Presenter: Judy Horton

A question that Judy gets asked again and again is when to prune hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla cv.). Anytime after flowering is the short answer, which could mean waiting until the depths of winter if the aging flowers still look good. If the flowers are messy or burnt it is best to tidy up the plant by cutting them back in autumn.

There are two rules for pruning hydrangeas:

First: Always cut just above a couple of buds because that is where the new shoots will emerge.
Second: Only prune the stems that have flowered. Leave all the other shoots because they will be the ones that will produce next summer’s blooms.

Hydrangeas are fascinating plants because the flower colour can be changed from pink to blue, and vice versa. For pink you need to sprinkle some Yates Garden Lime around the base of the plant in autumn and again in spring.

If you want your hydrangeas to be bluer try Yates Hydrangea Blueing Tonic. It will make the soil more acidic, which means bluer hydrangeas, and it is also a tonic that gives the plants a healthy boost. Spoon the required amount into water and then pour onto the base of the plants.

Featured Products

Yates Garden Lime

• For raising the pH of acid soils and preventing calcium deficiency.
• Increased soil pH allows more nutrients to be available to plants.
• Helps improve soil structure by promoting composting of organic matter.

Yates Hydrangea Blueing Tonic

• For increasing the blue colour of hydrangeas. Also ideal as an acid tonic for acid loving plants such as azaleas, camellias & rhododendrons.
• Not only acidifies the soil (with turns hydrangea flowers blue), but also is rich in nitrogen and potassium for healthy green leaf growth and beautiful flowers.