Home gardeners are often plagued by doubts when it comes to pruning hydrangeas. In fact, it depends on the hydrangea species which pruning rules you follow correctly. This tutorial has set itself the task of removing all uncertainties for newcomers to hydrangea pruning. You can find out here when and how to cut the magnificent flowering shrubs correctly.

Hydrangeas are divided into two pruning groups that can be pruned to different extents

Table of Contents

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  1. Two cutting groups
  2. Why cut groups
  3. Types of cuts Group I
  4. Group I build-up section
  5. Group I clearing cut
  6. Taper cut Group I
  7. Maintenance cut modern varieties
  8. Types of cuts Group II
  9. Group II build-up section
  10. Thinning section group II
  11. Training cut high stem
  12. frequently asked Questions

    13. Many types of hydrangea - two pruning groups

    All hydrangea species are naturally easy to care for and delight with a long flowering period. In many home gardens, even the withered inflorescences in winter are the only decoration in otherwise empty beds. An improper cut at the wrong time destroys all hopes of the summer flower spectacle. It largely depends on the species affiliation how deep to cut a hydrangea.

    The close connection between species assignment and pruning size does not mean that private hydrangea gardeners have to delve into botanical tomes before pruning. It is sufficient to familiarize yourself with the following categorization in two cutting groups to familiarize:

    Cut Group I botanical name Cutting group II botanical name
    peasant hydrangea Hydrangea macrophylla panicle hydrangea Hydrangea paniculata
    plate hydrangea Hydrangea serrata snowball hydrangea Hydrangea arborescents
    velvet hydrangea Hydrangea sargentiana
    climbing hydrangea Hydrangea petiolaris
    Giant Leaf Hydrangea Hydrangea aspera 'Macrophylla'

    The hydrangea series 'Endless summer' occupies a special position. From a botanical point of view, it is one of the farmer's hydrangeas. Skilled breeders have taught the modern breed line Additionally to the this year's shoots to bloom. The triumph of the modern series of varieties led to further innovations being added, such as 'Forever&Ever', 'Everbloom', 'Twist-n-Shout' or the 'Royalty Collection'. In a separate section, the tutorial is devoted in detail to the modified pruning of modern hydrangea series within pruning group I.

    tips

    Various German names for the various hydrangea species are circulating in the trade. Farmhouse hydrangeas are often offered as ball hydrangeas or plate hydrangeas. Panicle hydrangeas are called outdoor hydrangeas or butterfly hydrangeas. So that you do not fall victim to any confusion when distinguishing between cut groups, please draw the botanical name to rate.

    Why is categorization by intersection groups important?

    Hydrangeas of pruning group I lay their buds for the large, terminal flowers and the budding of leaves and shoots last year on. The nostalgic ornamental shrubs do not tolerate a strong pruning at any time of the year. In late winter or early spring, the scissors dashed all hopes of this year's blooms. If you prune at the end of flowering, the buds will already be in position for next year.

    Pruning group II hydrangeas regulate their growth according to completely different rules. Panicle and viburnum hydrangeas bloom in summer on the this year's shoots. For this cut category, a vigorous cut is not only completely harmless, but is also rewarded with a lavish abundance of flowers.

    Cut hydrangeas of pruning group I - all types of pruning at a glance

    Types of cuts Cut Group I goal/occasion Period best appointment
    build-up cut educate a shapely framework 1st to 3rd year or up to the desired bush height mid-February to mid-March
    thinning cut Promoting flower abundance and vitality after reaching the final height mid-February to mid-March
    taper cut Revitalize lazy, dead hydrangea at an advanced age with a decreasing number of flowers and progressive baldness Late January to March 1st
    Maintenance cut modern varieties Increasing the abundance of flowers and keeping young after reaching the final height mid-February to mid-March

    Cutting group I - Instructions for the build-up cut

    The instructions for a targeted growth pruning are aimed at gardeners who want to regulate the growth of their hydrangeas right from the start. Where types and varieties of this pruning group feel at home, they become just as wide as they are high. At the site with limited space or in the tub, you can limit the number of bottom shoots and build a narrower framework than is naturally intended. For the first three years, do it like this:

    • Gradually build up a shrub framework with 10 to 15 one-, two- and three-year-old shoots
    • Build pot plants with a framework of 7 to 10 different old shoots
    • Cut off excess skeleton shoots at ground level

    One-year-old ground shoots with a scaffolding function are not cut during the build-up phase. They bear the loveliest flowers in summer. In the first three years, pruning is limited to the selection of the strongest shoots that thrive from the rootstock. On climbing hydrangeas, please ensure that the branches are evenly distributed on the climbing frame. In addition, clean the withered flower heads every spring.

