I'm struggling to get my hydrangeas to bloom. One plant has a few flowers, but the other one has none at all. Can someone help me figure out what I'm doing wrong? Also, as we head into fall, should I be trimming them back completely? Will that help encourage blossoms next spring? By the way, I'm in zone 4a (I've included a pic in the comments).
3 Answers
I feel your pain! I have two hydrangeas that bloom beautifully every year, but two others just won't budge. They're all in the same spot, and I can't figure out why. It’s super frustrating, right?
Just a heads up, try to only prune hydrangeas right after they finish blooming. If you prune at the wrong time, you risk cutting off blooms for next year. I've stopped pruning mine and they’ve been bursting with flowers in spring!
I checked out your pic, and it looks like you have panicle hydrangeas. They bloom on new wood, so you shouldn't stress about pruning off next year's blooms! Focus on giving them enough sun and making sure they're not competing for water. They need the right conditions to thrive! Also, consider pruning them in late fall after the leaves have dropped or in early spring. Here's a great article with more details: [Proven Winners](https://www.provenwinners.com/panicle-hydrangeas). In your zone, it's better to have panicle ones since the big leaf types can get killed off by winter freezes.
Thanks for the tip! I really appreciate it.