Pruning Hydrangeas - Natorps

1 Pruning Hydrangeas Spring and mid to late fall are excellent times for feeding your trees. Hydrangeas do not strictly require regular Pruning . Most will do just fine with nothing more than deadhead- ing' and deadwooding' as needed. So choose hydran- geas that fit the space with their natural growing size. If Pruning is needed, when to prune Hydrangeas it will depend on your type of hydrangea . Some Hydrangeas produce flowers on growth from the current year, where as some produce flowers on the growth from previous hydrangea anomla/. TYPES OF Hydrangeas . 5. hydrangea paniculata Nikko Blue, Bloomstruck, Silver petiolaris Climbing hydrangea hydrangea arborescens Variegated, Endless Summer selections, This vining hydrangea , which is a Zebra - This group of Hydrangeas include cultivars of very attractive flowering woody vine and does Annabelle', Bella Anna', Incrediball', Sterile Hortensias, Lacecaps, and Teller Series and are typi- Typically June -August bloomers, and produce well in shade, can be used on walls or as a cally early to mid-summer bloomers (some turning blue groundcover, is usually slow to establish and their flowers on the tips of current season's growth after if acidic soils, pink if alkaline soils).

2 If needed, Pruning of the plants leaf out. If needed, prune these plants back in to begin flowering. The flowers appear late this group gets a little trickier! Many of these Hydrangeas June / early July on previous years growth, so the fall, winter, late winter or early spring as they flower on are known for not' flowering or inconsistent flowering, new growth. Deadhead spent flowers (just below the flower if needed, prune after flowering (constructive as the flower buds (or stems with the flower buds) are Pruning or deadheading spent flowers), and like head) if needed, but some selections flowers can be very often damaged over the winter. The plant re-grows effective all summer long. the Oakleaf Hydrangeas , any major Pruning will (usually from the ground or lower stems) the following result in fewer flowers the following season.

3 Year with wonderful foliage, but very few or no flow- ers. If the stems die over the winter, they are pruned hydrangea paniculata Successful Pruning of Hydrangeas for flower back for spring cleanup, removing the flower buds as production can be a series or trial and errors. If Tardiva, Limelight, Quick Fire, Bobo, well (which were dead anyway). In the spring, if there you're still unsure, just follow the basics; simply and Unique are examples of this species / most is dieback, cut back dead stems until healthy buds are deadhead (remove the spent flowers only) as sun tolerant) Similar to the arborescens, these produce found. In many cases, the stems are removed at ground needed, prune out any deadwood in the spring, flowers on new growth as well, and typically flower mid- level and new growth appears from the roots.

4 WINTER and see what happens from there. summer into September (white to pink flowers / green for PROTECTION: For these macrophylla selections, it is Limelight). If needed prune these Hydrangeas back in suggested to provide winter protection for the stems. the fall, winter, late winter or early spring as they Building a small cage around plant with chicken wire, flower on new growth. and filling it with finely ground leaves and straw late in .. the fall works great to help protect the entire plant from hydrangea quercifolia winter damages. Remove the cage and mulch sometime .. in March. [Note: A late freeze in the spring can also Snow Queen, Pee Wee, Alice This species (Oakleaf) typically flowers late cause damage to the flower buds that have successfully May - July, but the flowers persist all sea- overwintered.]

5 ] NEW VARIETIES! With some of the son long. Deadhead the spent flowers (just below the newer macrophylla selections, they are much hardier and flower) when the flowers are no longer attractive, and if have less winter dieback ( All Summer Beauty', Endless needed, have stem Pruning done by early July, as the Summer', Big Daddy', etc. are examples of newer selec- flowers are produced on the previous years growth. If tions). But the Endless Summer' series goes one step heavy Pruning is done, the terminal buds are removed further and flowers on last year's growth and this year's later in the summer or fall, or lost during the winter or growth! So it doesn't matter if you prune at the wrong late freeze in the spring, little or no flowers will be pro- time, or it dies back in the winter, you'll still get sum- duced the following season.

6 If constructive Pruning is mer flowers. Stems from the previous year will flower needed, prune after flowering - being the coarseness of earlier the following season if total dieback occurs, it the plant, prune to encourage proper framework early in will take longer in the season for flowers to form. Again, the plant's life (sacrifice early flowers), then worry about deadhead the macrophylla types as needed, and have Have more questions? Email any stem Pruning (if needed) finished by early July. Pruning times for flowering later on. If these get leggy Deadheading can take place anytime during the year us at and require severe Pruning (rejuvenation), the plant will respond quite nicely to a heavy cut back in the spring (only removing the spent flower).

7 Or call our horticulturalists at (sacrificing the flowers for the season). (513) 398 - 4769.. hydrangea Care THE 6 KEYS TO SUCCESS: 1 Sun Exposure Most will do best in morning sun / afternoon shade, or filtered sun, especially for flowering. Some will perform in full sun, given good soil moisture (which Hydrangeas enjoy well drained, loamy soils, but good even moisture). 2 Soil Plant your Hydrangeas using the same soil from the hole, but amending with compost, pine soil conditioner, etc. Be sure to mulch over the root system of the Hydrangeas to keep those roots cool, help preserve good soil moisture, and add organic matter back to the soil. 3 Watering Newly planted (and sometimes even established plants) will wilt during the hot times of the day.

8 DO NOT. OVER WATER THESE PLANTS! Make sure the soil has good moisture; then watch the plant. If it wilts during the heat of the day, but recovers by late evening or in the morning, that means it just can't take up enough water to replenish what is being lost during the day. This usually stops as the season progresses. Just be sure the soil has good even moisture, but do not over water! 4 Color Colors of hydrangea flowers (whites, whites to pinks, pinks, blues, reds, etc.) will range in intensity due to many reasons (variety, weather conditions, plant's health, etc.). For those macrophylla Hydrangeas that flower pink or blue, pink flowers are in alkaline soils and blue in acidic soils. Sprinkling lime around the plant seasonally will increase alkalinity (upper 6 and into 7pH), and reduce availability of aluminum (which causes blue flowers).

9 Adding aluminum sulfate, soil sulfur, cottonseed meal, coffee grounds, Hollytone, etc., throughout the season will help to lower the pH to low 6. Adding aluminum sulfate helps lower pH and adds aluminum, but be careful using it. Water well in advance of adding aluminum sulfate, and use it sparingly and over multiple applications, not just once. 4 Special Tips: Besides adding soil pH adjusters / adding aluminum if needed, a mid to late spring feeding with an all-pur- pose fertilizer works fine for most Hydrangeas , or by adding a slow release fertilizer in the spring such as Osmocote. A light fall feeding (after leaves fall) is okay as well. Do not over feed your Hydrangeas , and make sure they have good even moisture during the season.

10 It is best to transplant' Hydrangeas during the dormant season. New plantings can be done anytime during the growing seaso