As soon as the bigleaf hydrangea’s July blooming is finished, prune and shape it. Even though oakleaf hydrangeas rarely need to be pruned, modest shaping is best done in the late summer as the blooms start to fade. Reduce smooth and peegee hydrangeas more severely by pruning them in the early spring by taking them down to 6 to 12 inches from the ground.
Both can also continue to grow unpruned because the new growth will produce blossoms. Deadheading, which entails removing blossoms as soon as they wilt, is beneficial for all hydrangeas. Until the plant’s next bloom cycle, deadheading encourages ongoing blooming and keeps the plant appearing clean.
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.
Should I prune my hydrangeas in pots for the winter?
Cutting away the old wood at the plant’s base and removing any weak or dead branches by cutting them off at the base are the initial steps in hydrangea winter care. Because your hydrangea will blossom from this wood the next year, take care not to remove any healthy wood.
What time of year should I trim my hydrangea?
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, harsh pruning should be avoided.
- 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.
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.
Should I deadhead my potted hydrangeas?
To keep your hydrangeas looking their best and promote the development of new flowers, deadhead regularly during the blooming season.
But in mid- to late-fall, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs, leaving any spent blooms in situ. This not only adds beauty to the winter landscape but also guarantees that the buds that will bloom the following spring are not removed.
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 are outside potted hydrangeas maintained?
Since a small container on the kitchen table is not the optimal location, store-bought potted hydrangeas frequently wither away. Hydrangeas prefer a lot of water and sunlight. While the water can be obtained by moving it to a larger container that doesn’t dry out as quickly, the sun can be obtained indoors by placing it in a south-facing window. Garden hydrangeas prefer full sun, but this rapidly dries out the soil in pots. To prevent drying out, plant your hydrangeas in a location that receives full sun in the morning and some afternoon shade.
Replace the pot your hydrangea is in with one that is several inches (8 cm) bigger in diameter and includes drainage holes. Leave a gap of about three inches (8 cm) between the potting mix’s surface and the pot’s rim. Fill the pot to the full with water, let it drain, and then repeat to water your container-grown hydrangea plants.
The subsequent care of hydrangea containers is also rather simple. Hydrangeas have the potential to grow to be enormous. You have two options: you either cut your full-sized hydrangea back or start out with a dwarf type. Just make sure you have the right variety before you prune. On both young and old growth, hydrangeas produce flowers. Avoid mistakenly removing all of the summer’s potential blossoms with pruning.
Hydrangeas in containers need some care over the winter. Place your container in a garage or basement that is cool but not frigid. Bring it back outside when spring temps rise and moderately water it.