Blue Hydrangea is drooping

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lespreludes Walnut, CA May 28, 2010

A friend brought me the most beautiful blue hydrangea in a basket last week. I noticed that the flowers have begun to droop and loose some of their life. Am I overwatering it? Does it need more sun? Is this typical? I had it outside, and it still does not look to be in the best shape. Now I brought it inside.
Should I transplant it into the ground? What is the best way to take care of this plant?
lespreludes

Post #7838264
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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 28, 2010

They tend to like shade so I doubt if it needs more sun. Depending on how much sun you had it in, it might need less--they will do OK with some morning sun, but afternoon sun is too much for them and can cause them to wilt. Wilting/drooping can be from either too much or too little water, best thing to do is stick your finger down a few inches into the soil. If it's sopping wet then it's more likely overwatering, and if it's bone dry then it's underwatering. Hydrangeas do tend to be on the thirsty side, but it is still possible to overwater them, especially if the container they came in has poor/no drainage. Check your basket--if it came from a florist, floral section of the grocery store, etc it's possible they lined the basket with plastic or something which will prevent water from draining.

For the long term--if you've got an area that gets a little morning sun but is shaded during mid-day and afternoon then you could plant it outside. Your weather's probably going to be starting to get hot soon, so I'd be tempted to keep it in the pot on a shady patio for the summer and plant it in the garden when rainy season rolls around again in the fall. Otherwise it can be quite a chore keeping up with watering them when they're not well established and it's hot out. You can also grow them in containers for the long term if you want--I have a very low-water garden and hydrangeas are not compatible with my watering schedule, so I keep them in containers instead of planting them. That way I can water them as often as they need without overwatering the other plants in my garden.

Post #7838336
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lespreludes Walnut, CA May 29, 2010

You are a live saver, ecrane. Thank you for all your help. It it one of those fancy plants my husband would never have bought, lol.
He liked the ones that looked like they were cuttings, and he would plant them and bring them to live as you have seen from the photos.
I'll check the pot it is in today.
lespreludes

Post #7839070
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