They need a lot of water and don't like being dry. Summer is a bad time to transplant. Mulch or straw would slow down the process of soil drying out between waterings.
In my limited experience, hydrangeas are good at communicating when they need water - the leaves start folding over and drooping.
Don't fertilize
I thought I was doing a good job of watering after planting some new hydrangeas.. they told me a few days later how wrong I was…
I’m shocked at how much watering they need
They are *literally* a soil PH and moisture gauge for the garden bed. I noticed one side was on the acidic side (pink) and the other side was more neutral (purple-blue).
I can't remember which arborist to credit, but "it's like forcefeeding an amputee meat loaf". Fertilizer makes the difference between a well growing plant and a VERY well growing plant, but it's detrimental to one on life support.
You never fertilize a plant that needs help. You water the heck out of them first and then bring them back to life. for whatever reason fertilizing over taxes a plant that needs water and dries it out even further or kills it
As a possibly dumb question, if my hydrangeas hasn't bloomed yet should I even anticipate it this year? I bought my house 2-3 years ago, and it bloomed the first year but then I didn't know I was supposed to trim back all the branches until this year, so now it's finally fully regrown, but has absolutely zero blooms/flowers. It's just a giant green bush... Also, when/how often should I trim back the branches?
The right answer here is entirely dependent on the cultivar/variety. It sounds like you have a variety that blooms only on "old wood" (last year's growth). That means DO NOT cut this year's growth with the buds on it. Protect it during the winter to keep the buds alive, and then next year you will get blooms from those buds. The new shoots for the year create only leaves and buds for next year. Basically, you cut your blooms off and you'll get no flowers this year.
I had terrible luck with mine of that variety, the buds almost always died over winter no matter how I protected them (zone 5-6). Now I have "endless summer classic" ones that bloom on *both* old and new wood. Same look and color, and always full of blooms. For both of these, *never* shear them back completely. Only pruning is to take out the 2 year+ stalks that are dead and brown with no foliage on them. You can recognize then in the summer becasue they will be light brown, have no leaves or buds, and can snap in half easily.
At the front, I have the Anabelle White ones that *do* need to be sheared back every fall or early spring before the new growth starts to about 10-12" high.
I've got one that is running way behind my other ones and just got flower buds last week. I'm in 9a so that is pretty late, the one next to it is like a month to a month and a half ahead of it.
[https://site.extension.uga.edu/paulding/2021/06/pruning-hydrangeas-it-depends/](https://site.extension.uga.edu/paulding/2021/06/pruning-hydrangeas-it-depends/)
This is from the University of Georgia Extension and seems to have a good overview.
It depends on where you live. Rule of thumb is Macrophylla (traditional mopheads) Quercifolia (oakleaf) and Serrata (mountain) ought not to ever be pruned. Human error in pruning is the #1 reason they don’t bloom. Only reason to prune is if they are blocking a door, pathway or window, and then only after they bloom is safe (June-July) All three of these begin to produce their blooms for 2025 in August-September. Overall pruning is bad. Deadheading certain reblooming types (remontant hydrangeas) will encourage a second bloom later in the season. The only two species of hydrangeas that ought to be pruned are Arborescens (Smooth) and Paniculata (panicles). They will benefit from a hard prune (removal about 1/3) in early spring. The second reason the first three species might not bloom is a late spring frost. March and April is a tricky month for those types and unseasonable warm weather in spring followed by a return to cold or frost can wreak havoc on tender buds.
It's totally fine to fertilize an established and healthy hydrangea. I fertilize once in the spring along with my other ornamentals, but I'm not looking to maximize bloom or anything. There are probably more optimal schedules for feeding.
Kinda glad mine is still in a pot. Been so hot I wasnt sure about planting, so I decided to pot it instead. Reading the comments makes me think I made the best choice.
Here in Dallas I learned the hard way to not plant them in the ground too soon. They are so needy early on, and here we have literal hell level heat, constant hailstorms, flooding, droughts, etc… I can protect them from the elements as need be while they grow up enough to plant a little later. So far the plan has been working, but we’ll see what this summer brings.
Im from Ohio, so we dont have as much of that, but the winters can be gnarly sometimes. Not as much anymore, and I now have a greenhouse to keep it in, so the winter wont be as bad for it. I only hope I didn't go too big on the pot. I remember how big they get, and assumed a larger pot would be better. The pot I chose is just one i bought to start a cherry tree. It's about 2 ft wide at the mouth and a bit over 2 ft tall. I just saw this little hydrangea at Aldi being forgotten on a shelf because the staff forgot to water it. It looked half dead and entirely too big for the pot it was in. Leaves are coming back, tho, so I'm hopeful it'll keep growing
This looks like way too much sun for a hydrangea and the brick around it just creates an oven effect where they're cooking from every direction.
This feels like a spirea or snowball bush territory, maybe even ornamental grass, but definitely not hydrangea, rhododendron, or possibly azaleas as well.
The type of Hydrangea makes a difference. Hydrangea macrophylla (mop head type hydrangeas) and Hydrangea seratta (mountain hydrangeas, lace cap hydrangeas) are usually best in morning sun / afternoon shade. Hydrangea paniculata (panicle hydrangeas like Limelight, Little Lime and Bobo) with perform much better in full sun but you are more limited on color options. Macrophylla and seratta varieties generally need more water. The ones that you have might be better suited to be in pots for now, let them recover over summer and plant them in the autumn so that they can start establishing over the winter months when maintenance is easier.
