This is a two day difference. What did I do wrong?! They are in morning sun evening shade. I dug the hole wide not deep. What did I do wrong?
by Mixxona
This is a two day difference. What did I do wrong?! They are in morning sun evening shade. I dug the hole wide not deep. What did I do wrong?
by Mixxona
41 Comments
Transplant stress and not enough water, most likely. Hydrangeas need a surprising amount of water, and can get burnt flowers pretty easy in high direct heat, depending on what region you’re in that could be it if it’s super hot even with only part sun.
Also if you damaged the roots to open them up when taking them out of the pot, they may just be putting energy to repairing roots and taking it from the flowers. Hydrangeas get a lot better over time so I would just cut the flowers off and let it be green this year it will be great next year and for years after.
Last suggestion, make sure you didn’t bury it too deep and cover up where the stem comes up from the root base, that can reduce air flow, think of it how everyone talks about tree root flares. It doesn’t really have a root flare but you still want to make sure it’s not buried too deep
These were forced to bloom early in a green house. Hydrangea are summer bloomers.
Was it inside before you planted it? It could be transplant shock coupled with the temps if it’s still cold at night where you live (we are still getting frost warnings in my area in Toronto).
Hydrangea also need regular watering so if you didn’t give it any water after planting, that could be it as well.
Plants don’t like to be disrupted. Plus nurseries will force flowering with just the right growing conditions and copious fertilizer to make them look desirable for purchase. Your best bet is to cut off the flowers and let the plant get established.
Did these come from Walmart/Lowes in a pot wrapped in shiny plastic decorative wrap? If so, those are “floral hydrangeas” meant to be given as a gift and then tossed, not really suitable for landscape planting.
Also, the color of the blooms largely depends on the ph of the soil. Don’t be surprised if they bloom pink.
Maybe I’m doing something wrong but this is par for the course with my spring planting. In my experience it’s usually a year or two before anything I put in the ground gets well established and looks nice.
Keep it watered and give it a year though. It should come back. My wife’s family gave us a little sprig from her late grandmother’s hydrangea bushes about three years ago. That thing is about to take over our front yard now.
depending what zone you are in it is almost certain these are greenhouse grown and have not adjusted to full sun/wind.
Even sun loving perrenials need a few days to adjust to the elements before being throw into the ground, they will most likely recover but in the future put the plant under a tree so it gets some dappled light and adjusts to wind/temp etc.
Looks like you watered with the sun beaming out.
Honestly I would cut the blooms and focus on giving this thing more water than you thought possible (HYDRAngea, it needs so much water). Let it get established and not focus on the blooms.
They want morning sun only. They also like a lot of water. Last but not least, they suck. Big Leaf Hydrangeas are the worst.
Hydrangeas are very very very thirsty. Just run the hose on it for a week. You really can’t over water.
Cut the flowers, so that plant can focus on root growth
Same thing happened to me. My daughter has been growing beautiful hydrangeas, she had threw them in the ground and they’ve been gorgeous since. Not me… mine totally died off last year after trying for 2-3 years.
Hm took mine just one season for it to grow flowers again. Hudrangeas are super hardy so dont worry
Once something is flowering it’s not gonna root
Too much sun – look at those burned petals.
The color changes depending on whether the soil is acidic or alkaline. This is completely normal the plant is fine.
Did you make sure the root ball has good contact with soil all round and on the bottom, too?
Mine did the same. They’re just not acclimated to the outdoors. They will come back next year!
It has to take root and start growing
If you don’t water that everyday, and deeply in the beginning, it’s going to die. I use an Ola to keep mine from drying out day to day, on top of daily watering. You need to do something similar the first summer. This is her 2nd year, already close to needing a bigger pot. I plant sunflowers with it in summer for extra shade(you can see one coming up on the right)
https://preview.redd.it/yba47yf2yp0h1.jpeg?width=2295&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3a215293737896edce28e94fcb5af61a6724391
Those are call florist hydrangeas. They are not intended to be planted in the ground.
Hey there- I have these in my front yard- they don’t get direct sunlight for most of the day because of that. So they may have gone into shock because of the recent heat and having too much sun. I don’t have any more details from you so that’s all I can really say- it is better to have a deeper hole vs a wider hole as the roots reaching down keep the plant more stable.. a 2 ft deep hole would be adequate. And of course a proper mixture of soil, fertilizer, peat moss, and perlite is ideal with mulch on top to prevent the soil from drying out too quickly. Good luck!
My mom always said about perennials: first they sleep, then they creep, and finally they leap! 3 years is true for a lot of plants. Hang in there 🌸
Your soil needs an acid fertilizer.
You need to plant it in half shade area. Cut those burnt flowers. I think it will flower again
It looks like you planted a gift hydrangea rather than a garden hydrangea.
“Florist hydrangeas are bred for short-term indoor display, featuring intense colors but low cold hardiness, whereas garden hydrangeas are hardy, long-term perennial shrubs developed for landscape endurance”
You’ve gotten a lot of great advice, I have nothing to add to the fact that these blooms just do not do well in the cold they need to bloom in the summer. I did want to say that I didn’t read all of the comments but in case no one mentioned it the blooms will likely not look like that next year. So prepare yourself ahead of time so you’re not disappointed.
What kind of soil do you have? Hydrangeas don’t do well with clay-ish soil, very very alkaline, extremely sandy or dry soil, etc
Oh jeez, I feel like I write this comment every few months haha.
Hydrangeas bought from _inside_ a store are decorative; mostly for mother’s Day. They’re not really landscape plants and, even if they survive, they rarely bloom again unless you’re warmer than zone 7.
Hydrangeas bought _outside_ in a garden center are for your landscape. Good luck!
They will also burn in the sun
Whatever you think is “plenty of water” is still not enough. With the prefix “Hydra” the plant is telling you to give it ALL the water. Every drop available.
Lol @ everyone in this comment section blindly guessing at something you did wrong when you basically did it by the book. Sometimes plants just dont feel like it.
Here’s something that not everyone realizes. These growers grow these plants in artificial light in a grow medium that isn’t conducive to growth they feed them with liquid nutrients and they are force flowered. When you get them home you must cut off the blooms and repot them or plant them in a nutritious soil.
My favorite flowers 💕
It is part transplant shock, and possibly part a soil acidity problem. Hydrangeas and rhododendrons like a particularly acidic soil make up. I garden in the Northeast US on property covered in pine trees (a natural soil acidifier) and I still have to add an organic soil acidifier if we want to see blooms. I don’t know the science, but an observation I’ve also made is the more blue the bloom, the more acidifier the plant likely wants. Good luck with it, you can still very much save the roots and get the plant rehabbed by next year 🙂
Not supposed to buy them with flowers blooming.
The best way to get hydrangeas from the store are on the clearance rack. No false expectations of them looking great year one. Year two they always come back the next year looking amazing.
Yes, may take a season or two. Just let the stems come up and if they come out great and if not, try for the following year.
Water makes plants grow!
Hydrangeas are the finnickiest mofos in the whole flower realm. Cut off the heads, fertilise in late summer, expect flowers in two years or death in three weeks, as suits best madam the plant herself, she’s in charge not you. (Not even being sarcastic, just realistic. Best of luck).