How To Prune Hydrangea Bush

Study when and the way to prune your hydrangea crops for greatest bloom outcomes.

Step one of pruning hydrangeas is to determine the variability, as this determines how, when, and even when it wants pruning. There are 2 predominant teams of hydrangeas:

Group 1: Those who bloom on final yr’s development, or outdated wooden, and must be pruned in late summer season:

Reading: How to prune hydrangea bush

Oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia)
Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla)
Mountain hydrangeas (H. serrata)
Climbing hydrangeas (H. petiolaris)

Group 2: Those who bloom on new development, or new wooden, and must be pruned in late winter to early spring:

Clean hydrangeas (H. arborescens)
Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata)

There are additionally new varieties referred to as “reblooming” or “remontant” that bloom on each outdated and new wooden. These sorts do not require pruning in any respect, simply upkeep for plant well being corresponding to chopping out useless, diseased, broken or crossing branches.

HOW TO PRUNE HYDRANGEAS

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The timing and diploma of pruning is set by which group the plant belongs to:

Pruning Recommendation for Group 1:

Buds for subsequent yr’s flowers type as days develop shorter and temperatures cooler throughout late summer season and fall.
Usually, solely a trimming is required to preserve form, dimension, and a wholesome plant by chopping out useless, diseased, or damaged branches. In any other case, harsh pruning must be averted.
Trimming must be performed instantly after flowering stops in summer season, however no later than August 1. Don’t prune in fall, winter, or spring or you possibly can be chopping off new buds.
Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage a number of, smaller flower heads reasonably than fewer bigger flower heads.

Pruning Recommendation for Group 2:

Flower buds type on present yr’s development.
Prune in early spring, simply as leaves are starting to present.
Reduce branches again by one-half to one-third, chopping simply above a node.
Subsequent, take away any weak or spindly branches.
For H. arborescens, minimal pruning promotes massive vigorous shrubs with quite a few, smaller flower heads. Arduous pruning 12 to 18 inches from the bottom and even all the way in which to the bottom, will produce fewer, however bigger, flower heads which will flop with out propping.
For H. paniculata, so as to create a robust framework, prune out surrounding smaller wooden, leaving the bigger stems.

Flower head dimension may be associated to pruning. With extra aggressive pruning, shoots might be extra vigorous and flower heads might be bigger and fewer. Much less aggressive or tip pruning can lead to smaller however extra quite a few flower heads.

The very best recommendation for hydrangeas is to contemplate their mature dimension. Find them in an space they will not outgrow and require heavy pruning to preserve them in bounds. Hydrangeas don’t require strict reqular pruning; merely preserve them wholesome by eradicating useless wooden and they’ll develop and flower nicely.