Even if your hydrangea is a picture of misery, drooping leaves and flowers, or losing its foliage, don't abandon the plant. As long as there is still some greenery and the hydrangea sprouts hesitantly, a rescue attempt is always worthwhile.

Why does the hydrangea care?

If the hydrangea does not thrive properly, this can have various causes:

  • pests
  • fungal diseases
  • waterlogging
  • dryness

First, examine the plant thoroughly for vermin. If spider mites or lice have settled, they deprive the plant of its vital nutrients and it withers away. Heavy fungal infestation can also be the cause of poor growth.

remedy

Both pests and fungi can be easily combated with commercially available agents.

Root rot due to waterlogging

If your hydrangea wilts despite being watered regularly, you probably meant too well. Although the hydrangea needs a lot of water, it is very sensitive to constant waterlogging of the root ball. If the hydrangea is too wet, this leads to a lack of oxygen and fungi colonize the root area, which destroys the roots. The fine life veins can no longer absorb water and the hydrangea withers away.

remedy

Carefully remove the hydrangea from its pot and examine the root system. Healthy roots look white and are crisp to the touch. Rot-affected roots, on the other hand, are mushy and brown.

  • Carefully remove the no longer viable roots so as not to damage the healthy root system.
  • Place the hydrangea in a new planter with a large drainage hole, which you cover with a piece of pottery.
  • First fill the pot with a drainage layer of expanded clay (€19.73) so that excess water is absorbed and drained away.
  • Plant the hydrangea in fresh substrate, preferably rhododendron soil.
  • In the future, water only when the top inches of soil feel dry and discard excess water in the saucer after 15 minutes.

The hydrangea usually recovers quickly from this water stress and sprout again after just one to two weeks.

The hydrangea has dried up

If the soil feels bone dry and the hydrangea is letting its foliage droop, it is suffering from a lack of water. If this lasts for a longer period of time, the leaves dry up completely and fall off.

remedy

  • If the leaves have completely dried up, the hydrangea must be cut back into the juicy wood.
  • Place potted plants in a bucket filled with water and submerge until no more air bubbles rise.
  • Flood outdoor hydrangeas until they are full.

If it was necessary to shorten the hydrangea significantly, you will probably have to do without flowers this season. Nevertheless, the plants usually recover quickly, the foliage looks fresh and green again and the hydrangea sprout again.

tips and tricks

Outdoor hydrangeas are also sensitive to waterlogging. Therefore, a drainage layer of coarse sand and gravel is recommended for loamy subsoil.

Category:

Vegetable garden