One of the most common care needs that many gardeners seem to struggle with is pruning.
When it comes to hydrangea pruning, timing is everything. If done at the wrong time, it can result in a lack of or no blooms that year.
Unsure if they had pruned their hydrangea at the wrong time, one gardener took to the Gardening UK Facebook page to ask for some advice.
Blair Brown wrote: “Hello wise gardeners in my phone. Any advice on how to look after my hydrangeas now it’s getting frosty?
“The foliage is going brown. It didn’t bloom this year and I’m sure it’s because I pruned it at the wrong time.”
Klair shared a picture of her hydrangea along with the post and there were no signs of blooms and the leaves seemed to be wilting.
Group members in the comments section urged Klair to avoid any more pruning or deadheading anytime soon and hold off until spring.
Robert Requena wrote: “Leave them be till after last frost next April, or even May. Then you can gently prune.”
Liz Minstry said: “Don’t prune as that will protect next year’s new growth. Leave until the spring when the risk of frost has passed.”
Mark Wilson replied: “It’s fine, just leave it and hopefully it will flower next year, don’t prune it either until spring.”
Jack Ingram claimed: “My hydrangeas have been pruned down at the same time every year – early spring – and have bloomed perfect massive amount of flowers.”
Lynne Wilkins wrote: “Nothing wrong – just winter doing its thing – mine didn’t bloom either but I think I cut it back too much.
Basis Walus said: “Leave it as is and you’ll see that it will bounce back in spring after pruning.”
Gardening experts also agree with holding off on pruning hydrangeas right now and holding off until spring.
The Royal Horticultural Society pros said: “Most pruning is carried out in late winter or early spring. However, climbing hydrangeas are pruned after flowering in summer.”
Gardeners at gardening retailer Thompson and Morgan said: “When it comes to pruning, the two main varieties of hydrangea are those that produce blooms on the previous year’s growth (old wood) and those that produce flowers on new growth.
“Both types are best pruned in February-March, but the method is different for each.”
