Hi guyground, with the cool nights it brings on the color ...here my VS which got beat up with all the rain we have had ... I can’t imagine what it would look like if i hadn’t pruned all the lower branches, it would all be on the ground

Hyed, I think you have hit on the best way to prune this plant for attractive form, though it would be OK at the top of a stone wall and draping over as well.

Guyground, I would love to see photos! Your yard is always a pleasure to see.

Here is the picture I took last week

I'm having a similar experience with my Strawberry Sundae, though not due to pruning. I planted it last year, and it only put out 2 early blooms (a few weeks after my Bobo, which is a early bloomer). Those turned green from age and the summer heat. Then it put out of a large flush of blooms. All the blooms are turning pink, including the older ones that turned green: the younger white and pink blooms are certainly pretty while I can get the green and pink blooms on my Little Lime. It will be interesting to see how the Strawberry Sundae does next year, once it is more acclimated to it's location: if it blooms too early, maybe I'll follow your lead and prune in spring! It's still putting out brand new blooms, by the way.

As of today.

I just planted a VS about a month ago. I have one decent bloom on it and a bunch of smaller blooms that look like will bloom in Sept. Hopefully next season it will be more of a show. I've heard people complaining about the VS being on the floppy side? The stems don't seem to be as sturdy as my PW and my Limelight. Any truth to this?

The blooms can be quite large and thus heavier than a young plant can support. After, About 3-5 years it should get large enough that the plant can support the weight of them stems so they are not on the ground.

Sounds good. That seems to be the general census with new Hydrangea plants.

Hi Billy,, remember they can get quite large and wide mine is about 9’ when the rain comes they will come tumbling down ... but they are beautiful here another picture from last year before the rain

I don't think I pruned my VS tree correctly. I read to prune it back by 1/3, but It is very lanky and droopy. I pruned it in March. The form is not pleasing. It all drooped badly except for a few branches in the middle that stand straight up.

Do you prune yours more than 1/3 back? And, is early winter pruning better than spring?

In my area we get a lot of snow so i’ll cut the old blooms off in December keeping the snow from weighting the branches down then in the Spring i’ll Prune for shape

That's my plan Hyed. Prune the blooms in late Nov/early December before snow begins. Then in spring i'll do the shaping/remove dead branches (if I need to shape)

I'm interested in paniculata pruning tips. It seems to me best practice would be removing lanky branches that could never support flowers, and giving nice, thick branches a bit of a trim. Taking off too much would promote too much back-budding and a burst of thin branches, I'd assume.

VS you wonder why they Flop.. some at 18” long and weighing up to a pound, never mine the rain

I think a little harder pruning is the ticket for me. And, I will take the blooms off before the snow flies, then prune early spring. Makes sense! Whatever form they take, they are absolutely gorgeous blooms!

Question.... When do you fertilize these and with what? I assume spring and with any flowering plant food, such as Plant Tone? Mine have only gotten compost so far.

Slow release granular fertilizer is best In the spring. Don’t apply too much or you’ll get a lot of foliage growth at the expense of blooms.

Flowers, have never fertilize any of my Hydrangeas

Ahhh, good to know. Anything that makes gardening easier is ok with me. My other hydrangeas do fine without feeding, but thought these tree forms might need more. Thanks!

I think I might have over-fertilized my Macro Hydrangea. I did it in May when I first planted it and again in the end of July. I got tons of blooms on the shrub but they are HUGE which has weighed everything down to the ground. Not sure if its from over-fertizling though. I do remember reading something online that certain fertilizers will cause huge blooms which could weigh stems down on young non-established plants. Not sure how accurate that info was.... Next growing season I'll give it a light sprinkle of fertilizer in the spring and that's it!

As to bloom size - does harder pruning promote bigger blooms? My blooms have gotten progressively smaller.

Yes it does. What I would do is give it a harder prune late winter / early spring.

Here is an updated photo.

Ahhh, yes, those beautiful plumes are what I would love to see on mine. I will prune him harder and see if that helps. Thank you, guyground!

Delayed Pruning or just pruning in general does get you a set of fresh blooms this time of year. We had a rain event that kept my panic in a flopped state. I cut off some blooms to unburden the weight and the steams recovered back vert. Now, I have a mix of white/pink aging blooms and also a sprinkling of new pure white blooms that have sprouted. Go figure

Everything worked out just as I had hoped. The cooler nights have brought out a deep color.

Mine just started turning a little pink on the edges of the flowers. You guys are way ahead of mine. I'm guessing in the next 2 weeks it will be more pink.

What zone are you in?

6a In Massachusetts.

Ok. It can also take a few seasons to get a good color change.

It's also a brand new plant. I planted it 2 months ago roughly.