pruning of Hydrangea paniculata pink diamond

[Tanya_NB_4B/5A]

I recently "inherited" a lot of nice established bushes that I promptly planted all over my yard. A friend was bulldozing her yard and wanted to get rid of everything...Quite silly in my opinion but hey! I got a lot of nice plants and bushes for free!!!

I managed to get home with a large Hydrangea paniculata pink diamond hanging from the trunk of my car. I pruned it to get it in the car and planted it with lots of bone meal. It's been a month now, it's doing good.

How do I prune it to a decent shape? I pruned a bit this week to remove dead wood. It will need a good pruning but now is probably not the right time. It's all over the place. Should I prune in the spring or this fall? What shape should I be aiming for?
How aggressive should I be?

When should I expect it to bloom since I choped a lot off get it in the trunk?

Thanks

[The Helpful Gardener]

Pruning after blossom is still the best move for this one (like most), but paniculates can be pruned in early spring as well...

HG

[Tanya_NB_4B/5A]

It's starting to form buds, can't see the color yet but it should blossom soon!

[The Helpful Gardener]

There it is then. Wait, see, prune...

Scott

[Tanya_NB_4B/5A]

Well it flowered some blooms but they are all white/greenish color. Why wouldn't they be pink like the tag said? Could it have been mislabelled or it is just something missing in the soil?

They are quite pretty blooms but not the big balls hydrangea that wwe commonly see..

[grandpasrose]

Hi Tanya - glad this one bloomed for you too!
Paniculatas always begin with a greenish-whitish bloom, and then slowly turn to pink. They bloom in sort of a cone or plume shape, rather than a typical "ball shape" hydrangea you're thinking of.
They are a pretty hardy hydrangea, so it should do well for you if it survived all that!!
VAL

[Tanya_NB_4B/5A]

Hi Tanya - glad this one bloomed for you too!
Paniculatas always begin with a greenish-whitish bloom, and then slowly turn to pink. They bloom in sort of a cone or plume shape, rather than a typical "ball shape" hydrangea you're thinking of.
They are a pretty hardy hydrangea, so it should do well for you if it survived all that!!
VAL

Thanks Val! It's quite beautiful!
Now, when you say "slowly turn to pink" do you mean over the course of a few years or that the blooms start off white and finish blooming pink?

How much should I prune once it's done flowering? It's kind of a weird shape now. Should I make it into a round shape? Can't remember if it flowers on old wood or new?

What and when should I fertilize? Thanks!

[grandpasrose]

Hey Tanya! It is a very pretty hydrangea isn't it?
It will slowly turn from greenish white to pink over the fall, and it does this every year.
It will not harm your bush to prune it into a more pleasing shape once it is finished blooming. In fact, this particular plant flourishes when regularly pruned. It can be pruned to stay a shrub, or be trained into a tree.

I wouldn't give it any fertilizer now, except maybe dig in a little bonemeal around the soil to help the roots get a litttle more established since being moved. You could give it a good mulch of compost, rotted manure, shredded leaves, and this will slowly add nutrients to your bush. Wait until spring to do any major growth inspiring fertilizing.
Best of Luck and enjoy!
VAL

[Tanya_NB_4B/5A]

Went out this morning for a stroll...It's starting to get cooler in the mornings now...

It is turning pink!!!! WoW what a beautiful shrub this it! I love it!!

Also, I've got another hygrangea in the front of the house. It also has feather like flowers (not balls) but this one is staying white...I wonder what that one could be...It was just a canadian tire special a few years back. It must be something quite common.

Thanks for all your help!

[grandpasrose]

Does it have leaves that look like oak leaves?
VAL

[The Helpful Gardener]

Val, you are thinking of H. quercifolia (oak leaved) and this would be a paniculate type (H. paniculata'Pink Diamond').

Scott