To determine if your hydrangea blooms on old or new wood, look at the branches. If there are buds in the fall, your hydrangea blooms on old wood and should not be cut back in the fall. If no buds are visible after August 1, you can cut them back any time from fall through to spring.
For new wood hydrangeas (panicle and smooth varieties), it’s best to wait until the plant is dormant in early winter. Fall pruning can remove dried blooms and help shape the plant. Old wood hydrangeas, which bloom on the previous year’s growth, should never be cut back in fall as it inhibits the next season’s growth.
To keep your hydrangea shrubs neat and compact, prune them every year or two. Do not prune in the fall, winter, or early spring. When the danger of frost has passed in your growing zone and it is mid-spring, it’s time to prune these hydrangeas. To prune, follow each brown stem in mid-spring.
Pruning hydrangeas in fall involves removing dead or weak branches and shaping the plant for future growth. This process helps prevent disease, encourages healthy blooms, and maintains a stunning display. Most hydrangeas won’t need to be pruned for several years, but after long periods of time, they can grow large and quickly get out of hand.
The safest practice is to clip back individual flowers right after they bloom and not to prune after August 1st. For plants that bloom early in the year, cut faded flower stems to half their length to encourage new growth and buds.
New wood hydrangeas should be pruned in the fall before they start growing the branches that will produce the flowers. Most hydrangeas don’t need to be pruned in the fall whether they bloom on old or new wood.
📹 Don’t Prune Hydrangeas in the Fall
Lessons on how to handle your Endless Summer® hydrangeas in the fall.
📹 Fall Hydrangea Pruning Guide / Should You Prune Hydrangeas In The Fall?
It’s fall and your hydrangeas are still looking great! They may still be blooming or showcasing their buds for next year. But should …
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