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Do you cut back hydrangeas for winter


Pruning Hydrangeas - FineGardening

I know people are confused about how to prune hydrangeas because I get asked about it all the time. The three most common reasons for their confusion are the plant’s dead-looking appearance in winter, its failure to bloom in summer, and the reasoning that because it’s a shrub it needs to be pruned. But these popular woody plants can live long, floriferous lives without ever feeling the cold blade of a pair of Felcos. Hydrangeas, though, can handle pruning (which, if done at the wrong time, may be the cause for the lack of flowers), and sometimes you might want or need to cut them back a bit. For example, you may not like the look of the fading blooms, or your shrub may be a bit too tall. Pruning hydrangeas can also improve a shrub’s vigor and increase the size of its flowers.

Not all of these shrubs should be pruned at the same time. Those that bloom on old growth should only be pruned after flowering. Others bloom on new growth and should be pruned before they wake up in spring or as they are going dormant in fall.

Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood

Bigleaf hydrangea. Photo: Steve Aitken

Bigleaf hydrangea. Photo: courtesy of hydrangeasplus.com

Oakleaf hydrangea. Photo: Melissa Lucas
  1. Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 6–9)
  2. Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. serrata cvs., Zones 6–9)
  3. Oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia cvs., Zones 5–9)

Prune after the flowers start to fade in late summer

To determine if your hydrangea blooms on old wood, think about when it flowers. Shrubs with this characteristic generally begin blooming in early summer and peter out by midsummer, though sporadic blooms may appear afterward. These shrubs form next year’s flower buds in late summer or early fall as the days get shorter and temperatures cool off. To reduce the risk of removing these buds, prune just as the flowers begin to fade. Often, the earlier you get it done after bloom, the quicker the shrub can recover, producing more and larger blooms next season.

1. To tidy up, remove old blooms

Gardeners who want to maintain a tidy appearance can snip off spent blooms just below the flower head and remove any wayward or straggly canes at the soil line.

2. To improve vigor, remove the oldest canes

When a hydrangea gets old and woody, it can produce smaller blooms. Regular removal of a few of the oldest canes at the soil line can keep the shrub vigorous, producing large and abundant flowers. The same method can keep a shrub from getting too tall by targeting the tallest canes for removal.

 

Watch a video on pruning bigleaf hydrangeas

Almost everybody is enchanted by the large, mophead blooms of bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla and cvs. , Zones 4–9). And it seems that almost everybody who grows these flowering shrubs has questions about pruning them. The thought is often that, because they are shrubs, they must need to be pruned. Some gardeners also think that cutting back their hydrangea might make it bloom. Neither of these thoughts is correct. Bigleaf hydrangeas grow just fine without any pruning, and making your cuts at the wrong time can actually remove the flower buds you are hoping to get.

Bigleaf hydrangeas typically bloom on old wood, meaning the flower buds are on the growth produced the previous season. If you prune them before they flower, you will be removing the flower buds. Many newer varieties actually produce buds on old and new wood, so pruning too early doesn’t stop the whole show, just a good portion of it. But if your hydrangea isn’t blooming, poorly timed pruning is often the culprit. The best time to cut back a bigleaf hydrangea is just after it is done blooming. The shrub then has ample time to set new growth and harden off before winter.

If you do decide you need to prune your bigleaf hydrangea, this video will give you the information you need to time your cuts correctly and identify where to make them on the shrub. The only tools you will need are hand pruners and perhaps a pair of loppers to reach down into the hydrangea. Also, be sure to wear some safety glasses. You might not think they are cool, but it is very easy to poke your eye on a stem as you are trying to see down into the shrub. And a poke in the eye is never cool.

So stay safe, time it right, and enjoy your shrub.

Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood

Panicle hydrangea. Photo: courtesy of provenwinners.com

Smooth hydrangea. Photo: Michelle Gervais
  1. Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata and cvs., Zones 4–8)
  2. Smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescens and cvs., Zones 4–9)

Cut back these shrubs in late winter before new growth begins

Because they need to grow and set buds the same year that they bloom, shrubs that flower on new wood generally start blossoming later than old-growth bloomers, beginning in midsummer and continuing until the first frost. These shrubs are forgiving if pruning is not done at a certain time as long as you avoid pruning when the flower buds are opening.

1. To get bigger flowers, cut them all the way back

In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems.

2. To reduce flopping, leave a framework of old growth

Some hydrangeas’ branches often fall over under the weight of their blooms, especially after overhead irrigation or after a good rain. One way to alleviate this flopping is to cut the stems to a height of 18 to 24 inches to provide a sturdy framework to support new growth.

