Top Tips To Care For Your Hydrangeas This Winter

Hydrangeas are one of those flowers that can add so much regal beauty to your home garden. Although these iconic flowers have the reputation of being slightly temperamental and hard to care for, the positive side of these plants is that they are not only beautiful but also one of those perennials that only needed to be planted once before coming back year after year. This means that most hydrangeas (if planted in the correct zone, which is usually somewhere between growing zones three and nine), will turn out to be incredibly hardy plants that liven up your yard with giant snowball blooms every summer. In fact, certain hydrangea bushes have been known to live for more than 50 years when growing in the correct conditions. If you want to make sure that your hydrangeas stay happy, healthy, and well-cared for, there are a few things you can do in the winter to ensure their success.

First, and most importantly, it is important never to prune your hydrangeas in winter (these flowers are also one of those plants you should never prune in fall). The reason for this is that pruning before or during winter will put the flowers at greater risk for damage from the cold winter winds and weather. Furthermore, some kinds of hydrangeas actually produce their flower buds the fall before they bloom, so pruning in the winter or late fall may lead you to cutting off all your new flower buds. This is especially true for hydrangea varieties in which new buds form on old wood growth and not just on the new growth.

Besides refraining from pruning your hydrangeas, there are a few other things you can do in winter to ensure you set your bushes up for success next season. The first is to give your bushes a long and deep watering before the ground freezes. This is important because it can help get moisture down to the plant's roots so that these water-loving flowers stay well hydrated until spring. If you live in a climate that doesn't receive much snowfall, then you may also have to water your hydrangea bushes a few times over the winter.

To keep your hydrangeas healthy and warm, it's also a good idea to apply a layer of compost to the ground around your plants before the first frost so that the compost has time to break down during winter and is ready to start feeding your hydrangeas come spring. You can also add a thick layer of mulch over your hydrangea roots after the ground freezes to help the plant's roots and surrounding soil retain moisture in the cool dry winter weather. A 12-inch deep layer of hardwood mulch should do the trick. 

If your hydrangeas are planted in pots, it's a good idea to relocate your potted bushes to somewhere where they will be protected from direct winds — like behind a shed or on the least windy side of the house. Some people even prefer to move their hydrangeas inside during winter. You can also help your hydrangeas liven up by adding a little bit of pickle juice to their roots once the ground thaws in spring.