A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 what is wrong with my hydrangeas?

My husband and I had our front yard landscaped this year. They put in 2 hydrangea bushes, white ones, I have no idea what type they are, and now all the blloms are long gone. Before they dropped off, the whole bush had big black spots all over it. It looked so bad I thought it was gone for sure.(Istill don't know). I've never done any gardening except planting typical annuals and hoping for the best. Can anyone tell me what this is? I didn't fertilize any of the garden because I didn't know what i was to use. I still don't, but I'm in Ontario and winter is well on it's way and I'm thinking maybe I should be doing something. All of the annuals I planted after the landscaping was done grew poorly. Any advice??

Hi There, it sounds like you had Hydrangea Leaf Spot,this is usually caused through fungal or bacterial attack, which most, are usually a weak type of pathogeons. these usually only occour when the plant is down, or suffering from some other more radical problems, which could be incorrect planting etc.
As it is to late in the season now to do any really corrective work, I would sugest cutting them back now,and using a propriertary anti fungal spray and giving them a good mulch of garden compost, or the like, and next spring give them a good feed of blood,fish & bone, and any other appropiate cultural measures.
Regards Ashizuru.

Thank you for that information....now this is going to sound really dumb, and I'm almost embarrassed to ask, but how do I cut them back? I've never had any real garden, which explains why I joined this place!! ..and I'm so glad I did. By the way, i live in Ontario, Canada, and winter is just about here, so is it too late?
Thanx for your reply

I dont know much but i know they dont like too much sun, they favor shade. Otherwise the leaves will "burn"

I have one in the fron yard that is getting to much sun.

hope this helps,

Luke

cutting it back may delay or prevent flowers next year, but i would cut any infected areas and remove the infected leaves before i mulched it in for the winter.