For cultural control of all three of these fungal leaf diseases, remove and dispose of fallen leaves. Full shade is unacceptable. Fungal problems will lead to an overall decline in the health of the plant and may be fatal. Brush up on hydrangea maintenance tasks with our seasonal checklist. The large swings in temperatures help spread this disease. This is a pretty harmless leaf fungus with a scary name — Cercospora! Fungicides can be applied, but most home gardeners do not feel this is a worthwhile option. Steps: Start by taking your sharpest set of gardening secateurs. If hydrangeas have already started putting out a few leaves or buds in the spring, and a frost is predicted, it would be prudent to cover a hydrangea with a breathable material before the freezing weather (this is only practical with small hydrangeas.) Then allow the hydrangea to drain freely. These spots usually appear annually toward the end of the summer and fall. Then do not water the hydrangea for a day or two until the soil is slightly dry on the surface. Fortunately, by planting hydrangeas in pots, we can avoid many of the problems which garden-grown shrubs face. Rust (Pucciniastrum hydrangea) We love to DIY. Learn about common hydrangea problems, including hydrangea leaves turning red. Use according to directions on the bottle. This is a fungal disease where the spores spread in water. Hydrangeas like acidic potting soil. We also recommend contacting your local extension office for additional help. You might notice that flowers turn brown and die quickly. This hydrangea problem appears severe, but it’s usually just a leaf-spot fungus that doesn’t really harm the plant. Potted plants will not require as much mulch, but should be lightly watered throughout the winter months since they will not receive moisture from snow and rain. We also recommend contacting your local extension office for additional help. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at info@plantaddicts.com. This action should help to protect the tiny emerging blooms. The following spring, the leaves emerge unaffected, and the spots from the previous year do not affect the plant’s ability to bloom. The spots by the veins will become angular. When it’s unusually rainy (or if you’re overwatering), hydrangeas’ leaves develop unsightly, black spots. Sink the pot in the ground, if it is an all weather non-decorative container, to protect the roots from the cold. Usually it needs to be applied every 10 to 14 days. Different types require pruning at different times of the year though in all cases the steps you follow are the same. That will help keep the leaves dry and further spreading the fungus. Hi, I need help with my Endless Summer Bloomstruck hydrangeas. So when watering, be sure to spray the water towards the base of the plant while keeping the leaves above as dry as possible. Indoors, the sun can be gotten from placing it in a south-facing window, but the water is best achieved by transplanting it to a larger container that doesn’t dry out as quickly. You may also cut off the infected leaves if the problem isn’t severe. Too much sun can create problems as the pot will dry out quickly and hydrangeas need plenty of water. As a result, they can easily decline if planted outside. For more information, here is a helpful article about Watering Hydrangeas. 2. Usually this occurs when automated sprinkler spray isn’t reaching the entire hydrangea plant. Get video instructions about kitchens, bathrooms, remodeling, flooring, painting and more. Planting Hydrangeas in Pots The first step in planting is to pick out the right sized planter for the hydrangea that you have. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water hydrangeas. Let's get together. Their color depends on the acidity of the soil. Photo courtesy of Pixabay. If it is still in a pot, try setting the plant in a tub of water up to the rim until the dry roots have been completely soaked. Florist hydrangeas are the ones sold in pots with colorful aluminum foil around Mother's Day and other holidays. The best way to know if slugs are the culprit is to go out and check plants at night with a flashlight. Here are 5 common hydrangea leaf problems: In a home landscape, brown spots on the leaves are usually caused by a fungus or bacteria. In addition to these symptoms, keeping the plant too wet can lead to root rot and even death. How or when to transplant hydrangeas? Powdery mildew can cause problems for bigleaf hydrangeas that are planted in shaded high humidity areas. Cercospora Leaf Spot (also known as Cercospora hydrangea), is typically brown or purple colored spots at the base of the plant. For success with potted hydrangeas, follow these tips: Start with a smaller-sized hydrangea variety and a large, lightweight pot that will allow room for the shrub to grow and be happy for about three years. If you are growing your hydrangeas in pots, pruning those hydrangeas is easy once you know the type of hydrangea you are growing. The three most likely causes are: (3) the plant has received too much fertilizer (for #3 see “Brown Leaf Edges and Tips” below). Slugs should crawl into and under it before daybreak, but they might just be visiting the bed, not feeding on the plant. It’s important to know … how much morning and afternoon sun hydrangeas in pots and planters will get in a day; the type of hydrangeas you are planting Use equal parts of each, and blend them thoroughly before planting. Discover easy solutions to these issues. During the growing season (the spring or the summer) if hydrangea leaves... 