It is just a factor of time :-) Deadheading will have no effect. If these had been field grown hydrangeas instead of something likely coming out of a greenhouse, they would most probably have no blooms and therefore sturdier stems. The regime of heavy fertilization and growth hormones provided by greenhouse growers encourages heavy blooming on very young plants that have not had sufficient time for the stems to ripen and harden.

Water is all they need this season. Early next spring you might want to apply some compost around them or a dose of fertilizer but even that is seldom necessary....I never fertilize any of my inground hydrangeas, only those grown in containers.

Hydrangeas do not react to fertilizers and some amendments like roses (with a growth spurt that doubles their size from 4' to 9 gadzillion miles ;o)) so, feel free to not feed them anything if you wish and if you do not have sandy soil (that one type of soil will need fertilizing and amending since it is poor in minerals). Add or maintain organic mulch and let them feed off the decomposing mulch. Or add a layer of organic compost or composted manure in Spring 2019.

Breeze Blocks, is your planting mulched? For fully realized results, always keep mulch around shrub plantings.

Plant fertilization needs vary with site conditions, in most instances it is impossible to say a particular kind of plant always does or doesn't need to be fertilized - and be accurate.

Yes, a larger shrub next year will definitely be predicated on providing adequate winter protection! Otherwise, you risk starting over from the ground up each season.

BB -

You're halfway there. I put down about 60 plant support stakes myself and was kicking myself after doing it, as I too, deadheaded some blooms last month - in my mind, I was doing the stems a favor ! After staking them up, the shrubs looks betters, canes are vertical....not it's just a matter of time....

The deadheading does not make the stems "stronger"......it just appears to as you are removing the weight of the heavy flowerheads. But the actual stem tissue will still remain very flexible and with the potential for floppiness until it has been in place for a full season and has aged and ripened fully. So yes, it IS a matter of time........unless you like the look of a stake graveyard supporting your plants!

Breeze - Mulch to the top and then some (if you can within aesthetics if it's in the front of the house). And or burlap wrap it, etc.

GG - The interior stems of my plantings are supported by adjacent stems . Flopping of heavy heads on the exterior perimeter stems and some of the interior one where the shrub looks splayed down the middle Question. If one doe not deadhead or stake, what would be best practice if the goal is to let these stems remain vertical 365 days of the year....

My experience when I leave them alone and let the bloom weight it down, they don't exactly bounce back vertical. Some harden to a horizontal plane. Some develop this nasty horizontal bend and then this wicked U bend back vertical.

The stems do not grow precisely vertically by nature :-) Most will grow out and then up, to form a rounded shaped shrub. Of course, the older or larger the plant is, the less likelihood of stems bending under the weight of the flowers.

I can honestly say I have never staked a hydrangea in my life!! But each of us needs to do whatever we need to do to get the appearance we prefer :-)

10-4 GG.

The only outdoor plant I've staked (just short of veggies) is a couple of tree peonies as well . Well, until this week. Eh, you know, I'm used to seeing my current old macs at eye level. The newbies - I can see their bald tops when splayed. Heh, looks like a open flower petal ya know (dead center soil), and then all the stems laying fairly flat. I am glad I staked them though - as their are back to round blossom balls.

Maybe when I grow old I'll just put artificial looking Mac Hydra's in the garden. I'm sure NW's helper would appreciate that too

My neighbor and I were discussing today that our hydrangeas aren't doing well this year. I don't water mine very often but she keep all her plants in nice condition. I think it might be that the maple trees are healthier due to the lack of winter moths. I tilled around them and added some compost and mulch. Hopefully once the weather cools down they'll get back to form.