Stress-free hydrangea pruning

[@Anirras-got-a-bergenia]

I really appreciate videos like this that aren't just a how too. They are demonstration of how people can think critically to ask the right questions to solve these issues in their own gardens.

[@graylagran7443]

Erin, even if I didn’t garden I’d still watch your videos 😂 you crack me up!

[@judyrhine234]

Well I’ve already pruned all 25 of mine but I watch you for entertainment. You’re the best.

[@heatherolson458]

This is by far the best, least complicated, video on pruning hydrangeas I've seen! Thank you!

[@BloomCatBloom]

I look for as little maintenance as possible - no or minimal pruning is a huge plus for me when choosing plants. I also happen to love the look of mountain hydrangeas. For once, the stars aligned! 😁

[@bethallaman3432]

I pruned my largest hydrangea this morning and came inside to this video! It was easy!

[@HowsItGrowing]

Such a great video Erin. I just have at it and always have. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Never overthinking. I don’t even use a tape measure. 😆

[@katedorman7042]

I JUST pruned all of my hydrangeas last night. Easy peasy.

[@katiel8725]

Thank you for being our virtual garden coach Erin 😂 Breathing a big sigh of relief!

[@SunnyBlueSkyDay]

Snip Snip Viola...will be fabulous in Summer ☀️

[@lobstahchowdah8920]

Thanks for the tutorial! My hydrangeas were newly planted two years ago. So far I haven’t had to prune them because the deer get to them before I do. Arg. So hard for them to put on any sturdy new growth. Fingers crossed that this summer gives them a chance to get growing.

[@maryannferencak3799]

Oh no! Another hydrangea pruning video.😅 Seriously, you are absolutely right about cutting off early blooms, but still getting later blooms. I live in north Florida, where it's hot and humid at night. We know that pannicles such as limelight, little quickfire, etc. bloom on new growth and won't turn pink under these conditions. That's why I prune all of my pannicle hydrangeas in early spring, let them grow and bloom in the summer, and lightly prune again towards late summer when nights are cooling off. That way, I get more blooms in cooler weather and the pretty color change.

[@SunshineKK99]

I love that you take the anxiety out of pruning. My hydrangeas were cut hard accidentally two years ago. I didn't get any blooms last year but the leaves were so big & healthy. Im confident that I will see blooms this year!! 🥰

[@KelNash]

We just moved and I have first hydrangea to care for. Big Leaf. We moved in during the summer. As the leaves fell off I was horrified at the interior 😂 A solid mound of dead wood. It took my 3 days the prune it (I’m pregnant and also have 2 toddlers attached at the hip). The buds hadn’t all started so I was really afraid I had messed it up. But it’s going nuts! Buds opening everywhere. And tons of new shoots coming up. I’m very excited for summer ❤

[@BrendaofNiagaraCanada]

Thanks.❤

[@maryk1668]

Watched a number of great hydrangea pruning videos ( including yours of course ) in the last couple of years and am now comfortably confident! Actually prune those of family and friends and give advise😊 thanks!

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Love to hear it!

[@betsymaltby6788]

Went in there mostly confident this year after years of watching all the videos. This video confirms I did it correctly. Am loving the structure am able to create on my panicle hydrangeas. I used to be such a wuss about it. 🙄🤣

[@Talula72]

Ive been gardening 30+ years and I finally bought my first hydrangea last year. A Little Quick Fire. My pruning this year included snipping off the 5 old blooms and one broken branch 😆. I'm trying to find a few more spots in my gardens to get a few other varieties . The Incrediball Blush looks amazing.

[@dora59]

I started pruning some panicles yesterday. My shrubs are all less than 5 years old and I’ve grown them from 3” starter pots. My problem is the shape. This was very helpful, more so than some I’ve watched.

[@audreyyouds-gt2zh]

Thanks

[@lisag6796]

Thank you, Erin, great no stress video!!

[@carollewinson1555]

Happy to see this video! You always put things into perspective for me. I had planted 5 Annabelle’s last year Zone 5b) and had a difficult time with them in the drought. By fall it looked like only one survived. I cut them down to 8-10 inches in the hopes that the roots were still fine. Can’t wait to see if the survived! Just give me green foliage this year! That would make me happy!

[@s.barlow7062]

Yea! I’m goin to get after my daughter’s Lime Lights. Good video, thanks!

