HelpfulGardener.com

Hi!

I just planted a couple of hydrangeas a few weeks ago. I used some potting soil and have mulch around the base. There is new growth on them but shortly after planting several of the leaves started turning a dark reddish color and some have fallen off. I have looked into the soil and it seems moist. We've had a fair amount of rain in the area these past few weeks (during which times I have turned off my sprinklers to avoid over watering). We have also had moderate temps (lows in the 50s and highs in the 60s-70s for the most part). They are planted on the west side of our home and so they get afternoon sun. Any ideas? I know there are a million posts about discolored hydrangea leaves out there but I know there are several possibilities as to why.

Thank you for you input!
Matt

Hello, Matt. I need more info to answer some of the questions.

Typically, hydrangeas prefer afternoon and evening shade so your current afternoon sun exposure concerns me... buuuut... that can depend on which type & variety of hydrangea one is talking about... as well as how your winters and summers are like. So here are a few questions to help answer your leaf questions.

Where are you located (city/state/country) and, if you happen to know, what is your USDA Zone? Note: your location information is not displaying. Also, what kind of hydrangeas are these two? You can get that information from the plant label. For example: hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer The Original or hydrangea paniculata Pee Gee, etc.

If the two shrubs growing in the picture are the hydrangeas that you referred to (the leaves in the picture are too far away to confirm), one quick comment: they appear to be planted way too close to each other. They are also in a small "sliver" of soil that is in between two cemented areas in the picture. Please check the plant label for information on width. How wide do these two hydrangeas get (per the information on the plant label)? For example, the majority of hydrangeas get more than 3 feet (about 0.9 meters) wide and the larger ones can get to the size of a small tree.

Finally, what kind of soil do you have in your area? Example: sandy, clay, etc. And is your soil usually acidic or alkaline (if you do not know, a neighbor or nearby plant nursery may be able to assist)?

Thanks, Luis

Hello, Matt. The leaves in your picture were too far away to confirm that those were hydrangeas. Can you answer the questions above? Thanks, Luis