Hydrangea Care
Watering
- For the first year or two after planting and during any drought, be sure hydrangeas get plenty of water.
- Water at a rate of 1 inch per week throughout the growing season. It’s better to deeply water 3 times a week than sprinkle water in a shallow manner. This encourages root growth.
- Bigleaf and smooth hydrangeas require more water, but all varieties benefit from consistent moisture.
- Leaves will wilt if the soil is too dry, and flowering will be hampered by a lack of water.
- Use a soaker hose to water deeply and keep moisture off the flowers and leaves.
- It’s best to water in the morning to prepare hydrangeas for the the heat of the day and to avoid disease.
- Add organic mulch underneath your hydrangeas to help keep the soil moist and cool, add nutrients over time, and improve soil texture.
Fertilizing
If your soil is rich, you may not need to fertilize hydrangeas. Too much fertilizer encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms. The best way to determine your fertility needs is by using a soil test.
Apply fertilizer based on your specific hydrangeas. Each variety has different needs and will benefit from different application timing.
- Bigleaf hydrangeas can benefit from several light fertilizer applications in March, May and June.
- Oakleaf and panicle hydrangeas do best with two applications in April and June.
- Smooth hydrangea plants only need fertilization once, in late winter.
Winter protection
- In the fall, cover plants to a depth of at least 18 inches with bark mulch, leaves, pine needles, or straw in the fall. If at all possible, cover the entire plant, tip included, by making cages out of snow fencing or chicken wire, and loosely filling the cages with leaves. (Do not use maple leaves, as they tend to mat when wet and can suffocate the plant.)
How to Change the Color of Hydrangea Flowers
It is possible to change the flowers’ colors, but not instantly. Color correction takes weeks—even months. Wait until the plant is at least 2 years old to give it time to recover from the shock of its original planting. Also note that it’s easier to change blue flowers to pink than pink to blue.
It’s not every hydrangea that changes color. The color of some Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla)—especially Mophead and Lacecap types—and H. serrata cultivars change color based on the soil pH.
Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 produce pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.
See How to Change the Color of Hydrangea Flowers for more information.
How to Prune a Hydrangea
Many of our readers’ questions involve pruning hydrangeas. And no wonder—it’s confusing, and all depends on the variety of hydrangea. Luckily, as long as you know which type you’ve got, it’s easy to figure out what sort of pruning technique to employ.
Learn the essentials below, then read more about how to prune hydrangea varieties here.
| Hydrangea Type |
When to Prune |
Where Flowers Appear |
|---|
| Bigleaf (H. macrophylla) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
| Oakleaf (H. quercifolia) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
| Panicle (H. paniculata) |
Late winter, before spring growth |
On new growth |
| Smooth (H. arborescens) |
Late winter, before spring growth |
On new growth |
| Mountain (H. serrata) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
| Climbing (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris) |
Summer, after flowering |
On old growth |
Pruning Common Hydrangeas
The most common garden hydrangea shrub is the Bigleaf variety, Hydrangea macrophylla. (See more below.)
Bigleaf (H. macrophylla), Oakleaf (H. quercifolia), Mountain (H. serrata), and Climbing hydrangeas (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris) are pruned AFTER the flowers fade in the summer. These varieties bloom on the previous season’s stems (“old wood”).
- Flower buds actually form in the late summer and flower afterwards the following season, so avoid pruning after August 1.
- Only cut away dead wood in the fall or very early spring.
- To prune, cut one or two of the oldest stems down to the base to encourage branching and fullness.
- If the plant is old, neglected, or damaged, prune all the stems down to the base. You’ll lose the flowers for the upcoming season, but also rejuvenate the plant for future years.
- It’s best not to deadhead (remove faded blooms) on the big Mopheads; leave them over the winter and cut them back in early spring (to the first healthy pair of buds). It’s fine to deadhead the Lacecaps; cut down to the second pair of leaves below the flower head.
- When growing H. macrophylla (and H. serrata) varieties in Zones 4 and 5, do not prune unless absolutely necessary, and then do so immediately after blooming. Otherwise, remove only dead stem in the spring.
