Gardeners told 'correct' time to prune hydrangeas - or risk no blooms next year

Panicle and lacecap hydrangeas need to be pruned at the 'correct' time - which is not in autumn, according to a Royal Horticultural Society and gardening expert

The Royal Horticultural Society has highlighted the best time to prune hydrangeas - and it all depends on what time you have.

The most commonly grown hydrangeas in gardens are lacecaps and mopheads. Mopheads are known for their full, roundish heads of large petals, while lacecaps feature tiny flowers in the centre with an outer border of large petals. The RHS experts have advised: "Most pruning is in late winter or early spring. However, climbing hydrangeas are pruned after flowering in summer."

Gardening guru Jessica Walliser, a horticulturist with seven award-winning gardening books to her name, told Savvy Gardening that these varieties should "never" be pruned in autumn. She warned: "Whether you are growing gorgeous panicle hydrangeas like these or classic mophead hydrangeas, pruning should never be done in autumn." She warned that autumn pruning could potentially "remove flower buds next year", depending on the variety.

While mophead hydrangea blooms can be removed post-fading in mild areas, it's generally best to leave them over winter for frost protection of the "tender growth" buds underneath, as per RHS guidance. They further stated: "Remove the dead flowerheads in early spring, cutting back the stem to the first strong, healthy pair of buds down from the faded bloom."

For hardier lacecaps, RHS suggests cutting back the faded flowerheads after blooming to the second pair of leaves below the head to prevent energy-sapping seed development, reports the Express. Gardeners with an established hydrangea are advised to snip one or two of the oldest stems at the base to spur the growth of new shoots that will bloom more prolifically. For overgrown plants, a complete overhaul can be achieved by chopping off all stems at the base.

The gardening gurus pointed out: "However, this will remove all the flowers for that summer. The stems won't bloom until the following year." In case of frost damage during spring, it's crucial to trim back the affected shoots to just above the first pair of healthy buds on undamaged wood. Additionally, it's essential to eliminate any weak, straggly stems, as recommended by the experts.