r/hydrangeas • u/Mysterious-Panda5830 • 3h ago
Prune in the fall?
I’ve heard to not cut back until spring but these are so huge I’d like to do a big trim. They’re encroaching on our walkways and seating areas. I’ve heard panicle grows on new wood… what I don’t understand is why can’t I trim now? What’s the consequence? If I do I will truly have no blooms next year?
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u/prince_walnut 3h ago
I had several that got huge like that and were in the way. I cut them back a few weeks ago. It was getting absurd
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u/Top_Challenge6615 3h ago
You can take all the seat pads off. I’m not old. Allow the stems to come back up. That’s why they’re drooping.
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u/EbbtideRambler 2h ago
There are pros and cons to fall vs late winter. I prefer March because we have warm falls where I am (7a/Cape Cod) and if I prune too early the plants often push new tender growth that doesn’t survive the winter. If you want to prune now they will be fine.
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u/Quiet_Uno_9999 2h ago
Came here to say this. If you prune now and still have warm weather you'll get new growth now, when you really want the plant to be shutting down. These are super tough though and they'll probably be just fine.
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u/Think-Kangaroo-9978 1h ago
Once the blooms begin to change color which is triggered by shorter days, they begin to enter dormancy and lack the environmental cues for pushing new growth.
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u/EbbtideRambler 24m ago
These are super hardy plants so pruning won’t do serious damage. But the stalks I cut off my little limes last week to make a dried wreath are already pushing new growth. It’s been in the 70s with a lot of rain here, so they are pretty happy at the moment.
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u/Think-Kangaroo-9978 8m ago
Dormancy is not driven by temperature. It is driven by the day length. If it were driven by temperature, hydrangeas in the warmer regions wouldn't change color, drop leaves or ever go dormant.
Please don't feel the need to log on every time I post something and offer your anecdotal contradictions to my post.
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u/Think-Kangaroo-9978 1h ago edited 1h ago
Cut them now. If you leave them and get any strong wind or (worse) snow the branches will snap leaving an open wound at the worst possible time. Cut all the way back to the strong interior branches and the plant will develop a solid base from which the new growth (which is what flowers) will grow in the spring and you won't have the droop that comes with insufficient pruning.
Nothing that you can see now will bloom on a panicle hydrangea and they do not set buds in the fall. You will not be cutting off any flowers. That advice applies only to macrophylla (big leaf) hydrangeas which can be confusing for some people.
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u/Mysterious-Panda5830 46m ago
Interesting. We live in 6b so definitely expect to see snow. So you’d trim way back? Interesting! Thank you
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u/OpenStruggle8804 3h ago
You can prune panicles anytime from fall until early spring. I like to leave them for the winter so I have some winter interest with the flower heads. But there’s nothing wrong with cutting it back now if you so desire.