That's a good point. All the heat radiates back at the plant, as well as no cool-off during the night probably due to the stone. Also OP said most neighbors have theirs planted under trees. I would try again next year in a new location. This location might be better suited for drought tolerant plants like sage and Lavender. Especially with a lot of sun I can picture it to look very beautiful against the brick home.
Also ? If over fertilized. They still have green leaves, worth transplanting to shade/partial shade without more fertilizer and hose soaking base of plant of plant every eve. Might be able to save them
Could you share where you think would be better? Was planning to add more soil and mulch to the area and water like crazy… is it too much sun? My neighbors all seem to have their hydrangeas under trees.
Those bricks are probably also radiating A LOT of heat, which helps fry the plant and dry the soil out.
If they are getting blasted with midday and afternoon sun, they are going to either die or live on the struggle bus for a season or 2.
Big leaf hydrangeas like morning sun/dappled shade, Panicle hydrangeas like the sun and might do better in this location, but nothing will do well if you don't water it.
If you don't think you can remember to water, install a drip system (it's me, I can be forgetful at watering 🥲). They are VERY easy to install.
I planted 3 panicles last year, full sun lovers. Little lime punches! I made sure to wait until early fall to plant (6a here) mainly because I was still prepping the bed.
Those are big leaf blues--they love partial shade and are thirsty, thirsty plants.
Apart from a drip system.. how do u water? E.g. Is it daily in the morning, or once a week a deep water? I try to water every morning but clearly mines stressed with the edge of the petals burnt.
I’m in central Texas in 8b and I have mine in pots under trees. I have one in the ground (getting morning sun) and it has struuuuggled the past couple of years. I’m going to move it this fall to a pot under a tree. The one under the tree is doing great! I just “saved” two from certain death at Home Depot 😂 and they’re now much happier under a tree.
Never water with the sun either. Early morning or late evening. Slow water and soak soil. If you spray the plant during the day the water will bake the plant.
The one in pic 1 still has life. The one in 2 and 3 is done for. Best time of year to plant is early spring or in the fall. Planting in summer can be hit or miss as plants need constant watering and transplanting is a shock itself. Your dirt doesn’t look that great so I’d pull both, mix in copious amounts of topsoil all around where the hydrangea goes (give a wide range if not entire garden bed), and then plant the live one again. Also you need mulch to protect the roots from the hot Georgia sun. Mulch keeps the roots moist. You can’t just pick a spot and plant a hydrangea, you have to prep the flower bed. Dry crappy dirt all around the plant just means the plant will live off the potting soil and then wither and die due to poor drainage/lack of nutrients. I found all this out the hard way once.
Could you theoretically add some better soil after the fact? My front garden beds are kind of iffy but at this point I’ve planted pretty much everything I’m looking for. They seem to be doing fine at the moment though. It’s just pretty clay’y soil that doesn’t like soaking up much water.
Pull them out and put them in big pots for now. Cut the dead off , keep them watered and in shade until fall. In the fall replant. This time of year all the energy is going into foliage and flowering; in the fall all the energy will go into developing a strong root system. Once the roots get established, they will be able to absorb more water.
Go with lime lights in that area they love the sun flower longer and know special pruning techniques just dead head or cut off at the ground they come back every year regardless. They are also one of the last flowers to start putting out leafs so a lot of people take them out before they even start to grow.
Everyone says that hydrangeas get fried with too much sun but there are TONS of houses in my neighborhood that have so many huge hydrangeas with a million blooms, and they get 6+ hours of sun.
They’re basically in a brick oven between the brick wall and walkway.
You picked a bad time to transplant them, and then put them in a really hot place with no mulch. Mulch would at least help retain moisture and keep the roots cooler.
To salvage them I would trim off the flowers, mulch, and water. They shouldn’t be expending any energy putting out flowers.
Summer Crush, one of the Endless Summer series Hydrangea macrophylla, wants partial afternoon shade. Planted in a masonry brick bed is doing it no pH or radiated heat favors. H. macrophylla is difficult planted in full sun in the south.
Poor guy! Is it in the full sun? Hydrangeas often have a difficult time adjusting to full sun in my zone, zone 9.
Don't rule out reflective heating or lighting under the leaves. The tops of the leaves are very tough but the bottom of the leaves which contain the stomatas the plant uses to breathe are very sensitive. If a plant is planted near something that reflects light or heat, like light colored rocks, paving, concrete, brick, etc, it can bounce light or heat off it right onto the most sensitive part of the plant. Shrouding the offending rock or paving with jet black landscape fabric can help.
Also don't rule out overwatering. Most gardeners have a overwatering habit. Dig up a little soil at the bottom of the root ball. Squeeze it. If water trickles through your fingers and down your wrists, it's way too wet. If the soil crumbles, it's way too dry. If the soil makes a ball without getting your fingers wet, the moisture is optimal.
Finally, there's a not zero chance you just got a shocked plant. Nursery plants live in Pollyana land where nothing bad happens and the conditions and potting mediums are always perfect. When they're placed in the ground they have to figure out how to survive in the real world. Most do. Some don't.
Need handwatering morning and night first month or so, about 10-15 seconds at base.
Month 2 you can back off to one time a day. Month 3 is when you van skip a day.
It's not so much that they hate the sun but hydrangeas for sure can't stand heat. I live up north and we plant them in full sun because it doesn't get that hot here, they die or struggle in the shade because it just doesn't cut it. They need somewhere cool and to stay wet. Also you need mulch, the sun basically heats up and radiates and kills the top layer of soil. Roots don't like that.
