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Original poster

My potted hydrangea is dying!

29 replies

sfagan2022 · 26/05/2022 14:40

I bought a hydrangea last week and put it in a big pot in a sunny side of my garden. I also gave it some plant food. Had lots of rain since it was planted. It's now nearly dead! Completely wilting. What have I done wrong? Can I save it?

OP posts:
confusedandisolating · 26/05/2022 14:41

Mine prefer morning Sun and shade in the afternoon...

Original poster
sfagan2022 · 26/05/2022 14:43

That's exactly what mine has - morning sun and afternoon shade! I got a really big pot to give it plenty of root space too...

OP posts:
bumpertobumper · 26/05/2022 14:48

More water
If the rain around you has been like ours it is short sharp showers. This isn't enough water for a newly potted hydrangea. They are thirsty, but let you know with wilting leaves.
Pic?

Justmuddlingalong · 26/05/2022 14:49

Getting soluble plant food on the blooms can burn them, could that be what's happened?

SallyWD · 26/05/2022 14:50

Not the compost, is it? I recently had several pot plants (including a hydrangea) die when I potted them in a new compost. I think it was contaminated. It was a multipurpose organic compost I bought at Homebase. Just for future reference Ive heard you're not supposed to give hydrangeas plant food - although I certainly don't think it was the plant food that killed it.

Original poster
sfagan2022 · 26/05/2022 14:50

The soil in the pot is really moist - I've been watering on the days we've not had downpours, and it's been raining a lot!

OP posts:
Original poster
sfagan2022 · 26/05/2022 14:51

Oh no... it must have been the plant food that killed it then :( I'm gutted, why did I do that!!!!!!

OP posts:
Littlemissprosecco · 26/05/2022 14:54

I had this with a peony last month. I rang the garden centre, they said shock, as the roots are very young! Was told to shield it from the harsh sun don’t over water, and give it two weeks. Well it’s fine now!

Original poster
sfagan2022 · 26/05/2022 15:23

So I think I definitely killed it with the plant food as I used shrub / rose feed :(

Should I leave it and hope for the best or is it game over?

OP posts:
BlanketsBanned · 26/05/2022 15:27

Did you use ericaceous compost

Littlemissprosecco · 26/05/2022 17:01

Try repotting it

Chasingsquirrels · 26/05/2022 17:05

It could be any number of things, but in the main

  • don't pot up into too big a pot (if a plant is destined for a big pot eventually do it in stages).
  • make sure you water it, but don't overwater it.

I'm really surprised a new plant would do this though, which implies there is more of a problem - I got a hydrangea from Aldi a few weeks ago, put it into a slightly bigger pot but have since decided I want that pot for something else and have re-potted again and it is perfectly fine.

I'd be tempted to return it.

linerforlife · 26/05/2022 17:08

Hydrangeas are actually quite hardy. I would be tempted to move it somewhere fairly sheltered but with some sun in the day and just ignore it for a week or so. If the soil is very damp I probably wouldn't even water for a few days. It might bounce back.

Noisyprat · 26/05/2022 17:10

Did you use ericaceous compost? From horticulture.co.uk:

If you use alkaline soil on plants that need ericaceous soil, then they’re likely to develop yellow leaves and die.
The reason for this is that ericaceous plants require iron as well as other nutrients that they cannot absorb in alkaline soil.

BammBamm · 26/05/2022 17:10

We have a few and the best one is in full sun from midday.

Sunsetboater · 26/05/2022 17:32

Sorry to jump on your threap OP but I'm having same problem with one I bought from a local greengrocer. It was beautiful 2 days ago and now look at it.

I'm not greenfingered at all but my friend convinced me to buy it for my new house / garden. The soil is a clay based and I didn't have any extra compost to back fill. I watered it well after planting and it's on the SW side of South facing garden so gets full sun all afternoon until about 6pm. It rained on and off yesterday but has been dry today. Do in you think it will survive?

My potted hydrangea is dying!
Paranoidandroidmarvin · 26/05/2022 17:39

Mine are fairly young. They all tend to wilt during the sun in the afternoon? Apparently this is normal

Beebumble2 · 26/05/2022 18:05

As others have said, they are pretty hardy. I have several in pots, mostly from the sad plant area. They can often sulk in the first season, but are great the following year.
It could be the shock of being replanted, just make sure they’re not in blazing sun( ha, ha, haven’t seen sun all day!) and make sure they’re just kept damp, not overwatered.

HumourReplacementTherapy · 26/05/2022 18:11

Noisyprat · 26/05/2022 17:10

Did you use ericaceous compost? From horticulture.co.uk:

If you use alkaline soil on plants that need ericaceous soil, then they’re likely to develop yellow leaves and die.
The reason for this is that ericaceous plants require iron as well as other nutrients that they cannot absorb in alkaline soil.

Does that mean it does need ericaceous soil or it doesn't?
Blush

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 26/05/2022 18:13

Sunsetboater · 26/05/2022 17:32

Sorry to jump on your threap OP but I'm having same problem with one I bought from a local greengrocer. It was beautiful 2 days ago and now look at it.

I'm not greenfingered at all but my friend convinced me to buy it for my new house / garden. The soil is a clay based and I didn't have any extra compost to back fill. I watered it well after planting and it's on the SW side of South facing garden so gets full sun all afternoon until about 6pm. It rained on and off yesterday but has been dry today. Do in you think it will survive?

Yours has been forced to flower early so that's why it's wilted I think. I'd cut back a bit (the droopy flowers anyway) and water well.

pumpkinmash · 26/05/2022 18:13

I bought two beautiful ones last summer, planted them, and they promptly withered and died. Just sticks left.

Left them there over the winter, and by spring they had green. Now in full flower.

Honestly I think they react to the change. Next time I'll buy the reduced ones at the end of the summer and have faith!

SallyWD · 26/05/2022 18:14

I don't think the plant food would kill it. I've accidentally fed mine plant food before and it's fine. Plant food just encourages the growth of leaves rather than flowers. Like I said above - maybe it's contaminated compost? Or just the wrong type of soil?

ZooMount · 26/05/2022 18:31

I had the same so went back to where I bought it and they said it was an indoor plant. Didn't know you even get indoor hydrangeas! Perhaps it was supposed to be indoor?

Norugratsatall · 26/05/2022 18:46

I regularly feed mine with rose and shrub feed and it's doing ok! Didn't realise you shouldn't feed hydrangeas. My late dad bought mine so I'd be a bit gutted if I lost it,

Justmuddlingalong · 26/05/2022 20:05

AFAIK you can feed them, but I use soluble feed and don't sprinkle it over the top, I just water in at the roots.