How And When To Prune Limelight Hydrangeas

In a simple word, pruning limelight hydrangeas is the approach of removing overgrown and dead or damaged parts of the plant so that you can encourage the plant for new growth including buds growth and blossoms. 

Generally, pruning of all shrubs like limelight includes more or less the same procedure, however, you need to consider the timing of pruning before taking any step. The key steps of pruning limelight hydrangeas are given in the text below:

• Familiarize yourself with the timing or seasons for pruning
• Understand the blooming cycles
• Using the right tools and techniques
• Removal of dead and dying parts of the plant
• Selective removal of branches
• Encourage blooming
• Frequency of pruning
• Disposal of pruned materials

Even though pruning limelight hydrangeas is simple, you need to take the key aspects that we discussed earlier into consideration. This section will provide general guidelines to prune limelight hydrangeas in brief. 

1. Clean The Pruners

You need to make sure that the tools you use are sterile and clean. Unsanitized tools might make your limelight susceptible to diseases like fungal infection. When you cut a diseased branch, sterilize the pruner before using it to trim the next branches. You can use alcohol to clean it. 

2. Do Deadheading

Deadheading is the removal of dead or dying flowers and this is the first thing you might want to try out. If there is the presence of deadheads in limelight hydrangeas, the plant will spend a considerable amount of its energy in rebuilding and maintaining them.

This means that the plant will have very little energy left for the growth of new branches and buds. Thus, removing deadheading will allow the plant to redirect its energy to essential tasks rather than wasting them.

3. Remove The Suckers

Suckers often grow from the bottom of the limelight plant. Suckers grow when the plant wants to have additional branches. However, these suckers are not very productive and use a lot of the plant's nutrients and energy.

Because of these, the plant will be unable to focus its nutrients and energy on productive branches that have the potential to grow buds and flowers. 

Therefore, you need to remove them with a pruner and make sure that you do not hurt the main branches of the plant. This will help to rechannel and redistribute scarce resources and attention to good parts of the plant. 

4. Get Rid of Dead And Dying Branches

Just like a deadhead, limelight hydrangeas use a significant amount of their energy to maintain the dead and dying branches. This will waste plants' nutrients and energy. To redirect plants's resources and attention to the growth of buds, these branches should be removed. 

Dead branches are easy to identify as they are brittle and grayish and have spots on their leaves and branches. Dispose of these parts after pruning them and avoid using them as compost. You can use loopers and pruners to cut off these branches.

5. Selective Removal of Branches

There might be some branches that might cross and rub with each other. These branches affect the growth of each other and also might be the hub for infection and pests. In addition, the inward-growing branches can be of lesser quality and mostly grow under the shade.

It is better to get rid of such branches. Moreover, if the small branches do not produce buds and flowers, you can get rid of them in the next growing season. 

6. Trim The Exterior

Sometimes, long branches of limelight hydrangeas might stick out from the overall size of the plant making it unattractive. Thus, you can trim the exterior of limelight hydrangeas to make it of uniform size. This will give your limelight hydrangeas the shape you desire.

Additionally, timing the exterior might open up the spaces between the branches which allow more air circulation. This will prevent molding and the spread of pests and diseases keeping the plant healthy.

7. Topping

Topping is done to maintain the height of the height of the plant. As limelight hydrangeas can grow up to a height of six feet, you might want to maintain a relatively lower height in your garden or backyard. This is especially helpful if you have limited space.

You need to cut the stem just above the node before their active growing season.

Tips on Pruning Limelight Hydrangeas

•  Use clean and sterile pruners or loopers. Make sure these tools are rust-free. Following this will minimize the risk of spreading diseases.
• Make a sharp cut when clipping branches.
• Prune just above the leaf node.
• Clip at an angle of 45-degree. This will prevent the pooling or accumulation of water at the points where you cut.
• Removing 1/3 of the plant's total growth is desirable.
• Do not use the pruned parts as compost as they might be infected.

If you have come this far, you might have some idea about pruning limelight hydrangeas. One of the most important things to consider when pruning limelight hydrangeas is timing as this determines the growth and survival of the plant. In this section, we will be discussing when to prune and when to avoid pruning limelight hydrangeas.

Late Winter To Early spring

This is the best time to prune your limelight hydrangeas as the plant remains inactive during this time. Therefore, pruning does not interfere with their growth cycle. This also fosters vigorous new growth and fuller flowers in the next season.   

