Knowing the right time to prune your hydrangeas in Virginia can mean the difference between a summer full of blooms and a disappointing season of green leaves. For Virginia gardeners, the answer to when to prune hydrangea in virginia depends entirely on the type of hydrangea you have growing in your garden.
Getting it wrong is a common mistake, but it’s an easy one to avoid with a little knowledge. This guide will give you the expert timing and simple steps you need to prune with confidence, ensuring your Virginia hydrangeas thrive and put on their best show.
When to Prune Hydrangea in Virginia
The single most important rule for pruning hydrangeas is to know your variety. Hydrangeas are categorized by their flowering habit—whether they bloom on “old wood” (last year’s growth) or “new wood” (the current season’s growth). Virginia’s climate, with its humid summers and generally mild winters, suits many types, but each has its own schedule.
Here’s a quick overview of the major types found in Virginia gardens:
* Bigleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla): These are the classic mophead and lacecap varieties. They bloom on old wood.
* Oakleaf Hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia): A native favorite with cone-shaped flowers and beautiful fall color. They bloom on old wood.
* Panicle Hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata): Think ‘Limelight’ or ‘Little Lime.’ These are very hardy and bloom on new wood.
* Smooth Hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens): Like the popular ‘Annabelle.’ They bloom vigorously on new wood.
* Mountain Hydrangeas (Hydrangea serrata): Similar to bigleaf but often a bit hardier. They bloom on old wood.
* Climbing Hydrangeas (Hydrangea petiolaris): These bloom on old wood.
Pruning Hydrangeas That Bloom on Old Wood
If your hydrangea sets its flower buds in late summer or fall for the next year, it blooms on old wood. Pruning these at the wrong time will remove those buds and cost you the coming season’s flowers.
The best time to prune these varieties in Virginia is immediately after they finish flowering in the summer, ideally before August. This gives the plant plenty of time to produce new growth that will mature and set buds for next year before winter arrives.
Varieties in this group include:
* Bigleaf Hydrangeas (mophead, lacecap)
* Oakleaf Hydrangeas
* Mountain Hydrangeas
* Climbing Hydrangeas
What to do:
1. Prune right after the blooms fade in July or early August.
2. Focus on removing spent flower heads (deadheading) by cutting just above the first set of large, healthy leaves.
3. Thin out a few of the oldest stems at the base to improve air circulation.
4. Remove any dead, damaged, or crossing branches.
Avoid heavy pruning in fall or spring, as you’ll likely be cutting off the buds. Sometimes a late frost in Virginia can damage these buds, which is why you might see less blooms after a tricky spring.
Pruning Hydrangeas That Bloom on New Wood
These hydrangeas produce flower buds on the new growth that emerges in the spring. This makes them much more forgiving and flexible when it comes to pruning timing.
In Virginia, you have two main windows: late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. This is often the easiest and most common time. You can also prune them in fall after they go dormant, but many gardeners prefer to leave the dried flower heads for winter interest.
Varieties in this group include:
* Panicle Hydrangeas
* Smooth Hydrangeas (like ‘Annabelle’)
What to do:
1. In late February to early March, before you see new leaves, you can prune.
2. For a more structured look on Panicle types, cut back stems by about one-third to one-half, just above a set of buds.
3. For Smooth Hydrangeas like ‘Annabelle,’ you can cut all stems back to about 6-12 inches from the ground each year for larger flowers, or less severely for a taller shrub.
4. Always remove any dead or weak wood.
Because they bloom on new growth, even a hard prune won’t prevent flowering. In fact, it often encourages stronger stems and bigger blooms.
Special Case: Reblooming or Remontant Hydrangeas
This is an important category for Virginia gardeners. Many newer cultivars of Bigleaf hydrangeas, such as the Endless Summer series, are rebloomers. This means they can produce flowers on both old wood (first flush in early summer) and new wood (later in the season).
