Hydrangeas are beautiful additions to any landscape, but they need to be watered correctly to reach their full potential. Because Hydrangea’s name literally includes the word water (hydra comes from Greek meaning water), you would be correct in assuming that these plants need a lot of water. But exactly how much water do Hydrangeas need to thrive?
Hydrangeas need more water than most garden plants and will begin to wilt quickly without it. To ensure that Hydrangeas thrive, water deeply two to three times a week in the summer. Be sure to water in the morning or evening so that water does not evaporate as quickly as it would during the heat of the day.
Although Hydrangeas need a lot of water, it is just as possible to overwater Hydrangeas as it is to underwater them. Both overwatering and underwatering can stunt a Hydrangea’s growth and cause them to produce fewer blooms. In the long-term, hydration issues can cause Hydrangeas to wither and die. Luckily, watering Hydrangeas correctly isn’t all that difficult. With just a little attention, you can keep your Hydrangeas looking healthy and happy.
How Much Water Do Hydrangeas Need?
The amount of water that Hydrangeas need differs depending on a lot of factors, so it is difficult to give a single answer. Factors like the species of Hydrangea, the amount of shade it gets, and the weather can all affect how much water a Hydrangea needs. Also, an established Hydrangea needs less water than one that is recently planted.
In general, expect to water your Hydrangeas deeply two to three times a week, depending on the specific factors that affect your Hydrangeas.
Bigleaf and Smooth Hydrangeas need more water than other species of Hydrangeas. Oakleaf Hydrangeas are the most drought tolerant and can handle drying out in between waterings once established. These are a great choice for gardeners in hot climates who don’t want to worry about watering as much.
You’re probably not surprised to hear that a Hydrangea planted in partial shade needs less water than it would if it were planted in a sunnier spot. The same goes for Hydrangeas planted in cooler climates–you do not have to water those Hydrangeas as often as you would if they were in warmer climates. You might be able to get away with watering 1-2 times a week in North Dakota, but that would not cut it for Hydrangeas during a typical Louisiana summer.
A quick tip if you feel unsure whether or not to water your Hydrangea is to stick your finger about four inches into the soil near the plant. If things feel dry, it’s time to water.
Another factor to take into consideration is how established a Hydrangea is. Newly planted Hydrangeas need time to develop strong root systems. Give these new additions a deep soak at least 3 times a week during their first season. Their shallow root systems cannot access moisture stored as low in the ground, so they need some extra attention.
To check the soil near newly planted Hydrangeas, stick your finder only one inch deep into the soil near the plant. If the soil is dry, give these Hydrangeas more water. Once Hydrangeas become established after one or two seasons and begin producing new growth, they should be fine with less frequent watering.
How to Water Your Hydrangea Bushes
You might think that because Hydrangeas need lots of water, you should water them every single day. However, that is not the case. Hydrangeas benefit from deep watering rather than frequent watering. Soaking Hydrangeas helps them to develop stronger root systems that can gather the water and nutrients that Hydrangeas require.
To water Hydrangeas by hand, use a hose on low pressure to soak the base of the plants between 1-3 times a week. Continue watering until the ground is saturated. Avoid getting the leaves wet as this can cause disease.
Alternatively, you can use a soaker hose near the base of the Hydrangeas and leave it turned on until the soil is moist but not soaking wet, usually about 30-45 minutes.
Either way, remember that it is best to water your plants during the morning or evening rather than during the heat of the day. This allows the water to soak thoroughly into the ground instead of evaporating too quickly.
Hydrangeas want to be in soil that holds moisture-which is not going to happen if their roots are too close to the surface. To further ensure that your Hydrangeas thrive, put mulch around the base of the plants. The mulch will help retain moisture and make the effort that you spend watering your Hydrangeas more effective.
Can You Overwater Hydrangeas? Will They Tolerate Wet Soil?
We know that Hydrangeas need a lot of water and that it is better to soak them a few times a week rather than watering a little bit every day. So you might think that it isn’t possible to overwater them, but that’s not true. Hydrangeas can be overwatered, and they do not want to be in soil that is too wet.
