Hydrangea plants – more info
Hydrangeas bring a lively touch to gardens with their big, colourful blooms and they make a fine accompaniment to various flower bulbs and tubers for summer displays. These shrubs are relatively simple to grow in moist, well-drained soil and partial shade, and minimal maintenance will see their flowers brighten up your garden right through until autumn.
When to cut back hydrangeas
The time to prune hydrangeas is late winter or early to mid-spring. You should leave the flower heads on during the winter to protect the buds underneath. The only exception is climbing hydrangeas, which should be pruned in the summer after they have flowered.
When do hydrangeas bloom?
Hydrangeas bloom in mid to late-summer on top of the growth from the previous year. They tend to flower well with minimal attention, but pruning at the right time will promote new growth and encourage an abundant bloom.
How to take a hydrangea cutting
The best time to take hydrangea cuttings is late summer. Select healthy, non-flowering shoots around 10cm to 15cm in length with at least two sets of leaves below the top set. Trim below a node and snip off the sets of leaves on the lower nodes as close to the stem as possible. Cut each remaining leaf in half with a knife to reduce water loss during rooting. Insert the cuttings into small pots with a gritty potting mix. Firm them well and water immediately, allowing the leaves to be replaced once the cutting has rooted.
