Re: Pruning Hydrangeas

Well they grow like weeds in Ireland, and when I moved into my current house I had numerous hydrangeas about 15 feet tall and leggy. Hacked them all back mercilessly to as near ground level as possible, and they're fine!

Re: Pruning Hydrangeas

Cut back my mophead hydrangeas last year and they grew lovely but did not flower . Don't know what I did wrong and I am now frightened to cut them at all .

Re: Pruning Hydrangeas

From the Royal Horticultural Society's encyclopaedia of gardening....

"The second group, comprising mophead and lacecap hydrangeas (H. macrophylla), also flowers from mid-summer but on shoots made the previous growing season. Lightly prune young plants in early spring, cutting out thin twiggy growth and any old flower heads. Once the plant is established and about 3 or 4 years old, remove some of the oldest wood annually in early spring. Cut out stems that are more than 3 years old and shorten other stems that flowered in the previous season, cutting back to a strong pair of buds 15-30 cm (6-12in) from the base. Then feed and mulch."

Hope that helps Steve.