 

—Janet Carson is the horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

Photos, except where noted: Steve Aitken

Illustrations: Chuck Lockhart

How Far Do I Cut Hydrangeas Down in the Winter? | Home Guides

By SF Gate Contributor Updated November 18, 2020

Putting your hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp. ) to bed for winter doesn't always include a severe pruning. Hydrangeas grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 9, depending on the variety, with each variety having its own specific pruning needs. Determining how far back to cut your hydrangea for winter requires determining the type of hydrangea before you pick up the shears.

Tip

Hydrangeas bloom either on old wood or new wood, depending on the hydrangea type. New-wood blooming hydrangeas should be cut back in late winter before new growth begins, while old-wood bloomers require pruning right after flowers fade in late summer.

Pruning Tools to Use

Bypass shears cut through hydrangea stems that are less than 1/2-inch in diameter, but use a small hand-held pruning saw to cut through larger stems. Use properly sharpened tools so they make clean cuts through the branches.

Disinfect shears and saws in a 10 percent bleach solution before you begin pruning. Dip them in the solution when you move to a new bush or if you cut out diseased or insect-infested wood. Regular disinfecting prevents diseases from spreading to a healthy hydrangea.

New Wood Varieties

Varieties that flower on new wood, including 'PeeGee' (Hydrangea paniculata) and 'Annabelle' (Hydrangea arborescence), perform best when cut back in fall or winter. 'PeeGee' varieties don't require severe cutting back, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Instead, trim back overgrown branches by up to one-third of their height to maintain the shape of the shrub, and cut any dead, damaged or crossed branches back to the base of the affected branch.

You can cut back a badly overgrown 'Annabelle' hydrangea to just above soil level in winter after the shrub goes dormant. This severe pruning is best done no more than every three years so the plant doesn't weaken. Otherwise, only cut out weak or crossed stems, trimming them off at ground level or where they attach to a stronger branch.

Old Wood Varieties

'Mophead' (Hydrangea macrophylla) and 'Oakleaf' (Hydrangea quercifolia) flower on old wood, so they set the flower buds for the following year soon after they finish flowering each summer, reports Fine Gardening. These varieties rarely require severe pruning and cutting them back for winter prevents them from flowering next summer.

Instead, remove dead, damaged or crossed stems to thin them out every five years in summer, but before buds begin to form in late summer and early fall. You can trim off the dead hydrangea flowers before winter, but cut these just behind the flower head so you don't disturb the developing buds along the length of the branch.

Endless Blooming Varieties

One variety of Hydrangea macrophylla, 'Endless Summer,' is an exception to the old wood pruning rule. These hydrangeas flower on both old and new wood. The first flowers of the season occur on old wood, and then it flowers again in late summer or fall on new wood. Prune out dead and damaged wood at any time. To control the size and shape of this hydrangea, cut back the stems by no more than one-third of their height after the final flush of flowers finishes blooming.

References

how to prune and cover hydrangea for winter

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/en/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Garden Plants Returned: Last editing:

Content

When the days get noticeably shorter and the air smells of frost, it means it's time to prepare garden shrubs for winter. The responsibility of this event can not be overestimated: how you cut and cover your ornamental shrubs depends not only on their flowering next season, but also on their health in general.

In our climate, three types of hydrangeas are usually cultivated: paniculate, tree-like and large-leaved. And each of them requires a special approach. From our article you will learn:

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Hydrangea (lat. Hydrangea) - flowering plants of the Hortensia family, which in nature, according to various sources, number from 30 to 80 species. Among them are shrubs and small trees, growing mostly in East and South Asia, China, Japan, the Far East, and also in both Americas. The plant was named after Princess Hortensia, which no one remembers for a long time, later, when botanists were systematizing plants, the hydrangea received the Greek name Hydrangea, which translates as “a vessel with water” - the shape of the seed pods of the plant resembles a jug, and the plant itself is very loves water.

The Japanese call the hydrangea "ajisai", which means "flower - purple sun". It was from Japan that the hydrangea was brought to Europe in 1820, and at first it was grown only as a houseplant because of its low winter hardiness, but breeders were so carried away by the cultivation of hydrangea that by the middle of the 20th century more than 100 garden varieties were created. In our latitudes, garden hydrangea is represented quite widely - twelve popular species.

