Hydrangeas' generous blooms don't require much maintenance, but one task carried out across all varieties is key for stimulating new growth - pruning. Pruning is particularly essential for a vibrant, yearly floral display, as hydrangeas flower more profusely on fresh stems. Gardening retailer Primrose mentions that pruning hydrangeas encourages a more compact growth habit.
Without regular upkeep, hydrangeas tend to grow tall and leggy, rather than dense with foliage and blooms. The ideal time to prune hydrangeas is generally once the flowers have become brown and crispy, and the leaves begin to droop. The specialists counselled: "When small buds start to form on the stems it is time to give your plants a prune.
Leaving faded flowers on your mophead or lacecap hydrangea plants until late winter or early spring will help to protect them from frost.", reports the Express . As for climbing hydrangeas, they only need sporadic light tidying to remove any spent blooms.
It's also recommended to trim back any excessively long shoots right after they've finished flowering but to leave the uppermost part of the plant largely intact since that's where the majority of blossoms will appear. Cutting back a hydrangea is said to be "very simple" and "only requires one essential tool" a pair of clean, sharp secateurs. Garden experts insist that when cutting back hydrangeas, it's crucial to "always aim for clean cuts" using sharp secateurs.
This practice will "minimize damage to the plant", ena.