It is transplant shock and totally to be expected when moving an established shrub at this time of year. As noted by floral, just keep it well watered and it should recover.......most do.

When you say, "plenty of water," how much is that? It looks awfully dry around them. Have you dug down six inches or more to see if the soil is damp/wet?

Thanks! I have watered with a trickling hose for quite a while every other day starting the day they were planted. The soil has been consistently moist. I will keep at it! I was thinking the panicles would be hearty enough to toss around even this time of year, but maybe I overestimated their resiliency.

“Trickling hose for quite a while?“

Your words are too vague. Trickling as in dripping? If you put the trickling hose in a 5 gallon bucket how long would it take to fill the bucket? An hour? 3 hours? 12 hours?

Does quite a while mean 30 minutes or 3 hours or 12 hours?

The ground around it looks super dry to me too. When you dug the hole, did you fill it with water, let it seep away, plant the hydrangea, then soak it heavily? Hydra in hydrangea means water. It needs lots of water.

How hot is not too hot? 78°? 88°? 98°? Are they in full sun? I’ve had poor luck with hydrangeas in full sun (especially afternoon sun).

Hi littlebug, the hose was a slow trickle (not drip) and I left it for probably a half hour. The ground was fully saturated. We also have gotten about 1.5”-2” of rain since last Friday, so while I cant tell you why the ground looks dry, I am certain it isnt. Temps have been in the 70s, maybe low 80s.

FWIW I have had lots of wilting with my macrophylla hydrangea which seem to need endless quantities of water, but never noticed this with panicle hydrangea, even in pretty extreme heat and dry conditions.

A slow trickle for 30 minutes is not enough water, IMO.

In summer, in the sun, for a fresh transplant, a slow trickle for 2-3 hours every day is what I would do. The ground may appear saturated on the surface, but that’s not where the roots are. And the sun will quickly evaporate all the surface moisture.

When I transplant in summer, I try to shade the plant for the first couple of weeks--often I use a patio chair for this purpose. EDIT: I have noticed that when a plant is drooping and I add the shade, it perks up pretty quickly. Also, I always water with a full watering can, that way I know exactly how much water it is getting at the roots. I feel like when I stand there with the hose, I get impatient and probably don't water enough. I did an experiment--I counted how long it took for the can to fill from the hose and then I knew how long I had to stand and water with the hose to get the equivelent...but I still prefer to water from a measured container. Good luck!

The ground may appear saturated on the surface, but that’s not where the roots are.

This is worth considering "HU".....especially for a new transplant.

(I am often surprised when digging after a good rain, how little down the water seems to have penetrated.)

As a vague rule of thumb, for a deep watering, I look to give plants around 10 litres for each square metre of soil area. With new transplants, I would be aiming for more. Time how long it takes to fill a 10 litre standard watering can on a drip flow...I think you may be astounded at how long it takes to fill the can. It takes i minute and 40 seconds to fill my watering can at full shower stream...at a 'drip', you might be horrified to find out how little water has been delivered to the roots.

for next time.. it would have better to wait until mid to late september ... when you have cool or cold nights.. for the plant to recover from the move..

that said.. sometimes you just gotta do.. what you gotta do...

it look like you dug a rather small root mass for the size of the plant... in other words.. your odds were small.. when moving that large of a plant.. to start with....

second.. whats your base soil type.. if toward the sand side of the triangle.. water would soak in to the root mass ... if clay.. not so much... you MUST get water down to the root mass..

take a hand trowel or tablespoon.. and go dig a few small holes.. and find out if you are getting water down 3 to 6 inches.. you know how big a gob of soil you moved..

if it were smaller.. i would suggest you rig up some shade.. to get it out of all direct sun.. not sure how i would do that with this big plant...

good luck... lets hope fall weather break a bit early.. and gives your plants time to recover...

you might end up with a few buds from very down low... more in tune with the amount of roots the plant has.. if so.. just prune it all down.. and give it a few years to recover...

ken

Thanks, yes, I did not really have much choice about when to move them, or I'd have waited. Will go all out on watering. Neither of these plants has much of a root mass and it is fairly shallow, which is consistent with my experience with panicle hydrangea. My soil is rocky with some clay though I improved with compost when planting. Neither of these flowered this year because the deer gave them a prune.

for a deep watering, I look to give plants around 10 litres for each square metre of soil area

I admit it, I am bad at this in that I know water too little at one time and so water too frequently.

I had one put in a foundation planting by a landscaping co. Just about this time of year. It looked terrible and I called the landscaper who said if it is still bad in the spring he would replace. But by spring it had totally recovered.

To the Original Poster, I did the SAME thing you did, about 1 month ago. I knew better, but I was excited & compulsive. I gave it the amount of water recommended during spring & fall transplanting. it still wilted & turned brown.

The limelight is already recovering. I attached a photo. If you zoom in, you'll see new leaves, and even a bloom. I am hopeful/ confident it will bounce back next year.

so there might still be hope for yours

Thanks all - with a hitherto unprecedented amount of watering, the larger plant is mostly recovered. The smaller one has dropped most of its leaves, but is already pushing new growth. Fingers crossed!