Proper pruning of hydrangeas allows you to have beautiful, healthy, regular shaped plants with regular blooms, year after year. Not all hydrangeas need to be pruned at the same time of the year, so it's important to evaluate their variety and flowering period. There are shrub and climbing species and plants that bloom on the new branches and others that bloom on the branches of the previous year. Read on to learn when and how to prune them.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Pruning the Hydrangeas that Bloom on Old Branches
Step 1. Find out if your hydrangea blooms from old wood
This can be one way to identify the variety! Hydrangeas with this trait tend to bloom in early summer and their flowers die off in the middle of the fall season. At this time of the year the shrub begins to produce shoots that will flower the following year. For example, H. macrophylla blooms on previous year's wood. Here are some types of hydrangeas that bloom on old wood:
- Hydrangea macrophylla and H. serrata.
- H. quercifolia.
- Use these pictures to identify what type of hydrangea you own before proceeding with pruning.
Step 2. Prune only when flowering is complete
Since these types of hydrangeas begin to produce buds immediately after flowering, in late summer and early fall, it is essential to prune them as soon as you notice that the bloom begins to subside. This way you will cut the branch before it starts producing the buds that will turn into flowers the following year. The cut must take place above the first pair of buds.
- In case you are past the right time for pruning, wait until the next season to prune it. Hydrangeas don't need to be pruned every year, so it won't be a problem!
- If the shape of your hydrangea just doesn't suit you, you can prune it anyway. Be aware, however, that if you prune it at an unsuitable time of year, your plant may not look perfect next time it blooms.
Step 3. Remove the withered flowers
Use a pair of gardening scissors to remove the withered flowers just below the flower. This will give your hydrangea a neat appearance during flowering. In hydrangeas that bloom on older branches, it is not necessary to intervene with excessive pruning, but only with the elimination of dried branches and flowers.
It is time to remove dead or dry branches; cut them directly at the base
Step 4. Remove the older branches
When a hydrangea is several years old, it will start producing fewer flowers. To reinvigorate the plant, the oldest stems must be eliminated, up to 1/3 of the total. You can recognize them by their dark (almost black) color and their wrinkled, scaly bark. Cut these branches at the base, using pruning shears for the larger stems.
Step 5. Prune the hydrangea to reduce its size
If it has overgrown and untidily, you can proceed with pruning in June or July (just after the flowering season) to contain it a little. Eliminate one third of the older stems by cutting them at ground level. In most cases, hydrangeas will grow back quite quickly.
- This type of pruning is not essential for the health of the plant. Do this only if it takes up too much space, and when planting new hydrangeas, be careful to choose a place where they can grow freely.
- Endless summer hydrangeas are an exception to the rule. This variety is lower maintenance than the others and can be pruned in any season, there is no wrong time.
- Endless summer hydrangeas can be left alone until they mature. You can then prune the plant in the spring or fall to encourage new flowers.
Part 2 of 2: Pruning the Hydrangeas that Bloom on New Branches
Step 1. Identify which variety your hydrangea belongs to and if it blooms on new branches
Some varieties produce new branches every spring; such branches will give flowers in the summer. These varieties tend to bloom later than hydrangeas that bloom on older branches, as they take longer to produce buds. The following varieties bloom on new branches:
- Hydrangea paniculata.
- H. arborescens.
- Use these pictures to identify what type of hydrangea you own before proceeding with pruning.
Step 2. Prune in the spring, preferably just after the end of winter
Since these varieties bloom on new branches, you can prune them at the end of the winter before they develop. This is the best time of year to prune these varieties, but if you want you can also prune at other times of the year. Avoid pruning before flowering begins and in early summer.
- All the branches can be cut, leaving a maximum of three basal buds, which will give life to a new plant no more than one meter high. This type of pruning will help the shrub produce larger flowers.
- Many gardeners prefer a plant with small but numerous flowers; in this case proceed with a light pruning, leaving the plant as much as possible at its natural height.
Step 3. Cut away dead and tangled branches
Use scissors or garden shears to remove dry branches and those that are overlapping or tangled: it will allow for better airflow and allow the plant to grow stronger and healthier.
Step 4. Leave some old wood branches to support the plant
Hydrangea flowers are quite heavy and it is best not to prune excessively, so as to prevent the plant from collapsing under the weight of its own flowers!
