There is no consensus on whether the hydrangea needs autumn pruning. I will share with you my own experience and tell you about my actions when pruning a bush.
Many gardeners prefer to prune hydrangeas in the spring, but this method has its drawbacks. If the culture has already woken up by that time and has begun to grow, juice appears on all sections. Sometimes hydrangeas die from this, or they become so weak that they do not bloom at all in the coming season. Autumn pruning will save you from such an outcome, but you should know exactly which variety your culture belongs to and take into account its characteristics.
Autumn pruning of a hydrangea tree
If a tree hydrangea has taken root in your local area, you need to know how to cut the bush for the winter. In terms of shape and growth rate, the plant belongs to an ordinary shrub, which mainly forms a free crown or takes the shape of a ball. Treelike hydrangea always forms many processes, both growing from the root and formed on skeletal branches. Due to its rapid development, the shrub requires all types of pruning and can generally be done in the fall.
- Sanitary pruning includes the removal of damaged branches, dried shoots, as well as significant removal of dry inflorescences and all foliage, with the exception of the top.
- Rejuvenating pruning is reduced to cutting off branches older than 4 years of age, especially those with growing thin and weak shoots. Get rid of such branches completely.
- Thinning pruning applies to thin shoots growing from the root, and all overgrowth thickening the shrub.
- Pruning for flowering is done very last. Since the plant forms an inflorescence on the branches of this year, you can shorten the main shoots with the onset of autumn. Next year, healthy, abundantly flowering branches will form from them.
With the arrival of spring, inspect the shrubbery, as some branches may freeze or break off from the weight of the snow. They will also need to be cut.
Autumn pruning of panicle hydrangea
The autumn procedure is useful for the plant. Much less time is spent on its implementation, since this hydrangea does not give abundant growth like the previous one.
The culture just needs pruning for the winter. Each bud gives a shoot with an inflorescence, and if it is not pruned, then the bush forms an impassable ball. And in addition, he will run out of strength for flowering, and the inflorescences will become weak and pale.
Autumn pruning of panicle hydrangea consists in thinning the shrub and cutting off all weak thin branches. Do not forget about the correct formation of the crown - periodically get rid of zero shoots, and cut off strong branches, keeping one or three pairs of buds.
If you want to grow a plant in the form of a trunk, prune and form in the spring and summer.
Autumn pruning of a large-leaved hydrangea variety
The procedure depends on the variety, the age of the shrub and the weather conditions in which the plant grows.
On large-leaved hydrangea, mainly young shoots bloom, which are closer to the top of the branch. So pruning is carried out with special care, so as not to drown out the shrub, and not to deprive it of flowering.
When pruning in winter, keep the shoots that have formed in the spring and which have not yet bloomed. And feel free to remove outdated, faded branches. For a large-leaved hydrangea, branches over the age of five are not needed. And be sure to get rid of damaged or diseased branches, thin growth and excess zero shoots.
Modern breeders have bred varieties of large-leaved hydrangea that bloom in mild climates on both old and young branches. Shrubs of these varieties need only thinning and sanitary pruning.
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