How To Prune Your Limelight Hydrangeas

In this video I am showing you how I prune my Limelight hydrangeas in early Spring. I live in southern Michigan which is a Zone 6a garden. Limelight hydrangeas can be pruned in late winter/early spring.
Check out the link below from the University of Minnesota Extension that provides great advice for pruning hydrangeas and a diagram on how to make a proper heading cut.
extension.umn....
I hope you find this video helpful. Thanks for watching. If you want to share any tips or advice you've learned, just hit me up in the comments.
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[@MarykayNewman]

I live in Michigan also. I planted limelight hydrangeas 2 summers ago and have been clueless on how to take care of them. I've been watching videos, and this one is by far the best one I've watched. Now I'm excited to get them properly pruned. Thanks for doing a great video!!

[@GardenMoxie]

Hello fellow Michigan gardener! I'm so glad the video was helpful.

[@angelocastiglione8114]

Grazie per l'ottimo video e per le chiarissime spiegazioni dall'Italia

[@colleenvogt2412]

I am thrilled to have stumbled upon your tutorial. My 3/yo Limelight hydrangeas have blooms as big as a football. I love leaving some for winter interest but worry about snow & ice weighing them down & breaking the large branches. Now I know what to do! Thanks a bunch!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thank you. I am glad the video was helpful.

[@williampliss9879]

Amazing video! I have a lime light hydrangea that I’ve had for over 10 years that has a lot of sentimental value. Last year I thought I lost it because a huge chunk broke off but it did regrow and this past season it was watered regularly and it produced a huge amount of blooms which turned into a nice golden color in the fall. Now I understand what growing on “new wood” means. I was so thankful that I didn’t completely lose it. I’m excited about spring which is around the corner to see all of the new growth!!

[@GardenMoxie]

I am glad to hear that your Limelight is doing well. They are great garden plants.

[@lisagulino5665]

Thank you for this very helpful video. So well explained and demonstrated. You've helped this new gardener feel much more confident!

[@GardenMoxie]

You are very welcome

[@mbach1187]

So it's early April here in Chicagoland area. Have I waited too long into year to prune?

[@GardenMoxie]

If you are not seeing a lot of new growth, you can prune.

[@AnitaJeffries-e8q]

I live in mid Missouri and planted 4 in may. How much do I cut back. They are about 2.5-3 ft. I also have strawberry Sunday hydrangeas. How can I get them to turn the pink shade

[@GardenMoxie]

I would cut back around 1/3 of the height. I do not grow Strawbery Sunday hydrangeas so I am not able to provide a recommendation based on personal experience. I would try googe and include the term "site:edu" so you can get a search results from a good source. Thanks for watching.

[@iamlove2531]

Thank you for this. I have a hedge of 15 limelights. I'm wondering if I pruned a couple back too much? Is it possible? Because there are a couple that don't have the straight center branches that go straight up. They are going out and arching. Each of the ones that are doing this are next to ones that are perfect so the height is very different even though all same age. I cant stake them either because the branches are growing arched. I hope this makes sense. Can you help what I did wrong??? I'm wondering if I should chop the whole thing back and start over. Eek!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching. I hate to give out advice when I am not familiar with your situation. What I will say is that nature has an overwhelming will to survive. I would let the plants grow this season and see how things go.

[@cindyjacobs9111]

Thank you for this video. I have a little dwarf limelight which bloomed beautifully this year and I’m so happy to know how to care for it.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching.

[@jcrane45585]

My limelight primes are literally fool proof. We have them surrounded the pool basketball area. 😂

[@GardenMoxie]

How perfect is that?!

[@marilynH66]

This is a very helpful and informative video. Thank you!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching and thanks for your kind note.

[@randyfloyd560]

Planted a row of five in my garden along a privacy fence. They are healthy and came from a local garden center. Some of them seem to want to lean forward. Can this be fixed by pruning?

[@GardenMoxie]

Hello and thanks for watching. Without knowing the situation, I can't make recommendations, but I do know that pruning can fix the shape of crazy plants so you should be able to adjust things.

[@randyfloyd560]

Thank you. Ill definitely give tbat a shot​@GardenMoxie

[@nicoleleatherman9501]

Hi, I LOVE your video on limelight hydrangeas! I would like to know if I'm in Georgia and I already am seeing the green buds coming out should I wait until the fall? I would like to have some flowers this summer.

[@GardenMoxie]

Hi and thanks for checking out the video. I am not familiar with your growing zone so I do not want to give advice without seeing the plant. For this season, I would remove the dead flower heads and any dead or crossing branches and let it grow.

[@mikas7796]

Excellent video! ❤ exactly what i was looking for. I have 6 limelights and they are about 4-5 years old. This will be my first time pruning and your video gave me the confidence and information i needed to try it out. Many thanks!

[@GardenMoxie]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for your note.

[@SamoneLee-o9p]

Thank you! I adore them but wasn’t sure on the best way to prune them.

[@GardenMoxie]

I'm glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching.

[@marykonrady413]

Great video! It is March now and my limelight’s already have a lot of green buds on them. It is too late to cut them back? Should I just wait until this winter or earlier next spring?

[@GardenMoxie]

Without seeing the plant, it is hard for me to say. If you want to error on the safe side, just wait for next season.

[@Herr2Cents]

I didn't prune mine till they were 6 years old. They are going to be 9ft tall. I would like to corrective prune to stop it from being top heavy. I have lots of empty space below the 9 I have. Can they take a hard cut? Thank you!

[@GardenMoxie]

I would stick with pruning no more than 1/3 per season to be on the safe side if it is a shrub you love. If they were mine, I would prune them hard. I find nature is pretty tough.