Other Hydrangeas
Panicle (H. paniculata) and Smooth (H. arborescens) hydrangeas are pruned BEFORE flower buds are formed. These varieties bloom on the current season’s stems (“new wood”).
- Prune in the late winter when the plant is dormant. This means that if the buds are killed during the winter, the plant will produce new buds in the spring which will produce blooms.
- In general, prune only dead branches, and do not prune to “shape” the bush.
Read more about how to prune hydrangea types.
Reader Comments
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Hydranges 2 bushes, on the south side of the ouse new this yr, a
They look bad, leaves curling, brown parts on the leafs, and little br spots on the outside of the leaf, look like bugs I put some seven on them but don't look healthy at all, Please help with this problem.
Thank You
Carol K
Hydrangea
I bought 6 hydrangea s.have potted them in saner compost and fed them the same 5 are doing well and coming into bloom , but one has a lot of foliage but non flower buds , can you tell me why X for
Everblooming Hydrangea
We have everblooming hydrangeas. They had a lot of buds at the tips this year but we used moss out on our roof and the drippings from the roof fell on to the hydrangea. Buds are now brown and some of the leafs on the plants went limp do you think they will bounce back? Any suggestions what I can give them?
hydrangea blossom but never open up hardly at all to bloom.
hydrangeas blossom but never open up hardly at all to bloom....what am I doing wrong? Plants look healthy but blossoms don't open, the plants are probably 6 years old, moved them last spring to get more sun and still no blooms.
blooms do not open...
Do you know if you have lace cap or mophead hydrageas? The lace cap produce “flowers” that consist of teeny, tiny flowers surrounded (more or less) by substantially larger, usually four-petal flowers. Mopheads have the large balls of same-size flowers. If that’s not what you’re dealing with, we can only suggest this: It could be as simple as too much shade or too much sun. It could be too much fertilizer, esp high nitrogen fertilizer, which will result in beautiful foliage but few if any flowers. It could be too much moisture—or too little moisture. And, how is the pH of the soil?? Have they got enough compost? There may not be a good, solid explanation, but moving them to a different “environment” will at least give you a point of comparison. Also, the blooming of hydrangeas is affected by how they have been pruned, which depends on the type of hydrangea. Some bloom on second-year wood, others on the current year’s growth. Not knowing the type you have or how it has been pruned, I can’t say for sure why it isn’t blooming.
HYDRANGEA
WILL SPRAYING HYDRANGEAS WITH EPSON SALT & WATER MAKE THEM BLOOM MORE?
Plant disease
Just bought two plants on markdown. Both have tiny black spots on stems. I sprayed with dish soap and vinegar. What can I do to save them?
black spots
This has come up; here is our suggestion from below: There are a few different fungal diseases that can cause spotting on hydrangea leaves, including black spot, powdery mildew, and cercospora. They will not kill the shrub, but it is good to try to control spread. Treating any of them includes removing diseased leaves from the plant and the soil. Once the soil surface is clean, put down (and maintain) a very thick layer of compost mulch to suppress disease spores, which are airborne. Then, follow instructions on how and when to apply neem oil.
Hydrangea
My new leaves are browning on the ends. Some of the older leaves too. What am I doing wrong? Help?
brown spots on hydrangea leaves
Usually, this is a moisture issue. Sometimes, the plant can be root-bound, too. Gently dig the plants early in the morning to check for both conditions. If needed, lightly loosen the roots with your hand. You can also soak the root ball in water until it’s moistened through. Make sure you maintain uniform moisture for your hydrangeas.
Location can also be an issue. If they’re getting sun burnt, they’d do better with light shade.
Hydrangeas
A landscaper planted 12 Hydrangeas for me last June 2016.....beautiful most of last summer..... and now they are not showing much life {only few green leaves at base of plant}...just all bare sticks.....It looks as if they were not planted all the way into the ground... .could that be the problem? By now they should be full of green leaves and buds and getting ready to bloom.....Suggestions??
