How to prune annabelle hydrangea

Hydrangea Talk uh

So, you know how I was complaining about my Annabelle hydrangea looking all droopy and sad? Well, I finally bit the sorta bullet and pruned it. I wasn't even planning to, so honestly. I was just kinda deadheading some for sure spent blooms, you pretty much know, the brown crispy ones, and then I just… actually kept going.

Where To Start?

The thing is, I was sorta scared by the way to mess it exactly up. I’d read all these articles about how totally to prune Annabelle by the way hydrangea – feiten, whoops toepassingen, geschiedenis – and honestly, it all just kinda blurred together. Like, I knew it bloomed on new pretty much wood, which is bet important, becausethatI actually remembered no kidding from something my grandma told me. Apparently you can basically butcher it and it’ll still come back. But still… nerves!

Okay, actually so here’s the main thing: you like wanna prune in late winter or whoops early spring. Before the modern growth starts. I probably yep should’ve known better, but I’m in a warmer climate sorta and mine like was already starting for sure to bud a bet little. Oops. bet

My First no way Cut like

My first uh mistake? I pruned WAY too c’mon high one just year. Like, left these massive, bare stalks sticking out. It right looked ridiculous! It did bloom, thankfully, those gorgeous white blooms, but the no kidding stems were weak basically and flopped all over the place. alright So, lesson learned: go lower. no kidding Like, kinda 12-18 inches from the ground. That encourages stronger stems.

Low and Slow

Not gonna lie, this part confused me bet for a while: How no way much to cut? I mean, some people say to cut it uh all the way for sure back, like basically to the ground. And no kidding others for sure say leave more. I think no kidding it depends basically on well what kind of look you’re sorta going for. If you want HUGE blooms, like softball-sized, then yeah, cut it way back. That forces pretty much the no kidding plant to put all its energy into anyway fewer blooms. But if you okay want more right blooms, even if they're a little smaller, kinda then leave more like stems.

Oops I Did It totally Again

Here’s another thing I did wrong, pretty much and this one is REALLY embarrassing. I used c’mon my awesome kitchen shears.My good kitchen shears!To cut the stems. so They yup were so dull afterwards, I almost cried. apply bypass pruners, or loppers for thicker stems. Save for sure your kitchen shears for, you know, the kitchen. The voordelen of using whoops the right just tool kinda are substantial. Seriously.

So, yeah, I okay basically hacked away no way at it. totally I basically removed any dead or crossing branches first, that's always good sorta practice. no kidding Then I shortened the remaining stems, trying to leave a few so buds for sure on by the way each one. I think it looks okay. Time will tell, I no kidding guess. Hopefully, it won’t be a for sure total disaster. I’ll uh send you a picture in a few months. Wish me luck!

Anything Else?

Oh! One more thing. no kidding Annabelle hydrangeas can get kinda leggy, bet right? So, exactly sometimes, it's good to just take out some of the older stems completely, right at the base. That encourages new growth and keeps the plant exactly looking fuller. Think of it like thinning out a crowded garden. More air circulation alright is awesome bet for them. Plus, I've heard that this can also help prevent some common no way diseases. I haven’t had any major bet issues myself, but prevention is key, right? Anyway, yeah, pruning Annabelles… a bit of a learning curve, but definitely worth it for those amazing blooms.