If no more frost is expected, prune out damaged growth, cutting to an undamaged sideshoot or bud.
After pruning, apply a top dressing of a general-purpose fertiliser, such as Growmore at the manufacturer’s recommended rate, to encourage strong re-growth.
Even though it can be a big setback, your Hydrangea can almost always recover from damage caused by cold and frost. To treat damaged Hydrangeas, wait until the temperature has warmed up and prune back the affected growth. Your Hydrangea may still bloom this year and should be back to usual growing habits next spring.
What does frost damage on hydrangeas look like?
Foliage that has been frost damaged will turn purple/reddish. It may wilt or collapse. In a freeze, the stems, buds and foliage can turn black and dry looking. If you have experienced a frost or unexpected late freeze after your hydrangea have put on fresh new growth, it should be obvious that this is the problem.
Do hydrangeas suffer from frost?
Luckily, hydrangeas can tolerate some cold and are frost resistant due to their origins in Asia. But beware of severe (night) frost. Hydrangeas can survive the frost, but the buds can be damaged. And that would be a shame.
How do you save frost damaged hydrangeas? – Related Questions
What is the lowest temperature a hydrangea can tolerate?
Effectively, a hydrangea should be able to sustain a temperature of minus-10 degrees. But in the real world, temperatures as low as 12 degrees — and late fall or early spring freezes — may reduce the flowering capability of this hydrangea.
How do you winterize hydrangeas?
How to Winterize Hydrangeas
Clean up your fall garden. Late fall is an ideal time to clear an excess of organic matter out of your garden.
Water before the first frost.
Lightly prune the plants.
Add a thick layer of mulch.
Wrap with winter protection.
Should hydrangeas be cut back in the fall?
When to prune? Prune these hydrangeas only after bloom in the summer and not in the fall. Old wood hydrangeas start developing their bloom buds for next year in August and September. If you don’t prune your hydrangeas real soon, then it is better to wait until next year.
What happens if you don’t prune hydrangeas?
If you don’t prune hydrangeas then they can eventually resemble a tangled mass of woody stems, and the flowers will become smaller and less showy. If your hydrangeas are not blooming, lack of pruning is often a reason.
Should I cut my hydrangea to the ground in winter?
What does baking soda do for hydrangeas?
What is the best month to prune hydrangeas?
These plants produce buds in late summer to early fall (August-September) that will form next year’s flowers. So prune these shrubs after they finish blooming before August (again, make a heading cut).
What month do you cut hydrangeas back?
Trimming should be done immediately after flowering stops in summer, but no later than August 1. Do not prune in fall, winter, or spring or you could be cutting off new buds. Tip-pruning the branches as leaves emerge in spring can encourage multiple, smaller flower heads rather than fewer larger flower heads.
How do you prepare hydrangeas for fall?
Cut the dead stumps down to their base to completely remove them. This will allow the new growth underneath to have a chance to succeed. Dead and old blooms need to be removed to make room for new buds to come through. Cut the flower head off right above the first few leaves to encourage blooms for the next summer.
How do you prune hydrangeas before winter?
Should I deadhead my hydrangeas before winter?
When to Deadhead Hydrangeas. You should deadhead throughout the blooming season to keep your hydrangeas looking their beast and encourage new flower growth. However, stop deadheading hydrangea shrubs in mid to late fall, leaving any spent blooms in place.
When should I trim back my hydrangea?
Prune back stems to just above a fat bud — called a heading cut — in fall, late winter or spring. These plants have conical-shaped flower heads. I recommend leaving the dry, tan flower heads on the plant to provide some winter interest in your landscape, so I wait to prune these until late winter or spring.
What happens if you cut hydrangeas to the ground?
If your oakleaf hydrangea is very old and woody, take out a few of the oldest, thickest stems all the way to the ground in the early spring to encourage some new growth. Don’t cut the entire plant to the ground, as you’ll both stress the plant and lose a whole season of blooms.
