When to cut back hydrangea 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

Bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla cvs., USDA Hardiness Zones 6–9)
Bigleaf hydrangeas (H. serrata cvs., Zones 6–9)
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

Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata and cvs., Zones 4–8)
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

Fine Gardening: Pruning Hydrangeas
Old Farmer's Almanac: When to Prune Different Kinds of Hydrangeas

Hydrangea formation - terms, subtleties, nuances

Hydrangea pruning is a set of procedures for sanitation and bush formation. Depending on the season, sanitary, shaping and cardinal pruning are distinguished. This procedure is needed:

For the health of a bush that does not know how to clean itself from diseased and dry branches.
To rejuvenate the plant, as cutting stimulates the growth of new shoots.
To preserve the decorative effect and give the desired shape of the bush. nine0006

Each type of hydrangea has its own pruning rules, and if you want your plants to be full of flowers every year, we recommend reading this article.

When to prune hydrangeas

When to prune a hydrangea depends on the type of plant you have in your garden and your goals.

In early spring, hydrangeas are sheared for sanitary purposes - dry, frost-bitten shoots that have suffered during the winter cold are removed.
In autumn, after leaf fall, formative pruning of hydrangeas is needed so that a neatly trimmed bush, which is easy to insulate, goes into the shelter.

The profusion of flowering and decorativeness of the bush largely depend on competent and timely pruning. In carrying out this procedure, it must be remembered that different forms of culture form in different ways.

The specific type of pruning depends on the method and nature of flowering: according to this characteristic, plants are divided into scale groups:

Those that bloom on new shoots this year. These include paniculate and tree species.
Hydrangeas laying flower buds on last year's shoots. This type includes large-leaved hydrangea.

Both spring and autumn pruning is needed by all species, but it is done in different ways.

Paniculata and Arborescent Hydrangea Pruning Rules

Hydrangeas of these species should be pruned drastically in spring to form a compact and lush bush and encourage the growth of new and vigorous shoots. nine0003

For flowering make a strong pruning, shortening the shoots to 2-4 buds.
To rejuvenate the bush, all old (older than 3-4 years) branches are removed, leaving up to 5 branches from last year's growth.
Sanitary cleaning is the removal of all damaged and dry branches.

Paniculata and arborescens hydrangeas bloom on the current year's shoots and even heavy pruning will not prevent them from producing many peduncles.

Paniculata and tree hydrangeas need a sanitary haircut in autumn. Dried flower panicles are not left on the bushes, as they can bend or even break under the weight of the snow that has fallen. Then you have to make a lot of effort to straighten the bush. nine0003

And yet, in autumn it is better not to cut bushes radically - leave this task until spring. Before winter, it is important to make a "sanation", improve the plant and remove all dry, broken and diseased branches.

How to prune the large-leaved hydrangea

A wonderful plant that blooms in lush bunches of flowers, it needs very careful and gentle pruning. Those young shoots that are located closer to the tops of the branches are more likely to bloom.

In spring, large-leaved hydrangeas are practically not sheared, you can only clean the bush and remove those branches that did not survive the winter. nine0003

But in autumn it is extremely important to keep the young shoots and their tops intact in the harsh winter cold - this is the beauty potential of the next season.

In the case when there are many peduncles, in autumn they are all removed by carefully cutting off the flower. It is very important during pre-winter pruning to protect young shoots that have grown this spring and have not yet bloomed. This is the key to future flower beauty. Sick, damaged, broken branches and thin shoots need to be removed for the winter.

New "participants" can be planted in hydrangea ensembles in spring. The end of the warm season is a great time to root new varieties. We invite you to look at the assortment of hydrangeas in our store and choose an interesting novelty for your garden. Seedlings are delivered in containers, transfer and transplanting are well tolerated. nine0003

It is only worth recalling that for many years the hydrangea was not available for most of the Central European regions. The lush bushes of flowering hydrangeas could be admired only in the southern regions, where summer reigns all year round. But not so long ago, thanks to the efforts and perseverance of breeders, completely new and no less attractive varieties have appeared that have enviable resistance to harsh climates.