[@Debbie-ni8bc]

I pruned mine 12 year old limelight really hard last year - down to about 2 feet tall. This was late Feb. By May it had put out tons of new growth - stems that were about 4 feet long. It was gorgeous, BUT when we got a strong storm at the end of May, ,lots of stems got bent over and a few were broken. I then pruned it again to corrrect some of the damage. It bloomed later than usual and the blooms were smaller but I did have tons of blooms. This year I pruned it in late Feb and then again in mid-May. It bloomed later again this year, but now I do have a lot of fullness around the bottom which I did not have before. Next year I should be able to go back to regular pruning once in late winter.

[@GardenMoxie]

@@Debbie-ni8bc Thanks for sharing your experience with your lime light and thanks for watching the video.

[@brendaestephan8012]

Hello! Is there a way to keep a limelight the same size as a little lime? It seems I bought the wrong one and it is too late to return. The nursery said to trim back to 6 inches after the leaves have fallen off in the winter then again in mid May, cutting back about half way. I worry this will leave branches not strong enough to hold the blooms. Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

[@GardenMoxie]

You can prune it, but I do not think you will have luck keeping it the same size as the little lime. It will grow more than that within a single season.

[@brendaestephan8012]

@@GardenMoxie thank you for your insight! A neighbor will be buying them from me in the fall so it all worked out!

[@GardenMoxie]

@@brendaestephan8012 That is awesome!

[@dianeciardello2244]

great video, are you a Master Gardener? I am, and you are very knowledgeable so I thought you might be. I am in Northeen California. I enjoyed your demonstration.

[@GardenMoxie]

Hello. Yes, I completed the training. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@cologuy39]

Thank you for this excellent demo. Last Fall we planted some good sized Limelight Hydrangeas and we are so excited to see them emerge this Spring. It's been an ideal winter and we are expecting and explosion for plants this Spring. Thank you for sharing how to prune in the spring! Perfect.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching. I am glad the video was helpful.

[@MADLENGTHSPRO]

I am in Ohio - I planted my limelight last year in late June. I noticed some petals that seems to get burnt . It does get a lot of sun. Most of the blooms were gone by late fall. I don’t see any new buds yet . Just wondering your thoughts thanks!

[@GardenMoxie]

Hello Ohio neighbor, Limelights like the sunshine and they bloom on new wood so you should see them starting to bud out again this season.

[@JasonLestage]

Can you keep these smaller by pruning every year? I love the look of these but need to keep them about 4’x4’ under my windows.

[@GardenMoxie]

You can prune them, but it is hard to use only pruning to manage a shrub that is too large for a space. You might look at the Little Lime by Proven Winners. It was bred to grow smaller. Their website says it has a 3-5 foot spread. That would likely work better than the larger Lime Light.

[@JasonLestage]

@@GardenMoxie​​⁠Perfect advice. I even found little lime punch which seems to have more color which I love. Thank you!

[@GardenMoxie]

@@JasonLestage Awesome!

[@patmckee9449]

Can you tell me why mine drooped after producing beautiful flowers? They are in partial sun and we’ll watered.

[@GardenMoxie]

Hi there. I am afraid I can't say without being there to understand the growing conditions. They are typically fairly tough plants. I am sorry to hear you are having issues.

[@kathleenspangler1210]

Love Lime Lights...How can prevent the bush to be round instead of spiky which I like

[@GardenMoxie]

You might want to try not pruning for a season if you like a more spiky form. I prune my each year so they don't get too large for the space I have them planted.

[@deb_bee_]

This is my 1st year after pruning a new plant. Curious to know, if prune the limelight down to the main trunk does that encourage more or thicker branches?

[@GardenMoxie]

You really don't need to prune beyond removing dead branches, rubbing branches and spent blooms. I cut mine more to keep them within the space I grow them.

[@alissa98]

Thanks for the video! Loved the graphic with where to cut, def going to put that to use! Thanks again

[@GardenMoxie]

I'm glad it was helpful.

[@jasminelouisefarrall]

Beautiful shape Sue 🥰 they are stunning shrubs.

[@DebraMcCorkle]

What time of year do you prune?

[@GardenMoxie]

Very early Spring.

[@lindagould6856]

Do I do this in Fall or the Spring?

[@GardenMoxie]

I prune my hydrangeas in early spring before the buds start growing.

[@veronicajean3612]

I cut back very low and it grew huge

[@GardenMoxie]

Yes. They can get quite large.

[@shawnpost2901]

So very informative and super great presentation

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks Shawn!

[@flyingpond]

what season do you prune your limelights?

[@GardenMoxie]

Early Spring here in Michigan. Before the buds break.

[@flyingpond]

I'm in Massachusetts so probably the same? Thanks for the info. I truly appreciate it.@@GardenMoxie

[@GardenMoxie]

@@flyingpond You are welcome. Thanks for watching the video.

[@susandenniscook9271]

Great information and demonstration Sue.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching!

[@rebeccacolson9965]

LOVE your thorough videos!!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks so much Rebecca.

[@everamsahai7613]

Thank you helpful video

[@GardenMoxie]

You're welcome and thanks so much for watching.

[@anneann9127]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for watching.

[@kristengavlas1739]

Great video!

[@GardenMoxie]

Thanks for checking it out. I love those Limelights.

[@karie3]

Do you prune them only in the Spring or can you prune them in the Fall?

[@GardenMoxie]

For Limelight hydrangeas, I prune them in the early Spring. You want to be sure to stop pruning once the flower buds are forming. I just make sure I don't prune them after the leaves start forming in Springtime.