If the soil is sandy loam and drains quickly, it may need to be watered every other day when the weather gets hot.
If it is dry, water immediately.
When it is full, the hydrangea has received 1 inch (2. 5 cm) of water.
This shrub may also wilt when the soil is kept too wet. If it wilts and the soil is damp, do not water it again until the soil begins to dry.
This type of fertilizer will give the shrub a steady supply of the nutrients it usually needs.
A common application rate is 1/4 to 1/2 cup but this varies, depending on how the fertilizer is formulated. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations carefully. Do not give ‘Limelight’ too much fertilizer.
Yellowing leaves at the center of the shrub indicate it is not getting enough nutrients. If this should occur, give it ¼ to ½ cup of fast-release, 10-10-10 or 16-16-16 granular fertilizer for a quick boost in addition to the slow-release fertilizer. If ‘Limelight’ has plenty of lush, green leaves but does not bloom, it is getting too much nitrogen. If this should occur, use fertilizer with a 0-30-10 or similar ratio. The first number listed on the bag represents nitrogen.
It produces flowers on new stems each year so pruning it in the winter or early spring will not reduce the number of flowers it produces.
Dead branches should be removed at the base of the branch whenever they are noticed.
Thin the shrub to five to ten main branches in the spring to get larger flower clusters. [2] X Trustworthy Source Missouri Botanical Garden Oldest botanical garden in the U. S. and center for botanical research and science education Go to source Select five to ten new healthy branches to keep then prune the rest of the branches back to a height of 4 to 6 inches (10. 2 to 15. 2 cm). This will let ‘Limelight’ devote more energy to fewer branches resulting in larger flowers.
Snails and slugs will crawl into the beer and drown. The edge of the can should be level with the surrounding soil. Check the cans each afternoon. Dump the dead snails and slugs into the garbage, replace the cans and fill them with fresh beer.
Spider mites are actually tiny spiders that can barely be seen without a magnifying glass. They spin a fine webbing between the leaves and stems. Thrips are also very tiny. They are yellow to black and leave black excrement on the undersides of the leaves which take on a dusty appearance as the thrips feed. The flowers usually develop brown streaks. Spittle bugs are 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 inch (0. 6 to 0. 8 cm) long and can be brown, green or yellow. They deposit a frothy white substance on shrub stems.
Insecticidal soap concentrate is commonly diluted at a rate of 5 tablespoons (73. 9 ml) per gallon of water. Spray the shrub in the morning or evening. Spraying it in the afternoon when the sun is hottest or when temperatures rise above 85 °F (29 °C) can cause damage to the leaves. Hose the insecticidal soap off the shrub after an hour or two. The soap will only kill the pests that are sprayed. There is no benefit to leaving it on the shrub and it could damage the leaves.
When the weather has been cool and damp, brown spots and gray mold may appear on the leaves and stems. Leaf spots are caused by fungi that cause brown or black spots. [5] X Trustworthy Source Missouri Botanical Garden Oldest botanical garden in the U. S. and center for botanical research and science education Go to source Rust is also caused by a fungus that coats the leaves with an orange, powdery substance. Mildew can become a problem for ‘Limelight. ’ Powdery mildew makes the leaves appear white and powdery while downy mildew will cause yellow spots on the leaves with gray fluffy mildew underneath.
Rake up any fallen leaves and debris from around the base of the shrub and dispose of that, too. Fungal spores live in the debris and will be splashed back onto the shrub when it rains.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done for the shrub if it becomes infected with bacterial wilt. The leaves and stems will wilt and the whole shrub may die within weeks. If this occurs, appropriate watering is all that can be done to help it. If the soil seems wet, let it dry before watering again. If it is dry, water the shrub more often.