    Cut Group I - Guideline for the thinning cut

    Under normal conditions, a ground shoot remains vital and floriferous for 4 years. In the period that follows, it branches out more and more and only has small flowers. Eventually the aged branch bends down to the ground. The professional thinning cut follows a two-part strategy. The young blossom wood is gently freed from withered blossoms. Old blossom wood is thinned out to make room for new skeletal shoots from the rootstock. How to do it right:

    • Cut off wilted hydrangea flowers above the new, rounded, thick flower buds
    • From the fourth year, thin out the oldest skeletal shoots at the base
    • Cut out dead wood seamlessly
    • Cut back inside the bush or criss-crossing branches

    The final step in the thinning section is dedicated to the remaining one, two and three year old shoots. The most magnificent flower buds are enthroned on these branches. A cut is only considered in exceptional cases. If a shoot juts out of the bush in a disruptive manner, a diversion cut restores order. To do this, prune the branch where it branches into a one-year-old side shoot.

    Cut off all withered flower heads above the pair of buds below. Cut off bottom shoots that are more than 4 years old or prematurely aging. Annual, unbranched bottom shoots and side branches are not pruned.

    digression

    The right cutting tool guarantees the best cutting care

    The quality of the cutting tool is the key to success in pruning hydrangeas. For the diverse types of cuts, the following basic equipment should be available: high-quality one-hand secateurs - optionally with a bypass or anvil mechanism - and a sharp folding saw for cutting branches with a diameter of more than 3 centimeters. When buying tools, look for premium quality tools that can be easily dismantled for maintenance work or replacing blades and saw blades. Please do not start cutting until all cutting edges have been freshly sharpened and meticulously cleaned.

    Cut group I - this is how the rejuvenation cut succeeds

    Without annual pruning care, hydrangeas of pruning group I are a shadow of themselves within a short time. Only a few flowers can be discovered on the over-aged shoots. The bushes are bare from the base because the branches shade each other in the dense undergrowth. With a radical rejuvenating cut, you can revitalize senile hydrangeas. That is how it goes:

    • Thin out all senile shoots at the base
    • Leave promising bottom shoots and shorten by one to two thirds
    • Set the scissors just above a pair of buds or dormant eyes

    Proceed consistently as illustrated in the figure below, even if there are hardly any shoots left at the end. Then fertilize the rejuvenated hydrangeas liberally with compost and horn shavings. If no new shoots develop by next year, the flowering bushes are exhausted and will be cleared.

    Cut off all old, bare shoots at the base. If there are any, leave unbranched shoots from the previous year as they will bloom this year.

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    Take into account the Federal Nature Conservation Act when cutting hydrangeas radically

    Have you given hydrangeas a vigorous pruning or radical rejuvenation pruning? Then please note the statutory grace period. Paragraph 39 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act stipulates that between March 1st and September 30th only moderate pruning is permitted on trees and shrubs of all kinds. Radical cutting measures are limited to the winter period. The regulations are designed to protect wild animals, particularly nesting birds. Even during the legitimate period from October 1st to February 28th, shrubs and hedges may only be planted if it is ensured in advance that no animals will be disturbed in their hibernation.

    Cutting modern varieties skillfully - tips for maintenance pruning

    Classic farmer's hydrangeas were the inspiration for the breeding of new series of varieties, such as 'Endless summer'. The special feature of the floral innovations is that they bloom equally on perennial and annual shoots. As the figure below shows, the new hydrangea varieties also tolerate heavier pruning. This is advantageous after frost damage or fungal infections.

    Please bear in mind that if you prune hydrangeas of this breed vigorously, the beginning of the flowering period will be pushed back well into the summer. It is advisable to clean out the withered flowers in spring and to thin out the oldest skeletal shoots.

    Withered flower heads can be cut off down to the next or lower pair of buds. Remove overgrown shoots at ground level. Two- and three-year-old skeleton shoots undergo a diversion cut on the most vital, unbranched side shoot.

    tips

    The novelties within the variety family have the ability to reflower. After the first flowering run, cut off any faded flower heads. Endless summer will then give you a second flowering period in late summer with other new varieties.

