Hydrangea leaves browning and wilting

3 years ago

Hello, I've recently bought a small pot of bigleaf hydrangeas and have been placing them mostly in a bright shaded area with some breeze.

As the weather where I am at is around 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the day, I've been watering them daily. I've also made sure to check that the soil isn't wet before watering, but feels almost dry (cool to touch when I stick my fingers about an inch deep into the soil). However, the leaves started to turn brown, some from the tips/edges, others from the stems.

Does anyone know what's wrong with them?

Thanks!

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Comments (3)

luis_pr
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Sounds like the description of a heat stressed hydrangea that is having trouble getting enough soil moisture. Their leaves brown out from the edges inwards when temps are hot...

As soon as temperatures start to rise past 85F, they will loose moisture through the leaves faster than they can absorb water through the roots. This differential makes them wilt but, if the soil is moist enough, you can ignore the wilting and they will perk up on their own at night and look perfect in the morning. As they get older and become established, their much larger root system will be able to cope with this problem better and the wilting incidents will be reduced.

For a potted hydrangea, make sure that it gets shade starting around 10-11am and no sun in the afternoons and in the evenings. Water the pot when the soil feels dry or almost dry to the touch.

If you see them wilting in the morning, the amount of moisture in the potting mix was not enough to keep them perked up so water them right a way. If you see an extreme wilting episode, water them right a away too.

Leaves that are partially browned out will not recover. They may stay like that or they may fully brown out at the plant's request (so to speak).

Windy locations can make hot areas worse as wind will dry out the potting mix so either find locations that are not windy or water the soil the night before windy days.

Water when the soil feels dry or almost dry. Water the soil and never the leaves. If your potting mix drains water too well you may want to use another one that will retain moisture just a small tad better. But not too much better as potting mix that retains water can lead to root rot.
Ian
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks @luis_pr!

I'll keep the soil moist and leave them in a cooler shaded area for a while, to see if the situation improves. I only fear that the currently healthy looking leaves will start to brown at the stalk in the next few days too.
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luis_pr
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Good luck. Just try to maintain the soil as evenly moist as you can. Do not let the soil get wet/soggy as that would promote root rot and a host of fungal infections. Once it gets root rot infections, it starts acting with the same symptoms as if it needs more water (browning and wilting) but it keeps doing that all the time. Never water the leaves as that promotes fungal infections too. Throw away in the trash all leaves that fall down or brown out.

If you think the browning will continue, monitor the leaves, the temperatures and the soil moisture closely. Keep it away from windy areas. If leaves brown out but the soil is evenly moist, that is a red flag that would signal that a fungal infection may be going on.

Hydrangea leaves browning and wilting

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luis_pr

Ian
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Hydrangea leaves browning and wilting

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luis_pr

IanOriginal Author

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Ian
Original Author