- After planting, water hydrangeas with about 1 to 2 inches of water over the entire planting site. Form a small sloping mound around the base of the shrub so water does not pool on top. Also, add a couple inches of mulch to help conserve moisture in the soil.
- During hot, dry spells you will need to water your hydrangeas to supplement the water they receive from rainfall. In general, hydrangeas need a thorough soaking at least once a week, but during the hot summer watering two or three times a week may be necessary. At each supplemental watering, provide hydrangeas with approximately 1/2 to 1 inch of water. Water should not pool on top. If it does, you're watering too much, too fast. Continue with these supplemental waterings until the fall. After the bush goes dormant, but before the ground freezes, give it one last watering to help them through the cold winter.
- Wilt is the main way your hydrangeas will tell you that they need more water. If your flowers begin to fade early and your leaves are drooping, that is wilt. However, if your hydrangeas have been growing in super-saturated soil and they're wilting, you may actually be over-watering them.
- Like all plants, hydrangeas need to be watered after they're fertilized. This will help dissolve and soak the fertilizer into the soil to feed your plants. It also helps prevent fertilizer burn. Read the label on your fertilizer for exact watering recommendations, but in general, about an inch of water will suffice.
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