Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers but they need the right care to thrive. Here’s what to do if your hydrangeas are not at their best – and it only takes five minutes
Hydrangeas can easily die in the summer if they are not cared for properly(Image: Getty)
Hydrangeas, known for their stunning blooms, often don’t receive the care they require from gardeners.
It’s not unusual for hydrangeas to struggle during this season due to harsh weather conditions, and neglected plants are more likely to wilt or cease flowering altogether.
This was the unfortunate case for one gardener on the Garden Stew forums who shared a photo of his wilting hydrangeas, which had lost most of their foliage and were only producing a few flowers. The gardener posted: “I am in need of some advice on helping bring back some damaged and neglected hydrangeas.” In other related news, Brits are told to never put one banned item in garden bins as you could face punishment.
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The best way to restore a hydrangea is to give it a deep watering(Image: Getty)
They added: “I have two that suffered bad hail storms and also neglect involving letting other close bushes grow over them while I was inactive in the yard. I think the lack of sunshine getting through has not been good for them either.”
However, according to the forum’s comment section, it’s not too late to save the hydrangeas. Many gardeners suggested that deep and thorough watering is the key to reviving these plants.
A gardener named Phillip advised: “The soil around those bushes looks dry so I would add lots of water. Hydrangeas love water…[if watered] the part where the plant is producing green healthy leaves will produce blooms”. Given that hydrangeas have deep roots, it’s crucial to ensure the ground around them is thoroughly soaked, as the water needs to penetrate several inches into the soil, reports the Express.
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Neglected hydrangeas will come back bigger and stronger with a 5-minute gardening task (Image: Getty)
Water hydrangeas slowly with either a hose or watering can around the base of the plant and try to avoid getting water on the foliage or flowers. Ensure you water hydrangeas at least once a week, watch for signs of improvement and adjust the plant’s watering schedule depending on the weather.
Once the plant has been watered, apply a layer of mulch around the hydrangeas. This will help them retain moisture but will also help regulate the temperature and reduce the amount of weeds naturally.
You can also look at other plant requirements such as pruning or giving the hydrangeas the nutrients they need through fertilisation once it has been watered regularly. Phillip said: “It is possible that the branches with no leaves may be dead but don’t prune them until you have watered the plants for a spell just in case there is life there.”
“Give them some liquid fertiliser, something like MiracleGrow, it’s good and a gentle booster…not too much fertiliser of any kind as that gives you BIG healthy leaf growth and less blooms.”
Ensure you continue watering hydrangeas regularly and take other plant care needs slowly and this plant should spring back to life in no time.
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