Pruning is not typically thought of as one of the many gardening activities that may be done in the fall, despite the fact that there are several. It can be difficult to cultivate hydrangeas successfully in New Hampshire, and if you want your plants to blossom, there is frequently very little room for error in pruning.
Wait until Spring to prune hydrangeas
In New Hampshire, hydrangeas come in a variety of kinds, and each one has quite distinct growth patterns and pruning needs. Some plants only produce flowers on fresh growth, while others mostly produce flower buds on older wood. In any case, it is better to postpone all hydrangea pruning until spring. Hydrangeas, as with all other trees and shrubs, go dormant in the fall. Not much new growth is produced by them until the next spring. As new growth is more vulnerable to harsh cold at the location of wounds, plants that have been trimmed now run a higher risk of winter damage. Additionally, fall pruning may lessen the quantity of June blooms.
Considerations for pruning hydrangea species commonly grown in New Hampshire gardens
The gigantic blue mopheads or lacecaps known as bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), which are familiar to most gardeners, form their flower heads at the tips of stems on old wood from the previous year. Although lower buds along the stem have the capacity to grow blooms as well, the hydrangea’s blossoming potential is decreased if those buds are died or damaged throughout the winter. Wait until new growth sprouts in the spring before pruning your bigleaf hydrangeas. Approximately 1/4 inch above the first group of live buds, prune the plant. A hint: the interior of living stems will be green, whereas the interior of dead stems will be brown. Cut completely dead stems flush with the base.
The three other hydrangea species that are frequently planted in Fresh Hampshire—oakleaf (H. quercifolia), panicle (H. paniculata), and smooth—all bloom on new growth. Before the emergence of the leaves in the late winter and early spring, remove wasted flowers and prune the plant to improve its general structure and habit.
In conclusion, there are a ton of other activities you can engage in to stay occupied in the garden during fall. Save the spring for hydrangea pruning.
When should hydrangeas be pruned?
Depending on which group the plant belongs to, the timing and extent of pruning are determined:
Advice on Pruning for Group 1:
- As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder in the late summer and fall, buds for the following year’s blooms start to form.
- Typically, removing dead, diseased, or damaged branches is all that is required to preserve shape, size, and a healthy plant. Otherwise, gentle pruning ought to be practiced.
- In the summer, trimming should begin as soon as flowering ends, but no later than August 1. Pruning should not be done in the fall, winter, or spring because you risk removing fresh buds.
- Tip-pruning the branches in the spring as the leaves begin to appear can promote more numerous, smaller flower heads as opposed to fewer, larger flower heads.
Advice on Pruning for Group 2:
- On the growth of the current year, flower buds form.
- Early in the spring, as the leaves are starting to emerge, prune.
- Just above a node, prune branches back by half to a third.
- After that, prune any fragile or spindly branches.
- Minimal trimming encourages huge, strong bushes with many of tiny flower heads in H. arborescens. Hard pruning between 12 and 18 inches from the ground, or even all the way down, will result in fewer but larger flower heads that may flop if unsupported.
- For H. paniculata, remove the surrounding smaller wood while leaving the larger stems in order to establish a sturdy foundation.
Pruning may be connected to flower head size. Shoots will grow more vigorously and flower heads will be bigger and fewer with more rigorous trimming. Smaller but more numerous flower heads may result from less aggressive or tip pruning.
Consideration of hydrangeas’ mature size is the best piece of advise. Place them in a location where they won’t outgrow and won’t need a lot of pruning to keep them in check. Hydrangeas don’t need to be pruned precisely or often; as long as dead wood is removed, they will remain healthy and continue to develop and bloom.
In the spring, what do hydrangeas require?
Bigleaf or mophead hydrangeas, for example, require many applications of fertilizer per year. The initial application is made in the spring as new growth starts to appear. Although shrubs living in fertile soil may only require low-nitrogen fertilizer formulated to stimulate blossoming, such as 7-9-5 fertilizer, it is best for hydrangeas because it will support root, foliage, and flower growth equally.
Feeding with the all-purpose fertilizer 10-10-10 is advised by Clemson Cooperative Extension. An accurate image of any nutrient deficits in the soil can be obtained via a soil test.
Before feeding the hydrangea, thoroughly water it. Apply the fertilizer uniformly across the soil surface at a rate of 2 cups per 100 square feet of the bed when applying it. Avoid applying the fertilizer straight to the shrub as this could cause it to burn. After feeding, rehydrate.
What occurs if your hydrangeas aren’t 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.
Should I remove the brown blooms on my hydrangea?
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.
Cut back these shrubs in late winter before new growth begins
Shrubs that flower on young wood typically start blooming later than old-growth bloomers, beginning in June and continuing until the first frost, because they need to grow and set buds the same year that they bloom. As long as you avoid trimming when the flower buds are opening, these shrubs are understanding if it is not done at a specific period.
1. Trim the flowers all the way back for larger blooms.
These bushes can be completely removed from the ground in late winter or the beginning of spring. If cut severely like this every year, smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger flowers, but many gardeners prefer smaller blooms on stronger stems.
2. Maintain an old growth foundation to lessen flopping
Especially after watering from above or after a heavy storm, the branches of some hydrangeas frequently topple over from the weight of their blooms. Cutting the stems to a height of 18 to 24 inches will help to reduce this flopping by creating a strong framework for fresh growth.
Janet Carson is the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service’s horticulture specialist.
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Should hydrangeas be pruned back?