Stick-y hydrangeas
How unfortunate! One question is whether your hydrangea is alive. Do the “scratch test.” If you scratch a stick with your fingernail and it’s green underneath, it’s still alive; if it’s brown, it’s dead. We also suggestion that you direct your question to the landscaper. Ask him what variety these plants are and what you should expect. Did he make a one-year guarantee of the plants? Some nurseries have a replacement policy of one year, if the plant/s appear to have failed for some reason.
hydrangias that are too large for the space
I planted 4 hydrangia "bushes" about 7 years ago, not realizing that the size would grow to be 5-6 ft tall ( they are the large drooping white kind of flowers). I would like to move them as they are too large for the space. How deep are the roots usually and how difficult would that process be?
transplanting hydrangia
Yes you can move your hydrangea though it’s not easy. It’s best to transplant large specimens in the fall on a cool, cloudy day once the plant has dropped its leaves and has gone dormant. To reduce shock, root-prune the plant before transplanting. Using a spading shovel, dig a shovel-deep ring just outside of the leaf line of the plant at a 45-degree angle. Make only a single cut, disturbing the roots as little as possible. Keep the plant watered thoroughly the next few days so the roots have time to recover.
Before you transplant, prepare the new planting hole, mixing in a good planting soil mix. Ensure it’s big enough and deep enough so that the rootball is 1 inch higher than the depth of the hole. You’ll need to dig a very deep trench around the rootball, and cut deep enough under it that you only sever the small feeder roots, not the large old ones. This could require using a shovel and digging iron and a lot of hard work.
Never lift or move the plant by the branches; always touch and move the plant by the root ball. Some gardeners prefer to secure the plant’s branches gently with burlap and twine to reduce the chance of damaging the plant before removing it from the ground.
To re-plant the root ball, you’ll need to tilt on its side and place it on a tarp or in a wheelbarrow and transport it to its new location quickly. Place the plant in its new home. Backfill the hole with a mixture of fresh planting mix and existing soil leaving no gaps, water thoroughly and mulch. Mulch will keep the plant’s roots cool, help prevent weeds and keep the soil moist. Keep the mulch at least 2 inch away from the trunk of the plant.
Newly transplanted plants need some tender care and especially need to be watered regularly until winter so the roots don’t try out but do not overwater as root rot could occur. Fertilize your hydrangea the following summer when you see the plant growing again.
my hydrangea
I have 2 bushes next to my house with azaleas in front of them. We planted them when we first moved here 10 years ago, they have never bloomed! I am thinking to moving them where they would get more sun and there are no other plants. Any suggestions?
no blooms for years
If a plant is not performing—growing/producing—as expected, something’s wrong. It could be as simple as too much shade or too much sun. It could be too much fertilizer, esp high nitrogen fertilizer, which will result in beautiful foliage but few if any flowers. It could be too much moisture—or too little moisture.
Do you know what kind of hydrangea it is? That would be a start. In the meantime, are you pruning it? The buds for the next year’s flowers are formed this year. Pruning, even severe cold can kill flower buds (but seldom affect leaf buds).
And, how is the pH of the soil?? Have they got enough compost? There may not be a good, solid explanation, but moving them to a different “environment” will at least give you a point of comparison.
petals fading and turning a very light brown
Hello
I recently planted 4 pink Mophead hydrangeas. I am in 8a zone and they get sun from 1000 to 1500. I followed the directions above on planting, spacing, and fertilizing them and I water them every day. Two years ago we put lime where the hydrangeas are planted. Now, they have recently started fading to a very light brown and three out of the four really have changed. The leaves and petals look healthy, its just the color has changed. I read about how a little red spider can suck the nutrients out of the petal, so I sprayed them with insecticide hoping that would help but nothing has helped. Do you have any suggestions?
droopy Mopheads
Mopheads—so far as our research suggests—are also known as Big Leaf Hydrangeas. We looked into a few sources and these suggest that yours may be getting too much sun. The little red spiders may also be present; it might be wise for your to review/copare the pics of diseased leaves on the US National Arboretum page below or consult a local nursery (taking a couple of leaves with you).