Late Summer

You can also prune your limelight hydrangeas in late summer after the flowers have bloomed and faded. This will help to maintain the shape and health of the plant. Make sure you do only light pruning in late summer.

There are certain times of the year when you should avoid pruning your limelight hydrangeas which make the plants susceptible to various climatic or environmental stresses. 

Summer

Summer is the active growing season of limelight hydrangeas. Thus you need to avoid pruning them at that time of the year. Trimming limelight hydrangeas might stress them and limit their energy, consequently reducing their ability to produce buds and flowers. 

Fall 

In the fall, the limelight hydrangeas will prepare to become dormant. Removing some branches of the plant might encourage them to regrow. This will leave them with no time to mature and harden for the winter. It will ultimately kill them as they cannot tolerate the extreme weather conditions of the winter.

People plant limelight hydrangeas mostly because of their large and vibrant flowers. However, most of them make mistakes when pruning them including both the amateur and professional gardeners.

This section will try to explain some common mistakes that people generally should avoid to promote and maintain the health of limelight hydrangeas.

Pruning Them Alike

Different species of hydrangeas differ in their growth pattern and the ways to care for them. So, pruning all the hydrangeas in the same way is a mistake. Some hydrangeas are tall and large, while some might be leggy.

You also need to consider the age of the hydrangeas before clipping them, as mature hydrangeas might require more frequent pruning because of their vigorous growth. 

Too Much Pruning 

You should avoid too much pruning on your limelight hydrangeas. Over-pruning might remove many buds and reduce the number and size of the flowers.

Additionally, it will stress the plant by producing weaker and smaller branches and stems that are susceptible to various pests and diseases and also delay their recovery or regrowth. 

Neglecting Deadheadings

The deadheading on your limelight hydrangeas takes away the attention of the plant from encouraging the growth of new buds and branches. Thus, you should not neglect when removing these deadheadings.

This will promote new growth of flowers, provide air circulation, prevent the spreading of pests and diseases, and extend the blooming duration.

Forgetting About Suckers

Suckers grow from the base of the plants and are not very effective in producing buds and flowers. They waste plants' vital energy and resources.

Make sure you get rid of all the suckers from your limelight hydrangeas. This will rechannel plants' energy and nutrients in producing productive branches that can bear flowers. 

Not Paying Attention To Diseased Leaves

Limelight hydrangeas are affected by different pests and diseases. Disease like powdery mildew makes a white coating on the leaves, while leaf spot disease leaves black or brown spotting on the leaves.

Thus you need to get rid of those leaves before they get a chance to spread. You will be protecting your limelight hydrangeas if you notice these symptoms at an early stage. 

Pruning For Size, Not Health

Most people prune limelight hydrangeas to maintain the shape and size of the plant. However, excessive pruning can cause some implications that we discussed above. Therefore, you need to focus the pruning to maintain a balance between the health of the plant and maintaining their shape or size. 

Using Dull Or Dirty Tools

If the pruners or loopers that you use are dull, they will hurt the plants by damaging their plant tissues and making them prone to several pests and diseases.

In addition, bacteria and pathogens often thrive in dirty tools, and using these tools will spread these harmful pathogens rapidly. Thus, you need to use clean tools that can make a sharp cut without injuring the plants. 

The way you prune limelight hydrangeas will determine their growth, health, and blossoms. Hence, you need to take your time to make a clean and precise cut. Some of the tips given below might help you while pruning your limelight hydrangeas.

• Sharp Tools: We have already discussed much about tools in previous sections. One key thing to understand is that sharp tools will prevent damage to the plant's tissues and promote their robust growth by lowering the recovery time.
• Gloves: Wearing gardening gloves will protect you from any injury that might arise from your tools or the sharp points of the plants. although limelight hydrangeas do not have thorns, wearing gloves will protect you from scratches. 
• Protecting Your Eyes: You need to protect your eyes while pruning. Wearing a safety goggle will protect your eyes from accidents or mishaps that might be caused by the tools you use. Likewise, it will also prevent eye irritation that might be caused by debris, pollens, or other plants' parts.
• Stable Footing: You need to keep an eye on the ground where you place your foot. A firm footing will lower the risk of falling. Similarly, if you use a ladder or other tools while pruning a tall limelight hydrangea, you need to ask your friend to hold it for you. 

Only by pruning your limelight hydrangeas will you not be able to have the blossoms that you want. It would help if you gave additional care to maintain the plant's health and encourage it to magnificent blooms. 

