How often should you water hydrangeas in hot weather? Gardening experts explain how to stop your flowers from wilting
Keep your hydrangeas happy and hydrated this season with this expert watering advice
Are your hydrangeas not faring so well in the extreme weather? Once wilting sets in, it's hard to put a stop to it, which is why it's so important to know how often your plant needs a little hydration.
As one of the best plants for wet gardens, hydrangeas are known for loving moist soil and regular watering. However, when the weather is consistently hot and dry, these beloved plants that are happiest in rainy conditions are often left looking rather sad and crispy.
This can be prevented with the right garden plant watering routine, especially if you tailor it to suit both your hydrangeas and the current climate. Here's some helpful, easy-to-follow advice from gardening and horticulture experts to give your plant the best chance of thriving all year round.
How often should you water hydrangeas?
When it comes to watering, plants can have very different needs. How often you should water your tomato plants will not be the same as how often your hydrangea needs watering.
"Hydrangeas like consistently moist soil, especially during warmer weather, because their large leaves and flowers lose water quickly," explains Dr Russell Sharp, Founder of Eutrema. "In heat like this, established hydrangeas may need watering every few days, and newly planted shrubs will usually need more frequent attention as their roots are still developing."
"Always check the soil before watering, and if the top few centimetres feel dry, it’s time to water your hydrangea. Plants growing in containers will usually need watering more often than those planted in the ground because pots dry out much faster," he adds.
"If you find your hydrangeas are wilting regularly, you are definitely not providing them with enough water. This will not only impact their health this year, but also the amount of flowers and growth they can put out next year," explains Dr Russell.
Having the appropriate essential garden tools can make watering much easier, and adding some mulch during summer can help your plants retain moisture for longer.
Dr Russell is an innovator, best known for developing the range of plant care products offered by his company, Eutrema.
Should I water hydrangeas every day?
Given how much hydrangeas like moist soil, should you water your plants every day in hot weather? No. Even if you're preparing your garden for a heatwave, you don't have to worry about being outside every day watering your hydrangeas.
"If your hydrangeas have been growing in your garden borders for two years or more, then they will have been able to establish a sturdy root system, which means that even when there is no rainfall, you shouldn’t need to water them daily," says Lucie Bradley, garden expert at Easy Garden Irrigation.
"What is important is that you check the moisture in the soil – either using your finger and pushing it down into the ground to see how dry it is or using a moisture meter for a more precise reading - before deciding if you need to water or not," she continues.
Between sorting the garden out and trying new garden party ideas, it can be hard to find time to water every day, but it is important to keep an eye on your hydrangeas in hotter weather.
"This means that during heatwave conditions, you should be checking daily as your plants will be suffering from heat stress and the soil will be drying out quickly. Yonder hydrangeas will need watering more often, but it’s still important to check the moisture in the soil that surrounds them before deciding to water," Lucie continues. "You may need to water hydrangeas daily, even twice a day, under extremely hot, dry weather when they are growing in containers."
"With a restricted amount of soil to hold water, combined with the soil being warmer, especially if your pots are dark or non-porous, you are best to check hydrangeas in the morning and late afternoon to see how dry the soil is and water accordingly," Lucie recommends.
With over 28 years of experience working in the garden industry, Lucie has been fortunate enough to spend every day speaking to both amateur and professional gardeners.
Can you overwater hydrangeas?
Overwatering your garden plants is a common summer gardening mistake, and one that can be incredibly damaging to your plants' health.
"Whilst hydrangeas are heavy drinkers and want consistently moist soil, what they don’t want is to be sitting in waterlogged soil, which can make them highly susceptible to fungal diseases and their roots rotting," says Lucie.
"This means you should always ensure that the soil they are planted in is well-draining - so if you have heavy clay soil before planting hydrangeas, you should always improve the structure by digging in garden compost, leaf mould or well-rotted manure to break up the soil and improve its drainage," she continues.
"Hydrangeas will show when they are being overwatered by wilting or drooping - unfortunately, they also do this when they are not receiving sufficient water. To check whether it’s overwatering or underwatering, inspect the foliage – when you are overwatering, the leaves will feel soft or mushy, whereas too little water means the leaves will be crispy and dry," Lucie instructs.
Again, this is why it's important to monitor your hydrangea plants, especially through intense heatwaves, as their health could change within a day.
Our Lifestyle Editor, Tamara Kelly's, hydrangeas are particularly struggling with the heatwave
What is the best way to water hydrangeas?
It might be surprising, but there are mistakes to make when watering your plants, especially in hot weather. So knowing what's best for each of your plants is absolutely key.
"When watering hydrangeas, you should be watering them deeply to encourage them to develop deeper root systems. It is best to water early in the morning, as this ensures that water can reach the roots of the plant before it evaporates in the midday sun. It also reduces the risk of fungal diseases, as these thrive in warm, wet conditions," explains Richard Barker, horticulture expert and Commercial Director at LBS Horticulture.
"Always water hydrangeas at the base of the plant instead of over the top. Watering the foliage and flowers instead of the soil can cause fungal diseases, and water droplets can act like a magnifying glass in the sun, potentially scorching the plant," he continues.
The last thing you want to be doing during summer is helping your plants recover from sunburn and scorching.
With 4 years in the industry, Richard is a gardening expert at LBS Horticulture. He is keen to share his knowledge with both experienced and beginner gardeners, and prides himself on keeping up to date with the latest horticultural trends.
It's also important you know how to prune your hydrangeas throughout the seasons as this will allow you to not only control their growth but ensure you have some impressive blooms when the warm weather does arrive.
