Are your hydrangea flowers turning brown? This is a common problem among gardeners, but catching it early can revitalize your plant and maybe even save the blooms.
It can be very frustrating when you are looking forward to the beautiful flowers of hydrangeas and then they suddenly turn brown and crunchy. Are you discovering more and more brown flowers? These could then indicate incorrect growth conditions. There are various reasons why hydrangea flowers turn brown and dry out and here's what you can do about it.
The most important thing in brief
- Sun exposure: Too much direct sun can cause hydrangea flowers to dry out.
- irrigation: Improper watering, either too much or too little, can damage the flowers.
- Soil conditions: Poor soil can affect the health of the plant.
Hydrangea flowers turn brown: how can you save the plant?
Hydrangeas shine in all their splendor in summer. These beautiful flowering shrubs are very easy to care for as long as you give them a little attention. No matter what color your hydrangeas are, they will all dry out and turn brown at the end of the season. However, if you notice your plant turning brown prematurely, it may be due to growing conditions. But don't worry as you can still fix this problem as long as you act quickly.
Placed in full sun
The hydrangea flowers may turn brown due to too much sun. This plant does best in partial sun and a little shade in the afternoon is of great benefit to it.
If this is the cause of your hydrangea turning brown, you can move the plant to a less sunny locationLocation in the gardentransplant. Since hydrangeas are native to forests, planting them under a tree is a good way to give them the best conditions. However, we recommend that you do this in the fall or spring so that it can establish more easily.
If you don't have a shady spot in the garden, you can transplant your hydrangea into a container that you can easily move around as needed.
Incorrect watering
Hydrangeas need to be watered properly in the summer to thrive. Water the plants thoroughly every 5 days early in the morning to allow the foliage and flowers to dry during the day. It is very important to always water them at the base, as too much moisture on the leaves and flowers can lead to fungal diseases and browning.
However, watering your plant too much during flowering can result in brown flowers. To make sure this is the case, check the hydrangea's leaves. Overwatered plants have yellow leaves that often fall off. You can also check the soil, which should feel moist but not soggy.
If overwatering occurs, stop watering until the soil dries out slightly.
If the hydrangea flowers turn brown but look dry, it's probably because the plant isn't getting enough water. Then the leaves fall off and the flowers begin to wilt in the afternoon. If you don't recognize these early signs of underwatering early on, the flowers will turn brown.
Cover the soil with a 2 cm thick layer of mulch to retain moisture in the soil and create the optimal conditions for the plant.
Poor soil conditions
Soil that is too acidic or too alkaline can quickly cause the hydrangea flowers to turn brown. Over-fertilization with nitrogen or aluminum sulfate (to color the flowers blue) can also weaken the plant and eventually kill it. Therefore, it is important to use a balanced fertilizer and to cover the soil with mulch before fertilizing and to water the plant well.
Test the soil regularly and especially when the hydrangeas have brown flowers to adjust the soil conditions in a timely manner. If you notice overfertilization, rinse the soil by watering for much longer than usual.
Hydrangea flowers turn brown: potted plants
The causes of the brown flowers of potted hydrangeas are largely the same as those of hydrangeas grown in the garden. However, there are some exceptions that relate specifically to potted plants.
If the pot is too small, the risk of brown leaves and flowers increases. The extensive root system of hydrangeas requires more space to have good access to moisture. In addition, potted plants should be watered much more often as they can dry out very quickly on hot days.
If you notice brown leaves and flowers on your potted plant, transplant it into a larger pot.
Should you remove the brown hydrangea flowers?
If you have found the cause of the brown hydrangea flowers and taken the necessary measures, your plant should recover in a short period of time and most of the flowers will be saved.
To keep the hydrangea looking better and putting its energy into producing beautiful new blooms, remove any brown flowers and the petals of less affected flowers with clean pruning shears.
You can remove brown flowers throughout the blooming period, but you should stop in late fall to avoid accidentally removing the buds.
