The most common issue with the hydrangea plant is the "leaf curling issue". In this article, I will tell you the common mistakes we usually make that cause curly leaves on hydrangea.
Note: This article also explains the issue of the hydrangea leaves shriveling.
You can see the curly leaves and shrivel at the same time.
Let's understand the most common reason that causes this.
I have learned that hydrangeas, particularly in nursery pots, need a lot of water. I notice that for mine, even when the moisture meter says it is more than 50% wet, the plant looks dehydrated.
I would say give it a good soak and see if it revives some, then water it every other day. Good luck!
Listen carefully: Even if you water it, it may look thirsty.
If your potted hydrangea is wilting, curling, or shriveling - soak it with water. Or plant it in the ground and water deeply.
Submerge the entire pot in water until rehydrated.
Note: If your hydrangea is in peat moss, it will become hard to rewet. Hurry up, and it will snap back.
Do not let the soil fully dry. (Never ever)
If your plant is having blooms, cut the blooms off, repot or plant it & it should rebound.
You should also choose the correct pot size for your hydrangea. It should be 14–18 inches deep and of 7–10 gallon volume for a mature, fully grown hydrangea. You can refer to this chart: Pot size chart for plants
Just look at the picture below:
I am writing this post as my aunt sent me this picture a few days ago, and this is what she wrote:
"What the heck is wrong with my hydrangea? Before you answer, let me give you some background. When I bought it on the half-price rack at Lowe's two weeks ago, it was fully in bloom and healthy.
It's been sitting on my front Southern-facing porch, where it gets no direct sun (plus it has been cloudy and rained almost every day for the last 2 weeks), and I have kept it watered, not overwatered, but truly watered it when the soil dried out.
In fact, it may have only been once or twice since I got it. My intention was to remove it from the grower's pot and put it in a regular pot this weekend. But this week it started shriveling like this. I checked the soil, and it was still moist so it is not underwatered. Any other explanations, AND most importantly, can it be saved?"
My first response was like:
When I get them, I will keep them in a shallow dish of water to keep them from shocking, as yours appears to be doing. I would guess if you were to lift it from its pot, you would find it’s very dry. I would trim off all the blooms to relieve the stress.
What to do if you recently bought your hydrangea from a nursery or store?
Move it to bright indirect light with better airflow. This is the first thing I usually do.
Let the topsoil dry slightly between waterings (for the first few days), and it should recover.
I had the same issue with store-bought hydrangea. It likely went into stress shock from the sudden environmental change.
One final tip for my readers:
If you really want to grow hydrangeas, you should go to a reputable nursery and get varieties that work here in your climate. I got endless summer from Calloways, and it is healthy.
