I'd say your hydrangeas planted in the ground want to be as "waterlogged" (as you put it) as the ones in the buckets.

Seriously, hydrangeas in general like water, but are in particular need of water after a rough transplant such as you described. I'd give the hydrangea in the ground a deep, deep watering--in fact, saturate them--right away, and then supply lots of extra water for a week or two.

Good luck.

Kate

Ok, I will do that. Should I also snip the drooping tops? I hoped they would perk up but it doesn't seem like they will. Too much plant for shocked roots?

I would just keep deep watering the planted ones once a day unless you get rain or they show no wilt. I wouldn't cut anything off unless it is dried up.

Hydrangea means "water vessel"......I read it somewhere, so Sue is right, water is the word!! You might put an upside-down lawn chair over it to shield it from the sun....when and if it's in the hot sun for a few weeks also.

You might try taking some cuttings of this plant also, you might find in the long run, two years down the road, that the rooted cutting do better for you than the poor hacked-up plant! Five or six rooted cuttings planted 3 or 4 inches apart in a circle will make you a great plant!! Remember when you take cuttings you don't just have to take them from the top of the branch, you can use the whole branch, taking cuttings all the way down the stem. You can get 3to4 cutting per stem that way, they all root!
Refer to some of the other posts on how to take and root cuttings if you have never done so, very simple, hydrangeas root like weeds!! Good luck!

Donna