How To Take Care Of Hydrangeas In Winter

Smooth hydrangeas will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year but many gardeners opt for smaller blooms on sturdier stems. Make sure your container will withstand the rigors of winter.

Winter Kill Hydrangeas Care

How do you take care of potted hydrangeas in the winter.

How to take care of hydrangeas in winter. In some parts of the country temperatures can fluctuate from -10 to 30 degrees in a week or two. Look for non-porous containers to help hold the consistent moisture level require by hydrangeas. Cutting back your plants.

So what can you do protect your hydrangea in winter. Drainage holes will allow excess water to drain properly. You can also wrap the trunk with newspaper felt burlap or a tree guard loosely to shield it from the wind.

Move potted hydrangeas inside a sheltered area or into a greenhouse before temperatures start to freeze if possible. Hydrangeas as the name suggests need hydration to thrive. The mophead hydrangeas do not have to be pruned at all you only remove dead branches.

If not you may want to move the plants to a nursery pot. During the winter season it is important to mulch the soil. The first step in hydrangea winter care is to cut away the old wood at the base of the plant and remove any dead or weak branches by cutting them off at their base.

Water deeply once a week and maybe more if the weather is particularly hot or dry. How to Cut Back Hydrangea Plants for the Winter. The process is relatively simple as long as you follow the basics of hydrangea care.

Pruning may also be to blamehydrangeas need only light pruning to remove diseased or dead branches. In-ground Hydrangeas Winter Protection. Now that youve moved your hydrangeas into the garage you can lug them back outside again because that is the best place for them over the winter.

Drying winter winds can also sap moisture from shrubs. You can use a tomato cage or build a cage with chicken wiregarden fleeceburlap and fill it loosely with leaves. The first step in proper winter care is to cut back any old wood down to the base.

It is important to prune dead stems and leaves of flower to protect your plant during the winter season. Mulching Fall Hydrangea Care No matter if you live in a cold climate or an area with more moderate winters hydrangeas will benefit from a fresh layer of mulch in the fall. I usually use an organic slow-release fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season.

Some are even just fine in zone 2 which can get as cold as -40 C. Care for Potted Hydrangeas in Winter. Move your container into a cool but not cold garage or basement.

Feeding your hydrangeas surrounding soil with nutrients will also help it stay healthy during the winter. Cover potted hydrangeas or bring them inside for the winter. If you fail to protect against winter it could damage these new buds before they have a chance to bloom.

I planted two blue hydrangeas in pots. Bring the entire container into your garage or basement for the winter months and follow the same steps as garden-planted hydrangeas. The mulchs job is to create a more consistent environment than what is happening outside says Ryan McEnaney from Bailey Nurseries.

Growing hydrangeas in pots in the winter requires some protection. Some people do cut the dead blooms off in the winter so snow doesnt weigh the branches down and break them off. The first thing you have to do for hydrangea winter care is to cut away dead wood the plant has produced.

Hydrangeas that bloom on last seasons growth old wood will need a layer of straw or mulch to protect the stems through winter. Dont prune away stems that will bloom. In most hardiness zones you can leave hydrangeas on your patio unprotected as they are very cold hardy.

Water it moderately then bring it back outside when spring temperatures climb. You must do this before it starts to freeze. Continue watering until the ground freezes.

Alternatively you can use a liquid fertilizer once at the beginning of the growing season and once during summer or mid-summer. Mulch not only insulates the roots of hydrangeas from sudden thaws and freezing it also helps to retain moisture. Wrap Hydrangeas for Insulation Many people wrap their plants to insulate them.

Before you start protecting your hydrangea for winter you will have to cut the hydrangea back. Choose a large enough pot for the mature size of your specific hydrangea at least 18 inches in diameter. The idea is to make your plants think they live in a warmer growing zone.

They are quite large and doing well. What should I do to keep them alive over our extremely cold winter. Also weak or even dead branches should be cut away.

When grown in planters hydrangeas should be fertilized in late winter or early spring. General Hydrangea Care If you plant them in the summer they need a lot more water in the beginning to establish the root system. Protect Hydrangeas Over Winter With Mulch.

Be careful not to cut off healthy wood as this wood will be where your hydrangea will bloom from next year. Also add a couple of inches of mulch around the base to help hold moisture in and insulate the roots. Keeping them well watered before the ground freezes in winter helps the roots and shrub stay stronger for the season.

But you must note that different types of hydrangeas are pruned in different ways. Most varieties thrive in full sun to part shade as long as they are planted in moist rich soil. Concurrently remove any weak or dead branches by also cutting them off at the base.

Should I Prune My Hydrangeas Now Or Wait Until Spring Unh Extension