Hmm. Hello, Christina. I think you are missing a picture from your post so I am going to guess you have a badly wilted/droopy hydrangea.

This time of the year, hydrangeas typically suffer from heat stress and, especially so, when this is their first summer in the garden. Heat stress = sunlight that heats them and dries out moisture via the leaves; drying winds; high temperatures. The further south that you are located, the more intense the sun is so check these hints:

* during the summer months, provide morning sun only (say, until 11am); then afternoon and evening shade

* keep the soil as evenly moist as you can

* maintain 2-4" of mulch to reduce evaporation

* increase in the summer the amt of water

* special steps for new hydrangea macrophyllas (mopheads and lacecaps): do not plant it in the middle of the summer if your summer months are very hot and you can delay planting and keep it potted; introduce it from a plant nursery setting (where it is shady) to a sunnier outside garden setting in stages (shady for a few days, little sun for a few more days, etc); transplant it to a morning sun only location if it is planted in afternoon or evening sun; cover with an umbrella or outside chair during the hottest/sunniest parts of the day; keep them potted in the Summer and plant them outside in the Spring or in the Fall so summer temps are not such a shock.

New hydrangeas had their roots pruned to fit into the plastic pots so their root system is not able to supply water as fast as its leaves lose water in the summer days so TLC is needed when planting in the summer and on thru Fall.

It is very important to maintain the soil as evenly moist as you can during the Summer. Avoid periods of dry soil, then wet soil, then dry soil again, etc. Insert a finger into the soil to a depth of 4" early in the mornings to see if the soil feels dry. If so then water; otherwise, do not water. Water the soil only in the morning (never the leaves to avoid leaf spot or powdery mildew in the leaves) and water from the crown of the plant outwards.

Hydrangea leaves fix themselves from wilting episodes on their own at night but only if the soil has enough moisture. If you notice them still wilted in the morning, they did not have enough moisture so water them. Start with about 1 gallon of water per plant and tweak it as necessary. Should you notice an extreme looking wilting episode, feel free to water immediately.

Another problem that starts becoming visible soon in the leaves is leaf spot but I will wait to see what you are seeing when you re-post the picture.

Luis

post a pic

here are the pics!

The plant overall seems fine. All I see is a little bit of browning and curling at the edge of the leaves which is typically a result of heat stress. Just keep it adequately watered and you’ll be fine.

If you see that the edges of the leaves are browning inwards, the plant needs water. You should have increased the amt of water now that summer has begun. Try to maintain the soil as evenly moist as you can with no periods of dryness. If unsure, insert a finger into the soil to a depth of 4: to see if it feels dry, moist or wet.