[@myrrhidian3166]

Thank you for mentioning oak leaf hydrangeas. I never know how to prune mine, but am glad to know I don't have to! Honestly, it's the best shrub in my garden; no fuss, and looks good all year :)

[@aalejardin]

Good video, as always! Thanks for sharing your thought process in pruning the Limelight.

[@Serendipity_Strawberry_Farm]

Thankyou for this video. I have been so panicked by the thought of trimming my hydrangea for the last few years due to peoples videos saying that it wont bloom again. Last year I gave them a small trim and barely had any flowers this year on my older ones so I obviously did something incorrectly, they were given to me after the bushfires by locals who knew I lost all of my gardens. This year Ive planted in some beautiful candle shaped varieties and taken a lot of cuttings which have rooted beautifully so that I can surround our flower farm with some additional beautiful blooms. I just wont sweat it and will just trim back to a bud once we start to die off. Many thanks Theresa - Australia

[@tbryant1966]

You are awesome!!!!❤

[@Liz-og9gc]

Great video Erin! I actually never get tired of hydrangea pruning videos🤷. Always a need for touch up info.

[@jven6202]

Thanks for the pep talk, hydrangeas are the only thing in my garden that I give way too mental space to in spring cleanup

[@gardeningonthewestforkwith8994]

Great simplicity of pruning 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@bettenotap4791]

I must admit I found them a bit intimidating, because I had lost the tag on one and didn’t know what it was. The next year I did better. It didn’t help that the rabbits chewed on my new little lime last winter, I protected it this year. Great video Erin! 👏🏻

[@labelleforme1]

I love your flagstone walkway. How do you keep weeds out of the space between? I am in Western Oregon where things grow happily in a thin layer of moss on solid concrete 😂😮.

[@julesdavis1845]

Thank you for the clarity and confidence.

[@noradunlap7539]

So helpful! Thank you! Blessings!💙💙🦋🦋

[@janc8763]

This was the best tutorial I've seen . I even struggle with identifying my hydrangeas growing in containers here in my zone 9b because they are all 10 years old or more. (Macrophylla I'm sure now) Thanks! No fear this winter when they are ready in my zone.

[@jeanniecollier6763]

Great video, Erin!

[@upnorth21]

Thanks for always giving us permission to not worry, lol. However, I just pruned my Annabelle's and was relieved when you said 18 inches. 😃

[@rickyt3961]

Thank you!

[@stephaniesharkey3538]

Good info , thx

[@natalie_tn]

Great timing as I was just thinking about pruning my Little Limes that were planted last spring. However my Endless Summer (macrophylla..I think?) never bloom on the old wood. They only bloom on new growth so I end up having to cut all the old stuff down to the ground which gets a little tricky as last year I accidentally nicked new growth while trying to get in there and cut the old stuff out. I live in Tennessee zone 7. My Oakleafs have been acting weird for the last couple years. They used to be these big 5 ft tall bushes covered with blooms. Now they're putting out growth that looks stunted and puny. I've had to cut out alot of dead stuff in hopes of reviving them. Maybe they're just getting too old? About 15 years old.

[@deniseb2571]

Thanks!

[@marcygriffo9904]

Deer have completely eaten my oakleaf every year. Its been there 4-5 years and only about three feet tall. This year I sprayed it all summer (deer repellant) and it finally grew then after the leaves were gone in the fall they gobbled it up again. They leave most of my other plants alone. I guess I should be glad and consider it a trap plant...any suggestions? I guess they wanted to be my annual pruning help.

[@diannmurphy5325]

I have the same problem and have to protect it through winter from deer. I usually put a taller fence around it in a circle.

[@lgarden7086]

My oakleaf hydrangeas were here before me and they were huge when I purchased my home 15 years ago so my goodness they must be at least 25…they are planted in the back of my garden and shaded by the woods on the south side. The plants must be close to 9 feet tall so the deer don’t ever get to the top of the plants but they browse the back of the garden. I’ve hung every stinky thing you can think of from those branches…Russian sage, orange peels, garlic foliage, Irish spring, Milo granite, and I spray! I know the deer are coming when I see them munching the oakleaf and then I put my deer management into high gear 😊 I’ve used Mylar streamers, foil pie plates that move in the wind and a crazy milk jug scarecrow it’s a challenge but it keeps me thinking and I have to say I enjoy those plants every year!

