GARDEN TIPS OF THE WEEK : HYDRANGEAS

by Chris and Chuck Wiley

• Now is the time to prune all dead stems from your Hydrangea macrophylla, sometimes referred to as blue mop head hydrangeas. Any inner stems that are dead as well as dead tips should be pruned off. This type of hydrangea blooms on the tips of last years growth. Do not prune the green living tips or you will cut off the flower buds. Do not prune them in early spring or you won’t get any flowers.

• Panicle hydrangeas, the white ones that bloom later and into the fall, are the only ones that bloom at the tips of the new growth. Those should have been pruned in early spring when they first started growing. Too late to prune now.

• Lace cap hydrangeas, oak leaf hydrangeas and climbing hydrangeas all bloom on last years growth so only prune out the dead stems.

• Hydrangeas do really well on the Vineyard. The panicle hydrangeas can take the most sun. The others would rather be in some afternoon shade. Plant lots of hydrangeas. They are terrific!