Limelight Hydrangeas ( Hydrangea paniculata ) are among the more forgiving members of the hydrangea kinfolk with esteem to pruning . These lush flowering shrubs bloom each yr on new woodwind instrument , so you’re able to trim them almost anytime – except when they are setting flower bud in the leaping and former summertime – without care of eliminate next twelvemonth ’s blooms . Some nurseryman choose to forfeit pruning their limelights all told , except in the pillow slip of damaged or unattractive cane , or to attain a desired embodiment .
Step 1
edit out your hydrangea canes back to about one-half to one third of its meridian if you choose sturdier stems and smaller flowers . While this may grow slimly smaller blooms , the theme will credibly be stalwart enough to patronise them without additional staking . Trim out crossing stems and those that do not bring to an attractive form .
Step 2
trim down hydrangea cane all the way back to the ground in the late pin or other spring if turgid flowers are your top priority . trim the cane at an slant with your pruner , convey a clean cut that does not damage the remaining ticket stub . The remaining stub will be only a couple of inches above the ground .
Step 3
abbreviate off spend blooms to defend the plant ’s neat appearance while your hydrangea is blooming . only clip just underneath the failing blossom , aiming for a blank cutting off that does not damage the remain stem turn . This is sometimes referred to as " deadheading . "
Prune Limelight Hydrangea?
A vigorous shrub that can mature at 6 to 10 feet magniloquent and 5 to 8 feet broad , Limelight hydrangea ( Hydrangea paniculata ' Limelight ' ) bring out massive flower head word clustering that make branches arch from the weight . The flowers appear in summertime , first a light greenish cream and age to creamy white . Schedule pruning in tardy winter or very former natural spring . Dead or broken branches may be pruned off any time of twelvemonth . If your Limelight hydrangea acquire quite large , a reductive pruning each outflow may help oneself control the size by summertime ’s end . Pruning in summertime during or after flowering to harvest blossom heads may also be done on Limelight hydrangea shrub . you may thin out or compensate the pruning imbalance at the close of winter before the bush starts growth again .
Warning
Do not trim once your public eye has begun to show signs of growing in the springiness , or you may forfeit a expectant number of your anticipate bloom .
Tip
You may find long - handled pruning hook to be useful for pruning very great hydrangea , as you could make cuts to tenacious stem without stoop quite as much .