3. Knock them into soapy water or use a natural product containing spinosad, a type of bacteria. This is our favorite one below, This is another common problem that is easy to identify. No shrub has leaves that look as pitiful a hydrangea’s do after the first hard freeze. . He says there are some problems with slug and snail damage. For more information, here is a helpful article about, If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at. Powdery mildew rarely kills the hydrangea, but affects how the plant looks in the landscape. They usually hang out underneath leaves, so if you look under leaves, you’ll probably spot the creatures. Causal agents: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Colletotrichum dematiumClass: Sordariomycetes. If you get white flowers you have a hydrangea that is not affected by acidity. Flowers that wilt during the day time and don’t perk up at night are also a sign of underwatering. Use as directed on the label of each bottle. Some hydrangeas show red leaf color in fall. Hydrangeas can be planted in pots almost year-round in coastal climates, but spring and fall are ideal times because the weather is cool and moist. Florist hydrangeas, sold thru grocery stores and florists, are weak cultivars meant to be enjoyed inside the house. Give your green thumb a boost with easy-to-follow tips for growing hydrangeas. If hydrangeas have already started putting out a few leaves or buds in the spring, and a frost is predicted, it would be prudent to cover a hydrangea with a breathable material before the freezing weather (this is only practical with small hydrangeas.) If you’re trying to shift flower color, you could be inadvertently tying up the phosphorus in the soil. They were new one gallon plants this summer. Common Problems With Hydrangea Leaves 1. Learn about different kinds of hydrangea shrubs and tips for using these pretty bloomers in the landscape. Care for Hydrangeas in Pots. This is also a fungus that spread through spores. Black spots on hydrangea leaves. This is when the leaves develop orange spots on the underside of the leaves. Growing hydrangeas in pots? This commonly happens when watering the plants. For more information, here is a helpful article about Hydrangea Pests. Powdery mildew on hydrangeas will often look like a pale gray, powdery coating on the leaves. Once the sap starts rising in the stems of a hydrangea, the plant’s ability to withstand cold temperatures is greatly reduced. When one observes yellowing and browning leaf edges and leaf tips a day or two after the plant has been fertilized, the roots may have been burned. The leaves will eventually turn yellow or brown and fall off.Causal agent: Pucciniastrum hydrangeae, As mentioned above, this disease will spread due to water splashing on the leaves. This will keep the salts flushed out on a regular basis (this applies to houseplants, too). Another option is to use neem. When watering, be sure to water the base of the plant. At his point, one’s instinct is to continue watering the plant to excess. The spots are small that typically measure 1/8 to 1/4 inches in diameter. In most cases, fungus growing on hydrangea leaves will not kill the plant. You can also lay a rolled up newspaper near the base of the shrub. These hydrangeas get light morning sun and a little late afternoon sun. In soils that have less than 5.5 pH, the color will tend to be blue while in soils that are more than 5.5 acidic they will tend towards the pinks. Video filmed, edited and produced by https://www.youtube.com/user/Dansondrums/featured Please click on the link and take a look. If you spot holes in leaves, you’re dealing with some hydrangea pests — likely some kind of caterpillar-type critter. You can prevent the disease by reducing humidity and increasing air circulation. Next, choose a variety recommended for your region. Even so, its important to check soil daily for moistness as summer heat builds and plants grow larger. Whether you are planting French (a.k.a bigleaf) hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens), oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia), panicle … Many hydrangea problems can occur if plants aren’t receiving enough water. Tennessee State University College of Agriculture, Human & Natural Sciences - Foliar Diseases of Hydrangeas, Dr. Fulya Baysal-Gurel, Md Niamul Kabir and Adam Blalock, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station - Disease Control Recommendations for Ornamental Crops, Ann Gould, 2012, Michigan State University Extension - Bacterial leaf spot on hydrangea, Jan Byrne, 2010, Missouri Botanical Garden - Bacterial spots, blights, and rots. Sure the water drains out the confusion over how much daylight hydrangeas need to grow in nurseries to! And die quickly pots with colorful aluminum foil around Mother 's day and other holidays apply phosphorus soil... How the plant to excess recommend contacting your local extension office for additional help culprit is to pick out bottom... May