Hydrangeas are known for their stunning, abundant blooms in various colours. However, proper pruning is essential to keep these shrubs producing blooms abundantly. Pruning hydrangeas can initially seem daunting, but with the right tools, techniques, and timing, you’ll master it easily. In this complete guide to pruning hydrangeas, we’ll cover everything you need to know, including when to prune hydrangeas, how to prune hydrangeas, and trimming hydrangeas. So, let’s get stuck in with our hydrangea pruning!
Pruning is one of the most important gardening jobs since it helps rid plants of pests and diseases and encourages healthier blooms and fruit. And pruning hydrangeas is vital for these reasons and more. Here’s why hydrangea pruning should be top of your list of garden chores:
Generally, gardeners carry out most of their pruning in late winter or early spring and may advise you to do the same if you ask them, ‘When do you prune hydrangeas’. However, when to prune hydrangeas depends on the specific variety and the type of bloom they produce.
For example, you should prune hydrangeas that bloom on old wood (last season’s growth) after they finish flowering in late summer or early autumn. Old wood hydrangeas set their flower buds on the previous season’s growth, so pruning them earlier in the year could remove those buds and prevent them from blooming. This includes climbing hydrangeas.
On the other hand, you can prune hydrangeas that bloom on new wood (current season’s growth) in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. These hydrangeas set their flower buds on the new growth that will emerge in the current season.
However, not all hydrangeas require pruning; some may only need minimal pruning to remove dead or damaged growth. Always research the specific variety of hydrangea you have to determine the best time and method for pruning.
So, now you know the importance of pruning hydrangeas, and when to go about this gardening chore, you must be dying to get started! First, however, before you get stuck in, you must ensure you have the right gardening tools – most notably pruning shears, loppers, hedge shears and gloves.
Have you got all the right equipment? Then let’s get started!
You can cut back the overlong shoots of climbing hydrangeas immediately after flowering. Fortunately, the flowers on climbing hydrangeas appear closer to the top of the plant, so you should be able to leave most of this part unpruned.
Although established climbing hydrangeas can handle hard pruning in the spring, cutting back too much all at once can diminish flowering for a few seasons. It’s best to stagger drastic pruning over several years, gradually reducing the plant’s size instead of all at once to avoid losing flowers. This way, the plant can adjust and recover while producing beautiful blooms.
The lace cap and mophead are two distinct flower types of the bigleaf hydrangea, and their names refer to the arrangements of the flowers. Pruning hydrangeas of these varieties is quite easy and requires you to cut out only a couple of the oldest stems at the shrub’s base. This will encourage replacement growth and allow the plant to bloom more freely.
You can remove all the stems at the base to rejuvenate the plant as a whole. However, this means that new blooms will not appear until the following summer.
Mophead and lace cap hydrangeas are prone to dead blooms, although mopheads are less hardy than lace caps. In mild climates, we’d recommend leaving dead blooms on mopheads on the plant over winter to protect the delicate growth buds from frost. Then, remove them in early spring by cutting back the stem to the first healthy buds below. However, if you wish, you can remove the dead blooms from mopheads just after flowering.
Lacecaps, on the other hand, are hardier. So, after flowering, you can trim the faded flower heads off to the second pair of leaves below the head.
Some hydrangeas require different methods of pruning. For example, Hydrangea Paniculata and Hydrangea Arborescens will flower more prolifically if you prune them back to the branches annually. Each spring, you should cut back last year’s stems until you reveal healthy buds and maintain a permanent framework.
However, most other hydrangea species will only need minimal pruning during spring. You should aim to remove dead and overly-long stems during this process.
Pruning hydrangeas is undoubtedly an important job, but have you considered trimming them too? It’s easy to confuse trimming with pruning, but they are, in fact, different things. Here’s all you need to know about trimming hydrangeas!
Pruning refers to cutting back a plant’s stems to promote new growth and improve the overall health and appearance of the plant.
