Diseases and problems with hydrangeas: what you can do about them
Hydrangeas ( Hydrangea ) can be beautiful and impressive, but when they have problems, they're less impressive. What are the five most common diseases and problems with hydrangeas, and how do you solve them?
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Do you see brown or black leaves or buds in the spring? That's probably frost damage. Don't worry about the entire plant dying. Let it recover slowly and don't prune away any dead or damaged parts until late spring.
Hydrangeas are sensitive to frost. You can help them by placing them in a sheltered spot and leaving the spent flowers on. You can also mulch around the plant with leaves or straw if the frost is expected. But it's more important to protect your potted hydrangeas from freezing temperatures. Ideally, place the pot in a frost-free location. If that's not possible, cover the pot with a blanket or fleece.
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Is your hydrangea developing purple leaves? There could be a few reasons.
- The temperature has suddenly dropped in spring or autumn. The color returns to normal as soon as it warms up.
- Autumn is coming and the leaves are changing colour before they fall off.
- A phosphorus deficiency. This occurs in plants whose color has changed. Adjusting the pH or using a high-phosphorus fertilizer can help.
Hydrangeas can be affected by scale insects ( Pulvinaria hydrangeae ), which suck the sap from the plant. In severe cases, you'll see poor growth and leaf loss. In early summer, you can see the eggs. You can recognize them by their white, waxy covering. The insects themselves are brown bumps. If the problem becomes truly severe, you can try biological control.
Potted hydrangeas can be affected by the grooved vine weevil ( Otiorhynchus sulcatus ). What you see are damage to the leaves, as if they've been nibbled. But the real problem lies underground. Larvae feed on the roots, causing your plant to quickly decline.
As soon as you spot the insects (often in the evening and at night), you can remove them manually. Animals like birds and toads eat the beetles and larvae. For severe infestations, you can use nematodes.
This article was written by the independent editors of Gardeners' World. It contains sponsored links, and we receive compensation for these links. This allows us to continue providing you with the best gardening tips and step-by-step instructions so your garden looks beautiful all year round.
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