Plant Review: Proven Winners Limelight vs. Limelight Prime Hydrangea Experiment Results are in!

So what are the differences between limelight vs limelight prime? I planted both to find out!
#hydrangea #hydrangeaseason #provenwinnersplants #pwcolorchoice #limelighthydrangea #limelightprime
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I’m on a mission to help make gardening easier and more accessible through sharing easy to understand garden content on social media and KZbin. I’ve been gardening for over a decade and am here to share what I’ve learned from all the plants I’ve previously killed - so maybe you can skip that phase. I live and garden in Atlanta, Georgia - so most of the content I share will be most relevant to gardeners in the southeast. I know gardeners are making the world a better place, so let’s get growing together.
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[@JuJuBee223]

Cut your limelight stems back a third in early spring for thicker stems and you will get less flopping .. They are gorgeous!!!

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thank you!! One year I cut them back by a third and another year I cut them down by… a LOT. Someone recently mentioned not pruning them at all helps - who knows 🤣. I’ll try and prune one by a third next year and leave the other unpruned and see what flops less 🤣

[@trish5609]

Yes! Thats the best option. We have a 15yrs old limelight in the front yard. I decided to pick 3 strong branch to be the leaders and just cleaned out the 3ft from the ground. Branches flop down but looks pretty since top is fuller so no gap. It looks so pretty like a weeping branches. I got so many compliments of it from everybody. I use Espoma all purpose fertilizer 2 a year. Early spring and fall. Im so happy with it. Definitely show stopper in our yard😊

[@DianeGedeonArt]

I don't think you can compare a well established plant to one just planted this year. But interesting Deer information. I'd be curious to see the difference in 3-4 years. :)

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I knooow! I wish I could fast forward in time a few years and share that information now! Oy, the deer 🦌 I hope I can keep them away in future years better than what I have done this year 🤣

[@jillianlinn2676]

Id love to see an update on them again this year!

[@lyla.aisle.of.blooms]

Love this! Putting in the good work! I could be wrong but I think the blooms on panicle hydrangeas get larger as the shrub matures.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

This is the only thing I felt like I didn’t know and I couldn’t find a trusted source to confirm!! I’ll try and see if I can confirm that next year ❤️ - If it’s true- then Prime is perfect. I just want those big ol’ bloooooms AND stem strength 🤣

[@vuthanakmao2370]

Just give Prime a few years. They will not disappoint. Remember the first year they sleep the second year they creep and the third year they leap..

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Yes- absolutely. I’m going to keep it and but a few more for a shorter drift up front - it just seems to act like a different shrub- much smaller blooms. Do you find that the blooms get larger as the shrub she’s on your prime?

[@vuthanakmao2370]

@gardensandchickens Mine is on its 2nd season, and the bloom is bigger than last year.

[@vuthanakmao2370]

Oh, and the plant itself has doubled the size

[@everydaygardeningtips]

@@vuthanakmao2370 this is really great to know!!! My biggest concern was the bloom size being smaller. I’m so glad to hear that

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

I found this super enlightening! I have a Limelight that I have had for 2 years and it is growing well but we get warm weather so late it only has buds right now. I keep it pruned into more of a tree shape, but I have just bought a Limelight Prime because it supposedly blooms earlier (I need earlier) so to watch your comparison was fun. The larger blooms are so much more impressive. We have such heavy snows I have to support them no matter what anyways. Thanks!

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I am also totally great growing both- I’m glad they bloom at different times so you get staggered blooms throughout the season

[@muhammadmudassir7002]

I agree with you Thanks for sharing

[@alldayidreamaboutplants]

This was super helpful! The floppiness isn’t my favorite either but yours are beautiful!

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thank you- their floppiness mostly kicks in around this time of year - until mid July we didn’t had no flop yet…. They are so pretty so I’ll put up with it 🤣

[@hydrangeaparadise674]

I love Limelight hydrangea. I grew along my fence and absolutely looking magnificent right now. I'm so happy with it and it doesn't disappoint me at all. This week going to rain up until next week. Will see how it holds up in the rain 😳

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I bet that’s absolutely STUNNING- even though they flop, they’re still absolutely one of my favorite sites of summer 🤩🤩🤩

[@ljay4996]

Yes I agree…. You can’t possibly compare a well established plant that’s years old to a newly planted one. You also didn’t say if you’re pruning the limelight or have ever divided it. The prime is way too close to the established plant and you most likely will have to move it. I think you should have waited 3-5 years to compare them for a video. It wasn’t very helpful but I got a lot of good information from the comments.

[@AlonaPalmer-k6t]

Such beautiful! 😍 Thank you for sharing it with us!

