I have followed this Newsgroup for a while and have found lots of useful
tips but this is my first posting.

I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the spring they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

"Colin Lougher" wrote in message
...
I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the spring
they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

I had exactly the same problem until I learned the reason why, and for the
first time in 3 years my hydrangeas are absolutely loaded with flowers.
First of all, do NOT prune until spring. During winter you should leave all
the dead flower heads on because the dead heads give some protection from
frost. Then in early spring, when growth is just starting, prune each
branch to where there are 2 strong buds. On some branches this will be
almost at the top of the branch so you only have to cut a bit off, but on
other branches you might have to prune lower down because there's only 1 bud
showing. And that's the secret - pruning to just above 2 healthy buds.

Hope that helps.

"Colin Lougher" wrote in message
...
I have followed this Newsgroup for a while and have found lots of useful
tips but this is my first posting.

I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the spring
they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

If you continue to prune the new growths off in the Autumn you
will never get flowers. Flowers for next year are formed at the tip of
growths made this year. You have been removing the flower buds each year!
In future only remove dead heads~ and then only in the spring as
they protect the buds during hard weather.
Regards Brian.

On 6/7/04 8:36 pm, in article ,
"Colin Lougher" wrote:

I have followed this Newsgroup for a while and have found lots of useful
tips but this is my first posting.

I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the spring they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

Any ideas would be appreciated.


That's your problem. AFTER they have flowered take out ONLY the stems you
don't want, either because they cross and rub others or because they block a
path, for example. When shaping a Hydrangea as you want it to be, do it
over a couple of years, successively, taking out a stem here and there each
year so you still get flowers. Trim it all back and you'll get no flowers
at all.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

Sacha wrote in
k:

When shaping a Hydrangea as you want it to be, do it
over a couple of years, successively, taking out a stem here and there
each year so you still get flowers. Trim it all back and you'll get
no flowers at all.


Mine flowers whatever you do to it, including pruning back to ground level
(yes, I have tried!).

(But it's a very well-established one, and a tough as nails mophead - I'm
sure you are right that the pruning of the young plants is causing Colin's
problems)

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

On 7/7/04 9:46, in article
, "Victoria Clare"
wrote:

Sacha wrote in
k:

When shaping a Hydrangea as you want it to be, do it
over a couple of years, successively, taking out a stem here and there
each year so you still get flowers. Trim it all back and you'll get
no flowers at all.


Mine flowers whatever you do to it, including pruning back to ground level
(yes, I have tried!).

(But it's a very well-established one, and a tough as nails mophead - I'm
sure you are right that the pruning of the young plants is causing Colin's
problems)

I've had the same experience as you with old and established plants BUT I
wonder also if situation has something to do with it. When I lived in
Jersey, I just hacked my Hydrangeas about without much thought and they
seemed always to forgive me! Here, I've made the mistake of doing the same
thing once or twice only to end up with no flowers for one season. That
said, a good haircut from time to time is probably a rejuvenator for old
plants, anyway.

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)

"Joanne" wrote in message
...
"Colin Lougher" wrote in message
...
I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have
never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the
spring
they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

I had exactly the same problem until I learned the reason why, and
for the
first time in 3 years my hydrangeas are absolutely loaded with
flowers.
First of all, do NOT prune until spring. During winter you should
leave all
the dead flower heads on because the dead heads give some protection
from
frost. Then in early spring, when growth is just starting, prune
each
branch to where there are 2 strong buds. On some branches this will
be
almost at the top of the branch so you only have to cut a bit off,
but on
other branches you might have to prune lower down because there's
only 1 bud
showing. And that's the secret - pruning to just above 2 healthy
buds.

That is not the usually recommended pruning regime for Hydrangaeas.
The crucial point is that the flowers form at the tips of the
*previous* year's growth.
So prune in spring by removing completely any unwanted growth and
shortening only *some* of the older stems.

Franz

"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote in message
...

"Colin Lougher" wrote in message
...
I have followed this Newsgroup for a while and have found lots of useful
tips but this is my first posting.

I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the spring
they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

If you continue to prune the new growths off in the Autumn you
will never get flowers. Flowers for next year are formed at the tip of
growths made this year. You have been removing the flower buds each year!
In future only remove dead heads~ and then only in the spring as
they protect the buds during hard weather.
Regards Brian.




That sounds such simple and obvious advice.

Thankyou

"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote in message
...

"Colin Lougher" wrote in message
...
I have followed this Newsgroup for a while and have found lots of useful
tips but this is my first posting.

I planted three small Hydrangeas a couple of years ago. They have never
flowered properly; what is going wrong?
In the Autumn when they go woody I prune them quite hard. In the spring
they
appear healthy and have plenty of foliage but no flower heads.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

If you continue to prune the new growths off in the Autumn you
will never get flowers. Flowers for next year are formed at the tip of
growths made this year. You have been removing the flower buds each year!
In future only remove dead heads~ and then only in the spring as
they protect the buds during hard weather.
Regards Brian.

******
Quite so, - quite so!!
Leave the old flower heads on to go brown and detereoriate in late spring..
Prune them off when they are completely dead.
If you prune a hydrangea back severely it will not flower the next year.
Doug

"Victoria Clare" wrote in message
.209...
Sacha wrote in
k:

When shaping a Hydrangea as you want it to be, do it
over a couple of years, successively, taking out a stem here and there
each year so you still get flowers. Trim it all back and you'll get
no flowers at all.


Mine flowers whatever you do to it, including pruning back to ground level
(yes, I have tried!).

(But it's a very well-established one, and a tough as nails mophead - I'm
sure you are right that the pruning of the young plants is causing Colin's
problems)

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
******
Treasure that plant and breed from it. - You have the only female hydrangea
in existence!.
Contrary, - you see!. (:^)
Doug.
******

I bought two young plants last year,the winter did its best to kill them
off but I trimmed the black bits off and stuck them in a corner.This
year one is covered in flowers and the other has managed to produce one
tiny one :-)
kate