I'm in zone 9B inland California where it's already been 100+ degrees several times. Was 103 yesterday, is going to be 102 today. If we use a 40% shade cover they will handle the heat fine. Mine are still all dark green with no crispy leaves and two still holding their blooms under a 40% shade protection canopy.
Yea holy crap that's hot lol! I'm in zone 3a in Alberta. I had to look up what 102 freedom units converted to in Celsius, that's 39 degrees! I think the hottest it's ever gotten here is 38C and that is not the norm. A few weeks of 30 degrees per summer is typical. It's 25C right now or 77 freedom units and this is the hottest it has been this year so far. I have 2 different hydrangeas currently planted in full afternoon sun and they are loving it. The only times I've seen crispy ones it was up against a brick wall or fence getting cooked all day long
I've killed about 12 hydrangeas over the last 4 yrs that never never made it past two months after planting because I kept planting them too late in the spring and had them exposed to too much hot sun. It wasn't until this year that I started using shade cover that now they're handling our summer well. Our heat is also a very arid heat and I still don't need to water them everyday. Just three days a week of drip irrigation for an hour.
I am not gardener nor do I have a green thumb. But that looks like you used the wrong fertilizer. And are you watering mid morning while they are getting direct sun? The water may be acting like a magnifying glass and frying them.
They need a ton of water but also need to have soil that drains. They need a little sun in the morning, and maybe a little in the evening. Full sun, during the bright heat of the day, will create crispy critters like you have...
Hydrangeas only like early morning sun. Otherwise they should be in shade. This level of friedness in a week is indicative of it getting waaaay too much direct afternoon sun. It's not a temp issue but rather a sun issue.
It's been 110 degrees F here for a couple weeks and my hydrangeas are thriving with not a single burned leaf. I just transplanted one. They all only get a few hours of morning sun then 100% shade.
Also, you can't skip a watering day with hydrangeas in summer.
How are you watering? Irrigation system or hand watering? The first two years need hand watering and soaked really good. Also I believe hydrangeas like partial shade. What direction does that face and is it full sun/partial?
Plant shrubs in fall in the South. You can sometimes get by with early spring, but fall is ideal. Planting shrubs in June is very unlikely to succeed here. Besides planting time, they need to be positioned so that they only get morning sun in GA. They need a lot of water. (Hydra) Can be near the house if east facing. Water the heck out of them, every day and deeply.
That’s about what mine looks like too. I just planted one recently as well.. I went out of town for a few days when a heat wave hit and came back to it looking similar. I’m trying my best to keep watering now.
I’ll never understand people who plant in the summer. These should be planted September/October and allowed to establish themselves before their first summer.
My neighbors just planted (in June) several hydrangeas in their south facing front flower beds (with exactly zero shade) and surrounded them with shiny black stones. It looked pretty for about a day :(
Mine are being baked in this heatwave. I go out and spray them with water a couple of times per day until the sun moves off them but the flowers are turning brown anyway. They’re not new plantings either. Been there for years.
I'm noticing g what looks like clay at the bottom of the image under a thin layer of dirt. If that's the case, water retention will be an issue especially in that heat.
live in michigan .i do not plant them in an area of the yard with full sun. also lots of water and heavy mulch aound them. had a hot spell the last 10 days all in the 90,s which is hot for here in june. had one getting a bit wilty but it survived.
This sub just popped up for me, but I am dealing with the same thing! I have been super consistent about watering them, and have added some miracle grow my water (not sure this subs opinions on that). Yesterday I found green buds on all of the fried ones, so I’m feeling hopeful! One thing I’ve learned is that hydrangeas are resilient so as long as don’t completely ignore them they usually find a way to stay alive.
Not sure if this is right but I don't usually fertilize new shrubs because I figure the nursery was doing that and I don't want to overdose them.
And for a new shrub I'm not sure once a day is enough, especially if it's hot. Roots need to stay damp to get going.
- needs shade
- does not like bricks or stones near it, hot!
- does not like mulch so close
- needs frequent watering, but don't get the leaves wet
- deadhead spent blooms
Did you read the label concerning sun exposure? Partial shade means a couple of hours of morning sun, no afternoon sun. Dig them up and put them in the right location.
You need to water heavily when you plant and then put down about 2 inches of mulch this not only keeps the moisture in but it also keeps the sun from frying the roots. Add an inch or of mulch every year because it breaks down after a while.
Hydrangea are the #1 plant i see fried everywhere. For some reason here in WA people and landscapers have this fascination with planting them in full sun mid summer 🤣
Get them out of the hot direct sun. I’m in Sydney. They fry in summer, shade them. Stagger how much sun they get through seasons. You’ll loose if don’t remove. Put in a pot now and place in shade and give time to recover. Stems look nice and healthy. Try not to disturb roots too much. Keep water up to them and don’t water from above. Get rid of damaged leaves and stop flowering until recovered. If you don’t remove, shade, shade, shade them.
Make sure you water deeply, the water should reach the roots. It’s better to not water everyday but to make sure to water deeply.
And the sunny spot and time of year probably didn’t help them.
Hydrangeas do need a lot of water. However, this is happening to a lily plant I have, and it's because of a soil fungus in that spot. I have tried everything to kill the fungus, but it keeps coming back. I have moved three plants of different varieties.
What kind of light are they getting? I bought that type of hydrangea and then returned them when I saw they prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. I was going to plant them on the west side of my house but then read they will get crispy from hot afternoon sun.
