The Garden Community for Garden Lovers
 

United Kingdom

I was given a potted hydrangea but it is wilting. Given it a drink but getting worse. Any suggestions?




Answers

 

Hi give it more water and if fire gets lit I would move it away from it maybe a bigger pot might help as well .they are thirsty plants .good luck

19 Mar, 2015

 

if it is standing in water that will also cause the plant to wilt.
Get it hardened off by putting it outside in a sheltered spot during the day and bring it in, in the evening. do this over a period of 2 weeks and then if you can get it in the ground or a much bigger pot.

19 Mar, 2015

 

If you want it is as a houseplant while its got flowers, take it into your kitchen and lift it out of the outer pot. If there's water sitting in that, and the compost in the plant pot feels soggy and soaking, leave the plant to drain down in the sink or somewhere for half an hour or so. Then put back in the display pot and stand where you want it. As it dries out, it may recover, though the flowers might not look great. If, on the other hand, the compost isn't sopping wet and there's no water in the bottom of the decorative pot, stand the plant in a bucket or a washing up bowl full of water - you may have to anchor the plant down initially, because if its really dry within the rootball, it'll float. Let it soak for a couple of hours, then take it out and let it drain down, then replace it in its outer pot. Water well when the surface of the compost is just slightly dry to the touch thereafter, and empty out the outer pot 30 minutes after watering.
Either way, there's a risk the flowers present will die off quite quickly, in which case, harden off as mentioned elsewhere and plant outside - if you have room.

Don't stand it near a heat source like a radiator - I'm assuming you'd move the plant anyway if the fire behind was alight.

19 Mar, 2015

 

Thanks all. Justin it by fire for photo! It is in damp soil now but not soaked. Will harden off and put in garden. Thank you.

19 Mar, 2015

 

I think this is an Ericaceous plant, which needs to be in
Ericaceous compost, and fed with Ericaceous plant food.
Water with rainwater only, as water in a lime district contains lime plus 18 different chemicals used to purify it for drinking.
Good luck. Mine has been outside in a large pot all winter, covered up well with fleece. Just beginning to shoot.

19 Mar, 2015

 

Diane, its not an ericaceous plant, and as its got pink flowers, if the owner wants to keep it pink, it needs alkaline soil conditions, not acid. Acidic conditions will make the flowers an unpleasant shade of lilac, very acidic they might be blue.

19 Mar, 2015

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?