EUREKA, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension Woodford County Master Gardeners recently added Hydrangea ‘Bobo’ to the Woodford County Courthouse landscape. This newer cultivar stays compact and holds the flowers on strong stems so they do not flop. Extension Horticulture educators believe we must, “resist the urge to cut back these floppy plants at the wrong time of the year as next year’s flower buds may be compromised.” Of course, timing depends on what species of hydrangea you are growing. Hydrangea ‘Bobo’ is a panicle hydrangea so the Master Gardeners will prune this plant in the late winter.

Hydrangeas, such as panicle hydrangeas (H. paniculata) and smooth hydrangeas (H. arborescence) bloom in the summer on new wood and should be pruned late winter or early spring. Other varieties, such as bigleaf (H. macrophyllas) and oak leaf (H. quercifolia) hydrangeas, bloom in the spring on old wood. Prune shrubs that bloom on old wood immediately after flowering in the summer.

‘Anabelle’ is a smooth hydrangea that boasts huge blooms so they tend to flop but you would not want to prune them until late winter. A few things to note when pruning smooth hydrangeas is to leave 18 inches of stems behind in order to create a sturdy framework for the new year’s growth. At this time of year, bigleaf hydrangea can be pruned by removing older darker stems that have already bloomed leaving behind younger stems. Oak leaf hydrangeas do not usually need to be pruned so enjoy the fall color.

For more tips like these, come visit with the Woodford County Master Gardeners from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Monday, August 19 at the Eureka Library. Bring all of your questions and they will help you solve your late summer gardening woes.

For more information on this program or other Extension programming, please contact us at your local Extension office. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Kelly Allsup at (309) 663-8306 or kallsup@illinois.edu.