Hydrangea Pruning Timing: Old Wood Bloomers and Spring Cleanup

Hydrangea macrophylla blooms on OLD WOOD. Fall pruning removes next year's flowers.

Current Situation

• Spring now: leave dead stems
• In weeks, leaves hide them
• Flower buds on last year's branches
• Summer pruning only as blooms fade

Why This Happens

Buds form mid-late summer → dormancy → spring emergence. Cutting fall/winter/spring = zero flowers. You're not alone—this is the #1 hydrangea mistake.

Future Protocol

• Spring: Remove only dead wood (no leaves) when new leaves quarter-sized
• Summer: Prune fading blooms
• Never cut to ground

Patience now = flowers this year. Lesson learned = flowers every year.