Florist Hydrangea
I have a beautiful potted hydrangea that I received from the florist but don’t know how to care for it. Can I plant it outdoors? Any suggestions??
Potted florist Hydrangea are grown in a controlled environment in the greenhouse to produce big, showy flowers. This forcing process produces weakened plants that may not survive outdoors. Because they are weak and not as hardy as the nursery cultivars, planting outdoors is not recommended . They can be grown in a container and kept outdoors in dappled shade during the summer months but need to be brought indoors in a frost-free place for the winter.
Watering
One of the biggest problems maintaining a florist hydrangea is watering. Don’t allow the soil to dried out. They like evenly moist soil but cannot tolerate wet feet. When the flowers droop and wilt, there is a tendency to water because the plant looks dry that’s why it is drooping. But, if the soil is still wet and flowers are drooping, then the soil is too wet and the roots are rotting.
When watering a hydrangea , remove the decorative cover, fill a saucer with water and let the plant stand in it for up to 45 min. then drain. Watering from the top is not recommended but can be done provided you drain the excess water.
Care
Keep the plant in bright indirect light and temperatures of 50-60F degrees at night to prolong blooming . If you move it to bright light and the leaves start to “flag” (wilt) move the plant to a shadier spot. Florist hydrangeas are considered short-term gift plants to be enjoyed and discarded.
Hi. I came across your website while trying to figure out a way to save my potted hydrangea. I bought it 3 weeks ago from WholeFoods, and there were a few flowers drying out (browning) from the edges every 2 to 3 days, and I do cut them out. On top of that, there were yellow leaves with brown edges from time to time which I removed them as well. Now after 3 weeks since I got the plant, the bulbs are drying out, flowers are so scattered, and there aren’t any new flower blooming. I have read all of the above comments, and based on your replies, I am guessing my plant are suffering from root rot because I did water my plant everyday until yesterday. I took the plant out of the pot, and I saw middle brown root (not light brown).
I believe the hydrangea I got is called the hydrangea macrophylla. The flowers are bright pink surround with color white on the edges. It’s not the regular hydrangea I see on the market.
I am new to this, but I love this plant a lot, and I am in desperate need for help. Can you please tell me in order to save the plant if
1) I should wash off all the old soil and replant it with new soil and new pot? If so, can you please give me more details.
2) or should I wait for a few more days and see what will happen?
3) do I also need fertilizer for my plant?
Thanks in advance.
I came across your website while trying to gather some info on hydrangeas. About three days ago I bought two beautiful potted pink colored hydrangeas from a nursery. They are inside in my dining room which has large windows they do not sit in direct sunlight but they get enough light in the morning just last night I noticed them starting to wilt all the booms so i checked the soil and it felt a little dry not completely but enough for me to think they needed to be watered. But its been all day and they are all still wilted is there a way to bring them back or are they done? One of my friends suggest heating up water she had heard to use warm water if your hydrangeas are wilting?
Hydrangea root rot
Hello, I just came across your site and am in dire need of help! My mother bought two small hydrangea plants from the nursery section of K-mart, and gave them to me for Easter. I’ve never in my life potted a plant before, so I was a bit worried. I think I did everything right….except I now realize that the pot that I put my hydrangeas in were too big, now I believe they are suffering from root rot. The leaves are semi-ok, but the flowers are turning green and have brown edges around them (they are supposed to be blue). Also, I probably shouldn’t have watered them this morning (I did, because I thought maybe it’s “thirsty,” but I should have listened to my instinct), because after I watered them, and the water started coming out the bottom holes, I could smell a “rotting” scent! 🙁 Now my question is this: Is it possible to save my hydrangeas? I potted them 3 1/2 weeks ago (from it’s original plastic container). What do I do now? Should I move them to smaller pots, or is that too much stress for them? The problem also, is that my hydrangeas probably don’t get enough sun. They are sitting on the edge of my covered porch, but we are facing North and our garage on the west side of our house (left of our porch), makes it so that it’s really mostly shade. What do you think I should do? Move the pots? Dry the soil? Repot them? I’m clueless and would really hope to save them, if possible (I think they are dying). Thank you in advance for your help, I really appreciate it and hope to hear from you!