When should I prune my hydrangeas? is one of the most often asked gardening topics. We all have a tendency to want to hurry outside with the clippers and start hacking away when those billowy large flowers change from cheerful blues, purples, pinks, reds, and whites to uninteresting browns.
When to Cut Back Hydrangeas
The timing will vary according on the variety of hydrangea you have. First of all, be aware that hydrangeas do not require pruning unless the shrub has become unruly or too big for its location and requires some shaping up. Otherwise, simply deadhead wasted blooms and remove any dead branches from the plant.
How to Prune Hydrangeas02:07
But if you do decide to prune one, bear in mind to time it so that it blooms on old wood or new wood depending on the species of hydrangea you have.
If you wait too long, you can chop off the buds that are developing on old wood (stems from the year before the current summer), which would prevent flowers from blooming the following spring. Therefore, as soon as the flowers on these bushes have faded, they should be clipped.
The shrub should be clipped in the early spring before that new growth appears, but, if the shrub flowers on fresh wood (stems generated during the current season), which means that its buds are set inside the season.
Around hydrangeas, should you use mulch?
One of the most popular plants among Southerners is the French hydrangea. We enjoy growing, clipping, and sharing them with our loved ones. Big balloons of blue, pink, purple, and white blooms appear to float up like magic from the lush green foliage of these shrubs during the warm summer days. Most of us remember French hydrangeas, or mopheads, growing in our grandmother’s yard because of their globular, vividly colored flowers. The flowers on lace cap hydrangeas, a relative of mopheads, appear to float above the foliage in flat, delicate-looking clusters. They have an airy, light aspect that draws bees and butterflies to the yard.
Both mopheads and lacecaps produce lovely displays both in cut bouquets and in the garden. Follow these instructions for planting and caring for both new and established hydrangea plants to ensure a wealth of lovely blooms for years to come.
Choose a quality plant.
In your neighborhood nursery, seek for French hydrangeas that have more than simply gorgeous blossoms. Pick a mature plant that has balanced branching on all sides. The stems should be covered in plump buds or flower heads that are about to bloom or open in late spring and early summer. Bright green leaves that are not drooping are ideal (an indicator that the plant may not have been watered regularly). In order to produce hydrangeas that bloom quickly and out of season so they can be marketed on Mother’s Day, some of them have been designed and produced in greenhouses. Even though they are lovely, they might not be suitable for gardens and, if planted, they will struggle to keep up with the seasonal growth cycles.
Use good soil.
French hydrangeas appreciate soil that is moist, well-drained, and rich in organic matter, such peat or chopped leaves. Give your new plants a fighting chance by spending some time enriching your hard clay soil with organic stuff. Mulch plants to help keep roots cool and moisture stable, which is crucial when the heat of the late summer intensifies. To preserve moisture and control soil temperature, try to keep the mulch at a depth of about 3 inches. To ensure airflow and prevent rot, keep the mulch about four inches away from the plant’s base.
Plant in proper sunlight.
Hydrangeas should be planted in the South in areas that receive a lot of morning sunlight and afternoon shade. (These shrubs have few pests, but if planted in full sun, they may get spider mites.) Hydrangeas, especially mophead varieties, are susceptible to heat stress during hot weather, so be sure to water them frequently. In a seaside environment with cooling breezes, hydrangeas thrive.
Plant them well.
As soon as you get your plants home, water them, thoroughly moistening the soil. Before planting, plan out the location. The majority of French hydrangeas can be planted 3 to 4 feet apart, but you should check the tag to determine how big your choice will get. Create a hole that is the same depth as the pot and two to three times as wide. Put the plant in the hole’s middle after removing it from its container. With your fingertips, gently release the root-sides. ball’s Half of the original soil and half of the compost should be used to fill the hole. Mulch and water your plant frequently to aid in its establishment.
Accessorize your plants.
If you truly want to make your borders sing, team French hydrangeas with hostas in the foreground. They look beautiful in generous sweeps. Both enjoy lots of water and some shade. Other combinations: Use backdrops made of evergreens like purple loropetalums and camellias. In the foreground, ferns and striped monkey grass look fantastic.
Remember to prune.
French hydrangeas that only bloom once, like “Nikko Blue,” blossom on growth from the previous year. Just after summer blossoming, prune. French hydrangeas that bloom repeatedly include “All Summer Beauty” and “Big Daddy,” which produce flowers on both old and young growth. These can nearly always be pruned.
Protect them from cold.
If the winters in your area are extremely cold, you must protect your hydrangeas. You should consider using straw, wood mulch, or leaves to insulate your plants. To safeguard the flower buds that will open early the following year, pile mulch or leaves around your plants so that they are at least 12″ high. To ensure stunning blossoms in the spring, wait until all threat of frost has passed before uncovering. Follow the same procedures as if your hydrangeas were planted in the ground, but instead bring the entire pot inside your garage or a cool basement for the winter. Since they won’t get moisture from snow or rain during the winter, water sparingly.
Change the color.
Sometimes the blue hydrangea you purchased turns pink the following year and blooms. Your hydrangea is merely reacting to the pH of the soil. Pink flowers grow in alkaline soil, while blue blooms grow in acidic soil (pH 5.5 and lower) (pH 7 and higher). By adding aluminum sulfate to the soil surrounding your hydrangeas to make it acidic, you can alter the color. Make your soil more alkaline by adding lime. The pH of the soil has a different impact on various plant selections. White-flowered plants won’t change color.