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thank you for watching and for leaving such an amazing comment ❤️ made my day!

[@pinetreesnflowers]

I have the same flopping issue but hear that it takes several years to get more established and need to prune hard in spring for stronger stems. I agree to keep your limelights bc the scale of the plant compliments your home

[@everydaygardeningtips]

These are 3 years old. Next year I’m trying an experiment and will prune one 1/3 back and leave one unpruned - I’m getting a lot of conflicting advice and I need to test this out and get to the bottom of it 🤣🤣🤣

[@gladyshernandez8924]

Thanks for the experiment ❤️your garden sure is beautiful

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thank you so much 😍

[@eiremerald]

I've been "pinching" my limelights when I first see buds forming. It definitely delays the blooms, but it makes them smaller and less floppy. Still not ideal, but it's been the best option for me.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Ohh that’s interesting!!!

[@hycinth5371]

I use Irish spring bar soap and that seemed to keep the deers away from my flower gardens. This is my second year of trying this method. Also thank you for sharing. I ordered 8 limelight prime and I hope that it will perform as the plant matures. I will plant a regular limelight next year because I love its color and bloom size. The little limelight is beautiful and great for garden boarder in my zone.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

It’s such a useful size and I’m blown away with the stem strength!!! You’re limelight prime hedge is going to make all your neighbors jealous! 🤩 thanks for the tip about Irish soap! How often do you add it?

[@hycinth5371]

@@everydaygardeningtips I placed/hung the soap right in my garden, especially close to the ones that they like to eat. I left the bar soap in its case. That way it last longer. I replaced the old one with new when the bar soap is getting thin. Off course the case will be dissolved overtime but that is okay. I have lots of deers on my property. They so used to humans so I no longer able to keep them out. Putting the soaps out seemed to keep them away from my gardens. Will see how it last. Again, this is my second year of trying this out and so far so good. Hope it will work for you too.

[@growformegardening]

I love them both, i feel like the Limelights do best when they are cut back really hard in the spring.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I hear such mixed reviews on this- some say cut back only by 1/3 and don’t cut back too hard for less flop- others say cut back hard for less flop 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’ve tried both and I swear they flop about the same. I like both too. They’re both gorgeous

[@growformegardening]

@@everydaygardeningtips The most important thing is to get a really strong network of thicker trunks at the base.

[@AlexaWilmarth]

@@growformegardening how do you do this?

[@growformegardening]

@@AlexaWilmarth We posted our panicle pruning video today!!

[@ChelleBelleT]

Yes, don't prune them as much. I have Little Lime, but mine are almost 7 feet tall and Strawberry Vanilla. The stems will get very strong and healthy in a few years. Not pruning also makes smaller blooms. Try using Deer Out. It is a mint based spray that lasts for months. You only have to reapply it to new growth or possibly a very heavy rain. The beauty of the panicle hydrangeas is they will rebloom at the point the deer munched them. Super cool thing I learned.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Little limes that are 7 ft tall!!! Hah, that’s not terribly little 👀. I am going to be using deer out next year now that I know they have found my garden 🙈 - thanks for the tip!

[@monahudson9501]

They are beautiful!

[@everydaygardeningtips]

They seriously are such gorgeous plants! I looove hydrangeas 😍😍😍

[@maryfromflorida1894]

Those limelights are beautiful! I don't think I would remove them either. Maybe in a couple of years the limelight prime will be even better. My limelights which are about 5 years old were pitiful this year. Not much growth and very few blooms :(

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I forget how much I LOVE the limelights - even if they flop because they are just so so incredible! I’m going to grab a few more to create a drift 🤪. I just wish the prime had larger blooms 🤣 I want it all- big giant blooms and no flip

[@sandrabargerhuff6421]

Well..I imagine the difference on the size of blooms is because the new shrub was planted a few months ago vs the other probably being there for a few years? So I don’t think that was a fair comparison.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

It might not have been a fair comparison - it was the best that I could do within one season - I did chat with other gardeners who noticed smaller blooms on limelight prime VS limelights- but likely not THIS much smaller

[@8helenjhouston8]

I tree-formed my limelight’s so that the droop looks more normal. Also pruning back much less than previously seems to help to keep them perky!

[@everydaygardeningtips]

That’s a great idea! Gets the blooms off the floor, I bet!

[@shuvanidev]

Your older Limelights are gorgeous. I have a dwarf Limelight - can't remember the name, and it's a workhorse but it doesn't get as tall as yours. I haven't tried the Limelight Prime yet, but I just got a Fire Light Prime to try this year, so we'll see how it goes. I hope deer don't find mine, gosh, they can really do some damage can't they?

