Spring Pruning for Hydrangeas
By Linda Peacock, Master Gardener, SCMG
Most years I deadhead my Limelight Hydrangea early Spring before the new growth is too far advanced and before the ground is thawed and spring garden clean-up occurs. If you just need to deadhead and/or lightly shape your shrub you simply need to cut the stems back below the flower to just above the first set of new buds. This type of hydrangea blooms on new wood so the proper time to prune it is late winter or early spring. Pruning before the new growth in the spring means that you will encourage lots of new growth to produce lots of blooms for the coming season. (If your hydrangea blooms on old wood it is best to prune it immediately after it blooms to ensure that any new growth that it encourages will be “old wood” by the next growing season.)
This year though, my Limelight Hydrangea needed serious pruning, I could no longer reach the upper blooms to deadhead them. This is a 6’ fence – I guess I missed a few pruning years! But in my defense, they do grow quite a bit each year. I had also encouraged it to grow up instead of out, so that it was not overshadowed by the Purple Leaf Sand Cherry beside it, but now it was time to slow it down.
The safest way to prune any shrub is by simply taking it down by 1/3 of the growth overall, or by taking 1/3 of the branches right out. I tried to mix it up for the hydrangea so that I would have some blooms this year and have a nice shape. There were also branches that were crossing into the main shape of the shrub and needed to come out completely.
The branches that needed to be taken down by 1/3 were cut back to approximately the bottom of the picture (approximately 3 feet). You can see that there were many spots that would have been appropriate to prune to along the shoots. These spots are where there are either two new buds or a joint at the main branch.
It looks much better now and should do well this season, and next spring I should still be able to reach the blooms to deadhead. I could of course, ask my much taller husband to help, but some gardeners are just stubborn.
Next, I’m on to the Sand Cherry. I may need a husband and a ladder for that one!
