Quickfire Buds Brown and Dried

16 years ago

I bought a new Quickfire at Home Depot that looked healthy. I planted it in the beginning of August. Note, Maine has been very dry and hot for many months. The buds were white and the leaves green. Some flowers were in the lime green stage. I water it a few times a week but heavy watering when I do it. It is in full afternoon sun. Within the past week the buds have become browish and all dried up. Only a few flower heads have some white buds. The plant never turned pink and I am wondering if the plant, prior to me buying it was blooming somewhere nice in a nursery and when it got to HD and eventually my yard, its clock was all messed up. It doesn't look dead and the leaves are green, but rather going to that spent flower look at the end of the season which I suppose we are nearing in Maine. Any thoughts gang?

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Comments (3)

luis_pr
16 years ago
Maybe a combination of moisture problems, small or under developed root system and transplant shock. When they do not get enough moisture, hydrangeas will first abort flower buds, if they have any. Then they start browning out blooms and leaves. I have a large Mme Emile Mouillere (not a paniculata of course) that is doing the same thing too. I replenished the mulch around it, as I had not noticed that the mulch was thinning out. Quickfire is a toughie; good choice. I am going to have to stop by HD now!

:o)
Tim Wood
16 years ago
This should go away once the plant is more mature and has an established root system. Right now it cannot take up enough water to sustain the blooms.
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mehearty
16 years ago
I'm in Maine, and my QF started blooming in May this year. So if your new guy wasn't in bloom in August, it's been in a weird place this year. But do not dispair. QF's first year in my garden was a dud. It flowered, but it barely grew. Each year after that, it's performed like crazy. I do believe it's one of those plants that spend all of its energy rooting in the first season. It must work well, because all of my hydrangeas suffered greatly this year except QF. It's like it never noticed the drought.