These hardy cultivars impress with their intense and rich flowers. Pruning measures are necessary so that it appears every year and its intensity does not decrease. With the right basic knowledge about growth, this care procedure is not difficult.
When and how should you cut ball hydrangeas?
Ball hydrangeas should ideally be cut in autumn or by the end of February at the latest. Cut spent shoots to half their length, leaving one or two pairs of eyes on the branch. Also remove diseased, old and dead branches directly above the ground.
Time and frequency
Snowball hydrangeas bear their flowers on fresh shoots that form in spring. Therefore, you should not cut back these shrubs too late. Cutting measures are possible until the end of February, with autumn proving to be the optimal period. If you want your hydrangea to grow larger, avoid pruning it annually. You can thin out the ornamental shrub as needed if it has grown too densely.
Advantages
Pruning the hydrangea regularly ensures that the shrub becomes increasingly dense. Two shoots arise at each interface because the buds appear in pairs in opposite arrangements. Therefore, cutting also promotes a lush bloom. The earlier in the year the branches are cut, the sooner the plants will bloom. For this reason, you should prefer autumn pruning.
This is how hydrangea flowers work in winter:
- Withered flower balls create interesting accents in the winter garden
- Snow and hoarfrost create an aesthetic atmosphere on the flowers
- light brown tones counteract the monotony
The right cut
You can remove branches that grow inward at any time or remove clumps that are too close. When cutting, make sure to place the blade at a slight angle and one centimeter above the pair of buds. If you shorten the shoots just a little, the bushes will develop a stable framework of branches. However, their flowers then remain smaller. This procedure is recommended if you cut the large-flowered hydrangea 'Annabelle' or if the plants thrive in wind-exposed locations.
First cut
Cut back newly planted viburnum hydrangeas lightly in the spring. Select three to five strong shoots, shortening them to 30 to 50 centimeters. The following year, focus on the previous year's shoots, of which ten centimeters remain after cutting.
Follow-up cuts
If the hydrangeas have grown well, all dead shoots are cut to half their length. One or two pairs of eyes must remain on the branch. Remove diseased, old and dead branches directly above the ground so that the plant does not waste energy.
Tip
Varieties like 'Annabelle', which develop particularly large flower balls, need support after cutting. Their flowers then sit on relatively thin shoots.
Section group
Snowball hydrangeas come from the original species Hydrangea arborescens. They are occasionally known as forest or shrub hydrangeas. Like panicle hydrangeas, they belong to the second pruning group, whose pruning proves to be uncomplicated.
Some farmer's hydrangeas of the species Hydrangea macrophylla are also incorrectly offered as ball hydrangeas. However, they belong to a group that requires gentle and not radical pruning.