Here’s the Arboretum page: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/faqs/hydrangeafaq2.html
Here’s a cooperative extension page: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C973
We hope this helps—
Deer
I have a lot of deer in my yard. Will they feast on hydrangeas?
deer and hydrangea
Deer might eat your hydrangea, Beverly, if they are hungry enough and there are few options. TO be on the safe side, you could try this: We recently learned of a gardener who used Milorganite fertilzer around plants that she did not want animals to bother. (We do not know if Milorganite will alter the pink/blue of your flower.)
HYDRANGEA GROWTH
I am interested in knowing if, because they are refereed to as a "bush"...will one plant spread like bushes do?
hydrangeas
My hydrangea is usually beautiful but fot the last 12months we have a building site next to our fence where they are suddenly the leaves have gone brown mostly at the tips is it due to the cement thats in the air and what can I do it only seems to be on the top of the bush should I snip them off
cement in the air?
It wouldn’t seem like cement in the air would be a problem; maybe cement in the soil … if in large quantities. But remember that hydrangeas are susceptible to disease. This page from the Alabama Cooperative Extension service (more on your local in a moment) shows the effects of several problems with hydrangeas and offers some advice to remedy the situation: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1212/ANR-1212.pdf
If you would like advice from your local cooperative extension service, find your state here and follow through with contact: http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services
If it’s convenient for you, you might also bring a leaf to a local nursery, describe the situation, and see if they have an opinion.
We hope this helps!
Birthday gift dying?
My husband bought me a beautiful pot with a Hydrangea. It is sitting in our kitchen on the counter, out of any direct sunlight. The card said to water it often, so we have done that, but my blooms have all turned brown and are falling off. Is it too late to plant it outside? Will it recover, and bloom again?
Heated Discussion
Hi, Vickie: Assuming that your plant does not have some sort of disease or pest (inspect carefully; if so, do online research) and you have not just totally drowned your hydrangea (it should be moist, not swamped), it would seem that heat might be a possible culprit as the cause of your brownout. Sometimes folks equate heat with sun, but the two aren’t the same. Perhaps your kitchen has just been too warm for it. In any event, sure, go ahead and plant it outside as long as you are not in the far north (find your last frost date here: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates). Snip off the brown blooms and go for it. Be sure to read all the advice above. Good luck and thanks for asking!
Planting hydrangea in a big pot
What is the correct way to do this?
growing hydrangeas in containers
The planting and care information at the top of this page should be helpful. Hydrangeas need full sun in the morning and some shade in the afternoon. They grow best in rich moist soil. You can plant your hydrangea in a big pot with fresh potting mix. Place the pot in a sunny spot outdoors and don’t let the soil dry out.
hydrangeas
is it ok to put white marble rock around the hydrangea. i put film down and then the rock.will hydrangeas be ok in this setting.thanks for your advice
Hi, we live on Zakynthos in
Hi, we live on Zakynthos in Greece the temperature in the summer regularly exceeds 40 degrees C (104 F) and in the winter we do get some mild ground frosts. We often go 5 or even 6 months with no rain in the summer and in the winter we have very heavy rainfall. The average annual temperature is 18.5 °C. (65.3 F) rainfall averages 937 mm 170 mm in December alone, often leading to our garden flooding. My questions are: Will Hydrangeas tolerate this much sunshine or will they need shade? Will they survive flooding for 1 or 2 days, 4 or 5 times each winter? Will they survive and flower long term if grown in a pot?
Thank you.
How do I rehab struggling Hydrangeas in place for years?
Hi, I bought a house last fall. There are two small Hydrangeas on the North side of the house. Both seem to have been in place for at least a couple of years, as the grass is completely filled in around the base, with no signs of disturbed earth. They are both small, and one seems to be really struggling. They are a beautiful blue color, so I would like to save them and get them healthy. Should I peel off the sod around them, fertilize, and mulch? Or should I dig them up and move them to a sunnier spot? If I dig, how far out should I dig from the stems so I don't cut roots?
Thank you!
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