How To Stop Hydrangeas From Wilting

By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to stop your hydrangeas from prematurely wilting, keeping them looking fresh for up to three weeks.

I love growing hydrangeas and how easy they are to care for. They really don’t need much more than some good morning sun and LOTS of water!

My favorite part of growing hydrangeas is that they make for beautiful cut flowers. With their sturdy stems and large fluffy heads, they are show stoppers in even the simplest of vase.

The hydrangeas in my garden are so large this summer that when I fill up a large vase, you can’t even tell which plant I cut them from!

While they are stunning to bring inside and brighten up your home, they won’t last more than a few days if you simply pop them into water.

I’ve learnt a few tips and hacks over the past few years that have kept my hydrangeas fresh for longer. In fact, if you follow these tips, you’ll extend the lifespan of your cut hydrangeas to two to three weeks!

STEP 1 – Remove Leaves Below Waterline

Remove as many of the lower leaves as possible. Any leaves below the water line must be removed. Leaving the leaves attached can introduce mold into the water and the plant. I usually remove the majority of leaves, and just completely fill my vase with big flowers.

If you have less flowers and need the leaves to fill out the vase, you can leave some on.

STEP 2 – How to Cut The Stems Correctly

This is true for any cut flower – cut the stems at an angle so that they can absorb the most water. The angled cut creates a larger surface area for the flower to absorb the water it needs.

The next part is the important part for hydrangea stems – after you’ve cut the bottom at an angle, you also need to cut up into the stem. This is a great hack to get more water quickly up into the flower.

And we all know how important water is to hydrangeas (it’s even in its name!).

STEP 3 – How to Revive Drooping Blooms

Change the water every 1 – 2 days. When you notice the flower heads start to droop, it’s time to resussitate them with this next hack:

Fill a vase or other container (be careful if it’s glass) with really hot water. Snip the ends of the hydrangeas again, the same as in Step 2. Put the stems in the water and watch them perk up!

I usually do this in a ceramic pitcher that I know won’t crack. Then, once the water has cooled down a bit, I’ll transfer the water and flowers back to the vase.

A lot of people don’t know this, but hydrangeas have a sticky sap that covers their open stems once cut. After a few days, this sap will stop the stems from absorbing the water they needs, so the blooms will start to droop and wilt.

This is where the hot water comes in! While you might think that the hot water would damage the stems, it actually unclogs the sap and allows water to travel all the way up and reach the blooms once again.

To keep your hydrangeas looking fresh for up to three weeks, do the hot water trick once or twice a week and mist the flower heads daily!

Now that you know how to stop your hydrangeas from wilting, you can enjoy those big beautiful blooms for so much longer!