[@kathystarnes6744]

💚💚💚💚💚

[@GreybarJ]

I have two Pink Diamond Patio Hydrangea trees. Do you have a video about that species? I’m in 6A.

[@lisamorris4232]

Thank you Erin. Each year I think I've killed my panicle hydrangea when I cut it way back. It always comes back with gusto. Why do I get so worried?😂

[@gloriaruiz2332]

🙏🏻

[@deborahpellerito6117]

I go nuts over my hydrangeas every year

[@anitahadley2871]

I have yet to prune my limelights. I need to giddy up. I have never pruned my Bobo and it has not ever bloomed. I want it to get a bit bigger. I think this is its 3rd year so it better get on board or it’s getting moved.

[@bobr9895]

I just got the nerve to trim one this morning😊

[@at1the1beginning]

Oh! You forgot to mention your climbing hydrangea ;)

[@lynnb242]

Did u cover any Mac or serata plants from frost……

[@jenniferhooks2454]

I have given up on oakleaf hydrangeas. The deer prune them to a nub. It's SO frustrating! 😠

[@thejillykilly]

Can I not prune Annabelle at all and just deadhead the blooms?

[@s.barlow7062]

I have a tall hydrangea like your Cerrada. Some of the stems have galls lower on the branches. I pruned out some of the galled stems last year. The ones I left did bloom. Should I leave the other stems with galls alone?

[@Peachy08]

I bought a house and was blessed with an Endless Summer Hydrangea. Last winter here in N. Georgia we had a bad cold snap( for the south). It got down to 3° for a couple of days. I neglected protecting it. This hydrangea was huge!! It was a late freeze and it was already leafing out and it almost killed it. I was sick and I had to cut it back from a 5 ft. tall beautiful bush to about a foot😢. For the first time last summer it didn't bloom. It has bounced back and is already back to about 3 feet. I pruned it back in May last year...my question is. Will it bloom this year?

[@Fabdanc]

The best way to not worry about pruning hydrangeas... don't plant them, ha! I only have room in my heart for an oakleaf hydrangea. I know arborescens is also native to North America, but I prefer the the oakleaf... but in general, I find most hydrangeas kind of tacky. They are up there with boxwoods on the tacky factor for me. And it is not lost on me that this comment is dripping with hateraide, lol.

[@lisag6796]

That's how I feel about yews - everyone has them!!!! I think to myself wasn't there something else to plant??

[@Fabdanc]

@@lisag6796 seems I made the hateraide particularly delicious today 🤣🤣🤣

[@rebeccamasters3943]

You have a lot of hydrangeas! But you also have a lot of deer pressure! What specifically if anything do you do to deter the deer from eating the hydrangeas? Thanks!!

[@SarahMacNeil-mc8cs]

10' drift of snow just melted and revealed 7 flattened pee gee hydrangeas, I know they will rebound and by end of summer will be better than ever.

[@carolinarede474]

I live in zone 5 b can I already transplant my roses and hydrangeas??

[@barbarahaines7661]

Love my hydrangeas,do not like the flop.When it rains,well it makes me sad.What can I do,cage,yes I do but....Help

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Do you know what kind they are?

[@marcusrhoden4302]

So Korean Angelica doesn't like me. I can't get to germinate. I have kept the seed cold for 4 weeks or more potted up and then on a heat mat for a few weeks and now I just put everything outside so it will get cold again and will bring it back in again another week or so. What am I doing wrong??😂😅😂😂

[@robb2biago]

Honestly, I look at the plant, gave a little convo, Some of you are going to get cut, but some of you aren’t. It’s not rocket science. Cheers from Waukesha.

[@gracestokes3288]

Good info but it’s hard to actually see where on the branches you are cutting. Would be good if you you can get the camera closer to the cutting area and not move so fast so the viewer can actually see the tiny buds and detail of what part of the stem and plant you are referring to.

[@judymckerrow6720]

I’m going into the third year with some of my hydrangeas and they’re still so spindly I’m not sure what’s going on with them. I THINK that I may have to hit them with some holly tone. Hopefully that helps this year. 🪻💚🙃

[@emkn1479]

What you describe in the intro is how I feel about pruning fruit trees…and I’m pretty sure I actually ruined them … for this year… 😅🫠 they’re just babies and I’m hoping they recover. Why is it so hard?! PS I really enjoyed the music this time!