It does not look too bad but more bloomage would be good. Four hours of sun is ok if you are giving it four hours of morning sun. Morning sun/afternoon shade or dappled sun are ok.

I would check the soil pH and see what it reads. Yellow leaves with the leaf veins staying dark green indicate iron chlorosis. Liquid soil amendments work faster to correct iron chlorosis but regardless whether you use liquid or powders/etc, it will take several weeks.

I would also check the soil nitrogen levels with a testng kit (available at most plant nurseries) to make sure that it hss decent levels of nitrogen. Lack of nitrogen makes the leaves turn all yellow, including the leaf veins.

Too much afternoon sun can also turn the leaves in direct contact with the sun all yellowish or whiteish (and because they are dehydrated, the may feel like paper) while the leaves below remain all dark green or partly yellow and green.

I would also add some mulch so you do not have to water often. Watering a lot, especially as the summer arrives, leeches nutrients so your nitrogen could go literally "down the tubes".

Throw a bag of black cow manure or a few shovels of compost around it, and mulch. It sounds like you moved it to a good place. I bet it will be beautiful next summer!

Okay - I will give it some liquid fertilizer. And watch how much afternoon sun it gets. Question: Is it normal for it to wilt a bit in the middle of the day or does that mean it's getting too much direct sun? The leaves and the bloom wilted yesterday, though the soil was moist.

Yes. And maybe. More shade would obviously not hurt. As the summer months arrive, it becomes "normal" for the leaves to wilt. Extra watering can help but do not go overboard with this as you can then end with root rot. Placing the shrub away from warm/hot winds and in more shade will also help. During windy days, the leaves tend to dry out faster than the plant absorbs water through the roots. And that causes wilting. But the babies should return to normal on their own when the sun goes down. If you observe wilting that is "on" 24/7 then that is a plant with root rot.

In LA, the heat of the day is from noon to 2PM. So, yes, you need to protect it in that site.

Likely to do better for you with only morning sun.

Jean
who gardened in Long Beach, CA, for 30-some years.

Okay then I will move it today! Now I can't seem to find a morning sun only spot - hilarious since usually what I worry about is the veggie garden getting enough sun! Just can't win...;)
Thanks for your advice. One last question - and I shouldn't prune it right? Just leave all the dead growth and let it do its thing next year? But maybe pot it up again to a larger pot once its dormant?

I understand. I would like to have more hydrangeas and the only way to do that now is to plant trees or buy the property behind mine. Lord! Hee hee hee!

You can prune the dead wood at any time. Cut it all the way down or as far down as you can reach. I usually wait mid-to-late May and, if it has not leafed out by then, I prune it. You can repot it during the winter months.

I try to select planting locations that give shade to hydrangeas around at 11am-12pm during the summer months. You can do something similar. A location that gets 2-4 hours should be fine.

This post was edited by luis_pr on Thu, Jun 12, 14 at 22:05

Thanks Luis - I will trim off the branches that are clearly goners - and keep hunting for the best spot for it.