Hydrangeas are shrubs that can be grown in many parts of the world, since they grow just as well in warm temperate climates as they do in subtropics. In fact, as long as the temperature in winter drops below 10ºC and in summer it does not rise much more than 30ºC, you can do well as long as you receive water and the necessary nutrients.
But although only with that we could already have some beautiful plants, it is also important to know when to prune hydrangeas. Pruning is one of the tasks that have to be done from year to year, in this way we will ensure that they have a more compact shape and, also, that they produce more flowers.
When are hydrangeas pruned?
To answer that question it is first important to know that hydrangeas are shrubs that grow during the springand to a lesser extent the summer, although this will depend on how warm it is (for example, in areas where the maximum temperatures remain above 30ºC and the minimum temperatures of 20ºC, it is normal for its growth to slow down or even stop ). Sometimes they also grow a little more in autumn if there are no frosts and if the minimum temperatures exceed 15ºC.
During their growing season, which can be longer or shorter depending on where they are grown, a lot of sap will circulate through their branches.much more than when they rest. If at that time we could, their wounds will need more time to heal, since it would also add another problem: the possible appearance of pests and / or diseases, which are attracted by the smell of the sap.
If we take everything into account, the ideal time to prune hydrangeas is late winterand only if there is no frost. If there are, then we will wait a little longer. At that time, hydrangeas They will come out of their winter rest, as temperatures rise, which will help them to spend energy healing their wounds before the good weather sets in.
How to prune hydrangeas?
First of all, you have to decide between having hydrangeas with fewer but larger flowers, or on the contrary having many flowers but smaller. If you prefer the former, you will have to prune a bit more drastic than if you opt for the latter, regardless of the variety you have.
As well it is necessary to know the different types of branches so you can prune them or leave them depending on what you prefer. Thus, we have:
- Pacifiers: they are those stems that emerge from the base of the plant, and that later will become young branches.
- Young branches: they are those that are only a few years old, usually about three, and semi-woody.
- Old branches: these are the woody ones. They are concentrated in the center of the hydrangea, and often end up crisscrossing.
Materials
And with that said, let’s start talking about the materials you will need:
- Household scissors: they can be the kitchen itself. These will help you cut the finest stems.
- Pruning shears: if you have to remove or reduce the length of a stem whose thickness is between 1 and 1,5cm, this type of scissors that you can buy will be more useful here!.
- Healing paste: its application is highly recommended if drastic pruning has been done, as it helps wound healing.
Step by step
Once you have everything you have to prune the hydrangeas this way:
- The first step is to remove, or at least reduce the length of the old branches. These will not bloom, they will only deplete energy from other branches. In addition, with the passage of time they end up drying out, which makes the plant quite ugly.
- Afterwards, we recommend that you take a few steps away from your hydrangeas and observe them from all angles. In this way, you can better see which branches are left over, and which ones only need to be trimmed.
- The last step is to finish pruning. Once you know what shape and size you want your plants to be, you just have to cut or remove whatever you need to give it the style you want. Then, it is advisable to apply healing paste on the pruned stems.
Beware of excesses
Hydrangeas tolerate pruning quite well, even drastic ones. However, do not abuse. If you have one that measures, let’s say, 40 centimeters high with multiple branches, it is not good to leave it with a height of 10 centimeters and a single branch, because it would take a long time to recover, and that if it does.
To avoid problems for them, it will always be better to cut back a little each season. It will not do them any harm if we remove the dry branches, or even some that are old, but we will not achieve anything good if we can, for example, almost at ground level each time, since we would weaken them to the point that their life expectancy It would diminish.
We hope it has served you.