[@Mindy-s-channel]

I just add some support to the branches ❤ it’s fun to do

[@Tootsie55]

What do you use?

[@mabelchavez5953]

Thanks,I like your videos

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thank you so much 🥰

[@Tootsie55]

Small wind chime. Deer were eating my red roses. I put a wind chime in with them and they left it alone. 😊

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Small chime on each plant? Or just nearby? I really want to try this out

[@jinhuadai6154]

My gosh, you are so beautiful! Your hydrangea is pretty, but you are even prettier.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thank you for the sweet compliment ❤️

[@chuckbrown8344]

The flowers are so big they have to flop when wet. I put up a 6x6 square lattice with 14 in spaces to hold them upright. Used rebar for vertical support.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

That’s a great idea!

[@vin.handle]

Excellent video. I would like to know how old the limelight hydrangeas in the video were. I would like to get that size in a brief period of time. Is staking hydrangeas a possible solution? I stake them when they are in containers.

[@gritandGracegardening]

I’ve been searching since April to find someone in the south to get inspiration from and finally found you! I am zone 8b and I’m not sure how much sun my new purchase of hydrangeas can handle here. I hope to plant them this weekend. What do you think?

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Mine are in scorching full heat but I think if I could provide them with some shade- they’d appreciate it. Honestly. If you have a spot that gets afternoon shade- they’d probably love it. If you have drip in your garden- the full on sun ☀️ 🌡️

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Then ***

[@staciejackson7497]

It’s a fun video, but not an accurate comparison. Limelight Prime blooms get large, you can’t trial a shrub in it’s first year vs. an established shrub. Also. thank you for saying “versus” (correct) rather than “verse” (incorrect) as too many people do.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I was worried about that- I did preface by saying I’m not sure it’s fair to compare year 1 growth vs an established shrub. Thanks for confirming this was probably not a fair comparison. I’ll have to update down the road- jumped the gun on this one.

[@staciejackson7497]

@@everydaygardeningtips I enjoyed the video regardless :) I know you weren’t considering it scientific, just sharing the info with us. I hope I didn’t sound mean. I always enjoy seeing hydrangeas:)

[@everydaygardeningtips]

@@staciejackson7497 oh for sure! You didn’t come across as mean at all- I appreciate your comment and point of view ❤️

[@arelyshughes9088]

They need at least 3 years to be fully mature..the older they get the strongest the branches will be..even when the flop a bit after rain they recovers S soon after sun is out ..patience!!!! ..pruning late winter 1/3 of the plant will help for super blooms and strength..

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Thanks for your suggestions- these are 3 years old and are pruned correctly in winter. They’ve just never been able to hold up against Atlanta summer storms. They are still beautiful ❤️

[@mariapilarme]

My limelight didn’t produce big flowers, just 2 inches something. I am disappointed. Could be the soil it’s very poor I don’t know.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Mine are in pretty heavy clay - hmmm. What zone are you in?

[@mariapilarme]

@@everydaygardeningtips 9

[@mariapilarme]

This zone was a river bed gigantic it’s full of river round rocks . The builder pack all the rocks underneath the house and property. I removed few rocks to plant the lime light and put drip . Not doing very well. California Central Valley

[@dylanchernovetz2149]

The comparison wasn’t fair, the blooms get bigger as the shrub matures. 😂 I think I’ll go with prime and eventually the blooms will be the same size. The prime you planted was a baby ❤

[@denko44]

The prime hasn't had a chance to get established. Hense smaller blooms. Not fair to compare a freshly planted plant vs established. My lime lights were smalll to the first couple years then BOOM. They also need alot of water. If stressed, it will affect bloom size. Nice comparison though

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I wish I could fast forward in time!!!!

[@emsafdari8336]

What kind of Hydrangea is good for a full sun ?

[@everydaygardeningtips]

What zone do you grow in/where do you live? Panicle hydrangeas are great for full sun (limelight, limelight prime, pinky winky), also oakleaf hydrangeas, if you’re farther north - invincibelle hydrangeas can do full sun - otherwise they need a bit of shade

[@andreachambliss3383]

My Limelights are 6 years old and they never droop. They are 6’ tall.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

That’s amazing! My hedge is 3-4 years old…. And I can’t wait for the day!

[@donnamiller83]

What are the light green bushes in back of the hydrangeas? Thank you.

[@everydaygardeningtips]

Sunshine ligustrum, they are fantastic 💕💕💕

[@marylfab]

You can’t compare until the limelight primes mature a couple years

[@lucyrosepetal]

Are you able to stake them in a cute way to keep them upright?

[@everydaygardeningtips]

I bet you can! I’d stake and tie up early in the season instead of after the flop