Hydrangeas tend to look their best in summer, but gardeners need to pay attention to their leaves in the next few weeks otherwise they might struggle to flower again. August tends to be a very dry month for the UK, and hydrangeas can struggle even if watered frequently, as they have shallow roots that cannot retain much moisture.
This means that transpiration, which is when plants lose water through their leaves, can happen extremely quickly in the hot weather and can greatly stress out hydrangeas. It will be obvious that hydrangeas are suffering from heat damage if their leaves are curling up, browning or seem crispy, and they will need immediate care
Hydrangeas that experience prolonged heat stress will produce less flowers next year, and old wood species will likely not bloom at all, as their buds will be too damaged by the heat to survive.
If the overheated soil damages the roots, the plant will struggle to absorb water, which can kill hydrangeas if they are not given any care or are young.
However, the gardening experts at Go Buy Plants have shared that it is easy to protect hydrangeas and prevent any damage, as long as you mulch properly.
They said: “Adding a layer of mulch around the base of your hydrangeas helps retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Organic mulches like wood chips or straw work best.”
Mulching is the simple gardening practice of covering the soil around a plant with organic material, which helps protect the plant during the worst of the weather.
In summer, wood chips or straw are the best mulch for hydrangeas, as they can hold a lot of water and keep the plant roots moist even during the highest temperatures in August.
Using mulch can also insulate the soil and protect the roots from extreme temperature changes, so hydrangeas are less likely to become heat-stressed.
Organic mulches can be bought at gardening centres or even some supermarkets, and then all you have to do is apply a thin layer (around five centimetres) around the hydrangeas.
Mulching hydrangeas is really easy, and it is one of the best ways to protect them from the extreme heat in late summer so they stay healthy and flower next year.
However, make sure to keep watering hydrangeas deeply once or twice a week and also make sure to water them in the morning for the best chance of keeping them hydrated.