In autumn, many gardeners ask themselves: Should the withered hydrangea umbels be cut out, or will this cut back affect the shoots in the new year? Even during the gardening season, the beautiful umbels wither after a while and have to be removed.
Break out spent blooms during the summer
By regularly breaking out the flowers, you promote the formation of new buds and thus the abundance of flowers in the hydrangea. Stimulated by this care measure, many hydrangeas set new flowers every six weeks and then bloom profusely well into the autumn.
Of course you can cut off the withered umbels of the hydrangea with sharp rose scissors. However, it is gentler on the hydrangea if you carefully break out faded flowers. The hydrangea regenerates much faster as a result.
Follow these steps:
- Grab the hydrangea below the withered umbel and above the next leaf base
- Carefully break off the flower to the side or clip it off with your fingernails.
Thin out the hydrangea a little when breaking out the withered umbels in August. In this way, a lot of light gets inside the plant and the formation of buds is additionally stimulated.
Leave flowers in fall in harsh areas
The withered umbels with their smoky colors enchant the wintry garden with their morbid charm. The umbels can therefore remain on the hydrangea during the cold season, especially since they also protect the next year's blossoms from frost.
Only break out the faded leaves directly above the new shoot in early spring. You can use this opportunity to remove dead or frozen wood over the winter.
tips and tricks
Withered hydrangea blossoms are an attractive decoration for the room that goes perfectly with the trendy vintage style. Arrange the flowers in pretty bowls; varnishing is not necessary because hydrangea blossoms retain their shape even when dried.