Hi! I've been visiting this website for years and I just joined the forum.
I'm from Connecticut and am a pretty miserable gardener but I am fairly decent with house plants.
I have a question regarding a hydrangea I've had in my garden for about 5 years.
I was advised to cut it all the way back in the fall. Last year I read that was a bad idea and that the plant would not bloom under those circumstances.
So, last fall I didn't cut it back.
This summer, the foliage was beautiful but not a single flower appeared.
Any suggestions?

Oh, PS! Here's a link to some hydrangea pruning tips

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Did you know which variety you have????

Here's a quote from Bill's info...

quote:

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Pruning and blooming
Hydrangeas only flower on on the tips of new growth, so you can remove any stems which have already bloomed. The French Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) flowers from buds formed on new growth produced the previous year, so pruning of this variety should be done immediately after blooming in early summer. Other varieties of Hydrangea should be pruned in late fall or early spring.The entire plant may be cut back to the ground if it becomes to large, because it will quickly regrow to it's prior size, and begin blooming again.

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More than likely, you'd wait until spring,
*March~April* and trim them up....

And WELCOME to The Garden Helper's Forum,
We're VERY GLAD you joined up...

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

Just my 2 cents. I would leave the plant alone for two years. No cutting at all. If it blooms after the two years you know you have one that blooms on previous year growth.

If you keep cutting on the plant it will never bloom because what is growing this year to bloom next year you are cutting off.

If it is one that blooms on Previous year growth (all that growth you are getting now) and you do not cut it this year or next Spring you will have blooms next summer.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/audwoman/

If you want the rainbow you have to put up with the rain!!

Thank you. I have had a great Labor Day weekend.

My other thought of your plant is winter kill if it is one that is prior year growth bloom. I have heard of people wrapping the plant in bulap or a garbage bag stuffed with leaves around the bush to protect it from the freezing ice and snow.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/audwoman/

If you want the rainbow you have to put up with the rain!!