Pruning Hydrangeas: How and When to Do It

Hydrangeas are the showstopper of the plant world. It doesn’t matter what variety you get – be it the mophead or lacecap, or even the paniculate or oakleaf, they turn heads and win hearts.

Even those who aren’t typically plant lovers can’t help but be mesmerised by the vibrancy and generous proportions of a hydrangea bush in full bloom.

Hydrangeas don’t really need to be pruned. Your lawns need to be mowed, your hedges trimmed, and your gardens weeded, but hydrangeas will trundle along without a care in the world and without demanding all that much attention. They are the perfect plant for any neglectful plant parent.

In saying that, any proud plant owner may see the value in occasional pruning to ensure they look at their best. Dead flowers and occasional dead stems should be cleared away to encourage healthy growth – and to ensure it remains as pretty as a picture.

Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to go about trimming your bush, which means you shouldn’t let yourself loose with a pair of secateurs just yet. Read on to learn not only how to prune your hydrangeas, but when the best time to do it is.

When to prune hydrangeas

The good thing about household chores is that you can do them at any time of the year and day that suits you. Even the most-hated tasks aren’t on a time limit. But the window of opportunity for hydrangea bush trimming is.

Any hydrangea bush – from the vivacious mophead and lacecap variety, to the tamer Quercifolia, can be pruned in mid to late winter. That’s right – you can put on your winter woollies, grab your pruning scissors, and do some gardening with snow on the forecast. 

Some people also decide to carry out pruning in early spring, intending to avoid late frosts that can damage new buds. 

Pruning techniques for mophead and lacecap hydrangeas

Two of the more common hydrangeas varieties include mophead and lacecap. Mophead hydrangea bushes have large, round heads with many small, vibrant flowers forming a ball. Lacecap, on the other hand, tends to have single flowers on a little head.

Lacecap hydrangeas

These two bushes flower on old wood, which are the stems that produced flowers the year before. As a result, plant owners have to be careful about how they undertake pruning. If you get too overzealous with your pruning, you may find your bush doesn’t produce any flowers during the next growing season.

Start with your damaged and dead stems. Snip them back at the base and remove any old, weak, or spindly growth at the same time. If you notice that any branches are trying to cross over or grow into each other, cut them back. By doing so, you can promote growth into the shape you prefer. It also pays to cut back flowering shoots and leave any shoots that don’t have any flowers.

How to prune other hydrangea bushes

Most people will be pleased to know that Oakleaf, Paniculata, and Quercifolia hydrangea varieties are low maintenance. In fact, many of them just want you to leave them alone!

Oakleaf, which has leaves shaped like those from an oak tree, is quite happy to grow and look pretty. However, should you see any dead, diseased, or dying branches, you can haul out your secateurs for a spot of light maintenance. Just like the mophead and lacecap variety, oakleaf bushes flower on old wood, so take care of pruning in winter or early spring.

Paniculata hydrangea bushes are a little bit different. Their flowers bloom on new wood, which means they are easy to prune, and you can go crazy with the pruning scissors without worrying about stunting new growth. Unlike other hydrangeas, you can also prune this variety annually – either back to the ground or at the flower heads.

How to plant hydrangeas

A plant that wants you to leave it alone – that sounds like the dream plant. If you believe that hydrangeas are going to suit your property, then why not head to your local garden store and buy a few varieties? 

The planting process of hydrangeas in garden beds is effortless, but make sure you plant them early or late in the day to avoid exposing the plants to a lot of sunshine. Water them thoroughly before you plant them, then allow them to drain. While you wait, take a look at the root ball of the plant, then dig a hole that’s twice as deep and wide as it.

Loosen the ball of roots of the hydrangea plant, then place it in the hole you just dug. Fill it with flower mix from your local garden nursery, and press the soil around the plant base. Water it thoroughly and regularly.

Planting and caring for hydrangeas is a straightforward process. However, you can rest assured that there will always be a gardening and lawn mowing expert near you who will be more than happy to lend a helping hand.