As a reader-supported website, we occasionally receive a small compensation from Amazon and other affiliates when you use their links to make purchases.
Once you know what kind of hydrangea you are cultivating, pruning hydrangeas that are grown in pots is simple. Although different varieties require pruning at different periods of the year, the procedures are always the same.
Steps:
- Take your sharpest pair of gardening secateurs to start.
- To avoid spreading germs, fungus, mold, or any other contaminants from one plant to another, sterilize your gardening tools.
- Trim the stems while avoiding causing any harm to the remaining stems, leaves, or root system.
In order to avoid damaging the potential flower development you might obtain the following year, trimming should generally be done before new blooms start to develop. Determining when to prune is dependent upon when your hydrangea blooms. The most common error is cutting back too late, which eliminates the bloom buds for the following year.
Should hydrangeas in pots be pruned?
This summer, I experienced the best hydrangea show of my whole life. In full glorious bloom, they were a shoulder-high froth of delicate pinks, mauves, and blue, brilliantly lighted by the dappled sunlight flowing through the leaves of the gnarled trees, growing beneath a group of old plane trees in an Italian garden.
My grandfather used to plant mophead hydrangeas, H. macrophylla, in pots, however he called them “hortensias” and they formerly went by the formal name Hydrangea hortensis.
Since I always assumed Grandpa’s were fairly dark plants, I must admit that I am a latecomer to the appeal of hydrangeas. As a result, I was blind to their subtlety and delicate exuberance.
Subtle beauty: The fundamental distinction between lacecaps and mopheads is how their flower heads are produced.
When I went to Wiltshire’s Stourton House, which contains more than 270 types, that’s when things started to change. I came to understand that my viewpoint was misinformed and narrow-minded and that there are many very beautiful hydrangeas, particularly the lacecap varieties.
I’ve been cultivating hydrangeas of all varieties in my own yard for the past 30 years despite my preconceptions.
I began by growing the climbing Hydrangea petiolaris, which flourished after a sluggish start, on a dark, north-facing wall. Then I grew the flattened heads of pink or blue flowers encircled by white florets lacecap plant known as “Lanarth White.”
I had to leave it in that garden when we moved, but perhaps the new owners are just as happy with it as I was.
The formation of the flower heads is the primary distinction between lacecaps and mopheads. Large sterile sepals make comprise practically the whole domed flower head of mopheads.
The smaller, fertile florets in the center of the flatter, lacecap florets, which are made up of both male and female flowers, are encircled by the infertile sepals.
The pH of the soil in which the mophead florets are grown has an impact on their color. Blossoms that are predominantly pink will grow in an exclusively alkaline environment like chalk, whereas blue flowers will prevail in an extremely acidic soil.
Purple flowers will grow on soil that is more likely to be alkaline (pH 7 and above), but identified varieties will keep their color. You will obtain that exquisite pastel coloring, ranging from delicate pinks to lavenders, mauves, and genuine blue, in mainly neutral soils with a pH of 6.5.
There is a misconception that pink hydrangeas will produce blue flowers if old metal is buried alongside them, however this is untrue. However, if the soil is generally neutral, an annual mulch made of an ericaceous material, such as composted pine needles or bracken, will promote a blue one to retain its color.
Although hydrangeas do not require trimming, they will occasionally need to be pruned back because most of us have limited room and many people plant hydrangeas in pots. It’s crucial to comprehend the plant’s growth behavior during pruning, as with any other type of pruning.
Mopheads produce flowers in the spring from late summer buds. Therefore, you will have few, if any, blossoms that year if you prune in the autumn or spring. It is best to wait until spring to remove spent blooms since they provide an essential layer of protection for developing buds. Wait until the last frosts have passed since even the healthiest mophead can lose a whole year’s worth of flowers with just one harsh frost in May.
Cut several strips of horticultural fleece to size if you are growing hydrangeas in pots so that you may cover the plants in case of a late frost. This will shield them from the frost as well as the morning sun’s even more harmful rays that typically follow a chilly May night.
When pruning, remove the old flower heads to the first pair of sound buds that appear below them. At this point, any old, crossed, or dead wood should be removed, cutting it all the way to the shrub’s base.
Since lacecaps are more resilient than mopheads, they can be clipped in the fall after the blooms have finished their late summer display.
Light or dappled shade is ideal for growing hydrangeas. If this is not possible, kids should only spend a portion of the day in direct sunlight. Put a lot of organic matter in the soil before planting, and every year, mulch with a thick layer of compost since they detest being too dry.
