Prune Your Hydrangea This Fall? Check the Type First, by RootWise on YouTube. 18 min 1 s.
- Video length
- 18 min 1 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Look at the leaves and flowers before you cut anything. Bigleaf hydrangeas have broad, serrated leaves and round or lacecap flower heads. Oakleaf types have large, lobed leaves that turn red in fall.
Decide whether your plant flowers on old wood or new wood. Old-wood types form next year's buds this summer and fall, so cutting now removes them. New-wood types form buds in spring on fresh growth.
Check whether you have a reblooming variety such as Endless Summer. These flower on both old and new wood, so a bad cut costs some blooms but not all of them.
Leave bigleaf, oakleaf, mountain and climbing hydrangeas alone in fall. Prune them right after flowering in summer instead, or only remove dead or damaged stems now.
Prune panicle and smooth hydrangeas in late fall, winter or early spring while they are dormant. Cut back to a pair of healthy buds and remove weak, crossing or dead stems.
If your hydrangea did not bloom this year, do not assume it needs a hard cut. Check for late frost damage, shade or dry soil before changing your pruning routine.
For less cold-hardy types, add winter protection after pruning. Pile 6 to 12 inches of leaves or straw over the crown once the ground freezes, and remove it in spring.
Tips and common mistakes
When in doubt, do not cut. Waiting one season is safer than losing a year of flowers.
Clean your pruners with rubbing alcohol between plants to avoid spreading disease.
Do not cut old-wood hydrangeas back hard in fall, even if they look messy.
Keep a note of your plant's flower shape and colour so you can identify it again next year.
Questions
Can I prune my hydrangea in October?
Only if it is a panicle or smooth hydrangea. Bigleaf, oakleaf, mountain and climbing types already hold next year's buds, so wait until after they flower in summer.
Why did my hydrangea not bloom this year?
The most common cause is pruning at the wrong time and cutting off the buds. Late frost, too much shade and dry soil can also stop flowering.
How do I know if my hydrangea is reblooming?
Check the plant label or the name you bought it under. Names like Endless Summer, Let's Dance and BloomStruck are reblooming types. The video notes there is no reliable visual shortcut at purchase time.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