Pruning strategy:
* Follow the “old wood” guidelines for the first round of pruning after the early summer blooms fade.
* You can deadhead spent flowers throughout the summer to encourage more of those secondary blooms on new wood.
* A light shaping in late winter is okay, but avoid heavy cutting, as you’ll remove the initial flower buds.
The advantage here is clear: even if a late frost zaps the old wood buds, you can still get blooms later in the summer. It’s a great safety net for Virginia’s variable springs.
Step-by-Step Pruning Guide for Any Hydrangea
No matter what type you have, follow these basic steps for a successful prune.
1. Gather Your Tools: Use clean, sharp bypass pruners for smaller stems and loppers for thicker branches. Disinfect with rubbing alcohol to prevent disease spread.
2. Identify Your Plant: If you’re unsure of your type, look at the leaves and old flower heads, or note when it typically blooms. When in doubt, a safe rule is to just deadhead and remove dead wood.
3. Remove the Three D’s First: Start every pruning session by cutting out any Dead, Diseased, or Damaged wood. Cut these stems back to their base.
4. Deadhead Spent Blooms: For old-wood bloomers, cut the flower stem back to a pair of healthy buds. For new-wood bloomers, you can remove old flowers in late winter with your main prune.
5. Thin and Shape: Remove a few of the oldest stems at the base to encourage new growth from the ground. This keeps the plant vigorous. Then, lightly shape the rest of the shrub, aiming for an open structure that allows light and air inside.
6. Clean Up: Remove all cuttings from around the base of the plant to discourage pests and fungal issues.
Common Pruning Mistakes to Avoid in Virginia
* Pruning at the wrong time for your type: This is the biggest error. Always identify first, prune second.
* Over-pruning: Hydrangeas generally don’t need drastic cuts. Removing more than one-third of the plant in a single year can stress it.
* Pruning in fall just because: It’s tidy, but for old-wood bloomers, it’s a mistake. Those dried flowers also provide some winter protection for the buds below.
* Using dull or dirty tools: This can crush stems and introduce disease.
* Not pruning at all: While some hydrangeas need minimal pruning, all benefit from the removal of dead wood and occasional thinning. An unpruned plant can become congested and bloom less.
FAQs: Hydrangea Pruning in Virginia
Q: Can I prune my hydrangeas in the fall in Virginia?
A: For new-wood bloomers (Panicle, Smooth), yes, you can. For old-wood bloomers (Bigleaf, Oakleaf), it’s not recommended as it removes next year’s flower buds. Many gardeners leave the dried blooms for winter interest anyway.
Q: My hydrangea never blooms. What am I doing wrong?
A: The most likely culprit is improper pruning timing for an old-wood variety. Other causes in Virginia include too much shade, a late frost damaging buds, or over-fertilizing with nitrogen which promotes leaves over flowers.
Q: How do I tell if my hydrangea blooms on old or new wood?
A: Observe its bloom time. If it flowers in early summer (June/July), it’s likely old wood. If it flowers from mid-summer into fall (July onward), it’s likely new wood. The physical appearance of the leaves and flowers can also help you identify the species.
Q: Is it okay to prune hydrangeas in spring?
A: For new-wood bloomers, late winter/early spring is the perfect time. For old-wood bloomers, spring pruning will remove the flower buds that are already formed, leading to few or no blooms that year. Only remove winter-killed stems on these types in spring.
Q: My hydrangea got too big. Can I cut it way back?
A: For new-wood bloomers, yes—they can handle a hard rejuvenation prune in late winter. For old-wood bloomers, never cut the entire plant back. Instead, spread the renovation over 2-3 years, removing one-third of the oldest stems each year after flowering.
By following this Virginia-specific advice, you can prune your hydrangeas with confidence. Remember, the key is knowing your plant. Once you’ve got that figured out, the right timing becomes clear, and you’ll be rewarded with healthier plants and a spectacular display of blooms that make the most of our Virginia seasons.