Hydrangeas are very easy to care for and delight gardeners with their willingness to bloom. However, the pruning of the garden beauty is a closed book for many. Should the hydrangea be cut back in spring or autumn or even in summer?

Depending on the pruning group, hydrangeas are pruned more in spring and autumn than in summer

The cutting groups

The hydrangea is divided into different pruning groups according to the recommended pruning time. You can see which pruning group the specimen you planted belongs to on the plant label.

Hydrangeas in pruning group 1 set the flowers for the following year in the previous year. Therefore, these Hydrangea species may only be cut very lightly and carefully. For maximum abundance of flowers, you should only thin out these plants a little in spring.

Hydrangeas of cutting group 2 form the flowers on the new shoot. Like all classic summer bloomers, they are cut back in late autumn or early spring.

Exception Hydrangea "Endless Summer"

This hydrangea, which is very similar to the classic peasant hydrangea, still bears flowers in the year of pruning, in contrast to other peasant hydrangeas. In order for this hydrangea to flower as early as possible, it should not be pruned too much in spring.

care in summer

For the blue hydrangea 'Endless Summer' and the white hydrangea 'The Bride', remove the spent flowers immediately after they have faded. Like summer flowers that bloom several times, these hydrangeas form new flowers on the same shoots, which open in the same year.

Carefully break out faded leaves

You can remove faded flowers from all Hydrangea species during the summer. You can easily cut out the faded flowers with clean and sharp rose scissors. However, it is advisable for plant health to carefully break out the flower umbels.

  • Grasp the flower above the base of the leaf with your thumb and forefinger.
  • Carefully break to the side.

In summer you can also thin out the branches a little so that more light penetrates the inner area of the plant. This care measure has a very positive effect on the formation of new flowers.

tips and tricks

In general, the earlier your hydrangea blooms, the less often you should use scissors.

Category:

Vegetable garden