Pruning tree hydrangea in spring: why it is needed, when to do it, video for beginners

Content

1 Should tree hydrangeas be pruned in spring?
2 Why do you need to prune tree hydrangeas in spring?
3 When can you prune tree hydrangea in spring?
4 How to prune tree hydrangea
5 Caring for tree hydrangea after spring pruning
6 Advice from experienced gardeners
7 Conclusion

Pruning hydrangeas in spring is an important step in year-round plant care. Tree hydrangea is a shrub reaching a height of 1 to 2.5 meters. The culture has large heart-shaped leaves and lush spherical inflorescences.

Blooming hydrangea exudes a pleasant aroma that is used in perfume compositions

Should tree hydrangeas be pruned in spring?

Pruning is a procedure aimed not only at creating a certain shape of a bush. Trimming is necessary to rid the plant of excess shoots and branches.

There are several types of pruning:

Thinning or shaping pruning is aimed at creating a crown and giving the bush a decorative shape. Helps to give the seedling a neat appearance.
Rejuvenating pruning is carried out once every 5-7 years. Restores the plant, allowing it to produce a large amount of new growth. This pruning involves removing old shoots to the very roots.
Sanitary pruning is designed to eliminate bush defects caused by environmental influences. During the procedure, dry branches and inflorescences are removed.

Why do you need to prune tree hydrangeas in spring?

It is very important to prune tree hydrangea in a timely and correct manner in the spring. During this period, it is easy to distinguish living branches from dry ones. Buds swell on living ones, while dry ones break off when pressed. The procedure is carried out for the following purposes:

to give the bush a neat shape;
for the formation of dense and large inflorescences;
pruning is necessary so that the hydrangea is less likely to get sick and be attacked by pests;
in a few years it is possible to achieve the desired shape and size of the bush;
any pruning rejuvenates the bushes and provokes the growth of new shoots. In tree hydrangea, inflorescences form only on new shoots, so you can get rid of old ones without much thought. They will still go into the green and will only spoil the appearance of the plant;
to avoid freezing. Fresh cuts are the most sensitive areas of hydrangeas to frost. Spring pruning almost completely eliminates this danger.

If you start the bush, it will quickly thicken, and the inflorescences will be crushed and thinned out. It will be difficult to return such a seedling to its former luxurious appearance. Therefore, regular pruning is mandatory; you cannot skip even one season.

When can you prune tree hydrangea in spring?

In the spring, the time for pruning tree hydrangea is quite limited, but if all manipulations are carried out in time, this will only benefit the flower.

It is customary to prune bushes in early spring, when the snow has not yet completely melted. Usually this is the second or third week of March, in colder areas - the end of March or the first ten days of April.If you are late, the cut sites will begin to “cry” and die. Tree hydrangea will become sick and stop blooming.

Snow patches around the stems are a sure signal that the plant has already “woke up”

It is very important to perform the procedure correctly:

You can start working only when the growth buds swell. After all, they are the main landmark of “awakening”. But the leaves of them should not be visible;
weather conditions should be taken into account when pruning in the spring. If the cold doesn’t want to go away, and the buds are swollen, it’s better to wait for warmer weather for a couple more weeks, but you can’t delay it too much either. Otherwise, a sufficient number of new shoots will not have time to form;

Attention! Tree hydrangea grows slowly, if the weather permits, it is advisable to prune it as early as possible in the spring.

How to prune tree hydrangea

So that the plant does not suffer, and pruning benefits it, it is important to remember a few mandatory rules before the procedure:

if the bush is young, then for the first 2-3 years pruning is not carried out in spring and autumn. You can carry out light sanitary pruning of shoots that are too long. This way the hydrangea will grow well and gain a foothold in the soil;
pruning is done using pruning shears, the cut is made slightly beveled;
It is advisable to immediately treat fresh cuts with ash or tree resin
the bush must first be thinned out, otherwise it will be difficult to get to the main parts;
healthy shoots are shortened by ½ length, 2-3 pairs of buds are left on each;
weak and dry branches are cut off at a height of approximately 10-13 cm from the ground;
frozen branches are removed down to living wood;
pruning should capture excess shoots in the central part, which create shadow and unwanted density;
if the bush is very old and is more than seven years old, then to rejuvenate and accelerate growth, the shoots are cut close to the soil;
if necessary, fix the trimmed remains of the stems with a support.

The correct step-by-step pruning of tree hydrangea in spring is shown in the video for beginners.

Caring for tree hydrangea after spring pruning

After proper pruning, hydrangea needs high-quality and consistent care. The plant needs a lot of strength to grow new shoots and bloom. It is important to help him with this:

Tree hydrangea loves mineral fertilizers. They provide the flower with all the necessary substances. They are introduced into the soil in the spring by loosening to a depth of several centimeters. As they dissolve, minerals will actively flow to the roots;
Excessive fertilization can poison delicate hydrangeas and also cause the death of the bush.
fertilizing with manure, humus or chicken droppings (diluted with water 1:1) will work real miracles on the bush. The procedure will enhance metabolic processes in the stems and roots;
mulching (covering the soil under the bushes) will retain moisture and create a comfortable temperature for good growth and development of new shoots in the spring, and will also protect against pests and get rid of weeds in the summer. Suitable materials include mown grass, sawdust, and pine needles;
Tree hydrangea requires abundant watering. Sufficient saturation of the soil with moisture is the key to a lush crown and good flowering throughout the summer;
The ground around the bushes needs to be loosened periodically in the spring. This will not take much time, but will increase air exchange of the roots and improve the absorption of nutrients. Loosening is carried out carefully, since the root system of tree hydrangea is located near the surface.It is important not to damage it. A plastic hoe or small shovel is suitable for these purposes. Metal tools can cut thin roots.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Those who have just planted tree hydrangea in their garden and are not yet familiar with the intricacies of care and pruning will benefit from the advice of experienced summer residents and gardeners. When growing hydrangeas, you should consider some recommendations:

Spring pruning of the bush is best done in the evening. This way, all damaged shoots will have time to heal by morning, and the flower will not experience severe stress.
If the shoots are too thick and after pruning in the spring, juice flows out of them abundantly, then it is better to cover the cuts with paint or garden varnish. This will help the bushes avoid infection.
It is necessary to cut the shoot with one press of the pruning shears. If it doesn’t work, you can use a file, but do this only in extreme cases.
Cuttings do not need to be thrown away. Freshly removed shoots are cut along the upper and lower buds, departing 2 cm from the edge. The upper cut is made straight, and the lower one at a slight angle. After which the branches are placed in a container with water, you can add a little growth stimulator. After two weeks, when the branches take root, they can be planted in a greenhouse (even in spring).
Attention! With abundant watering and care, several new specimens will appear on the site by the end of summer.
In spring, hydrangea cuttings are more likely to germinate on a sunny windowsill
If hydrangea grows on chernozem soil (southern Russia), then the following mineral fertilizers are suitable for it: potassium manganese solution, urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate. It is worth distinguishing between the use of industrial and natural fertilizers. They should be applied at weekly intervals.
Hydrangea loves indirect sunlight.If, after pruning, the plant is provided with suitable light conditions (sun in the morning and evening, and partial shade during the day), then it will grow and bloom faster.
Tree hydrangea should not be planted next to large trees or other large shrubs. Plants will compete for moisture. With such neighbors, after pruning in the spring, the hydrangea may dry out due to insufficient soil moisture.

Conclusion

Pruning hydrangeas in the spring is not such a difficult task. If you follow all the recommendations and follow the rules, the shrub will delight the owner of the site with abundant flowering for more than 15 years.