A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Hydrangea leaves turning brown

I have 5 new Everblooming hydrangeas. The leaves turn brown, I remove them, then new leaves grow. Why are they turning brown?

ND, my neighbor had the Forever Pink Hydrangea and it did exactly the same thing for her last year. She thought it was dying, but it came back fine this year.

Hi ND farm girl!

My Hydrangeas haven't appreciated the high temps we've had this summer, at all! Are yours growing in direct sun? Last year mine sunburned because they were in the sun for half the day (& it got pretty hot then, too.) So, I moved the plant (ended up with 5 of them) to a spot where there was full shade... then my neighbor trimmed the hedge on the fence line between our yards, which exposed half of my Hydrangeas to full sun!

The ones that were exposed to the sun ended up sunburned (blossoms AND leaves), yet the ones that remained in the shade looked almost the same way! I'm thinking that they're reacting to the heat... (or maybe we didn't keep them watered enough. I know that Hydrangeas need LOTS of water!)

Have you looked at the Garden Helper's page on Hydrangea cultivation requirements & tips ? There is some good information there, & a link to more of the same.

They do best in partial shade, and direct sun burns them fast. And mine are water hogs, it doesnt take much sun to harm them if they are in need of water as well.

Water is the key along with ample shade. I give my old girl a good gulp every morning and a late afternoon shower now that it is an oven out there. She gets about 3 - 4 hrs of early morning sun.

Thanks everybody - boy! I am new to this website and I love it only after 1 day of being registered! So many quick and good responses! Thanks! Yes - they are Everyblooming. The tag says that they can be in full sun, but I think because it has been such a terribly dry and hot summer, that they don't like it either. I had one that 'died' and I dug it up and kind of threw it in the corner and covered it with dirt and it started to grow and looked healthier than the ones I was caring so much for that were in the sun! So I moved them a little more into shade later in the afternoon and that seems to be helping. Thanks again everyone!

mines got brown dots on some of the foliage,but not all of it.I'd have to pay closer attention to see exactly HOW much sun its actually getting.Its under eves so at least after 1 pm its shaded.This one is from SIL It was at edge of house when burned.It had been about 5 ft tall& wide,but its at about 3 1/2 4 ft now.no blooms yet,but its proably settling in.at SILs it actually grew in full sun,but its roots were shaded by 4 pms& ferns& received cool air from under house.

I have forever pink.It ain't happy at all.course neither was endless summer& both are still struggleing.Nikko blue did not bloom.least my oak leaf is happy