If you are growing your hydrangeas in pots, pruning is easy if you know the type of plant you are growing. Different species need to be pruned at different times of the year, but the steps you follow are the same in all cases. Read on to get tips on how to prune potted hydrangeas!
When should you cut hydrangeas in a pot?
Some gardeners advise that you should prune hydrangeas in late winter or early spring. The dried flower heads of hydrangeas provide the underlying buds with some protection from very bad weather. However, a sudden onset of snow and ice in early spring can damage the newly exposed buds. That's why it's best if you wait until the cold weather passes.
When to pot your hydrangeashould be circumcised, also depends on the variety.
Late summer bloomers
If you have a hydrangea that blooms in late summer, it is important to cut the plant back in early spring or late winter before active growth begins. These varieties include Annabelle, PeeGee, Burgundy Lace, Limelight and Quickfire.
Blue or summer bloomer
If the hydrangea is a blue hydrangea or blooms in the summer, you should cut it back after the blooming period. Most of these hydrangea varieties bloom on old wood, last season's wood. So if you decide to prune in the spring, you may be cutting off the dormant buds. If you prune immediately after the flowers fade, the plant has time to form next year's buds. Varieties include Nikko Blue, Blushing Bride and Endless Summer.
The best tips for cutting
Follow these steps to properly prune the plant:
- First, grab your sharpest secateurs. Sterilize your pruning shears to avoid transferring bacteria, fungi, mold, or other substances from one plant to another.
- Cut back the stems without damaging the remaining stems, leaves, or root structure.
Observe your plant in spring and summer to determine where it is blooming from, old or new growth. Then cut according to the following guide.
Pruning hydrangeas that bloom on old wood
Old wood is simply last year's wood. Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood set their flower buds in late summer on stems that were already on the plant the previous year.To the hydrangeasThose that flower on old wood include the Mophead, Bigleaf (Macrophylla), Lacecap and Oakleaf varieties.
When it comes to pruning these beautiful shrubs, they require very little. But if you do need to cut, it's important to know when and what to cut. Because the more old wood you remove, the fewer flowers you will have next summer.
Follow the following three steps to maintain the health and vitality of your hydrangeas on old wood:
- CutYou immediately afterFlowering (in July at the latest) the flowering shoots are reduced to a pair of healthy buds.
- Prune out weak or damaged shoots in late winter or early spring. Remove no more than 1/3 of the oldest stems to ground level.
- Repeat this process every summer to rejuvenate your shrubs and control their shape.
How to prune plants that bloom on new wood
Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood set their flower buds on the current season's growth. Because their flowers re-sprout at the base of the plant, they can be cut back almost all year round except in summer. Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood include smooth, panicle and limelight varieties.
Follow these three steps to maintain the health and vitality of your hydrangeas on new wood:
- Cut spent flowersin late summer to improve the appearance of the shrub.
- Cut back the oldest shoots to improve vigor.
- Prune the entire shrub back in late winter before new growth begins.
Other tricks include leaving some of the older branches as scaffolding for the new growth (these hydrangeas tend to open and go limp). Many gardeners also recommend cutting bushes back to the ground, which often results in larger blooms.
Simple method on how to cut hydrangeas in pots
If you're not sure how to prune your hydrangeas or can't correctly identify the species, there's a method that always works.
- Simply prune the hydrangeas by cutting the dried flower head down to the first pair of thick buds below. This means you work from the top of the stem down.
- Then remove any dead or crossing stems. Remove these from the base of the plant. This is a minimalist approach to hydrangea pruning, but it works.
Removing the flower heads
All hydrangeas benefit from pruning, which involves removing the flowers as soon as they have wilted. This encourages continued flowering and keeps the plant looking neat until the next flowering cycle. Flower head removal involves removing dead flowers from the plants.This is with potted hydrangeasmuch easier and allows you to get a more well-groomed and aesthetically pleasing look. You follow the same steps as described above, except that you only remove the dead flowers and not entire stems or branches.
What happens if you don't prune the plants?
If you don't prune hydrangeas, over time they will become a tangled mess of woody stems and the flowers will become smaller and less showy. If your hydrangeas are not blooming, it is often due to a lack of pruning. Pruning hydrangeas regularly helps maintain their shape and also encourages new growth and better blooms. This vigorous, new growth will ensure you can enjoy lots of large, healthy blooms for years to come.
Also interesting:Pruning panicle hydrangeas: 3 mistakes to avoid
