If your plants have become a casualty of the recent cold weather snap, or are simply showing signs of neglect, here's a few useful steps for reviving them.
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According to web site Gardening Know How, just because your plant is limp and brown doesn't mean it's necessarily dead. If the stems or roots still have a hint of green and aren't brittle or breaking off, there might be some life left in it yet.
If the roots look salvageable, trim off all the dead stems and leaves, and give the plant only half as much sun as it normally requires. Lightly water it, and in 3-4 weeks you should start to see some signs of life. Be sure to trim away any stems that aren't producing leaves.
If the stems are history, you still might be able to rescue the plant anyway:
Cut away the stems a third at a time. You may find that as you get closer to the roots, the parts of the stem may be alive. If you do find living stem, try to leave as much as possible. If you find no living stem, leave at [least] 2 inches of the stem intact above the soil. Place the plant [in] conditions where it will get roughly half the amount of sun that is normally recommended for that plant. Water only when the soil is dry to the touch. If the plant is able to, you will see new stems sprout from around the remaining stem in a month or two. If you do not, recheck the roots to see if the plant has died.
These methods aren't foolproof and, despite your best efforts, your favorite hydrangea still might end up DOA, but it's worth a shot to try and save it. Have you ever rescued your plants from the brink of death? What restorative tricks worked for you? Let us know in the comments.
How To Tell If A Plant Is Dead And How To Recover An Almost Dead Plant [Gardening Know How]