Why Are My Hydrangeas Wilting? (And How To Fix It FAST!) -

Are you asking ‘Why Are My Hydrangeas Wilting?’ Here are all the reasons why they are wilting and how to fix the problem ASAP!

Hydrangeas are a popular beloved flower genus found in most backyards across the world. With over 75 species of hydrangea, gardeners have the opportunity to experiment with various colours and flower types within this genus.

When in full bloom and healthy, hydrangeas are a standout feature in a backyard. However, when the flower starts to wilt, it looks droopy, pale, and generally unhealthy.

Unfortunately, wilting is a fairly common problem in the hydrangea genus. These flowers don’t necessarily have specific care requirements, but as with most plants, hydrangeas will show physical signs of distress when their needs aren’t met properly, which is generally shown through wilting.

So, if the leaves and flowers of your hydrangea are looking weak and droopy, it is wilted.

If you’re wondering “why are my hydrangeas wilting?”, we’ve got you covered. Here is everything you need to know about why hydrangeas wilt and what you can do to prevent and cure wilting.

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Provide organic well mixed fertilizer for healthy beautiful hydrangeas!

Excessive Sunlight And Heat

Excessive and unnecessary sunlight and heat is the main culprit to a wilting hydrangea. The placement of any plant in a backyard must be located according to the plant’s specific needs. Hydrangeas generally only need 2-4 hours of direct sunlight a day, but in most cases, they prefer to be left in the shade.

Use a sun mesh shade to protect your delicate flowers from intense direct sunlight!

This means that too much exposure to sunlight can result in the burning of leaves and flowers. One of the first signs of a burning plant is wilting, So, if your hydrangea is exposed to a lot of exposed sunlight every day and starting to wilt, you will need to relocate the plant.

Not only does direct sunlight cause wilting in hydrangeas, but excessive heat does, too. Too much exposure to direct sunlight results in an increase in temperature, which makes the evaporation process far too intense.

To make up for this intensity, the hydrangea will use the cold water within the soil to cool down the plant. However, the hydrangea cannot gather enough water from the soil to hydrate the whole plant, which subsequently results in wilting.

Sometimes, excessive sunlight is unavoidable. If you’ve only got a limited amount of space in your backyard, you might have to result in keeping your hydrangea in a specific place until you find a new home for it.

Hydrangeas can manage to stay alive for a few days in these conditions before wilting, but once the wilting starts, this is a sign that it needs a new environment.

How To Cure A Wilted Hydrangea

So, we know that excessive sunlight and heat is the reason why hydrangeas wilt. How do you cure a wilted hydrangea? Here are our top tips!

Give The Plant Shade

The easiest way to prevent a hydrangea from wilting due to exposure to direct sunlight is to give it a suitable shade. Hydrangeas like a couple of hours of direct sunlight a day, so ideally you should plant a hydrangea in the appropriate part of your backyard to allow for this.

If this is unachievable, simply putting a large umbrella over the wilted hydrangea should allow it enough shade to heal itself. With the lack of direct sunlight, the temperature will cool, allowing for the plant to heal without relying on using the limited water within the soil to make up for the excessive evaporation.

You can get creative with this tip if you don’t have access to a large patio umbrella. Placing a garden chair or table over the bush will also help to provide enough shade – just make sure the flower isn’t squished underneath anything!

Alternatively, we recommend planting other plants surrounding the hydrangea. Tall and large plants can be placed in the front to provide a natural shade, plus some others around the sides to soak up the mid-afternoon and morning sun.

Plus, this will add some colourful depth to your backyard.

Move The Plant

If possible, you should look to transplant the hydrangea to a part of your backyard that receives around 2-4 hours of sunlight a day. Ideally, it should receive this sunlight within the morning, spending the rest of the afternoon and evening in the shade.

Repot your hydrangeas’ in porous terracotta plant pots for healthy and breathable root systems!

Once the hydrangea has been planted in the perfect place, it will take 1-2 years for the roots to penetrate deep enough into the soil that wilting should no longer occur.

Water The Plant

When hydrangeas are exposed to sunlight and heat, the water within the plant evaporates at a faster rate, resulting in wilting from dehydration. So, the best cure for this is to increase the frequency of watering the hydrangea.

Firstly, you’ve got to make sure you don’t water the plant while it is still in direct sunlight. This is because any water that touches the flower or leaves can result in burning. We recommend watering your plants in the early evening when the temperature is cooler.

Secondly, you’ve got to make sure the soil has a suitable drainage system. Sandy quick-drainage soil will soak up the water too quickly, resulting in dehydration. Soil with poor drainage will hold the water for too long, resulting in root rot (which can infect the surrounding plants).

The key to watering any plant is to only give it water once the soil is dry. To test this, stick your finger one inch into the soil. If the soil is dry, it needs to be watered. If the soil is partially damp, leave it until it’s dry.

You will eventually get into the hang of understanding how much water your hydrangea needs, so this is mostly a matter of trial and error.

Mulch

Hydrangeas love water in the soil to keep it hydrated without drowning the plant and causing root rot. Organic mulch is ideal for hydrangeas because it helps to retain moisture within the soil, thus allowing the natural process of evaporation to occur healthily.

By using a 3 in 1 moisture, pH and sunlight meter, you can deliver the perfect conditions to your plants’ needs!

The ideal amount of mulch around a hydrangea should be 1-2 inches of a compost layer. Plus, make sure to keep the compost at least 1 inch away from the centre of the hydrangea, known as the crown.

Note– If you want to make your green fingers happier and your life easier, you can use this affordable 83 pieces ultimate gardening set to help you repot like a pro!