Brown Hydrangea Blooms

The leaves on our hydrangeas are green but all the blooms on both bushes have turned brown and look dead. What is the problem?

-- Betty


Anne's Response:

The blooms on hydrangeas do turn brown and remain on the plants after they bloom. The blooms do have to be cut off the plant; they do not fall off of their own accord. Some plants bloom very early in the season while others may bloom as late as September.

I would deadhead the brown blooms, cutting the stems just below the bloom and above the first set of leaves below the bloom.