It's easy to tell if you are underwatering a hydrangea--its leaves will get all droopy. Ooops--more water needed!

I'm not sure about overwatering hydrangeas (it is so hot here that overwatering is impossible!), but normally for most plants, the leaves will turn yellow and start falling off if it is too wet for very long.

Somewhere near your hydrangea, insert your finger about 4 inches down into the soil. If it is moist that far down, no watering is needed. If it is dry down there, water the plant.

Those are the simple methods I use to figure out these things, but with gardening experience, I think you also develop a kind of sixth sense about these things that also helps.

Kate

Hey, Kate....how rude of me. I never thanked you for your helpful reply. Thanks.

The quick fires and the schizophragma moonlight are doing great one year later. The only issue is I am trying to get the schizophragma to grow up an ugly metal pole and it doesn't seem to want to go in that direction....can't say I blame it. I wouldn't want to live on an ugly pole either. I planted three beautiful new hydrangeas a few weeks ago....I think the variety is japonica ceruleum ....(spelling???), or something like that. They can't seem to get enough water. I'm just hoping they do ok when I go away later in the summer.

I bought my hydrangea plants from lowes about a month ago. They were about a foot tall with no blooms. They have not bloomed since I bought them. Is this normal? Also if anyone knows hollyhocks well, I have questions. thanks!

I bought numerous small hydrangeas from lowes last year. Most barely moved last summer but this year they are taking off and huge with lots of buds. The only issue is about 75% of them were mislabeled. Now that they are growing I can see that :(

Always a surprise with Lowes-my Blue Billow I bought 3 years ago is now a 6 foot blue mophead. My Bluebird is a 5 foot Ayesha!!!