Mine wilt in almost full shade. I'm out there watering them almost every night. I have the Nikko Blue hydrangea and this is actually the first year that it's bloomed well for me, it's been in this spot for two full years now. My blooms are turning brown in about a week, but last fall they lasted a lot longer. The wind and heat are so harsh this year.

Pam

A goodly amount of shade is much more important than on which side of the house they are planted. I would definitely dig them, move them to a shaded area, plant them in good, amended soil and water, water, water. You will lose them if you leave them in the sun with the temps being as high as they are.

Thanks pkponder and carrie. Looks like I'm gonna be digging some new holes if I can find a good spot.

my hydrangeas are on the east side of the house in the sun (no shade til around 2:30 pm
they've been there maybe 8 years and did not thrive til we got a sprinkler system, they've doubled in size each of the last two years (sprinklers work twice a week for a good long time (not 15-20 minutes)
i also feed them an acid fertilizer-but i think the very regular water is what's really working (and maybe it takes a bit for them to become established)

Good to know okokkok. I looked at them again and after taking dead leaves off, they look surprisingly good! I've been watching them pretty much all day to see just how much (if any) shade they do get. Well, the shade came just to the back of the plants about 2:30 this afternoon, then receded. I'm thinking of moving them closer to the house and I think they would be shaded for a good part of the day.

I've looked all around my front and back yards and cannot see any spot (that's not under trees) that would be more suitable. Wish I'd done more research before I bought them, that's really not like me to jump into something without reading everything I can about it first:(

Gaylene

I have a lacecap that is perhaps seven/eight years old, and it is quite large. It is under a Japanese black pine, stays contstantly moist and loves the acidity of the pine needles. I think the secret to growing great hydrangeas is to never let them dry out.

okokok,
Can you tell us how long you let your sprinkler run in each station each time? Do you run it longer in some areas and less in others or the same for each one?

Well, after a futile search for new spots for the hydrangeas, I called a yard man and he's coming tomorrow to move them back about 4 ft, and against the brick wall. At least they will be shaded for a few hours a day! Fingers crossed:)

Follow-up: Had all 4 hydrangeas moved back under the eave of the house where they're shaded for the better part of the day. Looks like they're gonna make it!! Yea!!

Good!

oops, thought i sent this last night
we've been gone for several days
sprinklers (actually extremely heavy mist) sprays for 40 or 45 minutes each cycle
(we have very sandy soil)

Thanks OKOKOK!
Hubby and I were discussing this last night. We decided I must be watering enough. Everything looks great and soil is consistently moist. Nothing seems to be getting too much water. I could even cut back some and we'd still be ok.

All that was pre-storm. Nothing looks good right now unless it was right up against the house. Beds that were all full and lush are now empty and stripped down. A few weeks and it should mostly recover though. Shouldn't need to water for a week!