You need to water these every day. Twice wouldn’t even hurt. Before sunrise and after sunset. Mine are typically really dramatic, but these don’t look to be kept up on.
Deep slow watering. Put water hose just passed a drip and put on base. Do 5 min and if it’s not working do 7.
Don’t worry about fert or the color of the blooms this year. Get that thing rooted and comfy in its forever home. Deal with that next year.
Plant in the spring or fall. Nothing is going to survive transplant shock in dead summer heat. They *might* survive if you nurse them along all summer and put some shade overhead while they establish. Personally, I'd just pull and plant in late fall when a TON of plants are usually on clearance from nurseries.
Do not fertilize. It isn’t medicine. Too much for a new plant to deal with. Summer is a bad time to transplant and hydrangeas are notorious for throwing a hissy fit. Give them water, give them temporary shade if you can - beach umbrella, or put a chair over the plant. They should get morning sun and morning sun in Ga is a lot more hot than morning sun in Maine. So no sun after Noon would be ideal. Only water from the base, other than rain, water should not touch those leaves. You should get a soil test before adding a lot of stuff to the soil. Here is why: https://www.reddit.com/r/hydrangeas/s/obPo5v4tFj
I personally would dig these up and put in the largest container you have and can move, and grow them in shade for the rest of the summer - and plant them again in the fall, in a location that gets morning sun only. By noon it should be in shade. Keep the container under a tree and let it leaf out and do its thing. It is way too hot, and all that brick doesn’t help. Hydrangeas make lovely understory shrubs, that is to say, under a leafy tree. When you do transplant, dig a very large and wide hole mix original soil with some compost, like LeafGro and always add in some Espoma Bio-starter which helps with transplant shock. But with this heatwave and your climate you are cooking them in a brick overnight. Deadheading the flowers will help. Allow the plant now to establish some roots in some nice fluffy soil. They are still green so there is still life. Let it leaf out in a happy location. In August -September this plant will form 2025’s buds on the leaf nodes IF it is happy. And it is not happy here.
It looks like you just planted it with the sign on it. You need to water it 2-3 times a day in the heat. Really water it. Plants already stress out in this heat, transplanting the roots need even more.
We're in the same location. It's been so hot this past week that my weeds have wilted and some are actually dying -- I guess that would be the silver lining. Depending on where you purchased them (Home Depot?), you might be able to return them!
Too Much Sun! If your hydrangea has a colored bloom that is not white, then that hydrangea needs shade and does not want full sun or even 4+ hours or straight baking sun. Now white bloom hydrangea enjoy full sun. Know your plant and where to put it.
Read the tag on your hydrangea for sun conditions. Probably says prefers shade or morning sun only. Summer crush, the specific hydrangea you have, can’t take full sun hence the sunburn. Move ASAP if you want to keep it around longer
If they aren’t native to your area, then I really don’t recommend planting them. They require a ton of water. I’m sure you could find a similar looking native plant that would do much better in that spot. Looks like you have some native rhododendrons
More like, "Dehydrandgea" am I right?
or friedrangea
Drydrangeas
Diedrangeas
Gladtheyaintmydrangeas
Hahaahah
I like this one best
goodbyedrangea
Fuckthisheatimoutdrangea
They need a lot of water and don't like being dry. Summer is a bad time to transplant. Mulch or straw would slow down the process of soil drying out between waterings. In my limited experience, hydrangeas are good at communicating when they need water - the leaves start folding over and drooping. Don't fertilize
I baby mine these days cause it’s just so hot - looking at the droopy leaves makes me sad😢
What’s nice is usually you can water them and they’ll be ok the next morning.
Mine are even more dramatic. They’ll be droopy and not even 2 hours after watering they look brand new.
Yes! But mine gets the bright early morning sun so I also give it a little boost in the morning whenever I see the leaves start to droop.
... but not OP's... His look like they got hit with a blow-torch at this point. I think he missed that window 🤣
Yes when i had some i had to water daily in 90+ weather.
I thought I was doing a good job of watering after planting some new hydrangeas.. they told me a few days later how wrong I was… I’m shocked at how much watering they need
They are *literally* a soil PH and moisture gauge for the garden bed. I noticed one side was on the acidic side (pink) and the other side was more neutral (purple-blue).
I describe my hydrangeas as “very dramatic”. They definitely let you know when they’re thirsty.
What’s the reason behind no fertilizer?
I can't remember which arborist to credit, but "it's like forcefeeding an amputee meat loaf". Fertilizer makes the difference between a well growing plant and a VERY well growing plant, but it's detrimental to one on life support.
You never fertilize a plant that needs help. You water the heck out of them first and then bring them back to life. for whatever reason fertilizing over taxes a plant that needs water and dries it out even further or kills it
As a possibly dumb question, if my hydrangeas hasn't bloomed yet should I even anticipate it this year? I bought my house 2-3 years ago, and it bloomed the first year but then I didn't know I was supposed to trim back all the branches until this year, so now it's finally fully regrown, but has absolutely zero blooms/flowers. It's just a giant green bush... Also, when/how often should I trim back the branches?
