Live Buds

[Jada1226]

I live in Michigan and in the spring I have never seen live buds on my Hydrangea and the stalks are always dead? And I have never gotten flowers in 3 years? Could the cold or early spring frost be killing these? I get wonderful green foilage, but the plants never seem to get any bigger. Should I prune the dead stalks and then cover this winter?

[pd]

I think some protection from winter and early spring frosts would help. Remember that on some Hydrangea types flower buds are produced the previous year so are already there dormant on the stems, Don't prune last years stems to the ground.

[Jada1226]

Hi, thanks. Yes I know the buds are set the previous year, but it looks like they are not really forming any buds and then in spring the whole branch is brittle and any buds that might be on it are shriveled and dead? We have left it alone and not cut it for 2-years and still nothing?

[pd]

Have you observed how the same type of hydrangea does in other gardens in your neigbourhood.
I would do as you suggest and cover during the winter. First cut the stems down by two thirds.
It is possible that you purchased a rogue plant that is very shy at flowering.
If in fact you propagated it yourself did you use a flowered shoot. Hydranges tend to produce more flowers if propagated from a flowered shoot - not one that has not had a flower.