The hydrangea is one of those thirsty plants that quickly drop their leaves and dry up if there is insufficient water supply. If you have forgotten to water for several days, the hydrangea often presents a miserable picture: it lets the leaves droop or has even lost part of the foliage. However, that is no reason to throw the plant away, because you can often save the hydrangea.

Dried hydrangeas can often be saved

Check the condition of the hydrangea

First, take a close look at the hydrangea:

  • Have all the leaves actually dried up and are they breaking with a crunch?
  • Are the twigs also dry and can you snap them off without resistance?
  • Is there still lush green somewhere?

If the plant hasn't completely dried up, it's not too late. Hydrangeas usually recover quickly and, if the right measures are taken, will sprout again after just a few days.

Water the plant thoroughly

If the hydrangea has dried up, you must water it thoroughly immediately. Simply watering is no longer enough.

Dip potted hydrangeas in a bucket filled with water until no more bubbles appear. Outdoor hydrangeas are fully washed so that the moisture can penetrate into the deeper layers of the earth.

Water the hydrangea regularly over the next few days. Potted plants may even need to be watered several times a day.

Be sure to tip away any water remaining in the saucer, because even a dried-up hydrangea is sensitive to waterlogging. The roots of the already weakened plant quickly begin to rot, which would mean the final death of the hydrangea.

The first green shows up

Often, two days after these rescue attempts, you can see new buds appearing on the still living branches. Even dried-up branches often form fresh green or thickening leaf buds in the lower area.

Now is the right time to cut off any actual dead plant parts with clean and sharp pruning shears.

flowers only in the following year

If the hydrangea was almost completely dried up, you will probably have to do without flowers this season. The umbels of flowers sit on the tips of the shoots and therefore dry up very quickly. With good care, however, the hydrangea will bloom profusely again next year.

tips and tricks

A dried hydrangea needs a lot of strength to form new leaves. Therefore, fertilize the plant regularly with hydrangea, azalea or rododendron fertilizer.

Category:

Vegetable garden