maybe next year you can plant it out in the garden, it will romp away then.

Fairygirl · July 2021

As @Lyn says - this is the problem with these plants which are forced for the Easter market. They wouldn't be flowering until this time of year [in certain areas] or later on in July and August depending on the variety and your location. It'll be fine though - keep it watered, remove the buds as Lyn says, and try to get a spot for it in the ground somewhere.
They really - aren't suited long term to pots - they need to be in the ground or in a very large purpose built container if they're going to thrive and grow well. They want to become very large shrubs and most containers simply can't give them that

Nanny Beach · July 2021

I will stick my neck out and says that they need a large amount of water,(hence the name,) I also find they do very much better in at least part shade. Agree with fairy, whenever I buy a plant,it's put in the shade, watered,and left to acclimatise often for several weeks

Fairygirl · July 2021

The 'hydra' name isn't to do with water though. It's to do with the shape of the seeds or seed pods. I think someone mentioned it the other day.

VickyC3 · July 2021

Thanks so much for your replies everyone.

@luis_pr Thanks for all your suggestions. The blackened/wilted areas did start to appear before I repotted it, so I did check for root rot but there wasn't any sign of it.

@elfer totally agree, the pot was the biggest I could find and felt massive when I first planted it - the hydrangea has grown so much more quickly that i realised it would (my first hydrangea if you couldn't tell haha) so it caught me a bit by surprise

@Fairygirl and @lyn yes I bought it from a supermarket garden centre, thanks for explaining about how they grow them, that was interesting although doesn't surprise me. Hopefully next year it will be a bit less stressed when it can grow at its own pace. As you have suggested I have cut the old flowering shoot down to the base and will also take off the new buds. My garden isn't huge and quite full, hence the pot, but I have found a slightly shady spot under a lilac where I think this will fit, do you think it is too late to plant it out now?

Lyn · July 2021

I think that as you’ve already repotted it, it would be best to leave it to settle, so don’t disturb it now, Put it somewhere fairly protected in the winter as plants in pots freeze easier than in the ground, then plant it out about the beginning of April, that’s if we’re not having a big freeze up again.
Make sure you keep it watered though as pots dry out quicker, also put it up on something, bricks bits of wood, pot feet, anything so it can drain. 🙂

Fairygirl · July 2021

I'd agree with @Lyn, but if you want to plant it under your lilac, just be aware that they'll compete with each other for the space, and you may end up compromising both shrubs. Lilacs generally want to become quite large too.

Problem with hydrangea

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