when to cut back my hydrangea

juststarting · Hazel Tree Joined: 10 Aug 2009 Posts: 7

i have a small hydrangea that i planted two years ago it is still small with only about 7 flowers on it now that they are dying off should i cut it back and to where.my mother has a hydrangea for years and is quite big but it is very woody and no folliage on it once you pass the outer leaves it doesnt look great so i would like mine to be more full bodied.thanks

James Kilkelly, was GPI. · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:53 pm Post subject:

As Hydrangeas usually flower during the summer, this would lead one to think that the best time to prune them would be after flowering in autumn, not so. Rather than pruning directly after flowering to give the plant maximum regrow time, we should instead hold off pruning until after winter. Leaving the old growth on the Hydrangea over winter will with a bit of luck act as a snow and frost buffer for this tender-in the-bud plant.

More info here.......How to prune Hydrangea macrophylla

frengers80 · Hazel Tree Joined: 23 Sep 2009 Posts: 14 Location: DUBLIN

funny this,somebody in work just asked me the very same question today!!!What i normally would do is as above and wait til late winter /early spring before doing any work.I would remove around a quater of 'old' wood back to the 2 lowest basal shoots,this will encourage new strong shoots to develope ove the season.Over a 3 year cycle you will have removed the weaker older shoots and have been left with a stronger healthier plant!!!