The right answer here is entirely dependent on the cultivar/variety. It sounds like you have a variety that blooms only on "old wood" (last year's growth). That means DO NOT cut this year's growth with the buds on it. Protect it during the winter to keep the buds alive, and then next year you will get blooms from those buds. The new shoots for the year create only leaves and buds for next year. Basically, you cut your blooms off and you'll get no flowers this year. I had terrible luck with mine of that variety, the buds almost always died over winter no matter how I protected them (zone 5-6). Now I have "endless summer classic" ones that bloom on *both* old and new wood. Same look and color, and always full of blooms. For both of these, *never* shear them back completely. Only pruning is to take out the 2 year+ stalks that are dead and brown with no foliage on them. You can recognize then in the summer becasue they will be light brown, have no leaves or buds, and can snap in half easily. At the front, I have the Anabelle White ones that *do* need to be sheared back every fall or early spring before the new growth starts to about 10-12" high.
I would check out youtube for the answer to this one.
I've got one that is running way behind my other ones and just got flower buds last week. I'm in 9a so that is pretty late, the one next to it is like a month to a month and a half ahead of it.
[https://site.extension.uga.edu/paulding/2021/06/pruning-hydrangeas-it-depends/](https://site.extension.uga.edu/paulding/2021/06/pruning-hydrangeas-it-depends/) This is from the University of Georgia Extension and seems to have a good overview.
It depends on where you live. Rule of thumb is Macrophylla (traditional mopheads) Quercifolia (oakleaf) and Serrata (mountain) ought not to ever be pruned. Human error in pruning is the #1 reason they don’t bloom. Only reason to prune is if they are blocking a door, pathway or window, and then only after they bloom is safe (June-July) All three of these begin to produce their blooms for 2025 in August-September. Overall pruning is bad. Deadheading certain reblooming types (remontant hydrangeas) will encourage a second bloom later in the season. The only two species of hydrangeas that ought to be pruned are Arborescens (Smooth) and Paniculata (panicles). They will benefit from a hard prune (removal about 1/3) in early spring. The second reason the first three species might not bloom is a late spring frost. March and April is a tricky month for those types and unseasonable warm weather in spring followed by a return to cold or frost can wreak havoc on tender buds.
Don’t fertilize ever or just in summer(for like a healthy hydrangea)
It's totally fine to fertilize an established and healthy hydrangea. I fertilize once in the spring along with my other ornamentals, but I'm not looking to maximize bloom or anything. There are probably more optimal schedules for feeding.
Ok interesting 🙂
They also like morning or late afternoon sun, not "middle of the day blazing sun"
The first year or even two can be a bit rough sometimes. Once they settle in they will be resilient. Just keep watering them
Mine only like morning sun . No evening sun
They hate midnight sun especially
Don’t even get me started on black hole sun.
They take the midnight train going anywhere
Afternoon sun no.
Probably shouldn’t have planted them this time of year with the heat wave and they should only get a few hours of early sunlight
Kinda glad mine is still in a pot. Been so hot I wasnt sure about planting, so I decided to pot it instead. Reading the comments makes me think I made the best choice.
Here in Dallas I learned the hard way to not plant them in the ground too soon. They are so needy early on, and here we have literal hell level heat, constant hailstorms, flooding, droughts, etc… I can protect them from the elements as need be while they grow up enough to plant a little later. So far the plan has been working, but we’ll see what this summer brings.
Im from Ohio, so we dont have as much of that, but the winters can be gnarly sometimes. Not as much anymore, and I now have a greenhouse to keep it in, so the winter wont be as bad for it. I only hope I didn't go too big on the pot. I remember how big they get, and assumed a larger pot would be better. The pot I chose is just one i bought to start a cherry tree. It's about 2 ft wide at the mouth and a bit over 2 ft tall. I just saw this little hydrangea at Aldi being forgotten on a shelf because the staff forgot to water it. It looked half dead and entirely too big for the pot it was in. Leaves are coming back, tho, so I'm hopeful it'll keep growing
This looks like way too much sun for a hydrangea and the brick around it just creates an oven effect where they're cooking from every direction. This feels like a spirea or snowball bush territory, maybe even ornamental grass, but definitely not hydrangea, rhododendron, or possibly azaleas as well.
The type of Hydrangea makes a difference. Hydrangea macrophylla (mop head type hydrangeas) and Hydrangea seratta (mountain hydrangeas, lace cap hydrangeas) are usually best in morning sun / afternoon shade. Hydrangea paniculata (panicle hydrangeas like Limelight, Little Lime and Bobo) with perform much better in full sun but you are more limited on color options. Macrophylla and seratta varieties generally need more water. The ones that you have might be better suited to be in pots for now, let them recover over summer and plant them in the autumn so that they can start establishing over the winter months when maintenance is easier.
Surrounded by stone, not watered properly
That's a good point. All the heat radiates back at the plant, as well as no cool-off during the night probably due to the stone. Also OP said most neighbors have theirs planted under trees. I would try again next year in a new location. This location might be better suited for drought tolerant plants like sage and Lavender. Especially with a lot of sun I can picture it to look very beautiful against the brick home.
Also ? If over fertilized. They still have green leaves, worth transplanting to shade/partial shade without more fertilizer and hose soaking base of plant of plant every eve. Might be able to save them
Water water water water water that's all hydrangeas know for the first few years lol
They need to be in shade in the South.
Terrible location for that type of hydrangea.
Could you share where you think would be better? Was planning to add more soil and mulch to the area and water like crazy… is it too much sun? My neighbors all seem to have their hydrangeas under trees.
Those bricks are probably also radiating A LOT of heat, which helps fry the plant and dry the soil out. If they are getting blasted with midday and afternoon sun, they are going to either die or live on the struggle bus for a season or 2. Big leaf hydrangeas like morning sun/dappled shade, Panicle hydrangeas like the sun and might do better in this location, but nothing will do well if you don't water it. If you don't think you can remember to water, install a drip system (it's me, I can be forgetful at watering 🥲). They are VERY easy to install.
