Is it bad to pull dead blooms off of my hydrangeas (mophead)?

Does it ruin the opportunity to bloom again this season? Will it bloom next season?

Is it bad to pull dead blooms off of my hydrangeas (mophead)?
Good question, with a lot of variables... so hold on, the ride might get a bit 'bumpy'.



There are 4 major species of Hydrangea we use in landscaping in my area, in warmer USDA hardiness zones, there are even more (I'm in USDA hardiness zone 5). Most hydrangeas here only bloom once per season. There are a few Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars that bloom more often, but at this time, they are the exception rather than the rule. I guess that may be a little less true in very mild climates.



Cut the dead flower off just above a leaf on the stem. Cut down to where the stem is at least the thickness of a pencil. A flimsy stem with produce flimsy small flowers. If you cut a little further down, any subsequent flowers will be larger, and better supported by the plant.



Most popular hydrangeas won't go to seed. The "flower" of a hydrangea isn't really a flower, not by itself anyway. The part we call the flower is just a group of petals, without reproductive parts... a sterile flower. Mopheads are made up of that kind of flower. The reproductive flower is a tuft, without petals, the center of Lacecap style flowers are the reproductive ones. You don't have to worry about seed production, you should still remove the spent flowers once they look tattered and old.



Hydrangeas generally like alot of moisture and a good fertilization program. Taking good care of your hydrangea has more to do with blooming next year, than what you do with the flowers this year.



I hope that this helps

Good luck
Reply:No. I cut mine off every year. I cut some for arrangements. Some dry in very pretty colors.
Reply:no it does not ruin them in fact you can trim them back if you want

it won't mess up anything with them flowering again and again
Reply:It is good to cut off dead blooms on any type of shrubs and flowers. Most people stop cutting off dead blooms around August 15th in order for the shrubs and flowers to get ready for their winter sleep.



Flowers on shrubs or plants are for producing seeds. As we cut off the flowers, the shrubs and plants put out another flower trying to make seeds.



You don't want your shrubs or flowers trying to produce seed as they go into the fall and winter months. This does not give them time to prepare for their long winter sleep and most will freeze.

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