Botanical description

Most species of hydrangea are shrubs from 1 m to 3 m high, among hydrangeas there are trees and creepers climbing tree trunks to a height of up to 30 m. Among the representatives of the genus there are evergreen species, and there are deciduous , but in our latitudes it is the latter that are grown, blooming from spring to late autumn. Two types of flowers are collected in globular inflorescences at the ends of the stems - sterile at the edges and fruiting in the middle of the inflorescence. The flowers are most often white, but a species such as large-leaved hydrangea is represented by varieties with pink, blue, lilac and red flowers, and determines the color of the specimen by the acidity of the soil. For example, hydrangeas with blue flowers grow in acidic soil, lilac and pink in alkaline soil, and pale beige in neutral soil. The fruit of the hydrangea is a multipartite box with seeds.

In addition to the large-leaved hydrangea, the tree-like hydrangea grows well in our climate, known for its winter hardiness and ability to recover well after severe frosts. Panicle hydrangea, known for its longevity, also winters well - it can grow in one place up to 60 years.

In addition to these three most popular species, such species as serrate hydrangea, serrate hydrangea, climbing hydrangea, radiant hydrangea, Sargent hydrangea, petiolate hydrangea, oak hydrangea and others are known in floriculture.

Hydrangea pruning after flowering

Hydrangea care involves, among other things, pruning. Some amateur flower growers claim that hydrangea is like lilac - the more you cut, the more magnificent it blooms next year. This is not entirely true, since this statement is true for the paniculate and tree-like hydrangea, and the colored (large-leaved) hydrangea cannot be cut off. Large-leaved hydrangea blooms on the shoots of last year, so the young branches that have grown this summer must overwinter, and only next year they can bloom.

As for the white-flowered species, namely Paniculata and Arborescens, they bloom on annual stems, so after pruning, as stated, they will have many young shoots that will produce more flowers. It is recommended to prune hydrangeas in the spring, but this must be done carefully, because the juice ferments in the plants, and they “cry” when pruned. Many flower growers believe that it is better to prune hydrangeas in the fall.

Based on these differences between species, hydrangeas were divided into two groups according to the quality of pruning. The first group includes species that bloom on last year's shoots, such as the already mentioned large-leaved hydrangea, as well as serrate, prickly hydrangea, Sargent, oak-leaved and petiolate liana. Pruning of these hydrangeas can only be cosmetic, removing last year's inflorescences to the first pair of strong buds and weak, old shoots completely.

The second group includes species in which buds are formed on the shoots of the current year: paniculate hydrangea and tree hydrangea. The main pruning of these types of hydrangeas is usually done in the spring, before the start of the growing season. The tree-like hydrangea is subjected to the procedure only if it is already four years old, otherwise it may die, leaking juice. However, if you prune in the fall, this trouble will not happen. An adult, and even more so an old plant that needs to be rejuvenated, is cut off “on a stump”, that is, only 10 cm are left from each shoot.

If the bush is too big and old, do not cut it all at once, otherwise the short shoots will not be able to feed the large root mass. Rejuvenate the bush in parts over three years.

Panicle hydrangea is pruned moderately, like a tree, without touching the skeletal branches: from several shoots that grow from one point, only those that grow outward are left.

Pruning hydrangeas in autumn is completely safe and will ensure your plant blooms luxuriantly next year. In the hydrangea species of the second group, the inflorescences are cut off so that the fragile branches of the plants do not break under the weight of snow that sticks to them in winter - this is if you do not intend to cover the hydrangea for the winter. In addition, old thick stems are removed from the hydrangea tree, and weak thin shoots from the panicle hydrangea, and the annual growth is shortened by 2-5 buds.

Preparing hydrangeas for winter

Caring for panicled hydrangeas in autumn (and for other species too), on the eve of the onset of cold weather, involves sheltering hydrangeas for the winter. Unfortunately, not a single type of hydrangea can winter in our area without insulation, so the preparation of garden hydrangeas for winter must be thorough. The most winter-hardy is the tree hydrangea, but it also needs shelter for the winter, otherwise the ends of young shoots may freeze slightly.

Begin preparations from mid-September: remove all but the topmost leaves to speed up the process of lignification of the shoots, and feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (hydrangeas are not fertilized with nitrogen in autumn). Now you can cover the hydrangea.

How to cover the hydrangea for the winter

There are several ways to cover, but it all depends on what kind of winters are in your area. In the southern regions, it is enough just to spud a bush of arboreal or paniculate hydrangea high. If your winters are unpredictable, then it is better to play it safe and still cover your hydrangeas. Small plants can be completely covered with peat and covered with a film on top - do not be afraid that the plant may rot, this will certainly not happen.

A well-established method that allows you to cover a medium-sized young plant and not harm it: tie a bush with a rope and pull it slowly, without jerks, to boards laid on the ground with driven nails, to which you tie the plant. Then throw it with spruce branches or sawdust, and cover it with a sheet of old iron, grade 30 lutrasil or spunbond.

