Ailing hydrangea

Hi I have a lacecap hydrangea - old, it's been around for at least 20 years, but has never given me an ounce of trouble. It has some stems dying back at the rear of the shrub and now is wilting like mad. Old flower heads are black and shrivelled. I watered it - it has been somewhat dry for a couple of weeks here - but it hasn't revived. It is putting out new leaves but these too are now wilting.
What bothers me most is that it is under a pyracantha which has fireblight and which I am also trying to deal with. Apparently the two are unconnected but it's looking dreadful.
So two things. Does anyone know if there is a bug which might cause it to look like this, and also should I prune it now instead of late winter to take out all the affected and wilted stems, in the hope it will recover in the spring. thank you all.

 

I probably would prune out the obviously dead bits ... and then wait till spring to see what happens. Hydrangeas can start to look a little forlorn by Oct, and the green leaves look OK apart from being limp. If they start to look worse, you could remove them rather than letting them fall to the ground, just in case the plant has a disease.

 

Hello @adamadamant, I'm sorry I don't know what that disease/fungal infection is but it looks pretty dreadful.
I think the same as ViewAhead and would cut out the dead bits asap and then see what happens although I suspect your plant's a goner unfortunately.
Hopefully others may have some better advice.

 

Thanks both for your messages. Quick update. I did cut out the really bad looking bits, but I gave the area a good clear out and a massive water again and it will be OK. I have lost about 40% of the stems which I'll cut out in March, but the rest are showing signs of life and budding. The problem (I believe) was that vinca at the back had got out of hand, one of the things I have been 'meaning' to tackle, and I think it was stopping water getting down to the roots. There was quite the thicket of it, all pulled up for the time being. Fingers crossed! And thank you

 

Sounds like you have done the right thing. If you get a bit more green growth, the other thing you could try is dilute seaweed TONIC. I stress that rather than feed. Dilute to about 1/10th normal strength and apply weekly as a foliar spray or with a fine rose watering can. The normal rule is NOT to feed a stressed plant as you can put it under more stress, but with a weak foliar feed the plant can absorb it easily. It isn't quite a miracle cure but pretty darn close, you have nothing to lose by trying.

 

I don’t! Thank you, I have some in the greenhouse.