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Due to incoming shed I recently had move a very healthy hydrangea and a clematis. Both got put into clay soil, but with pleny of new compost and perhaps a little too much horse manure. A few weeks later and neither seem to be doing well. The hydrangea went downhill almost from day one. The leaves are turning red and dropping many of the flower buds have turned black. It's getting plenty of water so that can't be the problem.
The clematis was flowering and seemed to be doing very well but the leaves have suddenly started going brown. Any sugestions?
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Moving shrubs in the summer is never going to go down well no matter how much you water them. Roots get ripped up and the whole respiratory system of the plant is shocked.
Write them off but keep them going in the background just in case.
As Dan says, moving stuff this time of year is not a good idea.
Yup it's the movement, but as said above, give them chance. Doubt they will both die completely.
Also, don't over-water to compensate - the change in colour on hydrangea [b]could[/b] be down to the soil (in part) as from memory, their colour is influenced by the nitrogen/nutrient soil composition.
I am not a horticulturalist 🙂
As above - moving is the problem. Prune them really hard to give the weakened roots a chance to keep up.
Not sure about the clematis but the hydrangea is missing an "n".
HTH
My clematis were diabolical until I got grumpy at them and cut them down to the ground. They've thrived every year since.
That all makes sense. Unfortunately it was move it now or squash them with a shed (which still hasn't arrived). I'll try pruning the hydrangea and leave the clematis to see what it does. Many thanks!
MoreCashThanDash - Member
Not sure about the clematis but the hydrangea is missing an "n".HTH
Maybe it's got a sniffle.....
Clematis might do better when stressed.
But yes moving while the plant is growing is not a good idea.
They'll recover if you leave them alone. I moved a Honeysuckle a few weeks back and accidentally chopped off half it's roots in the process. Upon replanting, within hours most of the leaves shrivelled and died, but within a few weeks it has recovered pretty well with 60% of the body going strong.