Hydrangeas require moist soil, but if the soil is too wet, the plant may suffer from root rot. Overwatering a Hydrangea can also stunt its growth, slow down its production of blooms, and eventually lead to its death. This issue can be just as problematic as underwatering.
Overwatering Hydrangeas usually occurs for one of two reasons. First, the soil holds on to too much water causing it to pool up at the top rather than draining. For this reason, Hydrangeas do better in soil that is loam or sandy-loam rather than in clay soil. (For more information on the best soil for Hydrangeas, read this article.)
Second, you may be watering your Hydrangeas too often. During the heat of the day, Hydrangeas can look wilted even when they are perfectly hydrated. Heat and humidity can cause Hydrangeas to wilt during the middle of the day, but if the ground is moist, they will perk back up as the temperature cools.
This is part of why it is important to water during the morning or evening. If you water during the middle of the day, you may panic at the sight of your wilted Hydrangeas and give them way too much water.
Signs You Have Overwatered Your Hydrangeas
Overwatering can keep Hydrangeas from thriving and producing the beautiful blooms that the plant is prized for. Growth slows down, and the Hydrangea’s appearance begins to suffer. If overwatering persists, the plant will eventually wither and die.
Are you beginning to suspect that you have overwatered your Hydrangeas? It is easy to be so focused on making sure that you water your Hydrangeas enough that you overwater them instead. Here’s how to tell if you are overwatering your Hydrangeas.
The roots rot. The roots are the first part of the Hydrangea to suffer when they are overwatered. You might not notice quickly because the roots are below ground, but the roots will be slimy and start to smell musty or moldy. You can carefully remove soil from around the roots to check if they are rotting. If the roots are dark and mushy rather than white, then you’ve got an issue.
The leaves turn yellow. When a Hydrangea’s roots are rotting due to overwatering, the roots cannot transport nutrients from the soil to the leaves. This causes the leaves to turn yellow. You are more likely to notice this effect before noticing issues with the roots because the roots are hidden under the soil while the leaves are visible.
The leaves turn brown and mushy. Too much water will cause the leaves of your Hydrangea to turn mushy, and the edges will turn brown. While this is a sign of overwatering, it could also be a sign that your Hydrangea is actually underwatered. Overwatered Hydrangeas have damaged roots, and damaged roots cannot properly soak up water and nutrients from the soil and send it to the rest of the plant. So whether under or over watered, the effect is the same on the leaves.
The flowers are constantly wilted. In high temperatures, a Hydrangea’s flowers may droop during the heat of the day but will bounce back later in the evening. When a Hydrangea is overwatered, the flowers will not perk back up as the temperature cools off.
There are fewer flowers. Thanks to root rot from overwatering, Hydrangeas will produce fewer buds. This means that the plant will have fewer blooms and smaller clusters of flowers when it is time to bloom.
What To Do For An Overwatered Hydrangea
Overwatering can damage Hydrangeas and ultimately lead to the plants dying. However, if you recognize that you have overwatered your Hydrangeas in time, there are actions that you can take to fix it.
The first step is to stop watering your Hydrangeas and let the soil dry out before watering again. To test the soil before watering, stick your finger four inches into the ground to see if the soil is still wet near the base of the Hydrangeas. If there is still moisture, it’s too soon to water again. Wait until the soil drys out.
Remember that you should be giving your Hydrangeas a deep soak 1-3 times a week. Try reducing the frequency if you notice signs of overwatering. Hydrangeas can bounce back from being overwatered a few times, so this first step may be all you need to do to get your Hydrangeas back on the right track.
If overwatering is happening because the soil around the Hydrangeas doesn’t drain well, add compost, peat moss, or sand to help with drainage in clay soil.
If overwatering has been a chronic problem, carefully undercover the roots to see how much damage the roots have sustained. Healthy roots look white and feel firm. Unhealthy roots look dark and feel soft.
If there is not much damage, you can carefully cut off the roots that have begun to rot. However, if the majority of the roots have started rotting, you need to remove and discard the entire plant. Otherwise, nearby plants could become contaminated by the fungus in the soil.
