When To Prune Hydrangeas In The Autumn?

The text provides a guide on pruning hydrangeas, focusing on the importance of keeping them neat and compact. It emphasizes that if there are buds on the branch in the fall, the hydrangea blooms on old wood and should not be cut back in the fall. However, if there are no buds in sight after August 1, they can be cut.

However, it is important to cut back old blooms before winter arrives to drain energy from the plant and put it at risk of winter snow and ice damage. Many gardeners prefer to keep their hydrangea shrubs neat and compact, which requires pruning every year or two. Pruning summer blooming hydrangeas in the fall is not necessary, as it can stress the plant and cause damage to other healthy plants.

When pruning oakleaf hydrangeas, it is crucial to remove dead or dying branches from the tree by cutting them down close enough to avoid interference with other healthy plants. If you are unsure about the type of hydrangea to prune, it is best to do so when the danger of frost has passed in your growing zone and it is mid-spring.

The timing of pruning depends on the type of hydrangea. If the hydrangea blooms on “old” wood, it should not be cut back in the fall to ensure next year’s flowers are not sacrificed. Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood can be safely pruned in late fall once the plants have gone dormant or in early spring.

To reduce the size of a hydrangea that blooms on new wood, cut off about one-third of each stem in late fall or early spring before it begins to bloom. New wood hydrangeas should be pruned in the fall before they start growing the branches that will produce the flowers. Cut faded flower stems to half their length to encourage new growth and buds, and prune after the last bloom in the fall to control shape and height.