Hydrangeas can blossom into spectacular flowers if garden enthusiasts follow three simple rules outlined by a gardening expert. These flowering plants are perfect for keen green thumbs looking to keep their gardens colourful through the year.
Hydrangeas, known for their hardiness and ability to withstand low temperatures, come in an assortment of shapes, from circular blooms to elegant cones.
Ben Hayman, a gardening expert at Hoselink, took to TikTok to share his expert tips on how to ensure hydrangeas thrive. In his viral video, he posits that proper pruning ensures these stunners sprout “spectacular blooms” and grow “healthier”.
Further within his online tutorial, Ben provides guidance on how to prune Hydrangea Paniculata – one of the most sought-after varieties of hydrangea.
He elucidates: “Today I’m going to show you how to prune and get masses of flowers on your panicle hydrangeas, or as you may know them, hydrangea paniculata.”
Hayman further explains that these prized plants, known for their large cone-like flowers just as charming in the garden as they are in floral arrangements, should be pruned in “early spring”, which can enhace the growth of flowers.
Hayman advises gardeners to first remove any dead, damaged or diseased parts of the plant. Once this is done, you can start pruning the plant back to a solid framework.
The subsequent step involves thinning out dense areas to allow light and airflow into the centre of the plant. Following this, it’s time to address the plant’s height.
The goal should be to cut it down to 30 to 40cm from the ground, which will encourage new growth. In the TikTok video, he instructs to prune just above a double bud to ensure “as many flower stems as possible”.
According to the expert, there’s no need to worry about making mistakes. He explains that one of the best features of this type of hydrangea is its resilience – you can prune it above rot or below the 30 to 40cm guide without causing harm.
Hayman reassured: “Basically, you can’t get it wrong as it flowers on new wood. So that’s it, one of the easiest jobs in the garden done, and I bet you it was nowhere near as scary as you thought.”
One TikTok user said: “This is very helpful.” Another posted: “I have two colours of hydrangeas – pink and blue sky. I hope I have yellow, red, purple, and fascia pink soon.”
The colour of hydrangeas are based on the soil’s pH; acidic soil results in blue blooms while alkaline soil results in pink or red blooms.
A more neutral soil is likely to result in purple blooms, so if you buy a pH kit, you will know which colour blooms will grace your garden.
