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climbing Hydrangea

kenlangkenlang Posts: 6
in Problem solving
the leaves have dried but have not fallen off. Can youhelp please?
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Posts

  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Water it 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Most likely dehydrated - has it been like that for a while @kenlang ? How are you growing it and where?
    They do best in north-ish facing sites.  :)
    A photo would help if you can manage  one. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • kenlangkenlang Posts: 6
    It is facing South West it's about 40yrs old. Has always been healthy and flowers well.
  • luis_prluis_pr Posts: 123
    40 years! Congratulations to you and the plant! That must be a nice sized climber. Your comment sounds like it needs more water but, do you mind answering a few more questions?

    When did this problem start? Did anything happen at that time (say, did you fertilize/amend/etc when the problem started, work near it, etc.?

    Is the soil dry when you insert a finger to a depth of 10 cm or thereabouts? Is it dry or wet this year where you are?

    Any CH root disturbances in the area where the CH grows? from gardening/home projects?

    Is it getting more sunlight this year somehow? Did you remove a tree that provided shade or raised the canopy of an existing tree?

    Thanks for the picture. Can you post a few more pictures from a little further away to get an idea how many leaves are affected and where are the affected leaves located within the CH? The CH that I used to see in my MIL's hometown would show leaves that browned from the edges inwards when it had too little water in the hot summer months  but I see little browning in the attached picture; that is why I was asking about other possible issues with the plant.

    Thanks for the info, kenlang.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - quite difficult to tell from that close up photo. 
    It may well just be at the end of it's life too. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • kenlangkenlang Posts: 6
    Thanks for all your comments, as no leaves have dropped off yet I am hopping it will survive. The plant began to shrivel after a hot week and shows no sign of recovery.
     I will take some more photos in the morning and post them. Thanks again for your interest.
    Ken
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It does sound as if there’s a shortage of water deep down … several dry springs … particularly this past one … have had a cumulative effect, and I’ve seen several larger trees and climbers suffer this year … particularly when they have a lot of foliage to support and hot weather is causing the leaves to lose moisture in transpiration.  

    Climbers are particularly at risk because of the rain shadow effect of walls, coupled with the sponge-like  effect of foundations absorbing moisture as well.

     I would investigate the moisture (or not) of the soil a foot or more below the surface. If the wet summer that followed the dry spring has not penetrated and reach the roots I would put a hosepipe at the roots to trickle slowly for several hours. 

    Then next spring, when the  plant is coming out of dormancy and needs plenty of moisture to swell the buds, I would give several hours trickling water down by the roots, a couple of times a week, even if it rains. Hopefully that will replenish the moisture in the soil … but I would keep an eye on rainfall and remember to water as above a couple of times a week in dry spells through the growing period. 

    A large leafy climber needs a lot of moisture for the roots to be able to keep the foliage  plump and turgid. 

    Hope that helps 😊 



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • kenlangkenlang Posts: 6
    Thank you it does help.
    I have given it the hose pipe treatment but the leaves did not recover, the new leaves look to be suviving. hope it can recover.
    Ken
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It doesn't look as if it has a lot of room there to grow -  and there also seems to be an oak sapling nearby - that's all competition for any moisture. If that's coming from next door, it suggests there could be mature trees nearby too. Right up against the fence is also difficult, especially facing south west. In a shadier aspect, plants don't dry out so quickly.  :)
    Hard to tell from the photo, but it doesn't look very big for a 40 yr old plant, so it's possibly been struggling for a very long time there.  These are climbers which cover house walls in the right condition  :)
    As @Dovefromabove says - a huge amount of water is needed there to try and rehydrate it. I think the ground will be very, very dry. Get the bucket out! 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Leaves can recover from wilting but once they begin to dry out the cell structure breaks down and they’re done for. 
    New leaves are positive … the roots and main structure of the plant are still working. Make sure the roots have plenty of water next year to support that foliage and hopefully all will be well.  😊 
      

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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