hydrangea bush pruning
By Lsm
United States 
Can anyone advise the best method for pruning hydrangea? I usually cut off last years blooms, and later cut off whatever doesn't get covered with leaves. My husband insists I should cut the whole thing back every spring. We live in zone 5
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Hydrangea
6 May, 2008
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Answers
My method is to do what you are doing but also remove about a quarter of the old branches each year. Over four years, all the old wood has been cut out and I start the cycle again.
6 May, 2008
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Previous question
« On my japanese "moonlight" climbing hydrangea vine, some of the leaves...
You are right not to cut it back before the winter. It's best to leave the old flower heads on to give some protection to the developing buds. In the spring, you should cut each stem back to a pair of good healthy buds. So he is right in a way. With your method, it would get rather straggly and too big.
6 May, 2008