As Britain moves deeper into October and the bright colours of summer fade, hydrangeas begin their graceful transformation. Varieties such as Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ shift from vibrant lime and cream to muted blush, burgundy, and parchment tones, signalling that autumn has truly arrived.
This change, while beautiful, also raises an important question for gardeners across the UK: what should, and shouldn’t, be done to hydrangeas in the fall.
Experts say that now is not the time for feeding or pruning. In fact, one of the most important rules for this time of year is simple: never fertilise hydrangeas in October.
Hydrangea specialist Lorraine Ballato explains that autumn is when the plant should begin to rest, not grow.
“Fertilising and pruning are two actions that will stimulate a hydrangea, and fall is the time you want it to go to sleep and enter dormancy,” she said.
Encouraging new growth at this stage can do more harm than good. The tender new shoots that fertilising provokes will be quickly damaged by frost, leaving the plant weakened and more vulnerable to cold weather and disease.
Gardening writer Janet Loughrey agrees, warning that feeding hydrangeas in autumn “will stimulate new growth that will be killed by a hard freeze, making plants more susceptible to stress and cold damage.”
The right time to fertilise, she says, is in spring when the plant naturally begins to produce fresh growth and can make full use of the nutrients.
Instead of fertilising, gardeners should focus on helping their hydrangeas prepare for the coming winter. Applying a generous layer of mulch around the base of the plant offers valuable protection against hard frosts and sudden temperature changes.
Loughrey advises using a two- to three-inch layer of bark chips or other organic material, taking care not to pile it directly against the stems, as this can encourage pests and disease. For plants that have suffered through a dry summer, Ballato recommends adding compost to improve the soil’s ability to retain moisture and topping it with extra mulch to insulate the roots.
Ultimately, caring for hydrangeas in autumn is about patience and restraint. By avoiding fertiliser, holding off on pruning, and providing a bit of protection before winter sets in, gardeners give their plants the best chance to thrive when spring returns.
It may seem like a quiet season in the garden, but the work done, or deliberately left undone, in October can make all the difference come summer.
As hydrangeas fade into their elegant autumn tones, they stand alongside other resilient perennials such as black-eyed Susans and coneflowers, which continue to bring warmth and texture to gardens even as the days grow shorter.
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