How to Keep Hydrangeas Alive

Hydrangeas are beautiful flowering plants that come in a variety of colors and sizes. If you want to keep your outdoor hydrangea plants looking nice, be sure to water them and prune them regularly. For cut hydrangea stems, try dipping the tips in alum spice powder, changing the vase water regularly, and dunking the hydrangea blooms in lukewarm water.

1 Cut the stems at an angle. Give your hydrangea stems a deep diagonal cut across the bottoms. A diagonal cut will help minimize damage to the stem ends^[1]
- Cutting the stems under warm running water will help prevent potentially damaging air bubbles from forming on the stem.
2 Dip the hydrangea stems in alum spice powder after cutting the stems. Place a bit of alum powder on a plate, about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) deep. Once your hydrangea stems are cut, dip each individual stem in the alum powder. Then place the stem in a vase with water and arrange the flowers. This will help the blooms thrive for a longer period of time.^[2]
- You should be able to find alum in the spice section of any grocery store.
3
4 Mist the petals with water once a day. Hydrangeas actually absorb more water from their petals than through their roots and stems. If you have cut hydrangeas that you want to keep looking nice, you’ll need to gently mist the petals with water each day to keep them hydrated.^[4]
- Use a spray bottle with a gentle misting stream so as not to damage the delicate petals.
5 Replace the vase water every day. Fresh water will help your hydrangea blooms stay properly hydrated, and prevent them from wilting as quickly.
Remove your cut hydrangeas from the vase and discard the old water. Refill the vase with fresh room-temperature water.^[5]
- Rinse out the vase to remove any debris before adding the fresh water.
6 Add ice to the vase if your hydrangeas wilt when exposed to high temperatures. For hydrangeas that have begun to wilt, fill the vase with 2 parts ice and 1 part water. This will help cool the plants down if they are overheated.^[6]
- You should start to see improvements after one day. Feel free to continue the ice/water treatment for several days in an attempt to revive your hydrangeas.
7 Dunk the flower heads in warm water if they start to wilt. If your hydrangea blooms begin wilting, you can give them a bit of life support by submerging them in a bowl of warm water for up to 30 minutes.^[7]
- Be careful when lifting the hydrangea back up, as the water can make them quite heavy.