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can someone tell me what might be wrong with hydrangea?

14 years ago

I posted on the forum for hydrangeas, but it's not very active there. I just planted a bluebird, my first hydrangea, and it's not looking good. I added sulfur to soil before planting, as it's at the foundation of house, and soil was alkaline. It's supposed to bloom blue. Well, looks like something is nibbling bottom leaves, but not much. My main concern is the brownish red places on several leaves, and the flower buds are rust colored also.

I know I'm new to this, but I also know something is very wrong, just don't know what. The discoloration is on the top of the leaves, in various places. If any of you know what this might be, please let me know. Thanks so much!!

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Comments (8)

momfromthenorth
14 years ago
Novice, if your soil is alkaline, your hydrangea is going to bloom PINK! You can add something to the soil to make it more acidic (causing BLUE flowers) but so far, I am in the mid-south area and I've always had blue flowers on my hydrangeas that I plant outside.

It's possible a rabbit is nibbling at the hydrangea leaves if it's only down low.

When my hydrangeas start to bloom, the buds are a cream color. As they open the blue color fills in. So that may be why your buds are rust color (going to be pink when fully open)

Good luck. Maybe the link below will help you out!

Here is a link that might be useful: About hydrangeas
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
14 years ago
How much sulfur did you add and how did you add it?

tj
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novice_2009
Original Author
14 years ago
I added Epsoma sulfur, which is supposed to help them bloom blue, at about 1 cup around and underneath plant. Then watered. Why?
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
14 years ago
Sulfur can burn the roots and this might manifest istelf in the foliage. When I acidify (temporary as it may be) I use elemental sulfur scratched into the ground outside the root zone. Never used Espoma, did it recommend a cup?

tj
leafy02
14 years ago
Maybe getting water on the leaves when you water? I had this problem with one of my first hydrangeas years ago, and was told to stop getting the leaves wet. I did, and it improved. After two years, I considered the plant well established and quit watering altogether until the dog days of August, and after that, the problem was pretty much gone for good.
novice_2009
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks you guys! It probably was a combo of sulfur burn and foliar watering. I'm backing off both- it's blooming pink, and I guess that's alright.
leafy02
14 years ago
My new Nikko Blue is blooming pinkish, too. I am debating about whether I will acidify the soil to make it bloom blue. I really like the blue...
tmore
14 years ago
It's not the acid in the soil that makes the flowers blue. Put some Aluminum Sulphate to the plant it;s the aluminum in soil that makes the flowers blue

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