The same holds true for hydrangeas grown in pots, however they will require regular, thorough soaking.
Do you remove withered hydrangea blossoms?
Your hydrangea shrubs’ blossoms appear to be withering or turning brown. No need to worry—this is merely a signal that it’s time to deadhead—remove the blossoms from the plant.
Deadheading hydrangeas doesn’t cause any damage to the plants at all. Flowering shrubs stop producing seeds when the spent blooms are removed, and instead focus their efforts on developing their roots and leaves. You will be doing your hydrangeas a favor by deadheading because this strengthens and makes plants healthier.
Should I deadhead hydrangeas in pots?
Because hydrangea blossoms are so large, deadheading a hydrangea can help the plant focus energy on other, more crucial aspects of its growth. To promote new blossoms and keep your plant appearing healthy, you should continue this approach throughout the flowering season. The time of year determines the best way to deadhead hydrangea blossoms.
You should cut the wasted blossoms with a long stem still attached if it’s before August. Look at the stem’s junction with the larger branch; there ought to be several little buds there. Make sure to keep the buds whole when trimming the stem back as short as you wish.
The plant is probably developing new buds along the stems in anticipation of the following spring if it is August or later. Check the area between each set of leaves as you work your way down the stem from the faded bloom. You should see buds at the first or second pair of leaves. Offset the spent bloom far above those buds with a knife.
Carry a cloth that has been dipped in denatured alcohol as you work. To stop disease from spreading throughout the bush, wipe your pruners clean with the rag in between cuts.
How should a potted hydrangea be cared for?
If you’ve ever received a hydrangea in a foil-wrapped pot, you likely loved it for a few of weeks before seeing it sadly wilt. You might conclude from it that hydrangeas are poor container plants.
Most hydrangeas that are given in pots as gifts do poorly because they are kept indoors for too long. Others perish because they were grown in a greenhouse and are not cold hardy in your region of the country, even if they are planted outside.
However, hydrangeas can make wonderful potted plants if you choose wisely. What you should know is as follows.
Potted Hydrangea
You can utilize hydrangeas in containers in your garden on stands, decks, or patios. This plant looks classy perched atop an antique column.
- Choose a location for the hydrangeas first. You may move them around, which is one of the benefits of growing them in pots. This also makes it simpler to provide hydrangeas with the ideal growing circumstances because many of them like morning sun and afternoon shade. Additionally, you can arrange them to beautify a patio or other area for a celebration or special event.
- If your pots won’t stay in the same spot all the time, search for containers with wheels on the bottom or think about durable, rolling plant stands. Don’t forget that after adding dirt and plants, containers can become rather heavy, and soaking them can make them even heavier.
- For your hydrangea, pick a large container with a diameter of at least 18 to 20 inches. The plant commonly wilts in small pots like the one your gift hydrangea arrived in since they typically dry out too quickly. Drill drainage holes into the bottom of your container if there aren’t any already. Rotting can result from water that accumulates around the roots.
- Next, pick a variety that is advised for your area. (This is a general guideline for growing any plant well.) To choose the best types for your yard, read plant tags or conduct online study. Some hydrangea varieties can grow in USDA zones 3 and 9, while the majority are hardy in zones 4 to 8.
- Although using miniature hydrangeas in pots isn’t required, you might wish to if you have a small yard. Not only do hydrangeas grow tall, but they also become bushy. If not, prepare to prune your plants as they develop. Be careful when conducting your research; see if your variety blooms on new or old wood. You’ll lose the flowers for the following year if you prune at the incorrect time of year.
- Use high-quality potting soil that contains organic materials rather than regular garden soil. If you want the hydrangea to continue growing, don’t plant it higher or deeper than it was in the pot it came in. Make sure there is space below the pot’s rim so you can water.
- To get rid of air pockets, gently compact the dirt close to the roots.
- Water your hydrangea well whenever the top inch or so of the potting soil feels dry. But being underwater is preferable to being overwatered. When they are thirsty, hydrangeas may wilt to let you know. However, this can stress them out, so check them every other day or so. You’ll eventually get a sense for how frequently to water. In times of drought or extreme heat, you might need to increase your watering.
- Although hydrangeas don’t require a lot of fertilizer, you can feed your plants once or twice a year with a commercially available composted manure, a 10-10-10 granular fertilizer, or a slow-release balanced fertilizer. If you reside in a warm environment, wait until after July or August to fertilize. Gardeners in the north can get away with applying fertilizer just once, in June or July. Feeding hydrangeas later, when they should be starting to go dormant for the winter, promotes fragile, fresh growth.
