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Mophead hydrangea browning

MattyDMattyD Posts: 34
in Problem solving
Hi, I have established white mophead hydrangeas, but some of the blooms have started to go brown, is it ok to cut these mid-season as we are? If so, do I cut to the next node down or right at the base? And will it be replaced by another bloom this season? Hope you can help! Thanks.

Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    If it's established what have you done in other years?
    You usually leave the flower heads on as they give some frost protection to the plant and then remove them in the spring but if there are loads and looks nessy you could remoive a few but it won't rebloom.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If you want to control size cut them right down to their base now and new stems will start to grow and replace them and may flower next year if they have time to mature before winter sets in.   Otherwise it'll be the following year.

    Otherwise, just remove the flower head but as K67 says, that means there'll be no protection against frost for the buds forming to make next year's flowers.

    We have two inherited mopheads here and the blue/pink one has been covered in flowers but just in the last 2 days they've suddenly faded to dirty cream and started going brown.   Looks horrid so I'll be giving mine a serious trim cutting all those stems back to their base as it's also grown far too big this year after a mild, damp winter and spring.   The deep pink one is fine and less vigorous too.   No idea why.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    My mop heads are not even out yet! 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Bit warmer here @Lyn and I did give mine lots of TLC last autumn and again this spring so I was pleased with the results in late June - 

    but that one on the right just looks awful now.   It's going to get a serious haircut and a reprieve till next year but I am very tempted just to remove it completely.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Pinks are nice, mine are all blue. 
    Did the Aconitum seeds grow for you?  The white ones are seeding again now. Blue not out yet.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    This is a muddy blue so I gave it some special blue hydrangea feed this spring and that seemed to make it less muddy but more pink.  Now it's just horrid.

    I haven't sown the seeds yet as I had nowhere to plant them out - combination of unusually wet winter and broken strimmer so no ground cleared as I'd hope last autumn.   However, I now have that new bed by the party barn so will be sowing this week, just as soon as we've been out to buy more compost.   Finished my last bag yesterday sowing clematis.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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