Is your hydrangea giving you a headache again because you're not quite sure which care measures are the right ones? Of course you don't want to do anything wrong, but at first glance that seems quite difficult given all the different varieties. And many gardening beginners face winter with fear: Have I prepared my plants well enough and are they adequately protected? A cut is necessary for many plant species. But what about the hydrangea? We explain why you shouldn't cut hydrangeas before winter and when the right time is so that you can safely overwinter your hydrangeas.
Have you ever noticed in your neighbors' gardens that the dried flowers still remain on the bushes even in winter? It actually looks pretty, but shouldn't they have been cut off long ago. No, the reason is not that the owner didn't have the time or inclination to do itin autumnto remove. These flower remains also provide a wonderful buffer, or what you might call a barrier, that protects the shoots from frost damage in winter. The risk of frozen hydrangeas or plant parts after winter is reduced.
Diedry inflorescencesnot only have a decorative effect, but also a protective one!
Are the bushes frost-proof?
Hydrangeas are frost-proof as long as the location is right, they were cut at the right time and the weather doesn't surprise them unexpectedly. However, there are also varieties that are not completely hardy and require additional frost protection, which you should find out about when purchasing. As already mentioned, hydrangeas can tolerate freezing temperatures if they are cut at the right time. Hydrangeas should not be cut before winter.
However, that would be the lesser evil, because the damage would probably be limited and the plant would still have enough time to recover in the spring after the pruning. However, sudden, unexpected frost after the plant has sprouted is not a beneficial event. The sensitive new shoots and leaves will undoubtedly freeze to death. You should therefore follow the weather forecast regularly during the initial period and, if necessary, place a protective fleece over the plant overnight.
Overwintering hydrangeas – When is the right time to cut them?
For the reasons mentioned above, when you prune hydrangeas, do the right thingtiming for most varietiesthe early spring. How radical the cut can be depends on the variety. Some like and need to be cut back radically, others can only tolerate light shaping and care cuts. The age of the plant can also play a role here. Care cuts also include removing frostbite.
Overwinter hydrangeas and care for them properly if there is frost damage
Did your hydrangeas get frost and damage them? You don't have to worry about your plant straight away. A few frostbites here and there do happen and do not damage the entire plant as long as the root ball is not affected.Hydrangeas in a potFor example, they cannot tolerate frost in the long term and can quickly freeze to death without protection. Young plants also benefit from winter protection made of fleece and a layer of leaves over the root ball. The shoot tips of farmer's hydrangeas, on the other hand, do not manage to become woody in time for winter because they are a subshrub. Frozen shoot tips are not uncommon here.
If frostbite has occurred, the plant needs pruning in the spring (even varieties that don't actually need regular pruning). Here's how to do it correctly:
How should you prune hydrangeas that have suffered frost?
The same applies here: Keep your hands off the pruning shears while it's still winter. Once the cuts would be exposed to the winter cold. On the other hand, cuts stimulate the plant to grow. So if there are warmer periods in winter, which has not been uncommon in recent years, the shrub could sprout early and then frost damage can hardly be avoided.
In the spring, take a closer look at the shoots to identify those that have frozen: in this case, the bark is pale or dark and the wood is dry. If you are not sure about the visual inspection, you can simply gently and lightly scratch the outside with the nail. If the shoot is still alive, not only can the bark be easily scraped off, but green plant tissue will also appear.
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