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I transplanted two hydrangea this spring (in May) to the southeast side of our house. It has been a hot summer and they have not taken well. They are alive, but look unhappy. Is there too much sun on a SE side of a house or could it just be that they are not established yet? I'm debating whether to move them in the fall.

I'd leave them there and see what happens next year. My Hyrdrangea is very sensitive to the sun too and will wilt to the point of death, then perk up as soon as the sun is off of it and look beautiful. The heat really gets to them.

Maybe once yours buts down deeper roots they might do better but mine do the same thing every day.

Next time I plant a Hydrangea it's going to be in semi-shade. They are my favorite plant!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: My dog,

I moved three of mine out of the sun and into a spot where it's shady in the afternoon.

The first time in three years that they've bloomed!

Have patience, they need another season to establish.

I'll keep them there for at least another growing season. I thought the morning sun and afternoon shade would be good for them. Our house is not set square on the compass as the front faces SW. So, which sides would get the most/least sun?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: shook29,

The northeast side of your house will get a bit less sun.

I have 5 hydrangeas and the three that are on the Northeast do the best! In this heat, all of them are drooping and look like they are dead, but as soon as the sun goes over the house, they perk back up. I wouldn't worry if they aren't doing that well. You say that you just put them out in May. I'd give them until next spring before giving them the ax.

It may be too hot for them - are you watering enough with the extreme heat?

I only have one and it's on the east side of my house so gets about 6 hours of sun. I'm not impressed with it (altho I love hydrangeas) as it hasn't bloomed yet this year and it's very slow to leaf out and looks dead until early summer. Growing nice leaves tho so maybe it just needs more time. I think it may have been stressed from lack of snow cover last winter. I didn't bother 'winterizing' it last fall (this was it's 2nd winter) as I refuse to 'baby' plants any more. Survival of the fittest around here! Gotta be tough to survive in the north! LOL

This is a good site for hydrangea info:
http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/planting.html

joyluck, in your climate you may be able to plant them in full sun. At my house, its in a northeast corner where the dining room ells off the garage wall. It will wilt from the hot morning/noon sun but then perk back up when the sun goes over the house.

quote:

Originally posted by Florida Farm Girl:
joyluck, in your climate you may be able to plant them in full sun.

FFG, the funny thing about sun in the north (and I'm not all that far north, certainly not anywhere near Alaska! LOL) is that the sun can actually be quite strong in the afternoon and plants will wilt. As we've removed big trees and had less shade I've had to move some plants to less sunny places. We also have long days - sunrise before 6am now and sunset about 8:30pm. Earlier in the summer sunrise was at 4am and sunset 9:30pm. Climate zones are based more on year round temps - highs and lows - and we don't get really high highs but do get pretty low lows which keeps the zone low. We do have a lot of sunny days year round and in the summer it can bake plants.

I think my hydrangea will eventually do OK, probably needs better care (more water and proper fertilizing) than I've been giving it. Last fall I put well rotted manure on that bed so have really large leaves on some plants from excess nitrogen which may also be why it hasn't bloomed yet. OR, I'm just impatient and it eventually will!

Lucky, don't fertilize it. They do way better for me with neglect except for water when it has been dry.
Mine are on the east side of a fence so they get shade in the afternoon.

Karen, I think tho that I've tilted the NPK too far to the N with that manure. The hydrangea is in the same bed as those Lady's Mantles that have HUGE leaves this year. I'll leave it for now and maybe put some compost on it this fall. It's a newish bed that I didn't amend enough 2 years ago when we made it so it does need more organics. I'll keep adding something good as mulch and the worms will eventually balance things out. No big loss if it doesn't bloom this year.

Lucky, I am watering, though, admittedly could probably water more. I just thought they'd do better on the SE side with am sun than on the NW side of the house with the pm sun. The hydrangea on the NW side are doing awesome. Though they've been there for 3 growing seasons now. I just don't know if their lack of growth is due to 1. too much sun, 2. not being established yet, or 3. not enough water (don't think that's it though). Probably a combo of all three!

My daughter grows beautiful ones, ALL in the shade. If you can't move them this year, I'd put something over them for shade and try transplanting again in the dormat season.