By Littlet
Essex,
United Kingdom 
Hydrangea query.
Hi, I'm currently having a water meter fitted in the same bed as a hydrangea mophead red. The men are trying their best not to disturb the roots of the plant but I fear it will be damaged. Is there any special care I should give to the plant after the men have left? It's just about to flower and I would like to keep it if at all possible. Any help would be gratefully received. Many thanks. Regards.
12 May, 2015
Answers
Many thanks for your advice Pamg and I'm glad your plant and the cuttings are thriving. The plant has lost a few of its branches and some of the newer growth that were seated at the bottom and so I've just given it a lot of water and will see how it fairs over the next few days. I've also just potted up some of the cuttings and, if they take, then I will have a load more plants to use (if I can find a space for them as I'm slowly running out)! Fingers crossed it will be ok and won't get disturbed too much in the future as/when they come to read the meter. Regards.
12 May, 2015
Just tell the men to be careful, then say a prayer. Plants are pretty resilient. Construction workers did a number on my Rhododendron breaking branches, spilling paint, etc. They must get their work done anyway. I still had a few good blooms after they left and did a clean up pruning. I'm sure it'll look great next year.
13 May, 2015
Sounds as if you are doing the best you can for your hydrangea.....think i may have to' rehome 'some cuttings and put others in pots for a while, they need so much water though don't they.....
wish we could grow Rhododendrons. ......my camellia survives with ericaceous feed .
saw some huge beautiful rhododendron in Scotland recently Bathgate, stunning smaller ones too....
The big ones I think were very old, some of the Thuja trees were planted in the 1850's.......
13 May, 2015
They must have been really grand!
13 May, 2015
Not as grand as your Sequoias...
We went to Yosemite some years ago...
13 May, 2015
OH Wow! I went there a couple years ago! Aren't they amazing? the Sequoias and the Redwoods. I love Yosemeti. Did you see all the waterfalls? Bridal Veil Falls! Upper & Lower? Horsetail falls, El Capitan?
13 May, 2015
You may haveto cut it hard back if its been badly disturbed, it wilts easily and cutting it down a bit will help it.
then keep it well watered over the summer and autumn. You could feed this month and june but no later or the growth will be too soft to survive winter.
hope it helps....
We had to rehome one in summer a couple of years ago and I took lots of cuttings from the pieces i cut off....the rehomed one....and the cuttings are thriving ☺
12 May, 2015