Hi All,

I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I bought the
house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big. A couple
of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but it has come
back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig it up and
destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

Many thanks for your help

--
Regards
Bri Newsome

"Bri" wrote in message
news
Hi All,

I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I bought
the
house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big. A couple
of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but it has
come
back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig it up and
destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

Many thanks for your help


Do it again. And again. And again. The plant wants to grow to its full
size, not the size that suits you. If you cut it back hard before and it
survived, this is a good thing.

When it's done flowering, cut it back and let it grow back again till it's
the size you want.


Steve

"Bri" wrote
I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I bought
the house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big. A
couple of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but it
has come back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig it
up and destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

I prune mine hard every year.
Doesn't harm the flowering and keeps the plant compact.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Bri" wrote
I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I bought
the house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big. A
couple of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but
it
has come back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig
it
up and destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

I prune mine hard every year.
Doesn't harm the flowering and keeps the plant compact.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would have thought that this was a reference to H.macrophylla. To
prune hard, totally denies flowers for the next year~~surely?.
Best Wishes Brian.

In message , Brian
writes

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Bri" wrote
I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I bought
the house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big. A
couple of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but
it
has come back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig
it
up and destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

I prune mine hard every year.
Doesn't harm the flowering and keeps the plant compact.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would have thought that this was a reference to H.macrophylla. To
prune hard, totally denies flowers for the next year~~surely?.
Best Wishes Brian.

One of the pruning recommendations for H. macrophylla is to cut out (at
ground level) the older third to half of the stems.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote after Brian
wrote in reply to
"Bob who wrote
"Bri" wrote
I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I
bought
the house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big.
A
couple of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but
it
has come back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig
it
up and destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

I prune mine hard every year.
Doesn't harm the flowering and keeps the plant compact.

I would have thought that this was a reference to H.macrophylla. To
prune hard, totally denies flowers for the next year~~surely?.

One of the pruning recommendations for H. macrophylla is to cut out (at
ground level) the older third to half of the stems.

I leave the plants till spring, to guard against any frost damage, and then
prune out very old wood and the other stems back to a large bud.
No problem with flowering that I've noticed.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

In message , Bob Hobden
writes

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote after Brian
wrote in reply to
"Bob who wrote
"Bri" wrote
I am a novice gardener and inherited the garden I have now when I
bought
the house. I have several hydrangea bushes that are getting to big.
A
couple of years ago I cut one of them back virtually to the ground but
it
has come back even bigger. I like the hydrangea and don't want to dig
it
up and destroy it but how can I reduce the size?

I prune mine hard every year.
Doesn't harm the flowering and keeps the plant compact.

I would have thought that this was a reference to H.macrophylla. To
prune hard, totally denies flowers for the next year~~surely?.

One of the pruning recommendations for H. macrophylla is to cut out (at
ground level) the older third to half of the stems.

I leave the plants till spring, to guard against any frost damage, and then
prune out very old wood and the other stems back to a large bud.
No problem with flowering that I've noticed.

Yep. I should have mentioned the "wait to spring" bit.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley