Q&A for How to Prepare Hydrangeas for Winter

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Should I cut the woody spikes and growth down in the late fall?

Emily Barriere

Community Answer

No, wait until late winter or early spring to prune your hydrangeas so they remain strong against the cold weather.

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Question

Should I cut down my hydrangea for winter?

Community Answer

Cut it down in late fall, leaving perhaps 6" of stalks/stems. It should bloom like crazy every spring.

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Question

I've potted my Hydrangea. Can I put it in my unheated back porch for the Montana winter?

Community Answer

You can, but you still need to mulch it as if it was in the ground. Since the pot will be exposed to freezing temperatures, it should be wrapped to protect the roots from freezing.

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Question

Should I cut my hydrangeas down?

Community Answer

No. You could cut off next year's blooms, though. Hydrangeas bloom on new wood, old wood or both.

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Question

How can I winterize a newly started plant?

Emily Barriere

Community Answer

Cover the newly started plant as much as possible by building a shelter around it and insulating it with leaves, grass clipping, or other organic materials.

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Question

If I put protective material around the hydrangea to winterize, it why should I remove the leaves? Also, should the woody stalks be cut away?

Community Answer

I don't think you need to remove the leaves. At some point they will fall off to make way for new leaves in the spring. The point of "winterizing" a hydrangea in a cold zone (usually 4-5) is to protect the flower buds that have already formed on the "stalks", or branches. If you cut the branches down you will be removing the flower buds on the branches that will bloom in the summer. So no pruning! Some newer hydrangeas bloom on "new wood" or the branches that grow from the ground up in the same season. Those are good. "Winterizing" your hydrangea will protect the "old wood", or branches, so you will get more flowers, provided the hydrangea has enough sun, water and nutrients.

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Question

Should I cut off the entire plant for winter, or just flower heads/stalks?

Community Answer

You should only cut stalks for the winter. Do not cut the whole plant off, but don't trim all the stalks off.

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Question

Is it too late to save a hydrangea that has frost damage on the leaves?

Emily Barriere

Community Answer

No, you should be able to prune back any frost damage in the spring as long as it is not too extensive.

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Question

When trees have a lot of shade, could the shade prevent hydrangea from growing?

Community Answer

Yes, check on your specific hydrangea, but too much shade can prevent the Hydrangea arborescens Incrediball flowers from turning from green to white, and they need a certain amount of sunshine to grow. Maybe you could trim back some of the lower limbs of your tree, or the limbs that affect your plant the most to increase some of the sunshine.

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Question

How do I winterize my climbing hydrangea? Should it be cut down to the ground?

Community Answer

You do not need ti cut it down. Trim back any wayward branches to keep it in shape. It will bloom splendidly every year!

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