Are Hydrangeas Drought Tolerant? Will They Recover From Drought?
After talking so much about overwatering Hydrangeas, let’s turn to the opposite. Is it possible to underwater Hydrangeas? We know that Hydrangeas don’t like to sit in water for too long, but how do they deal with drought?
Hydrangeas don’t deal with underwatering well either. Hydrangeas are not drought-tolerant plants. However, they can recover from drought if you take the proper steps afterward.
The Oakleaf Hydrangea is the most drought tolerant Hydrangea. Once this type of Hydrangea is established, it can withstand some periods of dry weather without needing to be watered. This is a great choice if you live in an area where you cannot provide the amount of water that other Hydrangeas require or if you want a Hydrangea that is low-maintenance but still beautiful.
Too much heat causes stress for most species of Hydrangeas, though. Hydrangeas will dramatically show you that they need water by wilting quickly and perking back up several hours after being watered.
It is better to prevent drought conditions when possible. To keep Hydrangeas happy, water your Hydrangeas deeply 1-3 times a week. Plant them in loamy soil that retains moisture and place mulch around the base of Hydrangeas to help the soil hold on to even more moisture.
Make sure that your Hydrangeas are in partial shade so that they are not dealing with too much sunlight and heat each day. Hydrangeas don’t want to be out in the full sun in 90-degree heat any more than you do!
How to Help Your Hydrangeas Recover from Drought
You already know how to properly water your Hydrangeas, but sometimes, you can’t always prevent drought from happening. If, say, you’ve been away for a long weekend, and your Hydrangeas suffered while you were gone, then there are ways to help your Hydrangeas recover.
First, start by soaking the affected Hydrangeas with water. Give them more water than you usually would to help the roots begin to recover. Go slowly to allow the water to soak into the soil instead of pooling up at the surface and running off. Continue deep watering multiple times each week.
After a few days, when new buds start to appear, remove the brown leaves that surround the new buds. This will help the plant direct more energy towards new growth. Don’t pull too hard, though. If the dried leaves are still firmly attached, then leave them where they are.
Even if your Hydrangea does not appear to be recovering from drought, wait until the next season before you decide to remove it. Sometimes, Hydrangeas may slow their growth but be fine the following season.
Signs It’s Time to Water Your Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas can suffer from overwatering and underwatering. Both can lead to stunted growth and the eventual death of the plant. So, how can you tell when it is time to water your Hydrangeas?
The first place to start is by checking the soil around your Hydrangea. Stick your finger four inches into the soil (roughly to the knuckle of your pointer finger) to see if the soil is still moist. If the soil is dry, then it’s time to water.
Hydrangeas can look wilted during the heat of the day even if the ground is still moist, so this is why it is better to check the ground instead of relying just on appearance. However, if your Hydrangeas look wilted in the morning before it’s hot outside or in the evening once the temperature starts to drop, then this is a sign that your Hydrangeas need water.
Brown leaves can be a sign for underwatered and overwatered Hydrangeas, so rely on checking the soil to tell the difference. If you are constantly finding your soil to be damp, overwatering is the issue; if it’s dry, you probably have the opposite problem. Checking the soil is more reliable than trying to decipher the appearance of your Hydrangeas.
Putting It All Together
Hydrangeas do require a lot of water to keep their position as the beauty queens of your garden. To help Hydrangeas thrive, give plants a deep soak 1-3 times a week rather than giving them little sips of water daily.
Hydrangeas do not tolerate overwatering or drought well. Their leaves wilt in the heat of midday, making it difficult to tell by appearance whether they need additional water or not. Check the soil by sticking your pointer finger four inches into the ground near the base of the Hydrangea. If the soil is dry, it’s time to water.
Overwatering or underwatering can stunt Hydrangeas’ growth, but the good news is that Hydrangeas can usually pull through if you correct the problem before they become too damaged. Watering your Hydrangeas correctly and fixing problems quickly will help your Hydrangeas look absolutely beautiful.
