MY HYDRANGEA BLOOMED, NOW WHAT?
Hydrangeas are extremely popular plants, but there's a lot of confusion about their care, like when or even if you should prune them. The challenge with hydrangea care is that there are different categories of them, and they don't all have the same growth habits or characteristics.
Here are the four main types that will grow well in Indiana and some tips for what to do after they bloom.
Panicle Hydrangeas
Hydrangea paniculatas are often called Peegee or Limelight. They're the easiest hydrangea to care for and the hardiest type. Their blooms form a large cone shape that begins in summer. The flowers start white, but their outer edges turn to pink, sage green, and red tones as the nights cool off. You cannot change the color of panicle hydrangeas.
After a panicle hydrangea finishes blooming, you can leave the flowers to dry on the bush to enjoy through the winter or deadhead them early in the season, but stop deadheading in August if you want to enjoy the dried blossoms for winter interest. (You can bring their beautiful blooms indoors as a dried fall arrangement.dammannsgardenco.com/blog/christmas-greenery-youll-love-this-christmas, as well).
It's unnecessary to prune panicle hydrangeas, but if you need to remove deadwood or reinvigorate an old shrub, you can cut them back hard in later winter or early spring. A little care in late winter can help promote strong stems and larger flowers. They don't require fertilizer, but you can apply shrub fertilizer very lightly in the spring if you want them to grow faster. Too much fertilizer can cause weak growth and reduce blossoms.
Smooth
Smooth hydrangeas are sometimes called wild hydrangea; the Latin name is Hydrangea arborescens. They're also quite easy to care for, and they have huge white blooms that start green, turn white, and can be as big as basketballs!
After your smooth hydrangeas have finished blooming, you leave the flowers to dry on the bush. Feel free to deadhead through the season, but stop in late July. Pruning isn’t required, but you can prune back in early spring if you want to control the shape, and only take off about 1/3rd of the total plant volume. You can rejuvenate older plants by cutting them back nearly to the ground.
Smooth hydrangeas may benefit from a light application of rose fertilizer once in the spring.
Oakleaf
Oakleaf hydrangea, or Hydrangea quercifolia, have oak-leaf-shaped leaves that turn crimson red in fall. They have long cone-shaped flower clusters in creamy white or pink. They're a little less hardy, so they should be planted in a sheltered area and wrapped in burlap for winter protection.
After your oakleaf hydrangea finishes blooming, it's time to prune if needed. If not, you can leave the flowers to dry or snip them off as soon as they fade, and keep them for dried arrangements. If you leave them over the winter, they'll slowly drop on their own.
You don't need to prune this variety unless you want to adjust the shrub's shape or need to remove deadwood. If you need to prune, do it immediately after it finishes flowering before it sets buds for next year.
Climbing
Climbing hydrangea blooms have flat clusters of lacy flowers that bloom at various times. It differs from most other varieties in that it prefers part shade and can be used as a groundcover or as a climber.
You don't need to do anything after this variety blooms unless you want to remove the spent flowers. Climbing hydrangeas don't require pruning, except when you may need to shape them or steer them from a wall or building. If you need to prune, do it immediately after flowering, before it sets buds for next year.
Climbing hydrangeas do not need fertilizer; once established, they thrive without it.
Drying Your Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are one of those fantastic plants that have multi-season interest. Their beautiful flowers dry perfectly and look fantastic, whether you leave them on the shrub or cut them to enjoy indoors in arrangements.
If you want to enjoy your dried hydrangeas indoors, you'll need to leave them until they start to dry on the shrub. You can leave them until they're fully dry if you prefer the muted tan color they turn to.
Or, you can cut them a little earlier, and they'll retain some of their colors. Aim to cut them when they are starting to dry and the colors are starting to change.
Once you have cut your flowers, remove the leaves and place them in clear vases with an inch or two of water in the bottom. Don't crowd too many blooms in each vase since they need good air circulation. Place your vases in dry areas of your home, out of the direct sun. The water will evaporate naturally, and by the time it's gone, the blooms will be fully dry. Come visit us at Dammann's Garden Company to see more beautiful blooms!