- If your plant already appears to be ill or unhealthy, don’t fertilize it—you’ll just increase its stress. Try to solve the issue instead.
What occurs if hydrangeas are not pruned?
If and when you prune is the key to happy, healthy hydrangea flowers. Of course, fertilizing and offering the ideal environment have a lot to recommend them. However, if you don’t prune properly, your efforts will be in vain. Deadheading is not the same as trimming. Pruning refers to more drastic cutting to preserve shape or remove dead growth. However, feel free to discard spent blossoms or cut fresh ones to use in arrangements.
Hydrangeas can bloom on either fresh wood or old wood, depending on the species. The wood from which they blossom determines whether and when to prune.
Old wood-blooming hydrangeas do not require pruning and benefit from it. They’ll blossom more abundantly the next season if you leave them alone. But feel free to deadhead or gently thin. Just keep in mind that while new growth may appear, it won’t bloom until the following season. In our region, four different species blossom on aged wood. Additionally, they are not limited to the hues displayed here.
Climb using suckers. On your wall or trellis, resist the desire to remove the dormant growth.
The flower heads are more conical in appearance, and the leaves are large and resemble oak leaves. It’s a pleasant surprise for a hydrangea when its leaves turn reddish-orange in the fall.
They are very comparable to lacecap types, but smaller and with more compact leaves.
Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring on hydrangeas that bloom on new wood. Trim back to two feet to prune to shape. The next season’s blossoms are produced by strong, fresh growth that is encouraged by trimming. In our region, there are two types that bloom on fresh wood. They are also not restricted to the colors displayed.
Oakleaf variants are not included in cone-shaped blooms. Keep the blooms on throughout the winter to provide interest; even dried out, they are quite lovely.
regarded as a wild kind. They often have smaller blooms and leaves than Bigleaf variants and are completely white. They enjoy full sun and can grow very tall.
Knowing whether or when to prune now will help you avoid the disappointment of a hydrangea that doesn’t blossom. Don’t forget that a robust shrub will produce more gorgeous blossoms if it has well-draining soil and good organic fertilizer. Come on in, and we’ll show you where to go to develop your green thumb.
How long do hydrangeas in pots last?
In U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 5 through 9, hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.) gardens are adorned with enormous, vibrant blooms. These shrubs, which share their frothy blossoms for the most of the summer and may grow between 4 and 12 feet tall with proper care, can live for decades.
Hydrangeas are hardy shrubs that, with proper care, can survive for up to 50 years. They require frequent watering during the growing season and prefer early light but afternoon shade. After the blossoms have faded, prune them in the fall so that they will have sturdy stems for the summer after. The hydrangeas may lose their blooms for a year while the plants heal if they are pruned when they are in bloom.
Common hydrangeas, sometimes known as bigleaf hydrangeas, bloom in a variety of hues, including blue, pink, and purple. These hydrangeas typically start to bloom in May, which is sooner than some other kinds. Usually, the plants keep producing blooms until July. According to the characteristics of the soil, bigleaf hydrangeas are known to shift their bloom colors; a plant that blooms pink one year may bloom blue the following. Aluminum sulfate, which is added to the soil, promotes blue flowers, whereas hydrated lime, which is added to alkaline soils, promotes pink blossoms. Ayesha, Nikko Blue, and Preziosa are cultivars.
Longer blooming than other hydrangeas, the smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) frequently displays color from early June through September. The cultivars “Anabelle” in white and “Invincibelle Spirit” in pink are examples. Smooth hydrangeas often bloom on wood from the current year, which means you should severely prune them, in contrast to other hydrangeas that bloom best on ancient wood. Trim them to a height of 6 to 12 inches above ground.
The panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) blooms later in the year because it prefers the heat of summer to the mild weather of spring. Panicle hydrangeas often begin blooming in July and continue through September. Their blossoms are initially white, but as fall approaches, they start to turn rusty pink.
However, if you relocate the plants or transplant one from a pot to the ground, the hydrangeas may not bloom for a year or perhaps two. Hydrangeas can produce big flowers in their first year. This does not imply that their time of flowering is over. Once the roots of the plants have recovered from the shock of transplantation, they should begin to blossom. To this end, keep the plants well-watered and treat them with a balanced fertilizer throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Shala Munroe has been writing and copy editing since 1995 from her home outside of Atlanta, Georgia. She began her career in journalism at publications like the Marietta Daily Journal and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She most recently had managerial and communications positions for a number of charity organizations before opening a flower business in 2006. She graduated from Jacksonville State University with a BA in communications.