When and how should I prune my Hydrangea tree?

Pruning a hydrangea is dependent on what you would like the plant to look like. Many people cut their hydrangeas down to 6 or 8 inch stems in the winter. This heavy pruning helps to maintain a smaller size and assure a vigorous re-growth in the spring.

For a tree-form hydrangea I recommend pruning to reduce the height and width to a size that you're comfortable with, allowing for approx 6-12 inches of re-growth next season. Most species hydrangeas should be pruned in the winter. However, if you have a big-leaf hydrangea, you may end up pruning off many of the flower buds at this time of year.