HYDRANGEAS are known for their striking round flower heads and bright shades of blue, pink and white. While these vibrant blooms are a sight to behold from summer through to autumn, they can look quite different in the winter months - but how should you care for them between November and March?
Hydrangeas are a much-loved deciduous shrub found in gardens right across Britain. With their vibrant, plump blooms, hydrangeas offer a striking display in the warm weather - but what do they look like in the winter? As the delicate petals fade in the colder months, bright hydrangeas can quickly appear dry and brown - requiring targeted care to get them flowering again in April. As the end of winter approaches, it’s time to get your hydrangeas in shape for the new season. This is how.
Hydrangeas come in a range of shapes ranging from circular balls to graduated cones.
While the large rounded flower heads are the most iconic variety of this vibrant shrub, double-flowers and bi-coloured hydrangeas can also be grown as climbers or in containers.
Why does my hydrangea look dead during the winter?
Frost damage can leave the remaining buds of hydrangeas looking or blackened during the winter, resulting in an unsavoury display of dormant growth.
Luckily, even if your plant has been affected by the seasonal frost, it’s unlikely to have killed the whole plant.
According to Gardeners’ World, time is all your hydrangea needs when it comes to recovering from frost damage - though prevention is always better than cure.
To prevent any late winter frost from causing further damage to this stunning shrub, you should:
Leave any faded flower heads over winter to protect the plant
Using chicken wire and wooden stakes, make a frame for your hydrangeas to protect them from the harsh winter weather.
Position the stakes around the plant and wrap the chicken wire around the posts to form a cage.
Fill the cage with pine needles and oak leaves to fully insulate the plant through the cold season.
Be careful not to snap the ends of the branches while adjusting the cage as this will compromise your supply of gorgeous hydrangea blooms during the summer.
Hydrangeas in winter: Hydrangeas go dormant during the winter (Image: THE EXPRESS)
When to prune hydrangeas
The most commonly grown hydrangeas known as lacecaps and mop heads are known for their full-bodied blooms, and pruning is the best way to guarantee their return year after year.
Most varieties of hydrangea can be pruned from late winter or early spring, but what’s the best way to do it?
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, hydrangeas benefit from a range of pruning methods suited to each type of shrub.
To prune established mopheads, hydrangea serrata and lacecaps, the RHS recommends:
Cutting out one or two of the oldest stems at the base
Renovating neglected plants by cutting off all stems from the base - (this will prevent flowers from appearing until the following year)
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Hydrangea paniculata and hydrangea arborescens should be pruned in spring to remove dead wood.
These species flower more prolifically when pruned back to a framework of branches and should be done each year.
The RHS says: “To produce larger flower panicles on strong, upright branches, hard prune to the lowest pair of healthy buds, creating a low framework of branches.”
Climbing hydrangeas should be cut back immediately after flowering in spring.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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