Learn / Ask The Landscape Professional
My hydrangea never bloomed this year. Did I do something wrong?
Answer
I have heard that question a
lot this year. You may not have
done anything to cause the lack of
blooms. Either one of two things
could have happened.
1) Most types of hydrangeas
bloom on "old wood," stems that
were in place the year before. So
if you pruned your hydrangeas
in August or later last year, you
probably cut off the forming buds and you will have to wait until next year
to see them. It is OK, however, to cut off dead blooms or dead wood at
any time without causing a problem.
2. This year, we had cold weather well into spring, which raised havoc
with hydrangeas. Late spring freezes for extended periods of time
can damage the stems, kill the forming buds and the flowers will not
bloom. Fortunately, this doesn't happen every year, and in most years
hydrangeas make out just fine. So, be patient, cut out the dead wood
and wait for next year and we should be fine as long as the winter
weather cooperates! Some people go the trouble of erecting barriers
to insulate hydrangeas, but as the plant gets larger, it becomes an
increasingly impractical thing to do.
View As PDF
To view a PDF of this article, please
click here.
About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
