What happens if you prune hydrangeas at the wrong time?

Author: Henry Prosacco  |  Last update: Friday, September 8, 2023

If you prune them at the wrong time, you could risk cutting off all the flower buds and ending up with no blooms that year.

What happens if you prune hydrangeas too late?

But if you do choose to prune one, remember this: Time it based on whether the type of hydrangea you have blooms on old wood or on new wood. If it blooms on old wood (stems from the summer before the current one), its buds are being formed, and if you wait too late you may cut them off, meaning no flowers next spring.

How late can you prune hydrangeas?

Trimming should be done immediately after flowering stops in summer, but no later than August 1. Do not prune in fall, winter, or spring or you could be cutting off new buds. Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage multiple, smaller flower heads rather than fewer larger flower heads.

Can you severely cut back a hydrangea?

Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea aborescens produce flowers on new wood, which means that you can cut them back harder without losing this year's flowers. Pruning is not essential, but left unpruned the plant will get taller, with most of the flowers at the top.

What happens if you cut hydrangeas to the ground?

To rejuvenate the hydrangea, remove up to 1/3 of the older living stems down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. If necessary to control the size of the plant, cut back before late July to allow for buds to develop. Usually the plant will return immediately to its former size.

If You Prune Hydrangeas This Way They'll Bloom Profusely

What is the best month to prune hydrangeas?

When to prune hydrangeas. Most pruning is carried out in late winter or early spring. However, the climbing hydrangea is pruned after flowering in summer.

Is it too late to prune hydrangeas in October?

Bottom-line: Panicle-type hydrangeas should be pruned in late winter or early spring. While they could be pruned in fall, we highly advise waiting until late winter/early spring to reduce risk of injury.

Is it better to prune hydrangeas in fall or spring?

While some plants bloom on new growth, others primarily set flower buds on old wood. Regardless, it is best to wait to prune all hydrangeas until spring. In the fall, hydrangeas (and all trees and shrubs) are in the process of going dormant. They do not produce very much new growth until the following spring.

Do hydrangeas come back after they turn brown?

Know when they're beyond repair.

If you catch and treat your hydrangeas when their blooms first start turning brown, Myers says there's a good chance you'll be able to turn them around (as long as it's not due to weather damage). "However, once they turn fully brown, there's not much you can do," she says.

Is June too late to prune hydrangeas?

(3) In addition, if it becomes necessary to prune a plant to reduce its size, it may be cut back in June or July without harming the next year's bloom. But it will return almost immediately to it's former size. This is one reason why it's best to plant a hydrangea where it does not have to be pruned.

Should I cut off last years hydrangea blooms?

In addition to bolstering future blooms and strengthening stems, deadheading your hydrangeas has aesthetic benefits, too. "Removing faded flowers creates a neat and tidy appearance, which many gardeners prefer over the look of leaving dried flowers on the plant," says Meyers.

How far do you cut down hydrangeas for the winter?

In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems.

What happens if I don't deadhead hydrangeas?

Without going through the deadheading process, hydrangeas will not produce as many flowers and the few produced may not grow as big to their full potential.

Why are my hydrangeas growing so tall?

Plants grow toward their light source. Without sufficient sunlight, Hydrangeas will reach for the sun, resulting in the top areas of the plant becoming denser than the bottom. Hydrangeas grow best when they get full sun in the morning and filtered light throughout the day.

How do you cut hydrangeas without killing plants?

As soon as hydrangeas are cut, the stems should immediately be put into tepid water. And adding a little bit of flower food to it would be a great idea too. Use a sharp knife or clippers to cut each stem on a diagonal and submerge! Cut hydrangeas in the morning and choose only the most mature blooms.

What Colour do coffee grounds turn hydrangeas?

Some gardeners report success in turning their hydrangeas blue by applying coffee grounds to the soil. The coffee grounds make the soil more acidic, allowing the hydrangea to more easily absorb aluminum.

What does an unhealthy hydrangea look like?

Brown, tan, yellowish or black spots on hydrangea leaves may be anthracnose. You can also identify it by cankers that form on stems and branches. Anthracnose can be fatal to hydrangeas, so prune out dead or diseased plant parts and destroy them.

Why did my hydrangeas bloom last year but not this year?

Many customers ask why their hydrangeas aren't blooming. The primary reasons hydrangeas don't bloom are incorrect pruning, bud damage due to winter and/or early spring weather, location and too much fertilizer.

Can I prune hydrangeas in September?

But when to prune them? Prune fall blooming hydrangeas, or old wood bloomers, after they bloom in the summer. If you prune old wooded hydrangeas in fall, you are cutting off next seasons blooms. Summer blooming hydrangeas, or those that bloom on new wood, are pruned in the fall, after they stop blooming.

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