I’ve been busy enjoying spring flower shows, meetings, tours and classes. Garden cleanup has suffered as a result. Cold spring winds and rain have also put a crimp in my gardening style.
We did manage to prune the pussy willow on one glorious 70 degree day.
We did manage to prune the pussy willow on one glorious 70 degree day.
Another pile for the city compost.
Deadheading the hydrangea is next.
I’m never in a hurry to deadhead the mophead. I wait for the growing buds to be obvious. Sometimes buds will be killed off by a late frost. It's easier to tell if a branch is really dead if I wait.
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If they bloom on old wood like this mophead (Hydrangea macrophylla), I trim off old blooms down to a growing bud and cut out dead wood in early spring. 
I don’t usually prune the hydrangea. If it needs to be pruned for shape or size, I’ll do that in summer (before August) – even though that may mean cutting off some of the flowers. (The flowers look pretty in a vase or floating in a crystal bowl.) That way I won't be cutting off next year's blooms.
It’s snowing now so no garden work will be done today. I won’t look out the window and maybe it will go away.
I don’t usually prune the hydrangea. If it needs to be pruned for shape or size, I’ll do that in summer (before August) – even though that may mean cutting off some of the flowers. (The flowers look pretty in a vase or floating in a crystal bowl.) That way I won't be cutting off next year's blooms.
It’s snowing now so no garden work will be done today. I won’t look out the window and maybe it will go away.
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(Pruning information from University of Virginia on my March 9, 2011 post here.)
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The mopheads are so pretty in that first photo. Seeing that color makes me eager for summer.
ReplyDeleteI luv pussy willows, but then who doesn't?
donna
Donna,
ReplyDeleteThe Hydrangea macrophylia 'Venice' was a gift from my daughter and her family so it is extra special.
Our old pussy will was knocked over by a wind storm in 2009. This new one is growing from the stump!