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Hydrangeas are deciduous plants of asian origin, which are very hardy and easy to grow
These plants produce flowers on new branches, so pruning is carried out to stimulate the development of new shoots
To keep the shrubs compact and stimulate flowering it is advisable to prune hydrangeas every year
Do this in the autumn or towards the end of winter, when the plant is dormant
First of all, remove the faded flowers and any branches that are damaged, stunted, twisted, or sick
Then proceed by cutting all the branches, removing about one third of their length
In autumn hydrangeas already have the swollen buds that will develop into branches the following year
so when we prune old branches we should stop at each well-developed bud, which if possible should face towards the outside of the bush
We avoid excessive pruning, which could lead to an excess of new branches, and hence to an excessive number of flowers, which would therefore tend to be too small
Hydrangeas may also be pruned during the growing season
It is advisable to remove the faded flowers, especially if they are very large
Even during the year, on growing plants, remove any stems that are weak or ruined by the weather.