Say, "Hey, when I was over there to feed the dog, I noticed that little plant was dead, so I put something else in the pot for you."

Give back the pot with some petunias in it or some other cheap annuals. Your neighbors will think you are a sweet and thoughtful person, and the little hydrangea will undoubtedly be grateful that you rescued it.

They obviously didn'r want the Hydrangea, or they would have taken care of it. Probably won't even notice that it's missing. All plants, when under stress, produce blooms to insure the survival of the species at that instant place.
I have an old White Oak tree that produced very few acorns during the years, until it was struck by lightning. The following year, it produced a bumper crop. I raked up four 40 gal. garbage cans full and disposed of them and I didn't collect half. Darn squirrels ignored them! I had thousands of young oaks in flower beds, lawn, paths, pots and even in cracks in the street surface and gutters. Survival against all odds, it seems. If you want more blooms on your plants, create a moderate stress situation for them.

I had no idea plants produced blooms to combat stress. Poor little hydrangea. And here I felt bad that the one I had heeled in this past winter and given to another member of this forum didn't show any signs of blooming. I'll bet it has better roots though. Last year I gave away a Sister Theresa at the plant swap, and it was about to bloom. Don't remember who got it, but hope it's doing well.

My behavior gets worse. I also gave these neighbors a beautiful, healthy filependula last year. The day I found the hydrangea, I also found the filependula, still in its pot and dead as a doornail. This morning when I went to feed the dog, I noticed that after yesterday's rain the filependula had one stalk with a live leaf on it. So now I've brought another plant home. I've cleaned off the dead stalks and am left with one live one and one semi-live one (if that makes sense). I really have no place for this one, so I think I'm going to go back down there and plant it in their yard. I picked out the perfect spot when I was down there this morning. I have noticed that the things that make it into their beds get at least enough care to keep growing. So cross your fingers for the filpendula. If these people stayed out of town long enough, I'd probably re-landscape their yard.

You aren't going to believe it. Yesterday the neighbor came by to drop off some beautiful hosta divisions. My lacecap hydrangea is in bloom right now (the one I made the cutting from). She thought it was beautiful and said she wished she had one. WHAT DOES SHE THINK SHE LET DIE??????? She had one until I took it back. Jeeeesh!

It's living now and looks like it will be okay. I have no place for it. Anyone want a tiny lacecap hydrangea? I think it should stay in the pot another year, or at least until fall, to recover from its miserable winter and spring. Let me know. Blue center and white sterile blossoms that change to a subtle pink. Gets about 3' tall. Every stem blooms every year for me. I keep it in fairly heavy shade. I think it would do better with more sun than I give it.

Sounds like she realized you had seen/taken the poor little hydrangea and had a tinge of guilt.

I have two nice hydrangeas that I planted about two months ago. The are small no more than 12 inches high, but they are in full bloom, each has about 6 or 7 blooms each. Should they be bloooming at this stage, could this be stress? I have been feeding them fish emulsion and they seem to need watering fairly frequently almost daily or they wilt. Is this normal? I thought maybe they might be getting too muh sun, about 5 hours a day. Any thoughts on this? Thanks.

I doubt they are in stress. I have had first year hydrangeas bloom and they were perfectly healthy. I am sure this one was blooming from stress because it was so dried out. It had one leaf - almost completely dried - and yet it had put out a bud - also almost dried out - the size of a pencil eraser. It has three leaves now, all adequately hydrated, and the bud has put out a couple of tiny sterile blooms. It's still only 2" tall, but seems to be doing ok. I think it will make it through the summer in good shape. Once through the summer, the winter should be a snap.

Doesn't someone want to give this hydrangea puppy (or kitty if you are a cat lover) a good home?

It is normal for Hydrangeas to require frequent irrigation during the first after transplanting. You may be able to stretch the interval between applications by adding a thick layer of mulch around the plant. (Leave an air gap of 2-3" around the trunk to prevent disease and insect damage) Sun is required for more abundent blooms. I have planted Hydrangeas in full afternoon sun(Noon-sundown) and with mulch, irrigated them only a few times during the first summer. An ES planted there 3 years ago is covered with blooms now, probably 50+. Others planted there include 'Lemon Zest', 'Miranda', 'Todi', 'Amagi Amacha', 'Blue Billow', 'Tricolor', 'Preziosa' and Oakleaf 'Harmony' and more.
Some are more than 15 years old.
Rb

Hey Sugarhill, I'll take the orphan baby if it still needs a home. In fact, weren't we supposed to get together for something anyway? Life got a little crazy, but I should have some time now, my house guests are leaving tomorrow, Let me know when I can come buy and get it and see your yard. (What was it you were going to dig up for me anyway do you remember? I swear I am getting dangerously forgetful these days, too much time in the sun, need to get that gardening hat back on.)

Feel free to email me.

Kathy, it's yours if you can come and get it this week. I don't think I was going to dig up anything for you. I think you were going to take a myosotis cutting. Maybe that's what you're trying to remember. I'll email you my phone # so we can make arrangements. And you can see what the little hydrangea will look like when it grows up.

This is unreal. My lovely friend gives me plants, which I cherish. Everytime I look at them, I think of her. Can't believe anyone would purposely allow a plant to die. I love hydrangeas and I keep buying them every chance I have. Tell me how to propogate them. Since I am new to gardening most of mine are babies at this time

I know nothing about propagation, but hydrangeas are so easy. I take my cuttings after blooming is over. Take a short cutting (4 to 6 inches)from a branch that does not have a bloom. Strip off all but the top two leaves. Dip the cutting in some rooting hormone, then stick it in a pot of light potting soil to within an inch or two of the top of the cutting. Put the pot in a shaded area (I use my front porch), water it lightly - don't want it to be soggy. Check every few days to make sure it is adequately watered. THIS IS IMPORTANT: Spray it 3 times a day with a little water. I just use a standard spray bottle with a fine spray. That's really it. Sooner or later it will form roots. If the top leaves look droopy - dont' worry. If they die - oops, start over. I have not had them die though and I don't have a clue what I'm doing.
In the fall I heel the pot into a sheltered garden bed and leave it for the winter (although as I learned from my neighbor this year, you can leave the pot lying on its side in total neglect). It will go dormant, like all hydrangeas. Sometime in the spring, new leaves will sprout. Then you can do what you want with it. Understand these are not professional instructions. They are just really, really easy to root. Someone told me layering works well too, but I haven't tried it. Right now I am trying to root witch hazel, and it does not seem to like my method. Still, I have plenty of suckers to work with.

Thanks, I am going to take a stab at it. When you say "heel it into a garden bed" what does that mean.....sorry for the ignorance! Deb

I think she means sort of burying it in the ground or it least under heavy mulch but while still in the pot.

Thanks for the baby Nancy, I hope to someday have a beautiful shrub the size of yours. And my daughter and I both thank you for the myosotis. Just let me know if you want to come by and get some sedum.

How long does it take your hydrangeas to get to a pretty nice size after rooting? My neighbors have hydrangeas I've been coveting, and I think I'm going to request a cutting.