First, let me say that I am no garden expert! But I must be doing something right because here is how my Hydrangea bushes look this year…
They are currently just bursting with buds...I am so excited!
Last Spring I shared this post about my non blooming Hydrangeas. The bushes were always healthy, but did not produce any blooms…
Last Year…
This Year…
I think I finally figured out how to trim them properly so that they will produce blooms the following season. After reading several websites, magazines, and listening to talk radio garden gurus, I just may have the secret…dead wood!
The trick is to leave the dead or dormant stalks on the plant when you trim them. I was trimming them all wrong. In years past, I would cut the dead stems down to the ground in the fall…leaving just a few inches of stem.
To get beautiful blooms…leave the “dead wood” …
You can see here where I cut the stalk last fall. Then the new stalks grew from that point…
Now they are so happy and healthy and bursting with blooms…
I could not resist bringing a few of the early blooms into the house to enjoy…
I will be enjoying these blooms...one of my favorites...all summer long!
Sharing with...Classy Clutter,
Yes, I think most of us learn that the hard way. It seems the likely thing to do, trim off the dead stalks, but yes it will greatly effect the blooms in the spring. Ours are just starting to bloom. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteYour hydrangeas are beautiful! I have managed to keep my first one alive for a year now! Thanks for the tips though bc I have just been winging it :)
ReplyDeleteThat bush is insane! You've got the touch girl! Can't wait to see that sucker in full bloom!
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura, I've been cutting to the ground all this time! :(
ReplyDeleteSo, does this mean you just cut the tops of each branch off (like cutting azaleas)?
ReplyDeleteHydrangeas are my favorite as well ... It took me a long time to figure out the pruning of these babies. Your's are gorgeous ... mine are nice and green ... but not blooming quite yet!! xo
ReplyDeleteI m so envious, I have never had lucky with hydrangeas. Good tips!
ReplyDeleteThe first two years after I planted my hydrangea they never bloomed. I never trimmed the bush, but finally it bloomed the third year. I think it just was trying to get used to its new area.
ReplyDeletethanks for the tips. I too have been pruning to the ground level. Now I realize my mistake hopefully and this will produce lots of blooms. So excited now to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't dead wood, just old wood. Thanks for this article with so many pictures - I trimmed mine in 2013, down to the ground in Autumn and had only 1 flower in 2014. From your pics, I know what I did wrong - thank goodness I didn't trim it at all last year. I'm going to follow your advice and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteLearned that lesson the hard way too.... This is the trick for large leaf hydrangeas like Nikko's. Limelights and Annabelles you do need to cut back. They grow on new wood.
ReplyDelete