When Should Dead Blooms Be Removed From Hydrangeas?

Deadheading hydrangeas is a simple process that can be done either right after flowering, late winter at the end of the season, or early spring before the next season begins. It redirects the plant’s energy towards producing new flowers and helps maintain a neat appearance. Deadheading can be done in late summer or early fall, once the flowers have faded and dried out. To remove dead flowers, use clean and sharp secateurs or pruners, and gloves if you want to protect your hands.

Deadheading hydrangeas is typically done in late summer or early fall, once the flowers have faded and dried out. You can simply snip off the spent blooms. Deadheading hydrangeas should be done throughout the blooming season to keep them looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, it is important to stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place. This is typically during fall, winter, and early spring.

For mophead hydrangeas, you can remove dead flower heads in mild areas, but it is advisable to leave them on the plant. Keep the plant watered as it is newly planted, and trim back dead flowerheads once spring arrives and green starts to appear on the stems. Spring is the best time to deadhead your hydrangea, while lacecap hydrangea can be deadheaded at the end of summer when the blooms are spent.

The best time to deadhead is when the first set of blooms on your hydrangeas begin to turn brown and dry. Cut the stem below the flower head and just above the dead heads, leaving all the stems. By spring, you should see some new growth so it will help you know what to take off. Deadheading encourages more flowers during the blooming season, but being past that, you would just cut the dead parts off.