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adoherty
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Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 1:38 pm
Location: Rochester, NY - zone 6a

winterizing hydrangea

Hi. I'm fairly new to gardening and my new home has a huge hydrnagea. It bloomed big, beautiful, pink / white blossoms this summer and I cut them off for a friend to dry. Now it's November and I'm wondering how to winterize it. I saw a report on the local news about not pruning them til Spring because they set their buds in the Fall? What does this mean? It also mentioned water getting into the stems, freezing and desicating them...this seems to have happened to some stems from last winter's colder and wetter then normal weather. How can I avoid this? Can I avoid this? It's all very intimidating...

adoherty in Rochester, NY
The Helpful Gardener
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Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Pink and white blooms might be Pee Gee hydrangea and then no problem; you can prune now and don't need to worry about overwintering ( I suspect this to be the case because of your location; most big leaf types would have given up the ghost a LONG time ago...)

Scott
JenniCat
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Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 6:38 pm
Location: Stanwood, WA

I have nearly the exact same problem. I have just moved and am trying to prepare my hydrangeas for the winter. Mine have big leaves and they are turning yellow. Do I need to trim the plant down?
The Helpful Gardener
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Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

Yikes! :shock: Drop the pruners, Jenni!

Those buds on the tips are next springs flowers. Any pruning and there goes any chance you will get flowers. Those big yellow hanging leaves tell me you have big leaf hydrangea, not the PG's we were just talking about, so different schedule entirely. Yours should NOT be pruned until after it flowers; wrap the stems in burlap to prevent winter damage to those delicate buds and wait for spring, fingers crossed...
JenniCat
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2004 6:38 pm
Location: Stanwood, WA

I see.... Thank you!

What should I do next spring after it blooms? Have far down do I prune? (I am pretty new to gardening) :lol: I want to make sure I do it all right!
The Helpful Gardener
Mod
Posts: 7491
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 9:17 pm
Location: Colchester, CT

First things first; let's get it through the winter. Then if it blooms we'll talk pruning. All good things in all good time...

If that's not working for you and you must know now; check the Hydrangea articles on the website...

Scott


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