“This makes plants stronger and healthier, so by deadheading, you’ll be doing your hydrangeas a favour.”
When to deadhead hydrangeas.
You can deadhead hydrangeas throughout the rest of their growing season and into early autumn but it’s smart to stop before freezing conditions arrive.
Deadheading in autumn can help maintain the plant’s appearance and help the plant conserve energy but you should halt well before frosty weather sets in as it can put the plant under stress.
The gardening specialist said: “Stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late [autumn], leaving any spent blooms in place. This not only provides winter interest but also ensures you don’t remove the buds that will become flowers next spring.”
Understanding when the initial frost will arrive in your area is vital during this season, since you should stop deadheading hydrangeas approximately four weeks beforehand.
Persisting with deadheading following the first frost may leave new growth vulnerable to freezing conditions, potentially harming the plant and threatening any flower buds developing for next year’s display.
How to deadhead hydrangeas.
A horticultural specialist explained: “Deadheading is an easy gardening task, one many people enjoy. All you need to deadhead hydrangeas is a pair of garden gloves, pruners and a container to hold the faded flowers.”
Prior to beginning, make certain your cutting tools are sanitized by cleaning them with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol. This prevents the transmission of fungal infections, reports the Express.
Additionally, ensure you clear any debris from the tools for cleaner cuts, since rough ones can make plants vulnerable to disease.
When ready, search for blooms that have dulled, drooped or become brown – these are the exhausted flowers requiring removal. Cut the spent blossoms above a set of vigorous leaves to encourage future strong development.
Keep the alcohol-dampened cloth nearby and clean the tools following each flower cut.
The specialist recommended: “To deadhead your hydrangeas, simply take each spent bloom and follow its stem down to the next set of large leaves – that’s where you make the cut.”
Make sure to clean up any fallen leaves off the ground as they can attract pests and also release excessive nitrogen into the soil which can over-fertilize plants. Deadheading should take less than 10 minutes but snipping off dying growth will help you in getting larger, healthier and more plentiful flowers next spring.
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