Reasons why Hydrangea Leaves are Curling (And How to fix them?)

In this article, we will be stating a few reasons why Hydrangea Leaves are Curling. Hydrangeas are beautiful additions to your garden, creating some aesthetic border with beautiful light shades like clear blue, lavender, off-white, vibrant shades, etc. Hydrangeas are available.

Quick takeaways:

• The hydrangea plants are the name that is formed from the two words ‘hydro’ meaning water and ‘angeion’ meaning vessel, collectively indicating the plants need excess water.
• you are growing these shrubs just like Deciduous shrubs you know that these hydrangeas are well-grown in partially sunny spots with well-drained moist soil.
• Hydrangeas if showing curled leaves is an indication that something is wrong with the plant or maybe the surroundings.
• Usually, the curling leaves of hydrangeas happen when the plant is not getting the right amount of water.
• See! If the plant needs a lot of water that doesn’t mean we have to overflow the water into the soil, the plant will get overwatered. Due to overwatering, Underwatering, nutrient deficiency, diseases, pests, extreme temperatures, and poor soil can lead to the weakening of the hydrangeas making them curl their leaves. 

We will let you know all the possibilities that might be leading to curly leaves of hydrangeas and how to correct them all.

Let’s dig into the causes and fixations!

Reasons why Hydrangea Leaves are Curling – Causes for curling of leaves in hydrangeas

1. Improper Watering

Either hydrangea is overwatered or underwatered so that the leaves have started curling.

Overwatering

Yes! Hydrangeas need a lot! Of water but take a look! Are you draining the plant and making the soil soggy? These plants show downward curling of leaves as when they have been overwatered. Too much water standing in the soil makes the soil mushy and soggy due to which roots suffer. Roots fail to absorb the nutrients from the soil and not even the air with a lot of water around the roots. Plants are unable to get the nutrients and start to weaken trying to save nutrients and emit excess moisture, making the leaves go curl downwards.

Underwatering

Another reason for water issues can be Underwatering. Hydrangeas love the hydration and they thrive well in a sufficient amount of water. If the water is not supplied well then the curling of hydrangea leaves will occur. The soil not staying moist will dry out the roots and make them lifeless and undeserving to perform their regular functions. The plant will not get enough water as the seeds are already thirsty, the leaves will curl upwards to reduce the surface and save water loss via transpiration.

How to fix this?

You must check the soil before watering. If the top one to two inches feels dry to touch using an arm test then water the hydrangeas. If the soil is still moist then avoid watering if the soil gets dry and then water the plants near the soil. The soil also should be well, and drained and the water should not be standing in the soil for long. 

2. Diseases

The hydrangeas that are under water stress are easily attacked by harmful agents that cause diseases to them. The fungal infection molds easily start to grow if the soil is soggy and the plant is weak. Leaf spots, root rot, and powdery mildew are some of the diseases that are seen in the hydrangeas responsible for the curling of leaves. The plants indicate the problems by curling of leaves as a defense and you must not ignore these signs.

How to fix this?

Use fungicide whether organic or chemical(carefully) on the plants or the affected parts of plants. Keep the plant hygienic and so as the surroundings. Avoid overwatering and keep the soil well drained. Avoid overcrowding.

3. Too much light

The hydrangeas don’t like too much exposure to sunlight. They need some shade too. It is important that the hydrangeas are planted in a pot that gets a good amount of shade as well. Direct sunlight for long hours will dry the leaves and also cause excess water loss making the leaves curl. The leaves also will turn yellow and fall off.

How to fix it?

Plant hydrangeas where the sun is partial and the plant gets 5-6 hours of sunlight only. Good shade should be available to the plant.

4. Low temperatures

The low temperatures have a drastic effect on the hydrangeas. As the plant needs a good amount of water and absorbs a lot of water as the temperature goes down during the frost the water crustal starts to freeze and the leaves begin to curl. The temperature fluctuation really can make the plant weak and harm it drastically. The spots will also begin to form due to cold conditions. Just not that they grow up leaves change color and so do the younger leaves that turn black in color. 

How to fix this? 

Try to keep the temperatures regular and average by covering the plants with garden cloth or sheets. Cut off or remove the damaged plants. 

5. Pests

When the pests attack the plants, they suck the sap and energy of the plants making them weak. Even though the roots are working correctly, the soil is moist and well drained but the pests will get all the minerals that the plant had absorbed and needled. The plant will stay malnourished and to save further loss the leaves will curl. The lace bugs, aphids, and spider mites are some of the pests that affect the hydrangeas and cause the inward curling of hydrangeas leaves.

How to fix this?

Spray the plant with a water jet through the hose. Use pesticides or neem oil on the plant to get rid of pests.

6. Lack of Nutrients or excess nutrients 

The soil devoid of macronutrients can cause the curling of hydrangea leaves. The black spots on the plant leave or stem are also indications that the plant is undernourished. The lack of phosphorus in the soil which is essential for photosynthesis and good health of hydrangeas also leads to the curling of leaves. 

Not just this if you are adding too much fertilizer to the soil, that means the hydrangeas will obviously show curled leaves with purple-tinted leaves mostly near the margins. 

How to fix this? 

Avoid adding too much fertilizer in the summer season. Add phosphorus-rich fertilizer to the soil occasionally. 

Wrapping up the context

We hope you are aware of all the causes that are making the hydrangea leaves curl and just not this, don’t forget to try these remedies and ways to revive the hydrangeas. Hydrangeas don’t look good when they are not healthy and their leaves are curled. We don’t want that at all. Do let us know what method worked for you. Happy planting! 

FAQ