What is the best month to prune hydrangeas?
Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood can be safely pruned in late fall once the plants have gone dormant or in early spring. Next year’s flower buds won’t be formed until late spring the same year they bloom, so there is no risk of removing the buds if you prune in fall or spring. But NEVER prune these hydrangeas to the ground, otherwise you’ll cut off all of next year’s blooms. If your hydrangeas bloom on “new wood” you can deadhead them if you’d like…but then in late fall or early spring you can more aggressively prune them back.Your bigleaf or oakleaf hydrangeas do not require pruning in fall or winter, as you could unintentionally cut off next year’s flower buds.When it comes to pruning, the two main varieties of hydrangea are: those that produce blooms on the previous year’s growth (old wood); and those that produce flowers on new growth. Both types are best pruned in February-March, but the method is different for each.Reduced flower size and showiness: Over time, unpruned hydrangeas can develop a leggy appearance with fewer flowers. This is because new flower growth typically happens on younger stems.
Should I deadhead hydrangeas in September?
When to Deadhead Hydrangeas. You should deadhead throughout the blooming season to keep your hydrangeas looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place. This can reduce the number of blooms and limit the plants’ flowering potential the following year. It’s best to start deadheading as soon as the flowers begin to fade and lose their colour, usually in late summer or early autumn.Pruning Hydrangea serrata varieties Remove dead heads in spring (late March/early April), and thin out weak and dead stems.While deadheading can be done throughout the summer, you should make sure to stop in mid to late fall. Leaving that final set of blooms on your hydrangeas provides gorgeous winter interest. Check out our seasonal pruning guide to learn more about caring for your hydrangea. And it’s as simple as that!No, you will not hurt a new wood hydrangea plant if you decide not to deadhead it. The blooms will naturally fade and fall off on their own over time. In fact, leaving the spent flowers can add winter interest and, on old wood hydrangeas, even protect the plant’s new buds from frost.
What is the mistake for pruning hydrangeas?
Never prune a hydrangea in autumn As a general rule, hydrangeas are one of the plants you should never prune in autumn. Most hydrangea varieties flower on old wood, so avoid any hard pruning in autumn, as this may remove developing buds and reduce the display for the following season. What Happens If You Don’t Prune Hydrangeas in the Fall? Nothing. Your hydrangea may thank you with prolific blooms next year because you didn’t prune it. This season’s flowers will slowly dry up and, throughout the winter, blow off and away.Autumn is an ideal season for pruning a number of plants. It’s the perfect time to tidy up trees, shrubs and fruit bushes to encourage healthy spring growth. However, when it comes to hydrangeas, there’s one rule every gardener should follow: leave them alone.If you pruned your hydrangea in the spring and it did not flower that summer, then it’s likely one that blooms on old wood, and spring pruning would have removed the buds. If you prune your hydrangea hard in the spring, and it still blooms that year, then it blooms on new wood.How to care for Hydrangea serrata Bluebird: Hydrangeas do not like to dry out. In dry weather, soak the roots with a hose and the plant will usually recover. Remove faded flowerheads in spring after the danger of frosts, cutting back the flowered stems to a strong pair of buds.Pruning climbing hydrangeas Try to leave as much of the flowering growth as possible, as most flowers appear towards the top of the plant. If your plant is very old or overgrown, you can cut it back hard in spring. However, this may reduce flowering for the next couple of years.
Which hydrangeas should not be cut back in the fall?
Oakleaf Hydrangeas “If you prune in the fall, you’ll significantly impact next year’s growth by accidentally removing many new buds,” Berendsen says. Moreover, this plant doesn’t typically need pruning very much. Unless your oakleaf is extremely overgrown, heavy pruning is not needed for this shrub,” she says. When to prune these woody-stemmed hydrangeas is not as critical as [with old wood] varieties, as long as you avoid pruning when the flower buds are opening, says Becker. Trim in early spring, before the flowers bud, or after the plant has finished flowering.Prune These Hydrangeas in Late Summer or Early Fall These varieties bloom on new wood or a combination of new and old wood. Prune them as soon as blooms fade in late summer or early fall. If you see buds forming on old branches, don’t prune. Those are next year’s flowers.The best hydrangea pruning guide is not do it or you’ll risk cutting off the flower buds. Pruning your hydrangeas to reduce their height isn’t effective because they will grow right back to their original size, or even larger because the act of pruning stimulates new growth.New wood hydrangeas (panicle and smooth varieties) should be pruned when dormant in early winter, but fall pruning can be done to remove dried blooms and help shape the plant. Old wood hydrangeas (mophead and oakleaf) should only be pruned immediately after flowering in the spring and summer.Hydrangeas are long-lived shrubs, sometimes living for up to 50 years if properly cared for. They enjoy morning sun but afternoon shade, and they need frequent watering during the growing season.
Should I deadhead hydrangea serrata?
Deadheading hydrangeas is not a crucial task, and will not damage your plant if you do not do it. In fact, many gardeners find that the dead flowerheads can provide interest in the winter garden, particularly on frosty days, and can also provide winter protection for the plant. Avoid pruning Hydrangeas in the Autumn or winter! The flower buds protect the hydrangea in winter from freezing temperatures and add winter interest in your garden. One reason the Soto team love Hydrangeas so much is for their beautiful skeletal form in the winter.Mophead hydrangeas bloom on old wood and produce flower buds on the stems in late summer for the following summer’s blooms. If those stems are pruned in the fall, winter, or spring, the buds will be removed, and there may be no blooms the following summer.What to do if your hydrangeas have brown flowers? Clip those toasted blooms off, snipping just under the browned flower. Removing browned petals improves the look of the plant and for re-blooming varieties helps to promote the production of more flowers.Hydrangeas need nutrients to bloom, but just any fertilizer won’t do. Make sure you’re using a using a bloom boosting, slow-release, granular fertilizer and follow the directions on the packaging for how much to apply. Apply fertilizer in early spring and again in July to help promote the rebloom.