Alan Titchmarsh shows off his hydrangeas
How gardeners care for their hydrangea bushes in autumn can not only have a big impact on their overall health but also on just how well they perform next year. This includes whether they bloom big – or perhaps not at all.
As daylight begins to fade with each passing day, it’s time to start getting hydrangea bushes ready before the cold.
Hydrangeas are one of the most beautiful of all perennial shrubs. However, these magnificent plants are also one of the most often misunderstood when it comes to early autumn care. Especially when it comes to the tasks of pruning.
Gardening expert Jessica Walliser, a horticulturist and the award-winning author of seven gardening books, has shared one garden task with Savvy Gardening to “never” carry out in autumn or risk no hydrangea blooms at all.
She claimed that no matter what type of hydrangea is being grown, there’s “no need to do any pruning” when caring for these flowers in autumn.
READ MORE: ‘Best time’ to plant hydrangeas for ‘beautiful blooms’ that ‘last’
The expert said: “Whether you are growing gorgeous panicle hydrangeas like these or classic mophead hydrangeas, pruning should never be done in autumn.”
Hydrangeas are split into two categories – ones that bloom on old wood and others that bloom on new wood.
Those that bloom on old wood are best pruned only in summer, and those that bloom on new wood should only be pruned in spring.
The expert warned that “pruning in the autumn could remove flower buds for next year”, depending on which variety of hydrangea they’re growing.
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Also, pruning at the wrong time can result in “reduced blooms or even no blooms at all” next year.
It’s very common that gardeners look to remove areas of the plant they think are dead stems in autumn, but this practice could result in a plant that’s “more prone to winter injury and produces fewer blooms”.
Jessica added: “You could even be pruning off next year’s dormant flower buds. In short, do not prune hydrangeas in autumn.”
Something gardeners can do to their hydrangeas in autumn but is not necessary, is deadhead them.
Deadheading is the term used for the removal of fading or dead flowers from plants. It is done to keep plants looking attractive and encourage more blooms to grow.
However, in this case, removing dead hydrangea blooms “will not impact the quality or size of the flowers” the following growing season, claimed the expert.
Whether or not gardeners choose to or not to remove dead hydrangea flowers is really up to personal preference.
For those looking to keep their garden tidy, then deadheading would be a good option.
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