What Hydrangeas Need in July – 6 Vital Tasks for Vibrant, Fade-Free Blooms
Summer heat can quickly dull even the most spectacular hydrangeas. These essential July tasks help keep flowers full of life and color.
July can be a tough month for hydrangeas. They tend to wilt in the heat of midsummer, especially during a heatwave or drought, and on sunny afternoons. The stress can trigger a transition from robust, vibrant spring and early summer growth to fading flowers, drooping leaves, and even burnt, crispy edges.
In July, hydrangea care is all about supporting your shrubs during stressful times. The effort you put in this month will help extend the blooming season and keep your plants healthy and vigorous.
1. Water Your Hydrangeas Deeply
Inconsistent moisture is one of the biggest and most harmful issues hydrangeas face in the heat of summer. If the weather is hot and dry, institute a routine of deep watering. A good rule of thumb is to water hydrangeas once or twice a week, but I like to stick my finger in the soil to feel for moisture. If the top two inches (5 cm) are dry, it’s time to water. If you aren't sure, then buy a moisture meter, like the Yamron 4-in-1 soil moisture meter on Amazon.
Don’t rely on the wilting of leaves for a sign of water needs, as hydrangeas often wilt in the heat of the day and perk back up overnight.
It’s better to water your hydrangeas deeply and less often than shallowly and every day. Shallow watering encourages shallow, weak roots. Deep watering encourages roots to grow down, where the soil is moist and cool.
Water hydrangeas in the morning to reduce water loss to evaporation during the heat of the day. It’s best to water at the base of each shrub rather than overhead, especially if you water in the evening. Water lingering on leaves overnight encourages fungal infections.
2. Add or Fortify Mulch
Bare, dark soil around your hydrangeas acts like a heat sink. The soil absorbs a lot of the heat from the sun, cooking delicate roots underground and causing moisture to evaporate quickly. Hydrangeas tend to suffer from this heat and dryness in the summer, so take steps to reduce the effect.
The best thing you can do is mulch generously around each shrub. Two to three inches (5–7.5 cm) of mulch does several things to support healthy plants: it regulates the soil temperature, keeps it cooler, holds moisture, and suppresses weeds. All essential for growing those stunning, billowy hydrangea blooms.
Shredded bark, pine straw, and wood chips are all good options. Or, try coconut husk, like this Back to the Roots Organic Expanding Mulch. Pile up the mulch around the base of each hydrangea, but keep a few inches around the stems bare. This reduces the risk of rotting and pests.
3. Remove Faded Flowers, Carefully
Hydrangea flowers often start to look sorry for themselves in the heat of midsummer. This is a good time to do some deadheading to tidy up the plants and help them direct energy away from seeds back into overall health.
When deadheading hydrangeas, snip spent flowers off somewhere between the base of the flowers and the first set of healthy leaves. Do not remove the entire stem. For some types of hydrangeas, trimming off entire stems now can reduce flowering next year. Use sharp, clean precision pruners, like Fiskars' pruning scissors with microtips, to deadhead.
4. Protect Hydrangeas from Intense Heat
As long as you provide plenty of water and use mulch thoughtfully, your hydrangeas will survive a July heatwave. However, they are unlikely to thrive during this time. If you can protect them from the intense sun and heat of July afternoons, the flowers will retain more vibrant color and last longer.
The best way to protect hydrangeas from heat is to provide some temporary shade. If your hydrangeas are potted, simply move them into shade for the afternoon. If not, you may have to get creative to rig up some shade. Use a shade cloth, like this one from Cool Arena Store, and support it with stakes. Alternatively, use a garden umbrella, a lightweight trellis you can easily move, or portable plant screens. Just a couple of hours of relief from the hot sun can help flowers last weeks longer.
5. Watch for Summer Pests
While some plants, like hydrangeas, struggle in the hottest part of the summer, certain pests and diseases are prepared to thrive. In fact, they’ll take advantage of stressed plants and cause worse infestations and infections.
Heat, and particularly humidity, in July can trigger issues with spider mites, aphids, powdery mildew, and leaf spot in hydrangeas. Inspect leaves and stems regularly throughout the month to catch signs of problems early, when they’ll be more manageable.
If you see pests, use a stream of water to remove them or target them with neem oil or an insecticidal soap – Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil comes in a ready-to-use spray. Remove leaves that show signs of spots or mildew and dispose of them. Just a quick, five-minute check once or twice a week is enough to ensure pests and infections on hydrangeas don’t get out of control.
6. Skip the Fertilizer
Lastly, this is a chore you can skip in July. Hydrangeas are likely to be at least a little stressed this month, and adding fertilizer can actually increase stress. Now is the time to focus on maintaining healthy plants, not encouraging additional growth.
Skip the fertilizer and spend your time ensuring hydrangeas have enough water and mulch to stay healthy through the hottest part of the summer.
July Hydrangea Care Essentials
These few, small tasks done in July can mean the difference between faded, sad-looking hydrangeas and healthy plants with vibrant, long-lasting flowers. Hydrangeas are pretty forgiving and resilient, but they’ll reward you for that watchful July care. Instead of just surviving, they’ll thrive through summer.
