If cared for correctly, the hydrangea produces new flowers throughout the summer and enchants the garden with its magnificent flower blossoms well into autumn. By regularly breaking out the dead umbels, the hydrangea regenerates quickly and forms new buds.
How do I care for hydrangeas after flowering?
After the hydrangeas have bloomed, you should thin out the branches a little in August to encourage the formation of new flower buds. Leave spent umbels on the plant in autumn to provide young buds with frost protection. In the spring, carefully break them out to maintain the shoots.
Care after flowering
As early as August, you can thin out the hydrangea's branches a little so that more daylight can penetrate into the interior of the plant. This has an extremely positive effect on the formation of new flower buds.
Don't break out faded flowers in autumn
Leave the faded hydrangea umbels on the hydrangea in autumn. Many species start budding for the following year in the previous year. The new buds are protected from severe frosts by the dead inflorescences. They are therefore only broken out in early spring.
Shorten correctly to protect the shoots
Do not cut back hydrangeas in cutting group 1 after flowering. You would inevitably remove the shoots for the next year and would then have to go without the magnificent flowers for a garden season. In general, hydrangeas in cutting group 1 should only be cut back lightly in order not to endanger the abundance of flowers.
Tips & Tricks
An exception is the hydrangea “Endless Summer”. With this hydrangea, which blooms on annual wood, you can boldly use secateurs (€18.00 on Amazon) during the summer. Remove dead flowers immediately so that the plant can quickly form new flowers.