Soil And Drainage

Limelight hydrangeas grow best in well-drained soil, more particularly in loamy soil or sandy soil. Having organic matter content in the soil promotes the growth of the plant.

Make sure the soil does not get wet for a long time as water logging situations in the soil might cause molding problems and can even rot the roots of your limelight.

In most types of hydrangeas, the color of the flowers is influenced by the pH of the soil. However, the pH does not affect the flower color in limelight hydrangeas. You can add perlite or sand to improve the drainage of the soil, especially if the soil has more clay in it. 

Watering Wisely

Limelight hydrangeas need moderate watering but watering them consistently might cause root problems and fungal diseases as we discussed earlier. Before watering limelight hydrangeas, you need to check the moisture of the soil by using the finger test method.

You can dip your finger in the soil up to two inches deep to check the moisture content. The plant needs more water during hot and dry seasons as the rate of evapotranspiration in the plant is very high.

So, watering them once or twice a week is a good idea. You need to water deeply in such times, aiming for an inch of water each week. In contrast, you can water once every two weeks might be enough in colder times. 

• Water in the morning as this allows water to dry during the day reducing the risk of root rotting and fungal disease. 

Nutrient Boost

A balanced proportion of fertilizers is needed for the growth and blooming of the limelight hydrangeas. Nutrients like nitrogen help in the growth of foliage and stems, while phosphorous promotes the growth of roots and the blooming of hydrangeas.

Similarly, potassium increases the resistance of plants against several diseases. Both slow-release and fast-release fertilizers have their pros and cons, however, slow-release fertilizers like holly-tone provide a consistent supply of nutrients throughout the growing season.

Applying fertilizers in the early spring is the best time for fertilization to promote new growth in limelight hydrangeas. 

• Do not forget to water your limelight hydrangeas after fertilization.

Pest And Disease Management

Different insects and pests like aphids, beetles, spider mites, etc. might affect the growth of the limelight hydrangeas by feeding on leaves, saps, and other plant bodies. You can manually remove some of these insects or use insecticides to get rid of them.

It is advisable to use soap water, neem oil, and other natural remedies instead of synthetic chemicals. Likewise, different diseases like powdery mildew, leaf spot, root rot, gray mold, etc. are common in limelight hydrangeas.

You can prevent such diseases just by taking extra care by removing affected leaves and other plant parts, maintaining proper air circulation, avoiding overwater, etc. 

Sunlight Requirement

Limelight hydrangeas can tolerate both full sunlight and partial shade. They need around six hours of sunlight each day for optimum growth. Planting the limelight hydrangeas at a place where they can get morning sunlight and some shade during the afternoon is an ideal place for their growth as sunlight can help the hydrangea plant to produce vivid flowers.

However, intense sunlight can burn leaves and impact the buds and flowers of limelight hydrangeas. Likewise, too much shade can reduce the photosynthesis in the plant and lead to tall and thin stems and branches with fewer flowers.

Therefore, place the plant in a place where it receives sunlight in the morning and shade during the afternoon.

Winter Care

Extreme weather conditions in the winter such as colder temperatures, frost, snow, and ice can injure or damage limelight hydrangeas. Snow or ice accumulated on the leaves and branches of limelight hydrangeas disrupts their structural integrity.

Similarly, frost and cold temperatures might damage buds and cause winter burns. You can provide a good amount of mulch to your limelight hydrangeas that will provide insulation to the roots of the plants and retain moisture as well.

Place a cover or a shield that protects the plant from frost and cold. You should avoid pruning your limelight hydrangeas before the start of the winter season as this makes your limelight susceptible to injury and death.

Apart from all the tips that we have discussed previously, some additional considerations that might help your limelight hydrangeas grow and blossom effectively are given in this section. 

• Local Climate: In the warmer climate, limelight hydrangeas grow more effectively, while the growth is quite slower in cooler climates. Thus, the hydrangeas in warmer climates need more frequent pruning than the ones in cooler regions. Frequent pruning of the plant in warmer climates will let you shape and maintain them.
• Plant Health: If your limelight hydrangeas are damaged or affected by disease, you need to get rid of those parts immediately. This will prevent the spread of diseases to other parts of the plant and encourage healthy growth.
• Seasonal Growth Pattern: You need to know about the seasonal growth pattern of your limelight hydrangeas before starting pruning. Avoid pruning in their growing season, but you can give them light pruning if you are from warmer regions.