When should I trim hydrangeas?

How much should I trim?
When should I trim hydrangeas?
I have a couple hydrangea bushes and you either have to cut them back in late fall or very early spring before there are any blooms. Last year I didn't cut them back at all and they are doing beautifully so far this year. You can cut them back to nothing it doesn't really matter. Good luck!
Reply:FIRST, it's important to know that mophead hydrangeas do not have to be pruned back - ever - unless they are very old. Removing dead stems is the only pruning that must be done for the health of the plant, and these can be removed at any time. Dead blooms can also be removed at any time.



Use Method One if you have mophead or lacecap hydrangeas (these are the only type hydrangeas that are usually blue or pink) or if you have Oakleaf hydrangeas (leaves shaped like large oak leaves, white blooms).



Use Method Two if you have paniculatas (PeeGees) or 'Annabelle' (arborescens). Both PeeGee and 'Annabelle' bloom white.



If you do not KNOW what kind of hydrangea you have, you will be safe if you just use Method One.



Prune these hydrangeas only in the summer BEFORE August (to be safe). Some experts believe these hydrangeas may be pruned even into August, but this might be risky. The hydrangeas may already have set their bloom buds for the next year (especially if they are growing in Zones 5 and 6).



Method I is for hydrangea types that bloom on OLD WOOD. (Stems are called "old wood" if they have been on the hydrangea since the summer before the current season. "New wood" are stems that developed on the plant during the current season) This means that flower buds are formed on the stems of hydrangeas around August, September or October for the following summer's blooms. If those stems are removed (pruned) in the fall, winter, or spring, the bloom buds will be removed, and there may be little or no bloom the following June/July.



There exists a small group of mophead hydrangea that defy this general rule and bloom after being pruned at the "wrong" time ('Endless Summer' is this type of hydrangea). But for the vast majority of hydrangeas, pruning after about July will result in fewer blooms the next summer.



THERE ARE CERTAIN INSTANCES WHEN PRUNING CAN BE HELPFUL: (1) All dead stems should be removed from hydrangeas every year. (2) After the plants are at least 5 years old, about 1/3 of the older (living) stems can be removed down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. (3) In addition, if it becomes necessary to prune a plant to reduce its size, it may be cut back in June or July without harming the next year's bloom. But it will return almost immediately to it's former size. This is one reason why it's best to plant a hydrangea where it does not have to be pruned.



Method II is for H. arborescens (Annabelle types) and H. paniculata (PeeGee types) hydrangeas. These types of hydrangeas bloom on new wood (new stems). It is a joy to grow these type hydrangeas because they are determined to bloom every single year, no matter how they are treated. The only time they cannot be pruned is in the spring ('Annabelle') or in the summer (PG) when they are preparing to bloom.



Many people grow hedges of Annabelle and cut them within a few inches of the ground each fall so they will not be an eyesore during the winter. They will still bloom beautifully in the spring/summer, however this drastic pruning may cause the stems to come back weaker, and they may need staking. Go to the page on 'Annabelle' for a more detailed description of the pros and cons of pruning this hydrangea to the ground. While at the 'Annabelle' page, view a picture of Penny McHenry's 'Annabelle' hedge.





Paniculatas (PG/Limelight types) can be pruned in the fall, winter, or spring. However, it is not necessary to prune them every year. It is suggested that one trim out crossing branches and those that do not contribute to an attractive form whenever necessry. If one is attempting to grow a paniculata in a tree form, the developing trunk and main branches should not be removed completely.



If the blooms on your hydrangea are pink or blue, you definitely have a mophead (macrophylla) hydrangea and should use Method I above. If the blooms are white, it could be any type hydrangea.
Reply:Best time is right after they flower, but they can be trimmed through the late fall.
Reply:Hydrangeas should be trimed in late fall in order to allow a full bloom by early spring. Hydrangeas should also be trimmed before any blooms are seen this will insure that no damage accure while trimming.Try These Great Web Sites below... Happy Trimming...