    Pruning group II hydrangeas - table with all types of pruning

    Cutting Group II Types of cutting goal/occasion Period best appointment
    build-up cut Training to a well-proportioned flowering shrub 1st to 4th year or up to the desired final height Mid/late February to early March
    Shape and clearing cut Preservation of abundance of flowers and compact habit from the 5th year or when the final height has been reached Mid/late February to March 1st
    Training cut high stem Building a harmonious crown on the slender trunk continuously from planting several times per season

    Cutting Group II - instructions for the build-up cut

    The cultivation of pruning group II hydrangeas becomes a success story when pruning care begins with a build-up pruning. Based on a skeleton of 5 to 7 shoots, grow snowball and panicle hydrangeas into a compact and flowering growth. It's so easy:

    • After the first year, select 5 to 7 promising bottom shoots
    • Cut back skeletal shoots to 20 to 30 cm a short distance from a pair of eyes
    • Cut off ground shoots that are not part of the scaffolding at ground level
    • In the following 2 to 3 years, extend skeleton shoots by 10 to 15 cm
    • Cut back side branches to 2 buds

    The pruning of your hydrangeas becomes a masterpiece if you give the bushes a semi-circular shape. To do this, cut back the inner shoots to 3 to 4 pairs of buds. Shorten hydrangea shoots on the periphery to 2 pairs of buds.

    Pruning group II - pruning for abundance of flowers and shape retention

    The harmonious structure is completed within 3 to 4 years. Now the pruning of group II hydrangeas leads to an annual shape and thinning cut. As the figure below demonstrates, go to work with courage.

    • Thin out dead wood in advance
    • In addition, cut out 2 or 3 of the oldest skeleton shoots close to the ground
    • Cut back annual shoots to 20 cm
    • Completely remove obviously weak bottom shoots
    • Cut back side branches on the remaining skeleton shoots to short pieces with a pair of eyes

    Have you decided to take care of the hydrangeas without pruning? Then the pruning and clearing out is limited to removing dead wood and pruning all bottom shoots to short stubs with a pair of buds. The pruning is primarily useful when the flowering bushes can unfold unhindered. A long, this year's shoot with a terminal inflorescence sprout from each eye. Thus, the number of branches doubles every year, so that a space-consuming growth develops.

    Thin out the oldest shoots at the base. Annual ground shoots cut back to 30 or 40 centimeters. Only 2 pairs of buds remain from one-year-old side shoots.

    Pruning group II - raise hydrangea to a standard

    Hydrangeas of pruning group II are the ideal candidates for training as a romantic standard. Since snowball and panicle hydrangeas always bloom on this year's shoots, they tolerate the repeated topiary on the way to the decorative spherical crown. The perfect starting point is provided by pre-grown young plants from your trusted tree nursery, which have a stable, 60 to 100 centimeters high central shoot. This is how it works in three stages to the perfect hydrangea trunk:

    Training pruning in the year of planting

    Place a support post at the side of the central drive. Soft hose ties serve as connecting material because they do not grow into the bark. Ground shoots that sprout vertically from the root disc compete with the center shoot for light and nutrients. Therefore, cut off these competitive instincts without a trace. Snowball and panicle hydrangeas grow up to 50 centimeters per year. As a result, it is already necessary in the year of planting to fix the central shoot parallel to the growth in height on the support post.

    Build-up cut to desired height

    Beginning with the second year of growth, guide the central shoot with the dominant top bud up to the desired crown height. Consistently remove all competing shoots and side branches growing from the central shoot. If the stem tip is at least 4 to 5 pairs of buds above the targeted crown position, you can initiate branching to the crown. Only now do you cut off the top, after which the growth of side shoots begins to increase.

    Shape and maintenance cut

    Every spring you subject the crown to a shape and maintenance cut. At the beginning you cut off all competitive instincts. Then remove all side shoots along the trunk that are not part of the crown. Shorten the crown shoots to 1 to 2 pairs of eyes. Take this opportunity to thin out dead wood and unfavorable branches. There is no reason to worry if the appearance shortly after pruning is hardly reminiscent of a standard with an opulent corolla. Until the beginning of the flowering period, the hydrangeas live up to their reputation as vigorous flowering miracles.

