"K" wrote in message
...
Mike E writes

"K" wrote in message
...
Mike E writes
can anyone tell me why my hydrangea hasnt flowered or even budded in the
last couple of years


Have you pruned it?

yes but i think too hard to be frank

That would probably explain it, then.

Try not pruning it this year and see what happens next year. I'm asuming
we're talking about the usual 'mophead' hydrangea.

I can't remember the official pruning instructions for Hydrangea, but they
do include not pruning too hard. I think it's something like "prune to the
first pair of fat buds below the old flower head". And I think people tend
to prune them in spring, so the dying flower heads provide frost
protection over winter.

I've got two largish hydrangeas, and I'm not wonderfully fond of them. So
I take off smaller flower heads to fill flower vases (I find it difficult
to fill flower vases in summer because I'm aware most things last longer
outside so I'm relucatant to pick them. Winter is easier because then I
know that I'll enjoy them more for a few days in the house than at the end
of a rain-soaked garden), then I may cut some more stems at Christmas to
spray silver or gold for decoration, then I cut everything back to the
first fat bud sometime in the spring. And if I want the bush to become
substantially smaller, then I cut back much more severely, but not all the
branches, then complete the job the following year, so that I till have
some flowers.

--
Kay

many thanks kay, yes i have pruned it too much i think. i will leave it till
next year now thanks again