If possible, cut the hydrangea in spring
With the exception of panicle and snowball hydrangeas, almost all hydrangea species should be cut as little as possible. The plate hydrangea also belongs to these species, which only develop flower buds on the older shoots. Regular pruning would remove the buds that were already created in autumn the previous year and thus prevent flowering. For the same reason, gardeners should leave the faded flower stalks on the plant, because the newly forming buds are located directly under the old inflorescences. In addition, the withered parts are used as winter protection for the new buds. Therefore, it is better to use secateurs in early spring.
also read
- Cut the evergreen magnolia as little as possible
- Plate hydrangea: care, propagation, cutting
- Maintain and cut plate hydrangea
Annual pruning measures
In addition to removing bloomed inflorescences, you can make other nursing cuts at the same time.
- First remove the bloomed inflorescences.
- Cut as close as possible above the new buds.
- Be careful not to accidentally cut it off.
- There will be no more new ones this year.
- Now cut off frozen shoot tips.
- Deadwood is cut out just above the ground.
- Thinning out the shrub by removing any crossing shoots.
- Also crossing branches.
- If possible, do not leave stumps standing, but cut directly at the base.
- The branches and shoots must not be squeezed, otherwise their supply of water and nutrients will suffer.
- Use only sharp, clean tools for cutting.
If you are unsure whether a shoot is actually dead or not, do the acid test to be on the safe side: lightly scratch the bark of the branch in question with your fingernail. If the wood below is green, the branch is alive and does not need to be cut. Brown, withered wood, on the other hand, can go away.
Perform a rejuvenation cut every three years
You can carry out the maintenance pruning described above every year and in this case save yourself the rejuvenation pruning that is otherwise due every year. Without this, the plate hydrangea would grow old, develop fewer and fewer flowers and finally only offer a poor sight. Basically, however, it is sufficient to carry out the necessary cut for rejuvenation about every two to three years, whereby you should cut out about half of the oldest shoots directly on the ground.
Tips & Tricks
Plate hydrangeas that are very old and have not been cut for a long time (“hopeless” cases, so to speak) are radically cut down to around 15 to 20 centimeters above the ground. Usually these specimens recover and sprout again after about two to three years. Help yourself with plenty of water and good fertilization, and winter protection should not be missing.
