I just planted this hydrangea 2 weeks ago that was donated as a gift to the front line workers from landscapers. It was indoors for a day and I took it home and planted it. I never planted one before. Is it too deep down? I live 3 blocks from the beach in NJ. It was planted about April’15. Weather has been rainy and cool 40s to 50s. Two mornings were 37. Otherwise it is a full sun location 1pm on. I water it about a liter a day. I just chopped off the dead drooping flower heads. Is it salvageable?
1 Answer
It sounds like a watering issue and it's possible its time indoors meant it needed hardening off before being planted outdoors, especially if the plant was not fully exposed to the outdoors prior to your being given it. Hydrangeas are sometimes sold in flower to be used as a temporary houseplant, which means they will have been grown under 'hothouse' conditions to force flowering; after the flowers fade, they can be moved outdoors and planted, but only after hardening off.
Hydrangeas like rich,moist but not waterlogged soil conditions; when planting, it should be set at the same level it was in the pot, with the soil not sitting higher against the main stems at the base. In terms of watering, it's better to give the plant, say, 5 litres of water every 5 or 6 days than to give 1 litre every day,and immediately after planting, should have been watered in well with at least 5 litres of water. Try giving it 5 litres now, then more in a few days. Without a photo and knowing quite what procedure you followed when planting it, it's hard to say whether it will survive or not.