Trimming, on the other hand, refers to removing dead or damaged growth and shaping the plant for aesthetic reasons. Trimming hydrangeas can help improve their appearance and encourage more compact growth, but it typically does not involve significant pruning of the plant’s stems.
You should trim hydrangeas as soon as flowering stops in summer. However, avoid trimming in spring, autumn or winter, as this can harm the blossoming new buds beneath.
The act of trimming is rather similar to pruning hydrangeas, but the goal is different. With that in mind, here’s how to trim hydrangeas in a few steps:
Although we’ve talked about trimming and pruning hydrangeas for an entire article, they are fairly low-maintenance shrubs. Besides regular plant maintenance, they don’t require much to flourish. Here are the regular hydrangea maintenance jobs you should be staying on top of to ensure healthy blooms:
Read More: Evergreen Plants For Containers
Pruning hydrangeas may seem daunting at first, but with the knowledge and tips we’ve provided, you should be able to approach the task confidently. Remember that the key to successful hydrangea pruning is to understand the type of hydrangea you have, the timing and method of pruning, and the tools you need. Whether trimming your hydrangeas for maintenance or shaping purposes or performing a more drastic pruning to revive an overgrown plant, always keep in mind the ultimate goal: promoting healthy growth and abundant blooming. With the proper care, your hydrangeas will continue to bring beauty and joy to your garden for many years.
Hydrangeas don’t necessarily need to be cut back for winter, but they may benefit from some light trimming to remove any dead or damaged growth. This helps improve the plant’s appearance and overall health. However, if you have a hydrangea that blooms on old wood, it’s best to avoid cutting it back too severely in autumn or winter, as you may inadvertently remove the flower buds for the next season. Instead, wait until after it has finished flowering in the late summer or early autumn to do any significant pruning or cutting back. If you have a hydrangea that blooms on new wood, you can cut it back in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
It depends on the type of hydrangea and the severity of the pruning. For example, some hydrangeas, like the smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea Arborescens), can be cut back hard (to about 6-12 inches above the ground) each year and will still produce flowers the following season. However, other hydrangeas, such as the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea Macrophylla), should not be pruned back too severely, or you may risk removing the flower buds for the next season.
The best month to prune hydrangeas depends on the type of hydrangea and when it blooms. If your hydrangea blooms on old wood, it’s generally best to prune it immediately after flowering in the late summer or early autumn. If your hydrangea blooms on new wood, you can prune it in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
If your hydrangea blooms on old wood, you should avoid pruning it in the late autumn or winter because you may inadvertently remove the flower buds for the next season. However, you can prune it in the late summer or early autumn immediately after it has finished flowering. On the other hand, if your hydrangea blooms on new wood, you can prune it in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
If you don’t prune your hydrangeas, they will become overgrown and less healthy over time. They may also produce fewer flowers, or the flowers may be smaller. Additionally, hydrangeas that bloom on old wood can become too large and woody, making it easier to prune by removing too many flower buds.
Downes Nursery. (n.d.). Change the Colour of Your Hydrangea Flowers. Retrieved from: https://www.downesnursery.com.au/change-colour-hydrangea-flowers/ [accessed 04/05/23]
Bailey Nurseries. (2021, March 11). What’s a Lacecap Hydrangea? What’s a Mophead? [Blog post]. Hydrangeas.com. Retrieved from: https://hydrangea.com/blogs/growing-tips/whats-a-lacecap-hydrangea-whats-a-mophead [accessed 04/05/23]
Ryan Jenkins is a professional gardener and has been working in the gardening industry for over 25 years. This has allowed Ryan to accumulate a vast wealth of gardening knowledge which he shares on the Sefton Meadows blog.
Food scraps and yard waste should never be discarded. It’s what’s essentially referred to as…
Building fence panels around your yard is a great way to not only increase your…
Transform your garden into something new and exciting with these thrilling garden border ideas and…
Shed waterproofing is an integral part of your shed design that should never be ignored.…
Your garden shed is more than just a storage space; it's a place for plenty…
Dahlias are a fan-favourite for many gardeners! Yet, many wonder if these stunning flowers will…