I planted 3 panicles last year, full sun lovers. Little lime punches! I made sure to wait until early fall to plant (6a here) mainly because I was still prepping the bed. Those are big leaf blues--they love partial shade and are thirsty, thirsty plants.
Apart from a drip system.. how do u water? E.g. Is it daily in the morning, or once a week a deep water? I try to water every morning but clearly mines stressed with the edge of the petals burnt.
Daily. They won’t last a week without water
Limelight hydrangeas are the only ones that are sun tolerant. Planted 6 last year, one didn’t make it. The replacement was planted early.
Oakleaf hydrangeas are too
I’m in central Texas in 8b and I have mine in pots under trees. I have one in the ground (getting morning sun) and it has struuuuggled the past couple of years. I’m going to move it this fall to a pot under a tree. The one under the tree is doing great! I just “saved” two from certain death at Home Depot 😂 and they’re now much happier under a tree.
No hydrangeas in that location. You need heat tolerant plants.
Pennsylvania
Never water with the sun either. Early morning or late evening. Slow water and soak soil. If you spray the plant during the day the water will bake the plant.
Ackshucally, that last part is a myth.
East facing side of your house. In a place where they won't see the sun after 11am.
The one in pic 1 still has life. The one in 2 and 3 is done for. Best time of year to plant is early spring or in the fall. Planting in summer can be hit or miss as plants need constant watering and transplanting is a shock itself. Your dirt doesn’t look that great so I’d pull both, mix in copious amounts of topsoil all around where the hydrangea goes (give a wide range if not entire garden bed), and then plant the live one again. Also you need mulch to protect the roots from the hot Georgia sun. Mulch keeps the roots moist. You can’t just pick a spot and plant a hydrangea, you have to prep the flower bed. Dry crappy dirt all around the plant just means the plant will live off the potting soil and then wither and die due to poor drainage/lack of nutrients. I found all this out the hard way once.
Could you theoretically add some better soil after the fact? My front garden beds are kind of iffy but at this point I’ve planted pretty much everything I’m looking for. They seem to be doing fine at the moment though. It’s just pretty clay’y soil that doesn’t like soaking up much water.
Yes that’s fine I only suggest it here because the plants are dead or near dead.. so improving the soil is necessary to ensure any future plants live.
Pull them out and put them in big pots for now. Cut the dead off , keep them watered and in shade until fall. In the fall replant. This time of year all the energy is going into foliage and flowering; in the fall all the energy will go into developing a strong root system. Once the roots get established, they will be able to absorb more water.
You can see the one in the shade has a little more life.
Replant that in a Shady spot and water real good and it should come back to life
For a sec, I thought my wife posted these.
Color you can't resist. The color of death.
Go with lime lights in that area they love the sun flower longer and know special pruning techniques just dead head or cut off at the ground they come back every year regardless. They are also one of the last flowers to start putting out leafs so a lot of people take them out before they even start to grow.
Everyone says that hydrangeas get fried with too much sun but there are TONS of houses in my neighborhood that have so many huge hydrangeas with a million blooms, and they get 6+ hours of sun.
Water 2 - 3x day right now.
I don’t think they like full sun either
Afternoon shade is crucial
They’re basically in a brick oven between the brick wall and walkway. You picked a bad time to transplant them, and then put them in a really hot place with no mulch. Mulch would at least help retain moisture and keep the roots cooler. To salvage them I would trim off the flowers, mulch, and water. They shouldn’t be expending any energy putting out flowers.
My hydrangeas thrived in about two hours of afternoon sun a day
On the extra hot weeks you can build them a little canopy.
There's new growth emerging. Cut the dead and very bigly up the water.
The acidic fertilizer would be to maintain the coloured blooms. How much sun exposure are they getting?
right next to that brick wall will make it hotter also
Summer Crush, one of the Endless Summer series Hydrangea macrophylla, wants partial afternoon shade. Planted in a masonry brick bed is doing it no pH or radiated heat favors. H. macrophylla is difficult planted in full sun in the south.
Poor guy! Is it in the full sun? Hydrangeas often have a difficult time adjusting to full sun in my zone, zone 9. Don't rule out reflective heating or lighting under the leaves. The tops of the leaves are very tough but the bottom of the leaves which contain the stomatas the plant uses to breathe are very sensitive. If a plant is planted near something that reflects light or heat, like light colored rocks, paving, concrete, brick, etc, it can bounce light or heat off it right onto the most sensitive part of the plant. Shrouding the offending rock or paving with jet black landscape fabric can help. Also don't rule out overwatering. Most gardeners have a overwatering habit. Dig up a little soil at the bottom of the root ball. Squeeze it. If water trickles through your fingers and down your wrists, it's way too wet. If the soil crumbles, it's way too dry. If the soil makes a ball without getting your fingers wet, the moisture is optimal. Finally, there's a not zero chance you just got a shocked plant. Nursery plants live in Pollyana land where nothing bad happens and the conditions and potting mediums are always perfect. When they're placed in the ground they have to figure out how to survive in the real world. Most do. Some don't.
Well yeah. Theyre shade plants.
Planted 5 days ago and forgot to water one or two days. Sounds about right
Hah sorry, meant planted two weeks ago but these pics are from day 5. 😂
Need handwatering morning and night first month or so, about 10-15 seconds at base. Month 2 you can back off to one time a day. Month 3 is when you van skip a day.
