This alternative technique gives you fall blooms and more intense color
The ascent in popularity of panicle hydrangeas ( Hydrangea paniculata , Zones 3–8 ) has been staggering over the last fifteen geezerhood . This raise is due in part to several new cultivar entering the food market . Additionally , people are realizing how little precaution these hydrangeas really need . Most gardeners I be intimate with an ounce of sun in their garden have at least one panicle hydrangea .
Traditional winter pruning
I hump the gamy - summertime salad days of panicle hydrangeas . For many of us in the Southeast , July is when we see peak bloom . This cooccur with annual blossom really starting to ruffle their hooey . If July is when you require your hydrangeas to bloom in the Southeast , you shouldprune plants in late winter or early outpouring . Do n’t be afraid to turn off plants back heavily . As long as you do n’t lop them off at ground level and have several branches get out , you ’ll be o.k. .
However , there ’s an alternative technique to pruning panicle hydrangeas that we can utilize in our region . Be warned — this is not for the deliquium of heart and may even contradict most of the advice you ’ve get a line . But rest assure that I ’ve done this before with much achiever .
Summer pruning
I am prosperous enough to have several cultivars of panicle hydrangea in my garden . With some of them , I follow the stock advice and prune in late winter or early spring , and they blossom beautifully in mid - July . However , for many of those cultivars , I ’ve decided I do n’t require them to bloom in July — I want them to bloom in September , or perchance even a little in October . This is especially true for cultivar that have a pink or partially pink blossom . The tank Nox later in fall help bring out colors you would not see in July .
I accomplish this in my Zone 7 garden by cutting back the new growth sometime in early to mid - June . Pruning toward the beginning of June should also work for Zone 6 . If you are in Zone 8 , I suggest any meter after June 1 , but you may be able to go into early July as well .
My finish is to prune the shrubs decent before they pop out to form substantial flower buds . Because they bloom on the current time of year ’s increment , you will have good deal of time for them to make new buds . This in turn will give you a late season of flower . With this technique , I do n’t cut them back hard like I would in winter ; instead , I just cut back the current season ’s growth . You do n’t want to do a hard prune in summer . These plant are comparatively drought tolerant , but if you practise this technique , you will want to provide a little supplemental moisture during ironical spells .
Added benefits of summer pruning
Why did I jump doing this ? The first reason was to get more rosiness in my fall garden . The 2nd reason was to see if I could raise the colouring material of several panicle hydrangea that were advertised as get pinkish or partially pink blooms . In my sou'-east garden , even panicle hydrangeas with “ pinkish ” in their cultivar name never turn pinkish for me . Although they may never look like the marketing photos in our region , the cooler night in the fall do impart out variations in flush colouration you would not see in July . I hope you view this proficiency the next clip it comes to pruning your panicles . You ’ll never hump until you essay .
— Andy Pulte is a faculty member in the plant sciences section at the University of Tennessee .
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This Little Lime® panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata‘Jane’, Zones 3–8) put on a spectacular fall show after being pruned in early summer.Photo: Andy Pulte
Pruning panicle hydrangeas in winter or early spring places the height of bloom in midsummer.Photo: Andy Pulte
This panicle hydrangea has been summer pruned recently. The basic structure of the shrub is still intact, with only new growth missing.Photo: Andy Pulte
Little Lime®panicle hydrangea blooms are known for turning pink in fall, but that color can be hard to achieve in the Southeast. Pruning in summer increases the intensity of that pink fall color.Photo: Andy Pulte
