Hydrangeas need consistent moisture and should be watered at the rate of 1 inch (2.5 cm) per week throughout the growing season. There are certain hydrangea varieties that need up to 2 inches (5 cm) of water per week. Smooth hydrangeas and big leaf hydrangeas in particular have higher watering needs than other varieties. However, all hydrangea varieties need consistent moisture. If the soil is dry to the touch at a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more, your hydrangeas are in need of water. When the soil is not kept moist enough, your hydrangeas will wilt. The leaves may roll up or bend in on themselves, and the flowers will droop.
How Much Water Do Hydrangeas Need Per Day?
Instead of daily watering, opt to water your hydrangeas 2–3 times per week. Use a guideline of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water weekly. This watering volume should be broken up into 2 or 3 separate waterings. Alternatively, you can provide 1 inch of water during a single weekly watering session, as long as it does not flood the soil.
- Do not water hydrangeas on a daily basis.
- Instead, water hydrangeas 1–3 times per week.
- Watering your hydrangeas once per week until the soil is moist to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm) is sufficient.
- You may want to break up your waterings to allow natural rainfall to supplement your watering.
If you live in an area where summer rain is commonplace, you may want to break up your watering schedule into 2–3 weekly sessions. This ensures your plants don’t get overwatered if natural rain also occurs in that week. For example, if you water your hydrangeas to a depth of half an inch (1 cm) and then later in the week you have several days of rain, there is no need to go back and give your hydrangeas more water.
How Do You Water Hydrangeas?
The best way to water hydrangeas is to use a soaker hose or drip system. This is much better than using sprinklers. The reason soaker hoses are preferable is because watering your hydrangeas at ground level ensures that the roots get all the water. Watering hydrangeas from above is not a good idea.
- Use this soaker hose to water hydrangeas.
- Watering your hydrangeas at ground level provides water to the roots and prevents plant disease.
- Watering hydrangeas from the top can lead to powdery mildew on their leaves and other problems.
If your hydrangea leaves are wet or moist on a regular basis, they will quickly develop powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. Additionally, hydrangea leaves really don’t need any water, as they get the moisture they need through the plant’s root system.
How Wet Should the Soil Be for Hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas need a lot of water to reach their roots, so it’s important to give them a good soak once or twice a week. However, it’s vital for the soil to be moist without being soggy. Achieving the proper balance depends on your soil, sun exposure, and climate. So, it will take a little bit of trial and error to find the ideal balance for your garden.
- The soil where hydrangeas are planted should be moist but not soggy.
- Test different watering amounts and pay close attention to soil conditions to get it just right.
- Feel the soil after watering to make sure it is moist to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm).
After watering, feel the soil to make sure it’s moist to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm). If the soil feels swampy or water is pooling in any area, the plants have probably been overwatered. Immediately after watering, the soil might feel a bit soggy, but if the water quickly drains into the ground and the surface of the soil is merely moist after that, you have watered your hydrangeas correctly.
Can You Overwater Hydrangeas?
If you’re not careful, it’s easy to overwater hydrangeas. When you know flowers need moist soil, it’s easy to make the mistake of giving them too much water. Interestingly, the signs of overwatering and underwatering are very similar. In both cases, the leaves may curl or fold in on themselves, and the flowers will wilt. Stunted growth may also be a side effect of too much water.
- Hydrangeas can be overwatered.
- Signs of overwatering include wilted flowers, curled leaves, and stunted growth.
- Some of the signs of overwatering are the same as the signs of too little water.
- Check the soil for sogginess to determine the cause of wilting hydrangeas.
The best way to check if your hydrangeas are overwatered is to feel the soil. If it feels saturated or soggy, let up on watering for a few days until it dries out to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm).
How Do You Know If Hydrangeas Need Water?
If the flowers are drooping and the surrounding soil feels dry, your hydrangeas probably need water. In most cases, if drooping is caused by a lack of water, the plants should start to revive 30 minutes after giving them a good soak. If this is the case, then too little water was definitely the problem.
- If your hydrangeas are drooping and the soil seems dry, they need water.
- Your hydrangeas should bounce back in half an hour after they receive water.
- Â For certain hydrangea varieties, dry flower petals may be a sign of underwatering.
If they end up drooping worse 30 minutes after watering, your hydrangeas are overwatered. Some varieties of hydrangeas will develop an odd, dry feel to their petals if they are in need of water. Any time the petals feel abnormally dry, err on the side of caution and water your hydrangeas.
Do Hydrangeas Require Lots of Water?
Hydrangeas should be watered to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm) per week to ensure they receive appropriate moisture. Follow this formula throughout the growing season, and always water your hydrangeas if the soil feels dry to a depth of 1 inch or more. Some varieties, such as big leaf and smooth hydrangeas, need even more water, but all must have consistent moisture.
- Hydrangeas need 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week at a minimum.
- Some hydrangea varieties need up to 2 inches (5 cm) of water weekly throughout the growing season.
- If the soil is dry to a depth of 1 inch or more, water your hydrangeas.
- Without enough water, your hydrangeas may wilt.
- Hydrangea flowers may droop and leaves may roll up if the plant lacks water.
Although hydrangeas love it when you keep the soil moist, they can be damaged by too much water. You can help your soil retain moisture by adding a layer of mulch at the base of your hydrangeas. With mulch and a little experimentation with your watering schedule, you’ll encourage your hydrangeas to produce their most vibrant blooms.
