Lacecap Hydranger

[Mimi]

I have a fully grown lacecap hydranger in the front garden.  I have worked out that it will flower on last years growth so I need to prune out the flowering heads to have flowers the year after next.  Only problem is I  cant find out when it is best to prune, after flowering or next spring?

[Mimi]

[sandersj89]

I prune in the spring.

2 reasons, the heads look good through the winter and do provide some frost protection to buds lower down in the plant.

Jerry

[Mrs Ava]

Yup, I have a lace cap and spring prune.  I love the look of them during the winter, still all plump and really prefer to leave 'deadheading' until the bush has started to grow again otherwise you are left with a rather unattractive bunch of twigs!

[Hugh_Jones]

Definitely in the spring.  If you prune now the dormant buds down the stems will be encouraged to start into growth by any spell of mild weather, and a sharp frost could then kill them back.

I tried autumn pruning by way of experiment some years ago, and found many of the bushes got killed back virtually to ground level.

[Mimi]

The plant in question was looking very sorry for itself 2 years ago when we moved in here.  I decided to give it a good mulch and hack it back to a stump.. Didnt flower first year but put on loads and loads of growth, but this summer it was spectacular.  So thanks to all your good advice it should continue to look a stunner.