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Hydrangea - What to do now?

mdonaghy644mdonaghy644 Posts: 3
in Plants
I have a hydrangea in my garden that is approx 6 foot tall. The bottom half of all stalks have become very woody but some of them have buds. I would like to prune it hard as it's too big for where it is but I'm not sure when I should prune it or how far down the stalks? I don't mind losing a year's blooms if I cut it right back. Any suggestions or guidance appreciated. Thanks 


Posts

  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    This guide from GW will help you identify the best pruning method for your plant, depending on which type it is. https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/how-to-prune-a-hydrangea-in-spring/# 
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • AngelicantAngelicant Posts: 130
    The problem with most hydrangeas is that they want to be enormous. You could cut it right down to the ground at the possible expense of next year's flowers but it will still grow to the same size.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    If you cut it hard back in winter or early spring you should get lots of new growth, which is likely to have a few very large flower heads on it - the flowers may weigh the new stems down to the ground, in my experience, so you may decide to remove the flowers the first summer after a hard prune.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
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