How to prune this hydrangea?
Robert Andrews
Posts: 6
in Plants
I moved in to this house in summer 2013, with a hydrangea in the back garden.
In that winter, I gave it a sort-of prune (didn't really know how). In spring/summer 2014, it came out alright, but maybe blooming less. This winter, I have not nipped it back at all.
Now I want to know - what's the right way to tackle this now for the sprint and summer ahead? (Assuming it isn't too late to have any effect).
Should I be reducing it in size? Picking off some branches but not others? How do I know which?
Many thanks.
0
Posts
look for the oldest thickest wood and remove these to open it up. Remove any branches which cross each other. To be honest, I think it looks fine.
I'd go with Hostafan's pruning method if it were mine. You end up with a better shaped bush in the long term.
In the sticks near Peterborough
You treat hydrangeas the same as blackcurrants. You cut out 1/3 of the old growth each year, down to the base. That way you always have some flowers as they flower on 2 year old wood and you have new growth regenerating from the base for forth coming years.
Thanks, all.
I just cut back some wood, including some which was budding, and didn't let conservatism about whether I was taking too much get in the way.
It now looks a lot lighter and airier.
I guess I will do what Verdun says and cut some branches shorter in a while.
nice job, well done Robert.
If you cut out last years new shoots you won't get flowers on them as they are this year's flowers