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Hydrangea Problem
Marie Richardson
Posts: 5
I inherited a hydrangea from my nanna ten years ago. It's been doing well until this year when it was scorched by the mini heatwave and all the leaves were burnt to a crisp. Since then it keeps producing new baby leaves but as soon as they get to the size of a fifty pence piece they begin to turn brown, die and fall off.
He lives in a pot as I only have a balcony. I've kept him out of direct sunlight since the accident.
Please, any help will be gratefully received as this is all I have from my nanna and I'd hate to lose him.
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Posts
might it be a watering problem? Too wet / too dry or just being left a bit dry then overwatering might cause this.
Some of my clients have had a similar problem this year Marie. The partial solution is to keep them well watered, soaking the pot with at least 2 gallons weekly, and feeding them. The trouble with hydrangeas is that they are better grown in the ground rather than in pots.
Wind won't help either if the balcony's exposed in any way. I'd agree with Dave too - they're not very happy in pots.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you both. I had considered having him adopted by my mum (she has a garden) but I do lie having him around, purely sentimental reasons.
Could be the watering. What food would you suggest?
Hand him over to your mum, then when he's fit and happy again you can take some cuttings and grow them in pots on your balcony. They'll be fine in pots for a few years, then when they outgrow their pots you can repeat the process and your mum will have a hydrangea forest
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The balcony is walled and I have him surrounded by some very large fuscias for protection. So hopefully not too windy for him.
Thanks Dovefromabove, that sounds like a plan. My mum has my grandad's hydrangeas so he'll have company too! Oh to have had grandparents who were in to collecting Royal Dalton instead of being avid gardeners!
Can I take cuttings now and bring them on indoors??