Is my transplanted lilac going to be ok? & dead-heading baby hydrangea?

[Ponders]

It's been in a tall pot since planted last summer, & was doing fine - about 2 feet high - but I needed a treeish thing to put in the front garden & was told by someone who seemed to know her stuff that I could move it now. It is yet to flower.

I did it last Friday, & it looks quite perky, but the few baby leaves that were already out have turned reddish, & the twigs that should be growing new baby leaves seem to have stalled. (I put some potting compost into the bottom of the hole & have been watering it generously.)

Is this normal, please?

also, I bought a small hydrangea plant earlier this year which had 3-4 huge mophead flowers on it. They are dying back pretty much, but I've read that you don't normally deadhead hydrangeas until March - does that also apply to newly planted out ones, or can I take the sad heads off now & let some light through to the leaves & crown?

TIA

Ponders how are you? Are you OK in your empty nest? Your post is a bit sad so till the experts come in.

1. Wrong time of year to plant trees -should do it in winter/early spring. That said, its done now so just wait and watch- trees do get a bit behind when transplanted. It will probably be OK. Main thing with trees is to have dug a deep enough hole and when you water chuck a bucket load all at once and don't do it too often. Also support the young tree with something so it doesn't loose energy in the wind

2)I thought hydrangeas flowered a lot later- in late summer so I am mystified by this. I would think deadhead definitely and even perhaps trim back to some nice shoots. My hydrangea is just bursting into leaf having woken up from winter.

Thems my thoughts. I dont know what the others think. They will know better.

hello, funnyp! your post really made me My empty nest refills regularly, we had DS1 last weekend & DS2 the one before; DS2 just finished his first year exams, & DS1 graduates in July (with a massive 2:2 )(but he has had a stupendous time!)

how are your two getting on? I bet you can't believe your DD has already finished her first year!

I did wonder about time of year for ther lilac

I also have an older hydrangea (lacecap) which has recently put on lots of nice leaves & is budding atm, but the baby one has clearly been forced somehow, poor thing. I want to deadhead it but am worried by conventional wisdom...

oh thank you, Anarchist (your post wasn't there when I started replying to funnyp)

what do you mean by top growth? it has half a dozen separate stalks, plus a couple of suckers at the sides; should I cut everything down hard?