Throughout the summer, the enormous flower heads of hydrangea bushes (Hydrangea spp.) can cover a landscape with eye-catching flashes of blue, pink, or white. Most hydrangea cultivars, which are hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9, can survive a moderate winter without particular care, but they benefit from careful watering, pruning, fertilizing, mulching, and weathering over the chilly season for their spring growth and beauty. Winter doesn’t cover their stems, and if they aren’t clipped, old flower heads will turn brown.
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If not removed, the dried and blackened flower heads of hydrangeas will stay that way all winter long. In the fall, hydrangeas likewise lose their leaves, but the brown stalks hold upright unless they are cut back.
How do hydrangeas fare over the winter?
The ideal places for potted hydrangeas to overwinter are garages or basements, where the temperature stays cool without freezing. The plants will go dormant, but until spring you’ll need to water the pots on occasion—roughly once a month—to keep the roots moist.
Should the fall be the time to prune hydrangeas?
When do you prune? Only prune these hydrangeas in the summer after bloom, not in the fall. In August and September, old wood hydrangeas begin to form their bloom buds for the following year. It is advisable to delay pruning your hydrangeas until the following year if you don’t do it right away.
What transpires to hydrangeas throughout the autumn?
Before pruning the stems, find out from Wayside Gardens whether your hydrangea blooms on old wood, fresh wood, or both. Hydrangea macrophylla (USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9) and Hydrangea quercifolia (USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9) are two examples of plants that bloom on old wood and should be trimmed back before midsummer by cutting off the finished bloom. Only prune the branch back to the next bud, and if required, remove any dead or dying stems.
Hydrangea varieties like Hydrangea arborescens, which thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9 but prefer USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, produce blooms on fresh wood. Before fresh buds emerge in the late winter, cut these plants back to the ground. In late winter, Hydrangea paniculata (USDA zones 3 through 8) can be cut to the ground because it blooms on new wood as well. According to University of California Master Gardeners, a few varieties, including Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Penny Mac’, Hydrangea paniculata ‘PeeGee’ (or ‘Grandiflora’) and ‘Limelight,’ and Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle,’ bloom on both old and new wood.
What shade do hydrangeas have in the fall?
What flowering shrub, landscapers, has been experiencing a recent explosion in popularity, with new types appearing on the market almost monthly? What plant do your clients most frequently ask for—one that is adaptable enough to be used in a variety of settings, requires little maintenance, consistently blooms, and comes in a variety of colors?
The “Endless Summer” series, “Annabelle,” and “Limelight” are our top sellers. Hydrangea have been very popular in recent seasons. The gorgeous flowers have long been the main attraction of hydrangeas.
They can be pink, blue, white, or even green, depending on the kind. The PG kinds’ pointy panicles become remarkably lovely with age.
Fall is now rapidly approaching. It signals a change in season and offers the opportunity to appreciate fall leaf color, another significant landscaping element that hydrangea are not well known for having.
The Oakleaf Hydrangea is one of the greatest flowering shrubs for autumnal color. They will become a gorgeous crimson to burgundy red in the fall. Fall foliage turns slowly, but gets better with each frost. This plant is interesting all year round because of its showy blossoms and peeling bark. Some of our most popular cultivars include “Alice” and “Ruby Slippers.” Dwarf varieties like “Munchkin” and “Pee Wee” are also gradually gaining favor.
Think about including Oakleaf Hydrangea in your upcoming planting. All season long, they will add significant landscape interest. Your project will stand out from the others if you try something new.
Should I trim my hydrangea to prepare for winter?
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.
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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When ought hydrangeas to 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.
Flower head size can be related to pruning. 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.
To Prune Or Not To Prune
The first thing to understand is that hydrangeas don’t require annual pruning. In fact, they are capable of producing robust blooms for years on end with no pruning at all.
Pruning is only necessary to maintain a shrub’s shape or to make it manageable after many years of growth. However, if you plan to prune, there are a few things you should know first.
Knowing whether to prune your particular kind of hydrangea in the fall or in the middle of summer is the first step. Where did you learn that? That relies entirely on when your hydrangeas bloom, though.
Hydrangeas come in two different kinds, one of which blooms on new growth and the other on old wood growth.
In the summer, varieties that bloom on old wood growth emerge from flowers that did so on last year’s growth. These should be pruned in the summer, immediately following their blooming season.
Regrettably, pruning these in the fall may stunt the growth where the fresh blooms might otherwise appear.
If, however, your hydrangeas bloom in the fall, it signifies that they are flowering from the same season’s new growth. After the blossoms have withered away in the fall, these hydrangeas can be cut back. They will then develop the new growth that will support the blossoms that will arise in the following fall in the spring.
Preparing Hydrangeas For WinterFall Hydrangea Care
After discussing trimming, it is time to discuss winterizing your hydrangeas. The climate where you live will determine how you prepare for winter.
First off, every fall, all hydrangeas can profit from one thing, regardless of where you live: a reinvigorating layer of compost!
Applying a few inches of compost around the base of your plant not only aids in protecting the roots from the winter, but it also gradually supplies nutrients that can be utilized for development and flowers the following year. Click here to buy Charlie’s Bagged Compost.
MulchingFall Hydrangea Care
A fresh covering of mulch in the fall will be beneficial for hydrangeas whether you are in a region with harsh winters or one with milder ones.
With addition to protecting hydrangea roots from abrupt thaws and freezing, mulch also aids in moisture retention. However, where you reside will affect how much mulch you use.
The usual rule of thumb is that the more mulch you need, the colder the climate. A few inches of mulch on top of the compost is more than enough to help retain moisture in regions where it is extremely rare for temperatures to fall below freezing.
A 6 layer is more appropriate if you live in a colder climate with winters that reach 0 degrees. And if your temperature grows even colder, wrap the main base in 8 to 12 layers.
In cooler climes, apply the thicker layers, then remove the mulch in the spring to allow the plant to start growing again.
Taking good care of your hydrangeas this fall will result in bigger and greater blooms the next season. See our post How To Plant, Grow, And Care For Hydrangeas for additional details on how to take care of hydrangeas.
I planted two hydrangeas in the fall, and as winter arrived they appear to have died. They have bare limbs and are brown-looking. What did I do wrong? I live in Zone 9.
Since the majority of hydrangeas are deciduous, it is common for plants to lose their leaves from late fall to early January. The buds should begin to swell and leaf out as soon as the springtime days begin to warm up.
It’s crucial to prune your hydrangeas as part of proper hydrangea care. Although you did not specify which variety of hydrangea you planted, the majority of the oak-leaf (H. quercifolia) and large-leaf (H. macrophylla) varieties bloom on growth produced the previous season. To avoid removing the growing flower buds for the following year, these kinds should be trimmed as soon as they have done blooming. Both H. arborescens and H. paniculata bloom on recent growth. They can be trimmed to the ground each year without causing any harm, and late winter or very early spring are the optimum times to prune them. I advise against pruning the bare, brown limbs this year. Decide whether the hydrangeas are flowering on the fresh wood from this year or the old wood from last year by carefully observing them. You can use this to decide when and how to prune them.
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