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    Know-how of top promotion optimizes education cut

    Raising a panicle hydrangea to become a standard is one of the supreme disciplines in pruning. Home gardeners who are familiar with the three laws of growth can master every cut with ease. The law of top promotion contains the following core statement: “The growth on a top bud is disproportionately stronger than on buds that are lower down. If the top bud falls away, the reserve substances are distributed to subordinate buds.” For training to become a high stem, the regularity of the crown position is important.If you cut off the center shoot with the top bud too early, you will have to struggle with a puny short trunk. Only prune the top of the stem when the top bud is 3 to 4 pairs of buds above the desired crown height.

    frequently asked Questions

    Are hydrangeas poisonous?

    Hydrangeas are permeated with a toxic glycoside called hydrangin and other toxins. If parts of the plant are eaten intentionally or unintentionally, symptoms of poisoning are to be expected, such as nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. In the worst case, repeated contact of the skin with the plant juices causes painful and stubborn allergies. Hydrangeas should therefore be planted out of the reach of children and animals. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and work gloves is strongly recommended for care and cutting work.

    What to do about frost damage to hydrangeas?

    A harsh winter or an unexpected late spring frost leaves a picture of devastation on hydrangeas. Since the plants thrive as semi-shrubs, the herbaceous shoot tips are defenseless against the freezing frost. In the worst case, the lignified shoot area is also affected. Frostbite is recognizable by brown discoloration and slack hanging twig tips and dead leaves. To repair frost damage, cut affected hydrangeas back into healthy wood in spring. You can find out the transition from deadwood to living wood by scraping off some of the bark. The undamaged area begins where fresh green tissue becomes visible.

    Clean out withered flowers in autumn - is that possible?

    The withered flower heads of hydrangeas not only contribute to the ornament of the winter garden. Their main function is to provide natural winter protection for underlying buds. The popular farmer's hydrangeas in particular benefit when their frost-sensitive flowering plants from the previous year are protected in winter. Ideally, only cut off wilted inflorescences in early spring. On the other hand, if you find the brown heads to be a visual distraction, clean your hydrangeas in autumn.

    Are dwarf hydrangeas to be cut in the same way as tall species?

    The same rules apply to pruning hydrangeas that remain small as to their majestic counterparts. Based on the botanical assignment, you can determine which pruning group a dwarf hydrangea belongs to. The cut care is designed accordingly. The popular variety 'Tovelit', for example, stays 60 cm small and comes from Hydrangea macrophylla. As a result, clean withered flowers in the spring and cut off dead wood. In contrast, the dwarf panicle hydrangea 'Bobo' only shows its most beautiful side when its shoots are pruned vigorously in spring.

    Are hydrangeas suitable for vase cutting?

    In fact, the voluminous flowers of a hydrangea are recommended for vase cutting. So that you can enjoy the floral decoration for many weeks, cut the most beautiful flower stalks in August. At this point, the flower balls will be nice and firm for a long shelf life. If you cut just above a pair of eyes, the shrub will sprout again at this point. Please cut the stem ends at an angle to optimize the absorption capacity for water and nutrients. To prevent rot, it is advisable to remove any leaves that may come into contact with the flower water.

    I raised a panicle hydrangea to a standard. Now I'm unsure if I can remove the support rod or not?

    A stick also has an important support function after a hydrangea has been raised to become a standard. Above all, hydrangea species of pruning group II have large flower heads with a corresponding weight. In the first 4 to 5 years and in windy locations, the support pole should not be removed.

    The 3 most common cutting mistakes

    If hydrangeas consistently refuse the longed-for splendor of flowers or tear at the nerves as bare undergrowth, one of these three common pruning errors is usually behind the dilemma.

    cutting error damage picture Prevention/Correction
    Pruning group I species pruned radically Complete failure or greatly reduced flowering Hydrangea group I just clean and thin out
    Types of pruning group II not pruned enough few flowers, premature senescence Shorten panicle and viburnum hydrangeas to 2 pairs of buds
    never cleared dense, scrubby growth, few flowers Thin out all hydrangeas regularly

    Is it already too late to prevent a pruning error? Then, without further ado, give the battered hydrangea a makeover pruning according to the instructions in this tutorial. In this way, you turn the pruning wheel to the beginning and then rebuild the affected flowering bush.

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    tips

    For all hydrangeas, the change of location is always accompanied by an adequate pruning. After transplanting a flowering shrub, you can get a good idea of how much root volume has been lost. Shorten the shoots accordingly so that the balance between above-ground and underground growth is restored. For hydrangeas in pruning group I, remove the appropriate number of old bottom shoots for this purpose so that the pruning is not at the expense of the abundance of flowers.

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