I cut my hydrangeas way back every fall to try to keep the bushes in reasonable size and they bloom beautifully for me every year.

Thanks, Annie. I always cut back my Annabelle hydrangeas, no problem, but I have always thought these macrophylla/mophead shouldn't be pruned so severely, or I'd be removing the buds for next year's blooms. I probably ought to get busy!

You know, nicholsworth, I have been reading about pruning just now and I wonder if the landscaper pruned them back earlier in the year than this - perhaps right after it was done blooming instead of waiting this long. In thinking back on our conversation, I didn't ask him to clarify timing. I will definitely cut off the old flower heads and remove dead wood, but will be sure to leave the buds alone. Thank you.

if I were you I would wait..if there's a broken branch I would cut that but otherwise I wouldn't prune it..there's lots of posts about pruning on the hydrangea forum..

It makes a big difference which type of hydrangea one is referring to when discussing pruning. Those that bloom on the current year's growth - paniculatas and the Annabelle/arborescens types - can be pruned back in fall as desired without affecting the next season's ability to produce flowers. Or at any time through winter into early spring.

With macrophyllas (mopheads and lacecaps) and oakleaf hydrangeas, the majority of varieties will produce flowers on second year (old) growth so pruning any more than just deadheading any time after late summer will remove next season's flowers. And in most parts of the country, these types of hydrangeas will be in bloom well into late summer and even fall. The exception is some newer introductions that are rebloomers....or also produce some flowers on the current season's growth (eg. the Endless Summer series). And even with those, pruning is recommended to be kept a minimum to maintain maximum flowering potential.

If you need to prune one of these yearly to keep size in check, then the plant is just not properly sited for that location. I'd suggest moving to an area where it can be allowed to grow to size.........or replace iwth one of eth compact or dwarf forms.

Puning macs is something that should be handled with specific plant knowledge and a very light hand!!

How on earth do you get that degree of bloom on that type of hydrangea in zone 5??

illsstep..a great question..

To be more specific, I’m in 5b. It’s quite common around here to see hydrangea blooms like mine in the photo.

I'm jealous!..it's very UNCOMMON in Indianapolis to see such beautiful macrophyllas..I've NEVER seen any like yours..

So you can understand why I'm hoping to keep them in good shape! They are just fabulous, and I’ve never had such gorgeous hyndrangea until we moved into this home. Is Indianapolis is a little too warm?

nooo..too cold..that's why we're wondering how your zone 5 macs are beautiful..and our zone 6 macs don't bloom..

Oh I see. Well, we are not too far from Lake Michigan, maybe 30 miles, which keeps things a bit warmer in the winter.

so you have a lake effect..a warmer microclimate..lucky you..I bet next to the building helps..do they face south?..or east?..I think of those as the best locations..

Yes, lucky in that it is a little bit warmer, but with that comes hardly any sunshine in the winter and lots of lake effect snow!

snow is good insulation..probably helps more than hurts..

Being near the lake mitigates temperature swings so that it slows warming in the spring as well. This delays spring buds swelling and reduces the likelihood of flower buds getting zapped by late frost as well as making winters a bit warmer. In New England macrophyllas do best along the ocean for similar reasons.

As far as care, you might want to pull the lawn back so it is a bit closer to the drip line of the shrubs so there isn’t competition with the grass. And if you use weed n feed on the lawn, don’t use it anywhere near the hydrangeas which as broadleafed plants may be susceptible to the herbicide in weed n feed. Since they are looking less healthy, make sure that they are mulched, watered during dry stretches with a long slow soak, and perhaps give them a light application of a slow release fertilizer formulated for flowering shrubs; more is not better as far as fertilizer goes.

Let us know how it goes next season.

There are other folks on this thread who are much more knowledgeable than me. However, a lot of pruning guidelines say that eventually mac's develop old canes that don't flower as profusely. Those guidelines suggest removing 1/3 of the biggest, oldest canes each year for 3-years, which gently prompts the plant to produce new, young canes, revitalizing the flowers. I think they suggest removing these canes in late summer, but not too far into the fall prior to the plant putting energy into new buds on those canes (those new buds are the ones that open in the spring).