Hydrangeas - When and How to Prune

When and how to prune hydrangeas differs slightly depending on which variety you have in your garden.

Hydrangea macrophylla. Available at www.gardenersworld.com

Mophead and lacecap varieties (Hydrangea macrophylla / Hydrangea serrata) flower on old wood and should be pruned back to a pair of buds in March/April each year. Old flower heads should ideally be left on these hydrangeas over winter to protect the buds and stems from frost. Cutting out weak, crossing stems and a couple of older stems from the bottom of the hydrangea will help to promote new growth from the base.

Hydrangea paniculata. Available at www.gardenersworld.com

Hydrangea paniculata flowers on new wood and these plants can therefore be pruned hard in spring to a pair of buds. It is helpful to apply a mulch, eg compost, after pruning. An unpruned paniculata can grow fairly tall with all the flower heads towards the top of the plant.

Hydrangea petiolaris. Available at www.rhs.org.uk

Climbing hydrangeas (petiolaris) should be pruned after flowering in summer, but with a limited amount pruned from the top of the plant as this is where the plant produces most of its flowers. If a climbing hydrangea needs a hard prune, this can be done in spring but will impact flowering for the year in question.

If you have hydrangeas in your garden but are uncertain about the varieties you have and/or when to prune, Green Leaf Gardening can help: jacqueline@greenleafgardening.net / 07766 547985