Question

I bought five hydrangeas two months ago and all but one are doing great. They are planted in the same garden but the one has barely grown since I bought it while the others are flourishing. Any suggestions?

Answer

Thank you for sending in a picture with your question. The best way to tell what is going wrong is to dig it up and examine the roots. However, that will probably set it back even further. Have you felt the soil around the base of the hydrangea to see if the soil is wetter or drier than the other hydrangeas? If moisture isn’t the problem, I would leave it alone until next spring. Then, follow our directions for fertilizing hydrangeas. There may be damage to the roots and it will need a year or two to get caught up with the others. Encouraging the roots to grow is the best care you can give it.