Another way: cover the trunk circle with spruce branches, hydrangea shoots are bent to the ground radially, away from the center of the bush, the bases of the laid shoots are fixed with staples made of wood or metal and the center of the bush is covered with peat, spruce spruce branches are laid on top of the lying shoots, which are covered with lutrasil . Lutrasil needs to be pressed with boards and bricks so that it is not blown away by the wind. Such a hydrangea shelter can withstand temperatures of -40 ºC.

It will be difficult to bend old powerful bushes to the ground, so the following method of shelter for the winter is provided for them: the bush is wrapped in lutrasil, which is fixed with twine or tape, then a metal mesh frame is installed above the bush, which should be 12- 15 cm. Dry leaves are placed in large quantities inside the frame, and the structure is covered with roofing material or plastic wrap on top.

Every year the winter hardiness of hydrangea increases, and over time, you can refuse to cover adult bushes, but young plants in the first years of life should be covered in any case, even if the winter turns out to be warm.

Literature

  1. Read related topics on Wikipedia
  2. Peculiarities and other plants of the Hydrangea family
  3. List of all species on The Plant List
  4. More information on World Flora Online


Hydrangea paniculata: planting, care, description of varieties
Hydrangea: planting and care in autumn

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When and how should hydrangeas be cut?

Regular and competent pruning of hydrangea bushes is an essential part of shrub care. It allows you to give the plant the desired shape, rejuvenate the bush, and also maintain the health and beauty of the garden hydrangea.

Autumn or spring pruning?

In autumn, the faded parts of the bush are cut off from the hydrangea - cone-shaped or spherical inflorescences. With autumn pruning, you are not limited in time. That is, the main thing is to start on time in order to be in time before frost. Spring pruning also has its advantages. During this period, it is easy to find branches for cutting, they are determined visually. Also, after pruning, the branches will not freeze if you do not start the procedure too early. During this period, you can form a bush at your discretion.

Spring pruning dates

You can start pruning when the frosts pass and the first growth buds appear. Usually these two factors come in mid-April or a little later, depending on the climatic conditions of your region.

Timing is also determined by the variety of hydrangea. The tree-like growth is faster than the others, so it’s worth starting with it. But paniculate, on the contrary, tolerates late pruning. The basic rule for all bushes is to be in time before the leaves bloom.

Pruning rules for all varieties

For pruning, you will need a sharp pruner or garden shears, and charcoal powder, which is sprinkled on the cuts. It acts as an antiseptic and at the same time stimulates growth.

You will need to cut off the ends of last year's shoots, branches that did not survive the winter, branches that create excessive thickening, weak shoots, as well as last year's shoots that need additional stimulation of flowering.

If the shoot is frozen or broken, it must be cut to a healthy place, if the shoot is weak, it is cut at a height of 10 cm from the ground. The branches that create thickening are cut off completely, the shoots for flowering are shortened to 2-3 pairs of buds.

Thus, pruning has several functions at once: sanitary, rejuvenating, thinning, stimulating flowering.

How to prune a large-leaved hydrangea?

The large-leaved variety has one distinctive feature - its inflorescences are formed on shoots that grow from last year's shoots. Therefore, if you do the sanitary pruning that is done for other varieties, you can completely kill the flowering.

So what is the right way to prune a plant to form beautiful and lush inflorescences? Work begins in the fall. Faded inflorescences are carefully cut off, and the plant takes cover in the winter. This is necessary in order to prevent freezing of the ends of the shoots. In spring, pruning is also carried out carefully, removing only dry, damaged and broken branches. Rejuvenation involves the removal of shoots older than 4 years. To thin out a bush, only weak branches are removed.

How to prune panicle hydrangea?

Paniculata hydrangea is grown as a regular shrub and also as a trunk. It quickly branches, as a result of which the crown thickens. Each bud this year gives new shoots. At the same time, they all bloom. Yes, it is very beautiful, but also fleeting. Such beauty pleases the eye, but quickly depletes the plant itself, and if it is not thinned out, the inflorescences will soon become small and unattractive, and the bush will take on an untidy appearance. Therefore, in order to preserve the life of the plant, as well as its beauty and attractiveness, cut it correctly.

Trimming the stem panicled hydrangea

When the stem is formed, the principles of pruning will be the same, but the first years you need to especially try. In the spring of the first year, the shoot is shortened and tied up vertically. In the summer of the same year, the uppermost shoot is bent vertically, and the rest are pinched. The next two years in the spring, the upper shoot is shortened, last year's shoots are removed from it. In summer, all shoots formed on the stem are removed, new shoots outside the stem are pinched. By the fourth year, the stem is usually at least half a meter; crown formation can begin.

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