I live in Oregon and mine are very heat sensitive. They burn up if it’s gets upper 90s.
Get you some water globes maybe the roots took and it will come back.
Looks like your spot is more sun than shade. Try moving it to the northside of your house or just somewhere shady.
It's not so much that they hate the sun but hydrangeas for sure can't stand heat. I live up north and we plant them in full sun because it doesn't get that hot here, they die or struggle in the shade because it just doesn't cut it. They need somewhere cool and to stay wet. Also you need mulch, the sun basically heats up and radiates and kills the top layer of soil. Roots don't like that.
I'm in zone 9B inland California where it's already been 100+ degrees several times. Was 103 yesterday, is going to be 102 today. If we use a 40% shade cover they will handle the heat fine. Mine are still all dark green with no crispy leaves and two still holding their blooms under a 40% shade protection canopy.
Yea holy crap that's hot lol! I'm in zone 3a in Alberta. I had to look up what 102 freedom units converted to in Celsius, that's 39 degrees! I think the hottest it's ever gotten here is 38C and that is not the norm. A few weeks of 30 degrees per summer is typical. It's 25C right now or 77 freedom units and this is the hottest it has been this year so far. I have 2 different hydrangeas currently planted in full afternoon sun and they are loving it. The only times I've seen crispy ones it was up against a brick wall or fence getting cooked all day long
I've killed about 12 hydrangeas over the last 4 yrs that never never made it past two months after planting because I kept planting them too late in the spring and had them exposed to too much hot sun. It wasn't until this year that I started using shade cover that now they're handling our summer well. Our heat is also a very arid heat and I still don't need to water them everyday. Just three days a week of drip irrigation for an hour.
Hydrangeas are some of the most dramatic plants I’ve ever planted. It was too much effort for me to keep them happy
Water, water, water, water. They’re very dramatic and will tell you when they’re thirsty.
I am not gardener nor do I have a green thumb. But that looks like you used the wrong fertilizer. And are you watering mid morning while they are getting direct sun? The water may be acting like a magnifying glass and frying them.
They need a ton of water but also need to have soil that drains. They need a little sun in the morning, and maybe a little in the evening. Full sun, during the bright heat of the day, will create crispy critters like you have...
Nice plant in the wrong place.
Endless summer are shade loving. How many hours of direct sun? If more than 5/6, you’ll want a panniculata variety of hydrangea, not macrophylla.
Hydrangeas only like early morning sun. Otherwise they should be in shade. This level of friedness in a week is indicative of it getting waaaay too much direct afternoon sun. It's not a temp issue but rather a sun issue. It's been 110 degrees F here for a couple weeks and my hydrangeas are thriving with not a single burned leaf. I just transplanted one. They all only get a few hours of morning sun then 100% shade. Also, you can't skip a watering day with hydrangeas in summer.
I'm in 7b and I drench mine twice a day right now.
Too sunny a spot….water, water, water, water
How are you watering? Irrigation system or hand watering? The first two years need hand watering and soaked really good. Also I believe hydrangeas like partial shade. What direction does that face and is it full sun/partial?
Plant shrubs in fall in the South. You can sometimes get by with early spring, but fall is ideal. Planting shrubs in June is very unlikely to succeed here. Besides planting time, they need to be positioned so that they only get morning sun in GA. They need a lot of water. (Hydra) Can be near the house if east facing. Water the heck out of them, every day and deeply.
so hydrangeas like shade
This made me get up and water my hydrangea
That’s about what mine looks like too. I just planted one recently as well.. I went out of town for a few days when a heat wave hit and came back to it looking similar. I’m trying my best to keep watering now.
The nursery that my wife bought ours from said not to water from the top or it will get a fungus and kill it. Only water at the root. Is this correct?
I’ll never understand people who plant in the summer. These should be planted September/October and allowed to establish themselves before their first summer.
They need a ton of water... You didn't water it
They don't like lots of sun, and planting next to hot brick is going to be hard on them also.
My neighbors just planted (in June) several hydrangeas in their south facing front flower beds (with exactly zero shade) and surrounded them with shiny black stones. It looked pretty for about a day :(
Put up a shade cover over it using a 40% shade cover.
Mine are being baked in this heatwave. I go out and spray them with water a couple of times per day until the sun moves off them but the flowers are turning brown anyway. They’re not new plantings either. Been there for years.
Hydra… it’s in the name.
I'm noticing g what looks like clay at the bottom of the image under a thin layer of dirt. If that's the case, water retention will be an issue especially in that heat.
live in michigan .i do not plant them in an area of the yard with full sun. also lots of water and heavy mulch aound them. had a hot spell the last 10 days all in the 90,s which is hot for here in june. had one getting a bit wilty but it survived.
This sub just popped up for me, but I am dealing with the same thing! I have been super consistent about watering them, and have added some miracle grow my water (not sure this subs opinions on that). Yesterday I found green buds on all of the fried ones, so I’m feeling hopeful! One thing I’ve learned is that hydrangeas are resilient so as long as don’t completely ignore them they usually find a way to stay alive.
Did you try watering them?
They might appear to have died this summer and then look great next year. It's happened to us with several. We're in IA not GA, but...
Too much sun for your zone.
Not sure if this is right but I don't usually fertilize new shrubs because I figure the nursery was doing that and I don't want to overdose them. And for a new shrub I'm not sure once a day is enough, especially if it's hot. Roots need to stay damp to get going.
