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Mophead hydrangeas - pruned too hard?

amy_hamiltonamy_hamilton Posts: 32
edited March 2022 in Plants
Hi there,

have just received an order of 4 macrophylla hydrangea plants described as extra large on the nursery website. 

I have several in my garden already so know how they should be pruned ideally. 

These four specimens are chunky and in 10 litre pots but have been pruned right back to about 4-6 inches. Some have signs of new growth, others have nothing. The plants came with a note saying they have been pruned back as is good horticultural practice for potted plants.

I know it’s early in the season but I’m concerned that hacking back this variety of hydrangea is not good practice!? At best I Imogene I will get some leafy growth this year but no flowers - but at worst - will they grow back!?! I’ve never hacked back my existing hydrangeas so uncertain. 

Before I contact the nursery to raise my concerns, is anyone able to shed some wisdom? 

Many thanks! 
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Posts

  • amy_hamiltonamy_hamilton Posts: 32

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    looks fine to me.
    Devon.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Very disappointing for you. They do look a bit butchered and I presume that was done to lessen the cost of P&P. However the trunk looks to be a good mature size and I can see green shoots?
    They should put on at least 2ft this year but I am doubtful that you would get flowers, hopefully next year. Up to you to complain if you wanted flowers this year.
    I bought one from a local nursery last autumn which was about 2 ft high and already had flowers so I could see the colour. Buying online can be a bit of a lottery.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    When you buy online, they have to be transported. I'm afraid that's how it is. It depends completely on the outlet you choose too. I bought two from Signature Hydrangeas a few years ago, and they were arriving in late summer. They were beautifully packaged at full size, but that's obviously a more expensive method, and not every company will do that.  
    They will grow back though, so I wouldn't be terribly worried. Shrubs which need rejuvenation, for example, would get cut right back without any problem. If some don't make new growth, that's when you would take it further.  :)
    X large would indicate the maturity of the plant, not it's general height and width though. If it's in a 10 litre pot, that's a mature plant. I'd have thought they wouldn't have needed to prune them back so far, but that's where reading the details when ordering is important too. Those types are normally pruned back pretty hard anyway, although it can depend on the look you want with the eventual size of them. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Judging by the size of the "trunk" and the pot size l wouldn't be too worried, although I can certainly appreciate your disappointment. At least there are signs of life, although l would be surprised if you get much in the way of flowers this year.

    I would take a couple of photos of each plant (against a darker background so that the shoots show more clearly) so that you have a record of the condition on arrival. I see that you mentioned some having no signs of life at all which is a concern by this time of year.

    I don't see any harm in contacting the supplier with your concerns. I expect you will get a response along the lines of "wait and see", but it does flag up to the nursery that you're not happy, and any supplier who cares about their reputation will take note.
    Hope this helps  :)
  • amy_hamiltonamy_hamilton Posts: 32
    Many thanks all for your comments and thoughts. I appreciate that XL would refer to the established maturity of the plant but I suppose I was shocked they were cut back so low, and on two plants below the line of any obvious buds. I read the details carefully which said mature plants ready for instant impact this summer! There was no mention of hard pruning. I’m also wondering how rootbound they are going to be once I get them out given the girth of the trunk.

    I will follow your advice and alert the nursery to my thoughts in case there is no progress! No flowers this year though, which is a shame! 

    Many thanks once again x
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    If its gardening express, I had the same and called them up on it as this type flower on last years growth so you dont prune mopheads like that!  They pulled some nonsense about them being magic ones that dont... its rubbish, they grew last year eventually but of course no flowers... I hope for some this year...
  • amy_hamiltonamy_hamilton Posts: 32
    Thanks for your response @JessicaS unfortunately yes, seems as though we have had the same experience from the same supplier. I did order some other shrubs from them last year and was impressed hence me ordering again this year! 

    It’s completely rich of them to fob you off about them being magical! Especially when the producers of magical hydrangeas themselves say they don’t need pruning! Let alone this kind of harsh pruning. The box they sent them in was tall enough for them to have left some longer stems with last years buds…so seems they genuinely believe this is what should be done 🤷🏻‍♀️

    It gives me some hope that yours did grow eventually and I hope that you get some flowers this year 🤞🏼.  I would have to package and pay for postage to return them…which I will do if necessary, but given your experience I may wait the and see how they recover

    thanks again 


  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    If any of them don't grow at all, you should be able to get a refund without paying to return them. Give them a month or two, then send photos if they don't grow at all. And when they do start growing, give them a bit of extra protection if you have cold nights/frost forecast. It shouldn't kill the plants but it could damage tender new growth. Normally you'd leave the old flower heads on until spring has properly sprung, to protect the new buds lower down.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    Mines leafing away well now and should flower, but yeah I was annoyed by the "special florists ones..." nonsense when called on the wrong pruning as I brought them to flower last year! There was no need for that pruninh. Id complain to them. The website still insists they should be pruned to the ground too - theyd never flower if you did that every year!
    I do order from them a lot, and they are usually good, just apparently not at hydrangea pruning!
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