Pruning hydrangeas: Knowing if your shrub blooms on old or new wood will help you make timely cuts

摘要

I know people are perplexed about how to prune hydrangeas because I get asked about it all the time. The three most common reasons for their confusion are the plant's dead-looking appearance in winter, its failure to bloom in summer, and the reasoningthat because it's a shrub it needs to be pruned. But these popular woody plants carl live long, floriferous lives without ever feeling the cold blade of a pair of Felcos. Hydrangeas, though, can handle pruning (which, if done at the wrong time, may be the cause for the lack of flowers), and sometimes you might want or need to cut them back a bit. For example, you may not like the look of the fading blooms or your shrub may be a bit too tall. Pruning hydrangeas can also improve a shrub's vigor and increase the size of its flowers.