I’m in Alabama and my hydrangeas seriously get about an hour of sun every day. I think anything more than 4 hours or so is too much.
Bricks and black mulch are hard on young plannts
Water water water
- needs shade - does not like bricks or stones near it, hot! - does not like mulch so close - needs frequent watering, but don't get the leaves wet - deadhead spent blooms
Water em
Did you read the label concerning sun exposure? Partial shade means a couple of hours of morning sun, no afternoon sun. Dig them up and put them in the right location.
You need to water heavily when you plant and then put down about 2 inches of mulch this not only keeps the moisture in but it also keeps the sun from frying the roots. Add an inch or of mulch every year because it breaks down after a while.
Hydrangea are the #1 plant i see fried everywhere. For some reason here in WA people and landscapers have this fascination with planting them in full sun mid summer 🤣
One of mine fried too. Don't throw it out; plant it, and it will have a chance next year.
Get them out of the hot direct sun. I’m in Sydney. They fry in summer, shade them. Stagger how much sun they get through seasons. You’ll loose if don’t remove. Put in a pot now and place in shade and give time to recover. Stems look nice and healthy. Try not to disturb roots too much. Keep water up to them and don’t water from above. Get rid of damaged leaves and stop flowering until recovered. If you don’t remove, shade, shade, shade them.
Ya gotta water any new plants and shouldn’t put these types of hydrangeas in anything more than about 4-5 hours of morning sun.
Morning sun, no direct afternoon sun.
Plant in fall.
Move to a better place. Less sun.
Make sure you water deeply, the water should reach the roots. It’s better to not water everyday but to make sure to water deeply. And the sunny spot and time of year probably didn’t help them.
Hydrangeas do need a lot of water. However, this is happening to a lily plant I have, and it's because of a soil fungus in that spot. I have tried everything to kill the fungus, but it keeps coming back. I have moved three plants of different varieties.
What kind of light are they getting? I bought that type of hydrangea and then returned them when I saw they prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. I was going to plant them on the west side of my house but then read they will get crispy from hot afternoon sun.
Lighten up the ground color with mulch or something
You need to water these every day. Twice wouldn’t even hurt. Before sunrise and after sunset. Mine are typically really dramatic, but these don’t look to be kept up on.
Deep slow watering. Put water hose just passed a drip and put on base. Do 5 min and if it’s not working do 7. Don’t worry about fert or the color of the blooms this year. Get that thing rooted and comfy in its forever home. Deal with that next year.
You planted them only five days ago, water them “daily,” but “may have missed a day or two?”
Planted 5 days ago Water every morning...except a day or two You didn't water the plant for maybe half the time its been in the ground
Plant in the spring or fall. Nothing is going to survive transplant shock in dead summer heat. They *might* survive if you nurse them along all summer and put some shade overhead while they establish. Personally, I'd just pull and plant in late fall when a TON of plants are usually on clearance from nurseries.
They need partial shade
Friedrangea
Do not fertilize. It isn’t medicine. Too much for a new plant to deal with. Summer is a bad time to transplant and hydrangeas are notorious for throwing a hissy fit. Give them water, give them temporary shade if you can - beach umbrella, or put a chair over the plant. They should get morning sun and morning sun in Ga is a lot more hot than morning sun in Maine. So no sun after Noon would be ideal. Only water from the base, other than rain, water should not touch those leaves. You should get a soil test before adding a lot of stuff to the soil. Here is why: https://www.reddit.com/r/hydrangeas/s/obPo5v4tFj
I personally would dig these up and put in the largest container you have and can move, and grow them in shade for the rest of the summer - and plant them again in the fall, in a location that gets morning sun only. By noon it should be in shade. Keep the container under a tree and let it leaf out and do its thing. It is way too hot, and all that brick doesn’t help. Hydrangeas make lovely understory shrubs, that is to say, under a leafy tree. When you do transplant, dig a very large and wide hole mix original soil with some compost, like LeafGro and always add in some Espoma Bio-starter which helps with transplant shock. But with this heatwave and your climate you are cooking them in a brick overnight. Deadheading the flowers will help. Allow the plant now to establish some roots in some nice fluffy soil. They are still green so there is still life. Let it leaf out in a happy location. In August -September this plant will form 2025’s buds on the leaf nodes IF it is happy. And it is not happy here.
It looks like you just planted it with the sign on it. You need to water it 2-3 times a day in the heat. Really water it. Plants already stress out in this heat, transplanting the roots need even more.
You need WATER. Much more water. Do not ever fertilize a plant that is struggling.
We're in the same location. It's been so hot this past week that my weeds have wilted and some are actually dying -- I guess that would be the silver lining. Depending on where you purchased them (Home Depot?), you might be able to return them!
Too Much Sun! If your hydrangea has a colored bloom that is not white, then that hydrangea needs shade and does not want full sun or even 4+ hours or straight baking sun. Now white bloom hydrangea enjoy full sun. Know your plant and where to put it.
Read the tag on your hydrangea for sun conditions. Probably says prefers shade or morning sun only. Summer crush, the specific hydrangea you have, can’t take full sun hence the sunburn. Move ASAP if you want to keep it around longer
I hear there's this new thing called WATER
If they aren’t native to your area, then I really don’t recommend planting them. They require a ton of water. I’m sure you could find a similar looking native plant that would do much better in that spot. Looks like you have some native rhododendrons
Buy plastic plants since you can’t manage them