Hydrangeas should produce an abundance of blooms and thick, deep green foliage every year.
If gardeners are not seeing this happen with their hydrangeas, then they are most likely doing something wrong.
Taking to the Loving Your Garden Facebook page, one woman shared her hydrangea dilemma.
Sally Dean said: “My hydrangea is very tall and reaches my window. I used to make a mistake by pruning it in February and cutting it right down.
“I’ve recently read that you have to leave it after frost which I will do this year. Due to pruning it too early It stopped flowering as much as it used to. What should I do?
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“It’s a mophead. Had it for years, and used to have so many flowers. Last couple years stopped flowering as much so I haven’t touched it yet.”
Taking to the comments section one fellow hydrangea lover explained why Sally’s type of hydrangea shouldn’t be pruned now and how she can get more and bigger flowers from her plant.
Catherine Kevin Hughes said: “If you prune a hydrangea that flowers on old wood [like moped hydrangeas], meaning these type flower on last seasons growth, too far back you will lose flowers for a year.
“You prune just under the dead flower heads in spring with these types. Prune to the new buds/leaves that are growing just under last year’s flowers do that in spring after the last frost.
“If you want one of them types lower, just prune it right down low near the ground above growing buds in spring after the last frost, but you will lose flowers for a year till that new growth gets old enough to flower again.”
She explained that it’s only hydrangea paniculata and hydrangea arborescens that flower on new wood, and these are treated differently.
Although the only essential work is to remove dead wood in spring, these species flower more prolifically when pruned back annually to a framework of branches.
Each spring, cut back last year’s stems to a pair of healthy buds to maintain a permanent framework.
Cathrine continued: “To make your hydrangea bloom prolifically and grow larger flower heads on strong, upright branches, hard prune to the lowest pair of healthy buds, creating a low framework of branches.
“This usually results in a pruned framework of no more than 25cm (10in) high but, if more height is required, cut to about 60cm (2ft) tall.”
Barbara Stalkerr commented: “You can hard prune in August. I had the same issue and had so many nice new shoots in the spring when I always give a light prune.
“When new shoots are about an inch long I trim leaving at least three on the stem in case of a late frost so can cut another back. Never had an issue with lack of flowers and it’s better for it, but I do feed it.”
