As any hydrangea owner knows, pruning is a key task that needs to be completed to produce thriving blooms the following year – however it’s crucial to do so at the right time. Hydrangeas are one of the best loved flowers in the UK, reports the Mirror.
Not only do they add a bright burst of beauty with their pink, blue and purple buds, they’re also well-suited to the British climate. They typically bloom in either late spring or early summer and add much-needed life to any garden, while also being relatively low maintenance. However, low maintenance doesn’t mean no maintenance.
To ensure a vibrant display of blooms the following year, hydrangeas should be pruned at a specific time.
Pruning is incredibly important for hydrangeas for multiple reasons. For a start, overgrown hydrangeas risk becoming woody and dull-looking, which will take away from the appearance of your garden.
Plus, it also helps remove any stems which are diseased, damaged or dying, which in turn can lead to pests and spreading disease.
It also helps to improve air circulation and light penetration by removing excess foliage, which will allow your plant to access more resources and develop more healthily.
Of course, knowing when to prune hydrangeas is just as crucial, otherwise you risk mitigating the benefits. Plus, for varieties that bloom on old wood, such as Bigleaf and Oakleaf, it’s important that you’re not removing next year’s blooms.
Mark Dwelly, head gardener at Audley Stanbridge Earls, told Ideal Homes: “My top golden rule is to prune immediately after flowering in summer. This allows time for fresh shoots to develop and form buds for next year’s display.”
Consequently, gardeners should steer clear of trimming these varieties of hydrangea during autumn or spring months, as doing so risks cutting away the following year’s blossoms.
Beyond potentially eliminating flowers, autumn pruning can render your plants more vulnerable to frost damage.
Rather than this, it’s advisable to retain withered flower heads on the plant throughout winter, since they can provide some shelter from frost for the underlying stems and buds.
Regarding hydrangea pruning, Ideal Homes recommended proceeding with caution, especially with varieties that bloom on mature wood.
Focus instead on removing stems that look diseased, dying or damaged.
An additional recommendation that green-fingered enthusiasts should heed is ensuring they sanitise their gardening implements between pruning sessions to prevent disease transmission.
