Hydrangea Over Pruned?

[seltaebfan]

I am looking for a little advice regarding a hydrangea. I am very new to gardening and not sure what to do at this point. I purchased a house with a well-established hydrangea as you can see in the picture from this past fall. It was starting to overtake one of the windows of the house and I felt as though it was getting too big so I pruned it back in mid-April. I have a feeling I may have cut too much? There is a photo included with how it currently appears. What is the best thing to do at this point? Any input would be great.

Thank you!

 

[YumYum]

It is still alive and leafing back out. I'd just leave it alone. The leaves have a nice green color so there is enough nitrogen and the pH must be right for the bush.

 

[oneeye]

When you prune Hydrangea just dead head the flowers and leave the wood alone.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Hydrangeas come into 4 different classes, each one is pruned different. Read up on those classes. I have 3 I would never--ever prune.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

When you prune Hydrangea just dead head the flowers and leave the wood alone.

That is only, if that "type" does new growth on last years wood. Not every one does. My Annabells, and I have 3 of them. In about December I will cut the whole plant down to about mid-calf or knee height. The last years dead growth only serves as a cage to help the new growth, whitch comes out of the grown to not fall over too much.

And my Oak Leaf Hydranges, have 2, they are both about 10 feet tall, have not pruned them yet, however, they would servive a couple feet off , they bloom from old wood.

Then there is my Hydrangea TREE. Yes, its a TREE, if I walk inside of it, from the ground comes one single trunk, about 3 foot, from there branches out all sort of limbs. And I said I walk inside it, and stand straight up tall. It's height is level with the height of the house garage roof. My pruning of that is , walkng again---inside, and standing up straight, I am 5 foot 5. I look for dead branches, or branches that are crossing and rubbing on eachother---those I deside which to cut out. The dead I wack them out. It is on the way to bloom now. Very long flower clusters in creamy white.

Then I have one I shipped in from Japan, I never prune that one, it blooms on old wood.

Then I have a wee one, it only grown 4 foot, I might give it a wee shaping, but normally I do not touch it.

All Hydrangeas are not the same. Please no blanket statements.

 

[seltaebfan]

Thank you all for your input on my question. I really appreciate the time that you took to reply. One additional issue I have is I have zero idea what type of hydrangea this is! I did not plant it (came with the house) and I am not anywhere close to being a garden expert of any kind, obviously. Any thoughts to what type it is? Is it a paniculata? I apologize for my complete lack of knowledge in this department. Just trying to fix any errors I have made already and try to encourage the hydrangea to flourish. Have a great day!

 

[YumYum]

I have no ideal what kind it is but either @Esther Knapicius or @LouisFerdinand would know. Maybe they can be of assistance.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I have no ideal what kind it is but either @Esther Knapicius or @LouisFerdinand would know. Maybe they can be of assistance.

Best to simply look at it. where is the new growth coming from, the ground or branches from last year, those answers are a major tell tale.

 

[seltaebfan]

This is how it looks right now, so it looks like its coming from the branches?

 

[Esther Knapicius]

This is how it looks right now, so it looks like its coming from the branches?View attachment 98569

growing on old growth.. leave alone next year.

 

[Meadowlark]

What is the best thing to do at this point? Any input would be great.

Pray. I know for certain in Texas summer heat that plant would not survive that pruning here. Maybe it will survive in your location which is much more forgiving than here. Let's hope so.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

growing on old growth.. leave alone next year.

Just want to be clear. And next year, do not prune it either. But, your not the only one. I just notice seems "some" gardeners are prune happy,

 

[Esther Knapicius]

It would be happy with about 1/2 cup of natural Bone Meal at the base. Move away the mulch for about 10 inches, pour the bone meal in that area, let alone, rain will gently disolve it and slowly it will get down to the roots, that's want you want, slowly.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Prior to the invention of "garden forums" on line, I gathered books on plant information. Maybe just a pile on one type, spent many a winters months reading and reading

 

[seltaebfan]

Thank you for your input. I do not plan to prune again for quite some time. I had read a bunch of information prior to pruning stating that if you had an overgrown hydrangea you should cut it back to about the third of the size that it was, which is what I believed I had done. But I may have gotten a little overzealous. I already planned to get some type of fertilizer and pull the mulch back and water it quite a bit. I will definitely look into the bone meal. Thank you for the tip!