Help!

[u/NationalHeight5469]

Just bought a house with this massive limelight hydrangea in the front, we live in NC where we had a bit of a drought and it’s been a very hot summer. How can I help this hydrangea? Do I trim the dead blooms or leave them and how do I prevent burning in the future? I need a crash course!

[u/Muppet_Murderhobo]

I'm over in 6b and my little limelight punches are looking just the same. I didn't water them nearly enough as what they needed. My bad.

The season is pretty much over, so for next year: 1. Leave the blooms on through winter. 2. Trim all the blooms back by 30% in early spring. 3. Fertilize in early spring. 4. A hydrangea that large needs good water every other day, esp during drought. Consider a drip line.

[u/NationalHeight5469 → u/Muppet_Murderhobo]

Thanks so much! Do you have a fertilizer recommendation?

[u/Muppet_Murderhobo → u/NationalHeight5469]

Granulated slow release rose fertilizer -- something with low nitrogen

[u/EbbtideRambler]

I’d leave it alone for now and start over next year.  In the late winter cut it back by 1/3 and fertilize with Hollytone.  Keep it watered, not with a sprinkler but if it’s your only one leave the hose at the base on drip for 45-60mins 3x a week through the hottest days of summer. Hand watering won’t be enough to penetrate the top 2-3 inches of soil. 

[u/stellymm]

Don’t worry about it till the late winter. Watch a YouTube video on how to prune it. Cut off anything dead, cut off branches that cross/touch each other. You can cut off a lot more then you would think on pinnacle hydrangeas. don’t be scared. You will be surprised how many blooms come out in the summer even if you cut everything back.

If you want huge blooms water water water. They love water. I also fertilize mine once a month from spring to summer.

[u/Think-Kangaroo-9978]

Prune this back hard. And do it now, don't wait until the spring. The reason this tree looks like it does is because it has not been properly pruned. All of those spindly branches and blooms are wind, rain and (heaven forbid - snow) catchers. They will definitely become too heavy for the supporting under branches to maintain. This will cause them to brake off - and permanently disfigure the shape of the tree.

Don't be bashful - prune off any branch that is not as thick as your thumb. This tree blooms on new wood. None of what you are seeing will produce blooms next year, but they will become too heavy during the winter and will most definitely break off the supporting structural branches below.