Re: hydrangeas and zones
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] hydrangeas and zones
- From: K* D*
- Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000 08:08:44 EDT
Diane,
When you say keep your plants pruned low, are you suggesting that we prune
them down in the fall? I know someone here in Central Illinois, zone 5 (the
real deal) who mounds compost over his each winter. I was going to try that
this year. Then last weekend there was an HGTV segment on hydrangeas. This
grower is in Georgia, but she says that in March, she prunes three central
canes all the way to the ground from all of her hydrangeas, and cuts the
others back to about 8" where she sees the first sign of green coming. This
sounds pretty much like what you do. So it sounds to me like everyone cuts
hydrangeas back which means they all bloom on new wood? I'm confused. Where
do the buds come from? I assumed that if I had to cut off any dead growth,
my chance for bloom was nil.
Kay Dye
In a message dated 7/3/00 10:12:58 AM Central Daylight Time,
voltaire@ISLANDNET.COM writes:
<< Mine go on producing flowers until hard frost, which means they are
often in bloom past Christmas. I don't prune until spring, when I see
where the new leaves are growing, and I cut away the dead wood just
above them. I get lots of small balls of flowers, which suits me.
If I pruned more thoroughly, I would have fewer, larger flower
clusters. It might be best for you to keep your plants pruned fairly
low, so that they can be protected by snow, or evergreen boughs
placed over them - you would need local information about that.
D >>
