How to Revive Drooping, Wilting Hydrangeas
Are your hydrangeas wilting or drooping and you aren't sure why? There are a few common causes for wilted and droopy hydrangeas. In this article, gardening expert and hydrangea enthusiast Jill Drago walks through why your hydrangeas are droopy or wilting, and how to address the situation to revive your beautiful blooming shrubs!
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Hydrangeas are the stars of gardens around the world. They’re relatively easy to grow, and their big, colorful blooms have a way of stealing the show. From the classic smooth hydrangea to the delicate lacecap, these flowers are a favourite in many garden styles. But what happens when they suddenly start to wilt or droop?
There are a few reasons why your hydrangeas might begin to sag unexpectedly. The good news is that most causes are easy to fix with a small tweak to your plant care routine. So, where do you begin?
Start by making a few simple adjustments. This might mean moving the plant to a better spot, tweaking your fertiliser schedule, or changing how much water the plant gets. Keep reading to find out what might be behind the droop, and how to bring your hydrangeas back to their show-stopping best.
Incorrect Watering
If you step out into your garden midday and notice your hydrangea’s leaves wilting and drooping toward the ground, it’s a good sign the plant needs a drink. Hydrangeas have large leaves that lose moisture quickly, especially as temperatures climb.
Drooping is their way of telling you they’re thirsty. When a hydrangea starts to dry out, it shifts its energy to keeping the roots alive instead of maintaining lush, perky leaves and blooms.
Interestingly, overwatering can cause similar symptoms. The leaves may droop, turn yellow, and begin to fall off. You might also see smaller blooms (or none at all).
A key difference is that overwatered plants may not perk back up after watering, especially if root rot has set in. If your hydrangea stays wilted despite regular care, it could be time to check the roots for signs of rot.
How to Fix
Increase Your Watering
This is a simple fix. Give your hydrangea a thorough watering as soon as you notice the drooping. In most cases, it will perk back up once it’s out of direct sun and has had time to recover. Hydrangeas generally need about two inches of water per week, though this can vary depending on your climate and weather conditions.
When watering, aim for the base of the plant. Spraying water on dry leaves won’t help rehydrate the plant and can actually increase the risk of disease. Focus on soaking the soil to support healthy roots and overall recovery.
Stop Watering
Give them a break from watering if you think you may have overwatered. You should notice some improvement in a few days.
Check Soil Conditions
This applies to both overwatering and underwatering. Hydrangeas prefer well-draining soil. If your soil is heavy clay, it may be holding too much water around the roots. On the other hand, sandy soil can drain too quickly, leaving roots dry. Adding compost can help improve both types of soil by balancing moisture retention and drainage, while also boosting nutrients to keep your plants healthy.
If wilting or drooping becomes a recurring issue, it may be time to rethink your watering schedule. Once established, hydrangeas typically only need a deep watering once or twice a week, with a bit more during particularly hot or dry spells.
Too Much Sun
Most hydrangeas prefer to be planted in partial sun. If you’ve placed a shade-loving hydrangea in a spot with too much sun, you may start to notice some wilting. Morning sun is ideal, as it gives the plant the light it needs before the heat of the day sets in, allowing it to rest in the cooler afternoon shade.
Wilting hydrangeas in this case is often due to a combination of dehydration and heat stress. If the plant hasn’t been watered adequately, it can begin to dry out. When that happens, both the leaves and flowers may start to look dry or crispy, signaling that it’s time to intervene.
How to Fix
Transplant
If you have a partial shade-loving cultivar, look for a spot in your garden that gets four to six hours of morning sun. This amount of light encourages strong stem development and abundant blooms. If you’re planning to transplant, it’s best to wait until fall or when the weather begins to cool down.
Plant a Panicle
If you don’t have any shady spots in your garden but are craving hydrangeas, you should give panicles a try. They love full sun and will tolerate six hours or more of sunshine per day.
Your Flowers Are Heavy
Hydrangea arborescens, or smooth hydrangeas, are known for their large, showy blooms, but their stems can sometimes struggle to support the weight, especially after heavy rain. Drooping flowers are a common sight with this variety, although other types of hydrangeas can experience the same issue.
Over time, breeders have developed hybrids with stronger stems to better hold up those big blooms. Still, even with these improvements, the weight of mature flowers can occasionally cause branches to bend or droop as the plant grows larger.
How to Fix
No Fix Needed!
While pruning your Hydrangea arborescens, which bloom on new wood, leave some of the older growth in place to support the new growth with those large flowers.
Overfertilizing
Overfertilizing hydrangeas can lead to leggy, weak growth. This kind of growth is typically flexible and unable to support the weight of large blooms, which may cause flowers to wilt or droop. Too much nitrogen in particular encourages leafy, vegetative growth at the expense of flower production.
To keep your hydrangeas strong and healthy, it’s important to apply the right fertilizer at the right time. Avoid feeding your plants after August, as late-season growth can be tender and more vulnerable to winter damage. It can also result in long, weak stems that struggle to hold up blooms. Compost, on the other hand, is safe to add year-round and can improve soil health without the risk of overfeeding.
Soil Test
Before you add anything to your soil, perform a soil test. You may not need to fertilize your shrubs at all. Soil tests will give you an overview of the health of your soil including the pH and any nutrient deficiencies.
Keep an eye on your fertilizer schedule. Hydrangeas really benefit from spring feeding.
Transplant Shock
If you notice wilting in hydrangeas you’ve recently planted or moved, it could be a sign of transplant shock. While hydrangeas are generally hardy, they are sensitive to sudden changes, especially if their roots dry out during the move.
This stress can cause temporary drooping as the plant adjusts to its new environment. Fortunately, transplant shock is usually easy to fix. Keep the soil consistently moist (but not soggy), provide some afternoon shade if possible, and avoid fertilizing until the plant has settled. With a bit of care, your hydrangea should bounce back and thrive.
How to Fix
Plant at the Right Time
Transplanting is best done in spring or fall, when the weather is cooler and less stressful for the plant. These temperate seasons give hydrangeas a better chance to establish strong roots before facing extreme heat or cold. Personally, I prefer spring. It’s easier to remember to keep new transplants well-watered as the garden starts waking up for the season.
Use Good Planting Practice
Before planting your shrubs, give them a thorough watering, whether they’re still in pots or in the ground. This helps prevent transplant shock by ensuring the roots are well-hydrated before the move. It also softens the surrounding soil, making it easier to dig them out without damaging the root system.
Water the Plant
Once your plants are in the ground, or if you’ve noticed signs of transplant shock, give them frequent, small waterings. This allows the roots to gradually absorb moisture without saturating the soil, which can lead to root damage. Gentle, consistent watering will help your hydrangeas adjust and recover more quickly.
Your Potted Hydrangea Needs a Transplant
If you’ve been growing your hydrangea in a container and start to see drooping, it’s likely a sign that your plant needs a larger pot. Hydrangeas have vigorous root systems due to their high water needs.
Over time, especially if the pot is on the smaller side, the plant can become root-bound. This means the roots begin wrapping around the inside of the pot and crowding the soil, limiting their ability to take up water. A root-bound hydrangea will become thirsty and stressed, often resulting in drooping leaves and flowers.
How to Fix
Repot
Give your potted hydrangea a thorough watering, and once it’s had a chance to absorb some moisture, gently tip it out of its current pot. Loosen and massage the roots to help them spread more easily. Prepare a new, larger pot by cleaning it, ensuring it has a drainage hole, and filling it with fresh potting soil. Then transplant your hydrangea into its new container and water it again to help it settle in.