Published: Feb 10, 2021

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Pruning hydrangeas in autumn: detailed instructions for beginners

Gardeners have been arguing for years whether it is necessary to cut the hydrangea in the fall or whether spring pruning is enough. Each side gives its own arguments, and it is easy for a beginner to get confused in opinions. The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

As a rule, hydrangeas are pruned in the spring, but this method has its drawbacks. If the plant has already woken up and started to grow, all the places of the cuts will "cry" with juice. It is not uncommon for tree-like hydrangeas to simply "bleed out" and die or become so weak that they could not bloom in the coming season. Pruning hydrangeas for the winter will protect against such an outcome, but you need to know exactly what type your plant belongs to and take into account its specifics. nine0003

Tree hydrangea pruning in autumn

If tree hydrangea has settled in your area, then knowing how to prune it for the winter is especially important. In its shape and growth rate, it is an ordinary shrub, which is most often formed either with a free crown or a ball. A tree-like hydrangea always has many processes, both zero (from the root) and those appearing on skeletal branches. Due to its abundant growth, this shrub needs all types of pruning and almost all of them can be done in the fall. nine0003

Sanitary pruning consists of removing broken branches, dried shoots, as well as the indispensable removal of dried inflorescences and all leaves, except for the top ones.
Anti-aging pruning applies to branches over 4 years old, especially those covered with weak and thin shoots. Such branches are cut "under zero".
Thinning pruning of arboreal hydrangea is reduced to the removal of weak zero shoots and all growth that thickens the bush, i.e. growing inside the crown.

Even if you did all your hydrangea pruning in the fall, be sure to inspect the bush with the onset of spring - some branches may freeze or break under the weight of snow and will also have to be removed. nine0003

Pruning the paniculate hydrangea in autumn

Paniculata hydrangea, like the tree hydrangea, blooms on the shoots of the current year, so autumn pruning is not terrible for it and will even benefit. True, it will take much less time, if only because this type of hydrangea does not give such a lush growth and such a number of zero shoots as the previous one.

In this case, the question of whether it is necessary to prune the hydrangea for the winter is not even worth it, because it is necessary. From each bud on the skeletal branches of the paniculate hydrangea, a shoot grows, ending in an inflorescence, and in a few years without pruning, the bush turns into an impassable ball. Alas, he does not have the strength to bloom, and the more inflorescences appear, the smaller, weaker and paler they become. nine0003

The main task in the autumn pruning of the paniculate hydrangea is to thin out the bush and remove all thin non-viable shoots. Do not forget about the competent formation of the crown - regularly remove zero shoots, and cut off strong skeletal branches in the fall, leaving 1-3 pairs of buds.

If you want to grow a panicled hydrangea in the form of a trunk, then pruning and shaping should be carried out in spring and summer.

Pruning large-leaved hydrangeas in autumn

The hardest thing to decide how to prune a hydrangea for the winter is when it comes to a large-leaved representative of this plant. The decision in this case will depend not only on the type of bush, but also on its variety, age and even the climate in which it grows.

It is generally accepted that the large-leaved hydrangea blooms on last year's shoots. This is not entirely true, because the inflorescences are formed on the shoots of this year, grown from buds on last year's branches. The closer to the top of the branch is a young shoot, the more likely it is to bloom. Therefore, pruning should be carried out especially carefully, trying not to drown out the bush, and not to deprive it of the opportunity to bloom. nine0003

It is necessary to shorten the branches and even cut off the inflorescences very carefully, trying not to touch the upper pairs of buds. But the old, lignified and already faded branches can be safely removed. Remember that large-leaved hydrangea is a typical shrub, and it simply does not need branches older than 4-5 years. Also remove broken or diseased branches, thin shoots, extra zero shoots. nine0003

In modern breeding varieties of large-leaved hydrangea have appeared, which in mild climates bloom on both old and young shoots. These are Endless Summer, Freepon, Green Shadows, Hopcorn, Schloss Wackerbarth, Hanabi Rose , etc.