Care for hydrangeas by giving them full sun in moderate climates and morning sun in hot areas.
Provide rich soil when and consistent moisture without water-logging the plant.
Be aware that hydrangeas are toxic to people and pets.
The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates
Light
Hydrangeas do well in thepartial shadewith morning sun and afternoon shade.
Too much shade can reduce flower output.
They will also thrive in full sun but might need extra water on hot summer days.
The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates
Soil
Hydrangeas prefer a fertile, humus-rich, and moist soil.
Addingcompostcan add nutrients and help the soil retain moisture.
Changing the acidity of the soil will impact if the hydrangea’s flowers are blue or pink.
The Spruce / Claire Cohen Bates
Water
Hydrangeas need adeep drink of waterone to two times a week during the growing season.
Stick your finger about four inches into the ground and water if it feels dry.
Saturate the soil but do not leave it soggy.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Light watering is insufficient, because the water will not reach the root system.
Cut back on supplemental watering after heavy rainfall.
Curling Leaves
Hydrangeas curl their leaves and appear wilted in very hot weather.
This built-in protection does not necessarily mean the plant needs water.
The plant should recover at dusk when temperatures cool down.
Temperature and Humidity
Hydrangeas prefer fairly mild temperatures.
Hydrangeas prefer moderate to high humidity and dry climates can cause their leaves to become brown and dry.
If your soil is nutrient-rich, you won’t have to fertilize your hydrangeas.
If hydrangeas are given too muchhigh-nitrogen fertilizer, the foliage will be full and lush but with fewer blooms.
Some of these hydrangea species bloom on new growth, while others bloom on old growth.
Train taller hydrangea shrubs, like limelight and other panicles, into small flowering ornamental trees with single trunks.
Old Wood
Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood include bigleaf, lacecap, mopheads, and oakleafs.
Don’t wait until fall to prune them, because the buds set in August and September.
New Wood
Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood include smooth (such asH.
arborescens’Annabelle') and panicle hydrangeas (such asH.
paniculata’Grandiflora' aka peegee hydrangeas).
you might prune these types of hydrangeas every year.
Fill it with potting soil and compost.
Peruse ourtop picks for outdoor planters.
Protect hydrangea plants from the cold by wrapping them with burlap.
Tie the branches together under the burlap for extrahelp to survive winter.
Remove the burlap when the buds swell.
How to Get Hydrangeas to Bloom
How Long Do Hydrangeas Bloom?
Hydrangeas can begin to bloom in July and continue into the fall.
Some blooms may begin to appear as early as June.
A cut hydrangea flower won’t survive long.
What Do Hydrangea Flowers Look and Smell Like?
Some types of hydrangea flowers smell sweet but not all of them do.
Yourhydrangeas may not bloom, because they’re in extreme sun, shade, or experiencing drought.
However, stop deadheading in the late fall to preserve buds that may form on old wood.
Rose chafer pests can injure the plant by eating and leaving skeletonized leaves behind.
Hand-pick pests off plants and put them in pails of soapy water.
Avoid using strong insecticides orinsecticidal soapsduring the bloom period.
Hydrangeas aresusceptible to diseasesincluding botrytis blight,powdery mildew, and other viruses such as yellow orbrown leaf spotting.
Fungicides can help but likely need reapplication.
Common Problems With Hydrangea
Here are the most common problems that can occur with hydrangeas.
Drooping Leaves
Drooping hydrangea leaves do not always mean the plant needs water.
Hydrangeas protect themselves in hot weather by curling their leaves downward andappearing wilted.
Look at the plant at dusk to see if it has recovered in the cooler temperatures.
If not, it may need water.
Yellowing Leaves
Yellowing leavesmay mean the plant has been overwatered, underwatered, or overfertilized.
Try saving the shrub by saturating the roots if it’s too dry or overfertilized.
Otherwise, try drying out the soil of an overwatered shrub.
Flush the soil with water to remove the excess salts or fertilizers.
Or, the plant may be in transplant shock.
Hydrangeas prefer full sun (four to six hours a day) or partial sun.
Since hydrangeas are acid-loving plants, they may like theacidity of coffee grounds.
Some gardeners report that adding coffee grounds helps hydrangeas turn blue.
Watch Now: How to Prune Hydrangeas
Hydrangea.
North Carolina State Extension.
Hydrangeas in the Garden.Rutgers University New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.
