Pruning mophead hydrangeas soon? Are you having anxiety about destroying next year’s blooms? No worries!
If you have a beautiful plant, one of the last things you want to do is accidentally remove your blooms for the next season. Hydrangeas are absolutely gorgeous! Although, the variety of hydrangea determines the pruning technique.
It doesn’t have to be this way! let’s get started on the simple steps to pruning your mophead hydrangeas.
This post is all about pruning mophead hydrangeas to retain your beautiful blooms.
The whole purpose of pruning a plant is to keep it healthy, continuously blooms, and maintain an optimal shape. In pruning mophead hydrangeas, the goal is to produce blooms and remove deadwood. So, let’s get started!
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The Mophead Hydrangea
Mophead hydrangeas are probably the most common hydrangea you see depending on your current growing zone. They may go by the scientific name hydrangea macrophylla or big leaf hydrangea, lace cap hydrangea, or french hydrangea. They typically have a huge flowering “head” that comes in the traditional blue, white, or pink colors. They also bloom on old wood. Old wood means that this year’s blooms were formed on last year’s stems. So this year’s buds will bloom next year.
If you live in a cool climate, mopheads do very well in full sun. If you live in a hotter climate, it would be best to plant them in the shade since they like moist, well-drained soil. You can find beautiful pictures of hydrangeas growing in Cape Cod and Martha’s vineyard due to the cooler weather.
Prepping Your Plant
Before you start pruning, be sure to have the tools you need. You will need pruning shears and/or loppers depending on the width of the stems. Pruning shears usually do the job.
You will also want to clear the debris from the base of the bush. Remove any dead leaves, sticks, rocks, or any loose debris obstructing the base of the plant.
Pruning Steps
When pruning a hydrangea, you want to make your pruning cuts straight across the stem right above a healthy bud. The bud is where your new flower will bloom. Since most buds grow straight across from each other, this is the perfect place to cut.
The first thing you want to do is prune dead dry stems. You should only prune 25% of these stems or 1 in 4 to encourage growth. This stem may contain a dead flower and/or it may just be a completely dead stem. You want to cut this stem all the way to the ground. This will prevent your plant from having a huge trunk as well as open up the plant for rejuvenation and growth. While removing these dead stems, be sure not to prune new stems. You may notice green leaves on stems coming out of the ground near the base of the plant. Do not prune these stems. These stems contain next year’s blooms.
Next, you want to prune any stems that seem to be growing on the ground away from the plant. These stems are laying on the ground and forming new roots. Cut these stems at the base of the plant. You can actually replant these stems in another part of your garden to start a new plant.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can cut the remaining stems by 1/3 to get more blooms. You still want to make the cuts above healthy buds. Sometimes these stems have one flower on the end but that is the only one you will get for the growing season. This is a great pruning technique to get more blooms.
When to Prune
There are two times that are optimal for pruning mophead hydrangeas. You can prune them after the blooms fade in late summer, or you can prune them in early spring close to the end of the frost season. If you wait until spring, you don’t have to contend with big leaves and existing foilage being in the way. You will just need to wait until you see some green growth so you will know where the buds are forming and foilage are growing.
Fertilizer (Optional)
Fertilizers are always optional when it comes to most plants. Fertilizer are generally used to feed the plant throughout the growing season and boost fruit and bloom production. You can use fertilizer that is specifically for hydrangeas or acid-loving plants. Follow the instructions on the package for best results.
Now that you know exactly how to prune your mophead hydrangeas, sit back and watch your beautiful blooms progress this season!
This post was all about pruning mophead hydrangeas for optimal growth and bountiful blooms.
