Hydrangea macrophylla bloom on old wood, so stems that grow the previous year. You want to prune these hydrangeas immediately after flowering by cutting back flowering shoots to the next bud. It is best to prune as close to the end of the blooming season as possible to avoid cutting off potential buds for next year’s flowers. With that said, you can certainly inspect your hydrangea now to see if buds have started to form and if it looks safe, do some light pruning. You also don’t have to prune your hydrangea each year if it is in a location where it has to room to grow larger, providing you with a bigger plant to enjoy.
Hi Lorraine,
Hydrangea macrophylla bloom on old wood, so stems that grow the previous year. You want to prune these hydrangeas immediately after flowering by cutting back flowering shoots to the next bud. It is best to prune as close to the end of the blooming season as possible to avoid cutting off potential buds for next year’s flowers. With that said, you can certainly inspect your hydrangea now to see if buds have started to form and if it looks safe, do some light pruning. You also don’t have to prune your hydrangea each year if it is in a location where it has to room to grow larger, providing you with a bigger plant to enjoy.
Hope this helps!