Can you prune hydrangeas to control size?

In general, plants should be pruned to improve appearance not control size. I repeat that because it’s important: Hydrangeas should be pruned to improve appearance, not control size. The mature hydrangea is a shrub that cannot be made smaller.

What month should I prune my hydrangea?

Trimming should be done immediately after flowering stops in summer, but no later than August 1. Do not prune in fall, winter, or spring or you could be cutting off new buds. Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage multiple, smaller flower heads rather than fewer larger flower heads.

Can I cut my hydrangeas all the way back?

To get bigger flowers, cut them all the way back In late winter or early spring, these shrubs can be cut all the way back to the ground. Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year, but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems.

How do you prune a hydrangea bush?

Remove dead or crossing stems. Cut these stems close to the ground. Remember buds for blooms are produced on old wood and the more old wood you remove the less floral display in the spring and summer. To rejuvenate the hydrangea, remove up to 1/3 of the older living stems down to the ground each summer.

How do you make hydrangeas bushy?

If the plant is leggy when you purchased it, shear the plant back hard by 1/3 to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts on an inch or two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just the growing tip. This tip controls branching. Once it is removed the buds below it will turn into two or more stems.

Do not prune hydrangeas?

First, know hydrangeas do not have to be pruned — unless the shrub has grown too large for its space or unruly and needs a little shaping up. Otherwise, you can simply clean up the plant by removing dead branches and deadheading spent blooms.

Should hydrangeas be cut back for winter?

Hydrangeas bloom either on old wood or new wood, depending on the hydrangea type. New-wood blooming hydrangeas should be cut back in late winter before new growth begins, while old-wood bloomers require pruning right after flowers fade in late summer.

How do you fix leggy hydrangeas?

Can you hard prune hydrangeas?

Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea aborescens can be cut back harder. If you’re not sure which type of hydrangea you have, it’s best just to deadhead it and observe how it grows. If you notice that it produces flowers on this year’s growth, you can prune it harder next year.