How long will it bloom
Thank you for the Info. Now how long will they stay In bloom? I had a small flower shoot come In to bloon a few days ago. And the entier plant has been In bloom for well over a month. Is this a normal bloom time?
Repot hydrangea
Good morning. Would any one know when would be the best time to repot Hydrangias? In bloom or out of bloom. Mine Is still happily blooming away but I noticed that It will need to be repotted soon. I had read on another link some were that It’s best to do this out of bloom Is this true or not. I have moved mine out side a week ago and is doing quite well. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
Hi Kris,
I think I may have killed my potted hydrangea – Couple of weeks ago, I noticed webs covering all this new growth, some of which had bloomed. The pot has been indoors through winter in southern Ontario, and I watered it once every 2weeks. Anyway, I sprayed the plant with an insecticide from Miracle gro, that I have used on other plants as well. However, within a week, all the leaves and new blooms dried out, and the stem is woody. I scratched the part about an inch up from the soil, and that showed green, which makes me believe and hope the plant’s not dead! We’re having some great weather around 17deg – 20deg C in the day, and 8-10 at night – can I move the plant outside to revive? Or is it down the garbage chute for the poor thing??
Thank you for the reply. Just a quick update for you, I have put my Hygrangia In a back grow room with grow lights and temps around 60 degrees. It’s looking fantastic and will pot It up for my deck for the summer and bring It back In to over winter again. Thank you aginn for your help.
you are welcome!
Wintering florist hydrangea
HI all. I just recieved a beautiful pink Hydrangia for Valantines day. I live In North Central Arkansas and snice I have no clue as how to take care of It, Would I be able to plant It out side or would I be better off placing In a pot and keeping It on my deck for the summer. I do have an unheated room in my house that i keep several other plants over the winter. Would I be sure of blooms for next winter?
Trim old blooms
Hi Kris,
I have not cut off the blooms – one is turning brown while the other is still green. There is a lot of flourishing new growth, some of it under the blooms. Should I cut the old blooms now so the new ones can grow freely?
Thanks!
Hi Kris,
Once again I am trying my hand at growing a potted greenhouse hydrangea on my balcony. When I brought it home, I re-potted it into a larger pot and have kept it outside for the last month. Temperatures here in southern Ontario are quite warm days and cool 16C nights, which have helped in new growth. The showy balls of blue flowers have now turned green in color, and I have lots of new buds along the stem. I am using an all-purpose Miracle gro fertiliser, which I use for the other plants every 3-4 weeks apart. Is that good enough? Should I cut off the blooms once they’re all dried up and brown? Any advice to keep this plant healthy and happy, would be much appreciated!
Have a great weekend!
Reblooming Greenhouse hydrangea
I live in southern Ontario in Canada (zone 5)and my husband bought me a greenhouse hydrangea for Mother’s Day two years ago. Not knowing anything about these plants, I planted it in my front garden bed that year. To my pleasure it came up the next year. I then got upset when my husband mowed over it not once, but twice. I then moved it to a back garden plot protected by fencing :). This year it has come back again and I hope this time to get flowers. I don’t know if I was lucky with the plant or whether these can actually be planted as long as you ensure they are in mostly shade and sheltered. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
I was told that you can refresh droopy cut hydranda blossoms by putting the head in cool water for 15-20 minutes and that then they last up to a week. When I arrange flowers for our church altar, any hydranga blossum have probably wilted within 24 hours. Do you know if soaking the blossoms works?
I’m a landscape designer and horticulturist. My sister asked me about two florist’s hydrangeas she received at Eastertime. She planted both and they have survived two winters in Connecticut, but produce foliage only, no flowers. She tells me they die to the ground each fall/winter and start growth from scratch each spring, much like a perennial. I’ve never heard of a herbaceous hydrangea–is there such a thing and is there anything she can do to get them to bloom?
Frozen roots in pot
I have a potted Endless Summer Hydrangea which I planted last year, all the ones I planted in the ground are showing life except the potted one, I can’t loose it, what should I do?
Cold damage
I have a beautiful Hydrandrea potted plant. I think I may have killed it. It got cold out but not a frost (Low 40º) and now the leaves and flowers are drooping. Is there any luck of reviving it? Love this plant to much to wait till next year to see it’s flowers.
