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avidgardener
- Newly Registered
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- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2014 11:32 am
hydrangeas dried out
I noticed this year my hydrangas have new growth at the bottom but the rest of the branches seem dried out should I prune them down to new growth or leave them?
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Lindsaylew82
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
- Location: Upstate, SC
Lots of folks had die back on hydrangea this year. Mine, an heirloom purple that my grandmother and I planted when I was a child, is lost all together... 
Just cut the dead branches back. You may not get a bloom this year
I planted an ever blooming (endless summer) variety in its place, so I'm hoping to get a fall bloom this year. I hope hope HOPE it turns purple like the last one.
Just cut the dead branches back. You may not get a bloom this year
I planted an ever blooming (endless summer) variety in its place, so I'm hoping to get a fall bloom this year. I hope hope HOPE it turns purple like the last one.
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luis_pr
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- Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:31 am
- Location: Hurst, TX USA Zone 7b/8a
Welcome, avidgardener. Some of those dead looking stems can leaf out late sometimes so it pays to wait it out until mid May (or end of May when you are in the northern states).
My unnamed Macrophylla Mopheads had dried out stems that I finally pruned this morning at 3am (I know, I know... hee hee hee!). That was the bad news. The good news was that another Mac Mophead, Mme. Emile Moulliere, did leaf out and produce blooms from those dried-out stems. The long stems produced zilch leaf out/blooms but the 1-2' high ones leafed out and some are blooming. MEM has been a very reliable Mac Mophead for me even it bad winters so I recommend it. It has one bright white bloom, another white bloom with a touch of pink (reminds me of H. macrophylla Blushing Bride but this touch of pink originates from one of the parents of MEM that was not a whilte hydrangea) and there is a 3rd bloom in the broccoli stage.
A Mac lacecap managed to produce blooms but, it is protected by the house from northern winds. All of my oakleafs had no problems with the weather, even the ones located on the north side in a "unprotected" location. Annabelle died however; not sure why. Little Lime -a paniculata- looks fantastic, as if nothing special happened this winter; I expect to see its new wood blooms later this month or early in July. No idea how serratas have done since I do not have those but... I want to have a few!
My unnamed Macrophylla Mopheads had dried out stems that I finally pruned this morning at 3am (I know, I know... hee hee hee!). That was the bad news. The good news was that another Mac Mophead, Mme. Emile Moulliere, did leaf out and produce blooms from those dried-out stems. The long stems produced zilch leaf out/blooms but the 1-2' high ones leafed out and some are blooming. MEM has been a very reliable Mac Mophead for me even it bad winters so I recommend it. It has one bright white bloom, another white bloom with a touch of pink (reminds me of H. macrophylla Blushing Bride but this touch of pink originates from one of the parents of MEM that was not a whilte hydrangea) and there is a 3rd bloom in the broccoli stage.
A Mac lacecap managed to produce blooms but, it is protected by the house from northern winds. All of my oakleafs had no problems with the weather, even the ones located on the north side in a "unprotected" location. Annabelle died however; not sure why. Little Lime -a paniculata- looks fantastic, as if nothing special happened this winter; I expect to see its new wood blooms later this month or early in July. No idea how serratas have done since I do not have those but... I want to have a few!
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rainbowgardener
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Avid, you didn't say where you are. It always helps to give location, because no gardening question can be answered without regard to climate issues. The responses you got were referring to the exceptionally harsh winter that many parts of the US had in the 2013 - 2014 winter. Depending on where you are, this may or may not apply to you and your plants.