Signs Of Overwatered Hydrangeas & How To Fix Them

Homeowners love nice bold blooms in their home landscapes, and not much beats hydrangea blooms.

Long-lasting and brilliantly popping in shades of crisp white to hot pink to brilliant blue and even soft lavender, these flowers bring color in summer that lasts longer than many others. This is what makes them an attractive choice; you almost can’t go wrong when you add a unique hydrangea to your landscape bed when you’re looking for pops of color that stand strong against a backdrop of soft, green leaves.

But care is just as important for hydrangeas as it is for other plants. And while hydrangeas can be easy to grow, there are also some mistakes that can cause them to lack performance. Proper watering, for instance, is an important part of care.

You may be wondering, can hydrangeas get too much water? And while hydrangeas like moist soil, it IS possible that you can give them too much of a good thing.

Let’s look at common signs of an overwatered hydrangea and how to save overwatered hydrangeas so you can keep those flowers you crave in summer blooming longer.

Overwatered Hydrangeas

First, let’s look at some typical signs of overwatered hydrangeas, so you know what you’re looking for when determining if this is the reason your hydrangeas don’t look as healthy as you’d like them to.

What do hydrangeas look like if they get too much water? You’ll see:

• Yellow or brown leaves - Leaf discoloration can be a sign of underwatered and overwatered hydrangeas. When overwatered, the browning may be more toward the edges of the leaves.
• Wilted or drooping leaves - If you see heavy leaves that seem to hang that may even be mushy to the touch, you might have overwatered hydrangeas.
• Flowers that constantly wilt and/or fewer flowers - A lack of blooms or wilting blooms is usually a sign that something is amiss with your plant.
• Mold around the plant - Mold grows in a consistently wet environment. If you see mold on the soil around your hydrangea, that could be a sign that your plant is overwatered.
• Root rot - While this symptom is hard to see since it’s happening below ground, if you see the other above signs, it’s a good chance you also have root rot.

Should I Remove Wilted Hydrangea Blooms?

You can remove wilted hydrangea blooms. This does trigger your hydrangea to stop producing seeds and encourages root and foliage development.

This can help strengthen your hydrangeas.

How To Fix Overwatered Hydrangeas

Can hydrangeas recover from overwatering? There are a few things to help them on their path to recovery.

First, stop watering your hydrangea. The goal is to let it dry out and get back to regular, deep, scheduled waterings.

Waterlogged Soil From Too Much Rain

Overwatered hydrangeas can result from improper watering or an irrigation system that isn’t working correctly. But it can also happen as a result of changing weather conditions due to climate change. Some areas of the country, for instance, are experiencing wetter seasons, and that is having an impact on local flowering plants.

How do you fix waterlogged soil? Add organic matter in the form of humus, compost, peat moss, or biochar while breaking up the soil. This breaks up compaction, encourages airflow, and promotes microorganism growth.

Follow These Tips When Caring For Your Hydrangeas.