Bigleaf, Mopleaf or Lacecap hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla and H. serrata) Oakleaf hydrangeas (H. quercifolia) Reference https://www. gardenia. net/compare-plants/hydrangeas to help you identify what kind of hydrangea you have before planning to prune your plant.
If you’ve missed this window, just wait until next year to prune the hydrangea. Hydrangeas don’t have to be pruned yearly, so waiting won’t be a problem. If you’re unhappy with your hydrangea’s shape, you can go ahead and prune–just know that in doing so outside of the short midsummer window, you’ll risk hurting its appearance next spring.
You can also remove dead or dying canes at this time; trim them at their base.
This type of pruning isn’t necessary for the plant’s health. Only do it if your hydrangea is taking up too much space. When planting new hydrangeas, it’s best to choose a spot where they can grow freely. “Endless Summer” hydrangeas are an exception to the rule. This variety is more low-maintenance than others and can really be pruned at any season–there is no “bad time. " Endless Summer hydrangeas can mainly be left alone until they mature. You can then “deadhead” the plant in the spring or fall to encourage new flowers.
Panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata), such as PeeGee or Limelight. These can be pruned into a tree form to make it a focal point of the garden. [7] X Research source Smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescens), such as Annabelle Use the images at https://www. gardenia. net/compare-plants/hydrangeas to help you identify what kind of hydrangea you have before planning to prune your plant.
You can cut back all the stems by 1/3 in the winter. Pruning at this time will help the shrub produce bigger, showier flowers. However, many gardeners like their hydrangeas to have smaller flowers on sturdier stems. If this is your preference, do your pruning in the fall instead to allow the plants to grow strong branches before blooming.
Another great way to encourage growth is to fertilize your hydrangea bush in early spring to help those little blooms reach their maximum potential.
Climbing hydrangeas bloom from old wood (last year’s blooms), so it’s critical that you only prune after your hydrangea has finished blooming in the late summer months, like July or August.
Just remember that the rule of thumb is not to cut more than 1/3 of the way down the cane unless you have to clear an area entirely. In that case, you can cut further down the cane as needed or all the way down to the ground.