John
Root rot
What can you tell me about root rot on hydrangeas and is it possible to save the plant. I lost three last year and am loosing more this year.
Root rot
I bought a potted hydrangea and I watered it too much without draining it each time. How can I save it? Cut and how, transfer in a larger pot? I try to follow your suggestion by watering and draining it each time now, but the recovery is limited for now. I would love to save this beautiful blue plant.
Many thanks, Kevin
I received a pink Hydrangia plant from a garden centre (Costco). I am not sure what to do with it, should I plant it outside or leave it in the the pot that it came in. There was no care or plant type label. I live in eastern Ontario Canada, very cold winters. Please advise.
Thanks, Leanne
Propagate from cuttings
Hi. I have a Hydrangea planted in my garden and a friend of mine would like a cutting. Could you please tell me how I would do it and if it would work.
Thank you. Veronica.
I bought a pink hydrangea that was on a mothers day sale, so I am assuming its what you refer to as a greenhouse hydrangea. I put it in a pot outside, the flower turned green and the leaves have large areas that look burnt off. Is there any way to save this plant? I water it frequently. Also, is it supposed to grow another flower? Its just one stem with flowers at the tops. thanks!
Drooping flowerheads
I have a potted hydrangea and the heads are dropping over. What could be causing this?
I recently received a pink Hydrangia, not sure of the type as all it says is Hydrangia. I�m sure purchased in a supermarket. It is a warm May in Western Washington, when should I plant?, what if I do not have partial shade but only full sun?, does this plant like a good draining soil or a mushy area?, I understand that lime will help maintain the pink blooms, how much do I need if it appears that my plant requires it and last I think I over watered in the pot and over-fertilized as the leaves are drying and curling and the blooms that were not full yet are turning soft and drooping, should I remove those blooms? Thank you so much for your help as I have wanted one of these beautiful plants and finally have one. I don’t want to lose it.
~~Bonnie B
I was at an affair on Sunday and was given the most beautiful Hydrangia plant. On arriving home I put it on my counter near a window when I woke in the morning all the bulbs look dead. The beautiful flowers were all gone and the leaves are starting to dry out. Can I save this plant in any way?
Reblooming florist hydrangea
I received a beautiful hydrangea as a gift yesterday – have no idea what variety it is. It has one tall stem with a beautiful, huge purple ball of flowers at the top. I believe it was purchased at a grocery type store. I would love to keep it looking as good as it does now, but am clueless as to the proper care. I was hoping to be able to plant it outside (I live in central/eastern Massachusetts) but from reading previously posted comments, I get the feeling it will not survive a transplant to outdoor soil. What is the best care for my hydrangea and how does its future look? Thank you! Joanna
i actually have a question.. i was sent a hydrangia, and its in a pot, but has one of those bricks of styrafome inside.. can i repot this in a pot of soil? Christine
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I received a hydrangea plant as a gift about a week ago. The next day, the flowers were completely drooped but the leaves were strong and green. I watered the plant and the flowers came back and all looked good. Within the next two days, the plant looked like it had died. All the flowers were drooped and soft and the leaves were dry and crisp. I am at a loss as to why(did I kill by overwatering?) or did I just get a bad plant. I watered again to no avail. I took off all the dried flowers and very brittle leaves and have nothing but dry stalk-like stems. Given how pretty and healthy it was when I received it, I can�t believe what it looks like now. Any thoughts or is the plant gone for good?
Thank you, I DID keep it outdoors on a sheltered porch and it does seem to still be healthy. So, I will try the suggestion of keeping it in the garage over the winter.
And then next spring – trim it? It still has the same big beautiful flowers on it.
I received a beautiful blue hydrangea potted plant for Mother’s day. Now the flowers are a lime green – I don’t know what the variety is. Is it possible to save this plant for next year – either in the pot, or planted outside. If so, HOW?
I got a Blue Hydrangia for Easter, the flowers have died so I cut them off. The leaves are sparse and light green. I live in New Brunswick, Canada. Can I put it in the ground yet? Or should it stay inside. I have never had one & don’t know how to treat it. Thanks, for your help.