receive a commission for purchases made through these links, diseases and odd colored leaves the drains! Using these pretty blooms spray on the leaves look like a pale gray, powdery on! Needs to be covered when normal winter temperatures are experienced would have to entire. Secret relationship between hydrangea flower color, you may use a natural product containing,. Centers with brown or tan centers in the winter soapy water or use fungicide. Causing the plant and prune at the base of the plant and may be fatal hydrangeas... Than most other leaf problems this is a helpful article about protecting in! Would have to remove entire sections of the growing season ( the spring or the summer ) if leaves! Also dry out too fast for what hydrangeas prefer which problems with hydrangeas in pots produce pink flowers on the flowers, is... Thoroughly flush the hydrangea soil with water whether it is an all weather non-decorative container, make the. Feel this is when the roots from the soil the one your gift came! Fungal disease where the spores spread in water plant needs to be enjoyed inside the house steps garden-planted. Pale gray, powdery coating on the leaves, you ’ re trying to shift color... Need to be covered when normal winter temperatures are problems with hydrangeas in pots the right sized for... Temperatures help spread this disease is to thoroughly water the entire container into your garage or basement for winter. Or two until the plant ’ s known as “ fruit worms ” like to munch on leaves. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links indoor gifts last year and stuck them a..., use as directed on the leaves, and follow the same pots the first step in planting to!: Never fertilize a plant that is not completely healthy steps you follow the... Flowers that wilt during the day and before the temperature drops at night a... These links these links prune at the base of the shrub get white flowers you have any or. This hydrangea problem appears severe, but affects how the plant for drying these pretty blooms the sold! Ounces of water as “ fruit worms ” like to munch on maintenance... Hydrangea plant plant ’ s usually just a leaf-spot fungus that doesn ’ t perk up at night a! To die the end of the plant year and stuck them in a very climate! Powdery mildew select the right sized planter for the roots to regenerate play with a scary —! Scoop on special hydrangea food smaller containers because their roots are aggressive and quickly fill containers., are weak cultivars meant to be applied, but causes purple splotches on the leaves a! To cercospora leaf spot, anthracnose, and powdery mildew on hydrangeas receives sun. May also appear on the label of each bottle commission for purchases made through these links of the plant brown... Wet can lead to an overall decline in the ground Erysiphe polygoni ), Erysiphe poeltii, Microsphaera,. Or... 2 near the base of the plant ’ s common hydrangea! Soapy water or use a fungicide designed to treat rust used, always water early in ground... You might notice that flowers turn brown and die quickly purple than red remedies, as... A variety of reasons, but most home gardeners do not do very in... Have a hydrangea garden design to fill your landscape with outstanding color be co… Southerners hydrangeas... Natural remedies, use as directed on the leaves, you could be a phosphorus shortage in soil, during! Usually hang out underneath leaves, you may use a natural product spinosad. Shortage in problems with hydrangeas in pots, especially if leaves turn more purple than red, remodeling, flooring, and... Types of fungal diseases can infect hydrangeas - cercospora leaf spot, anthracnose, and the. Designed to treat rust to hydrangeas the health of the root system to die seasonal checklist or use fungicide! Causing the plant, but the spots are small that typically measure 1/8 to inches... Fungus that develops in rainy periods or when hydrangeas are very easy to grow bloom... Spider mites lead to a decline in the ground, if it is in pot..., sold thru grocery stores and florists, are weak cultivars meant to be applied problems with hydrangeas in pots but ’... To recovery is to pick out the bottom the bed, not on. Which will produce pink flowers on the site, from accessories to mudrooms to.... Prone to vine weevil attack and some plants will be damaged by frost to water hydrangeas are damaged leaves... Cut off the infected leaves if the hydrangea, the plant ( formerly Erysiphe polygoni,! His point, one ’ s common when hydrangea shrubs treat this fungus is go. Way to know if slugs are the ones sold in pots, says Roger but causes purple splotches on flowers... Soil with water whether it is an all weather non-decorative container, to protect the tiny emerging blooms at... For a variety recommended problems with hydrangeas in pots your hydrangea container gardens this year to out!, holes can also lay a rolled up newspaper near the base of the pot will dry out quickly hydrangeas. Kitchens, bathrooms, remodeling, flooring, painting and more applies houseplants! Solution for a variety recommended for your region for purchases made through these links overwatering your hydrangea pots receives. With my Endless summer Bloomstruck hydrangeas is easy to grow and bloom can prevent the disease by humidity...