If the flowers of the hydrangeas gradually dry out on the stem, you will certainly ask yourself whether the bushes can now be cut. The answer depends on what type of hydrangea you have in your garden. We summarize which hydrangeas you should cut in autumn and how to do it correctly.
Why pruning is so important
There are few things as beautiful as a hydrangea in bloom. Unfortunately, if left uncared for, they can quickly become overgrown and look wild.
Pruning hydrangeas is important for two reasons:
- It promotes new growth
- It ensures a neat and well-groomed appearance of the plant
Tipp:Make sure you always use one when pruningclean scissorsuse!
Pruning hydrangeas in autumn – yes or no?
The right time for thatPruning hydrangeascan be a bit confusing, especially since there seems to be a lot of conflicting information. Since fall is when most plants go dormant and prepare for winter, it seems like a good time for pruning. Although some hydrangeas are no exception to this rule, there are a few things you should consider before reaching for the pruning shears.
Hydrangeas are divided into two main groups: those that bloom on one-year-old wood and those that bloom on the previous year's wood. This is an exceptionHortensie Endless Summer, which blooms on both old and new wood.
In general, hydrangeas that bloom on the previous year's wood should be cut back immediately after blooming. This gives the plants enough time to produce new wood before the onset of winter. Species that bloom on annual wood, however, can be cut in late autumn before winter dormancy or in early spring.
So before you prune your hydrangeas, you need to know which group they belong to. If a bush is cut incorrectly, the next year's flowers may even fail completely.
Which hydrangeas make sense to cut back in autumn?
It is important to know that not all hydrangea species should be pruned in the fall. Most people even benefit from pruning in spring, summer or winter, but not in fall. To determine which hydrangeas you can prune in the fall, you should know the exact type you have.
Hydrangeas can be divided into two cutting groups.
ToCutting group 1include some of the most well-known hydrangeas for the garden - farmer's hydrangeas, plate hydrangeas, velvet hydrangeas, giant leaf hydrangeas, oak leaf hydrangeas and climbing hydrangeas. They form their flower buds in autumn and therefore bloom on the previous year's wood. For these species, pruning takes place in spring and never in autumn.
Hydrangeas theCutting group 2are the classic summer bloomers panicle hydrangea and snowball hydrangea. They differ from the other species in that they form their flower buds in the year they bloom and not the previous year. Snowball and panicle hydrangeas can be cut both in autumn and in early spring.
Cutting group 2 hydrangeas in autumn: instructions
If you like the impressive panicle hydrangeas like Limelight or snowball hydrangeaslike AnnabelleGrow in the garden, then autumn is a suitable time for cutting. We'll tell you how to do it correctly.
1. Get tools
Before you begin, you need to gather the right tools. What you need:
- Gardening gloves
- a pair of clean, sharp secateurs
- Ladder or step stool (for tall plants)
- Container for clippings
2. Remove dead branches
Start by inspecting the plant and identifying dead or dying branches. These are usually dry, brown and brittle. Using sharp pruning shears, cut the dead branches back to the point where they branch off from a living part of the plant. Once you've removed all of the dead wood, take a step back and look at the plant as a whole. Make sure you are happy with the shape and size before moving forward.
3. Thin out the hydrangea
Next, you need to thin the plant by thinning out any branches that are too long and annoying shoots that grow inward. This is called severe pruning. Cut this back to about a third long. The young shoots can be shortened to just one pair of eyes. The shoots will develop from the interfaces next year.
4. Remove inflorescences
Spent flowers are cut off along with the stem at the base of the plant. Be sure to make a clean cut so the plant can heal quickly.
Once you have removed all the spent flowers, you should water the plant well. Removing flower heads can be very stressful for plants, so it's important to give them a little extra attention after pruning.
Tipp:You can dry, press or add the cut inflorescences to beautiful arrangements. You can find a few herepretty ideas for decoration with dried hydrangeas.
