Hydrangea is one of the most beloved plants of many gardeners. Culture is planted in garden plots, in parks, squares, decorating everything with its lush flowers. But there are times when the plant does not look as presentable as before. If you notice that your hydrangea is fading, then you need to urgently look for the cause and try to save it. In this article, you can find out why the hydrangea leaves turn red and dry and what to do to get rid of such a problem.

Why hydrangea leaves turned red and what to do

It sometimes happens that hydrangea leaves change color. They can turn black, yellow or red, and this does not always indicate the presence of pests or disease, perhaps the reason is improper care of the bush. The cause of redness of the leaves may be excessive watering or, conversely, lack of moisture. Direct sunlight also affects the color change of the leaves.

To avoid this, the shrub should be planted near the trees, so that during the period of active sun the flower is in partial shade. Experienced gardeners believe that hydrangea problems arise due to poor seedlings, so you should buy it from trusted sellers.

Causes of hydrangea diseases:

• too humid air;
• small distance between bushes;
• there are not enough trace elements in the soil.

Did you know? Hydrangea received this name in honor of the princess of the Roman Empire.

Hydrangea leaf diseases

Of course, most often the hydrangea leaves turn red and dry due to diseases, which can be a huge amount. Therefore, in order to recognize it in time and save the flower, it is necessary to know the symptoms of a disease. Below we consider the most common of them.

Chlorosis

This disease is associated with metabolic disorders. The plant does not have enough iron, the edges of the leaves dry, turn yellow or become maroon. If nothing is done, hydrangea will become dull and lethargic.

You can get rid of chlorosis due to spraying with special preparations:

1. "Agricole."
2. Iron Chelate.
3. "Antichlorosis."
4. Brexil.
5. "Ferovit."

If the condition is very running, then these funds are used for irrigation. To do this, dilute 40 g of potassium nitrate in 10 liters of water, mix iron sulfate in the same proportions. Water the bush once a day. For prevention, the soil should be regularly fed with preparations containing iron. Most often, chlorosis occurs in plants on oversaturated humus soil.

Septoria

At the initial stage, this disease manifests itself as crimson round spots on the leaves. If you do not fight this, then the damaged foliage dies over time, and the disease affects the shoots. Soon the plant withers and dies. Treatment involves cutting off damaged areas and treating the shrub with a copper-containing substance. You can use a Bordeaux mixture (1%).

With septoria, such drugs are best managed:

1. "Oksikhom."
2. Bordeaux fluid.
3. HOM.
4. "Profit".
5. The Captan.
6. Copper sulfate.

This disease most often affects large-leafed and panicled hydrangea, while tree-like, on the contrary, is more resistant to Septoria.

Important! Before preparing a solution for treating plants, you need to carefully read the instructions on the package with the product and follow it exactly.

Rust on flowers

This is a fungal disease that affects many ornamental plants. May appear from large amounts of water or nitrogenous fertilizers. Small redness appears on the ends of the leaves, which turn into growths, and after that the leaf dries and falls off. The fight against rust must begin with the treatment of the bush with a solution of copper oxychloride. To do this, you need to dilute 20 g of the product into 5 liters of water. Hydrangea is sprayed 2 times a day. Before this, damaged foliage must be removed.

Pests

Another cause of hydrangea illness can be pests, of which there are a considerable number:

• snails;
• spider mite;
• aphid;
• gall nematode.

Snails

Most often, the invasion of snails manifests itself on plants that are in the shade and densely planted - for them these are excellent living conditions. Snails eat buds, leaves, shoots. Because of this, the bush begins to gradually fade. When hydrangeas are prepared for wintering, they burrow into the soil. When the street begins to warm, the snails crawl out and begin to destroy the first green leaves. Sometimes they can be found in whole colonies.

You can deal with snails by destroying them mechanically. But this may not be enough. So that the invasion of snails does not happen again, you need to use special tools purchased in a garden store. Since they can be poisonous to the plant itself, they should not be put in the soil. It’s best to fill small containers with chemicals and put them near the bush.

Did you know? US archaeologists have found that hydrangea grew 40 thousand years ago.

Spider mite

If on the back of the leaf you saw yellow spots similar to the marble pattern, this means that a spider mite has settled on the plant. If he does not get rid of it, the shrub will gradually lose its leaves and wither. In a more neglected situation on the bush, you can see a web with small ticks.

Initially, it is difficult to recognize the tick infestation, so every day you should examine the flowers for the presence of cobwebs between the leaves. If you find the presence of ticks, the first thing to do is to remove the flower away from the rest (when the plant is indoor). Special chemicals will help get rid of ticks, you can also use alternative methods. A decoction of onion peel is one of the effective means.

To prepare it you need:

• 100 grams of onion peel;
• 1 liter of water.

The husk should be poured with hot water and left for 7 hours. The resulting liquid is poured into a spray bottle and a flower is sprayed a couple of times a day. If the plant is not too affected, a soapy solution can be applied.

Important! Other pests, such as slugs, caterpillars, and earwigs, can also affect the flower.

Aphid

Aphids are one of the main pests of ornamental plants.. It massively populates the bush and sucks all the juice from the leaves, leaving sugar secretions on them, due to which the flower can affect fungal diseases. Mostly aphids settle on the lower leaves, as a result of which they turn yellow and fade. Fighting aphids can be quite difficult. In the initial stages, the shrub can be treated with a soap solution.

And in advanced cases, only chemicals will help:

1. Fitoverm.
2. "Akarin."
3. "Commander."
4. "Spark".

Gall nematode

This pest appears in the roots of the bush. In appearance, he looks like a small worm. Forms a bloating on the roots, which subsequently begins to rot. Gradually, the root system will begin to die, and useful elements will not be able to enter the hydrangea. The indicated parasite is most often found on young plants. There is no reliable way to combat the nematode, therefore, before planting, it is recommended to introduce “Aktofit” and “Fitoverm” preparations in the soil to prevent future damage.

Prevention

Prevention is the best for the plant in question. If the flower is strong, then it will not be able to capture pests and diseases.

To do this, you need:

1. Plant a flower in partial shadeand if it is indoor, remove it from the scorching sun, since it has a bad effect on hydrangea leaves.
2. Do not dry out. Hydrangea is a water-loving flower and needs good watering. On hot days, it needs to be watered every 2 days.
3. The right ground. Light hydrated soils are suitable for hydrangea.
4. Fertilizer. At the end of spring, nitrogen fertilizers must be applied, phosphorus-potash fertilizers in summer, and phosphorus fertilizers in autumn.
5. To process wood. In spring, it is necessary to treat the hydrangea shrub with a solution of copper sulfate.

Hydrangea is a great option for any garden. But this delicate flower requires proper care and care, so before planting, all preventive work should be done so that the lush shrub only delights you with its beauty and aroma.