Grows stronger stems that are less likely to flop. Why Prune Annabelle Hydrangeas? So late winter or early spring is the time to prune. A happy hydrangea is so loaded with blooms the slender stems of the shrub will bend over from the sheer weight and volume of them. Hydrangeas that Bloom on Old Wood Then the rains started and they have flopped over. The more a shrub is pruned, the faster it will try and replace what it has lost. While some can grow big, bushy blooms without ever flopping over, others require stakes in order to stand tall. Thank you for your question. The resulting stems will be thicker and the flower clusters smaller, giving a stronger plant not so prone to flopping. This improved version of the classic Annabelle Hydrangea is the secret to adding striking white hydrangea blooms to your garden (even in cold climates) without signing up for a lot of extra work. Be sure to sanitize … Saved by The Garden Lady. This fallacy has propagated itself based solely on my ability to grow big-ass Annabelle Hydrangeas. Famous ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea Discover Two New Amazing Hydrangea from Proven Winners® ColorChoice® This Spring Grand Haven, Mich., March 1, 2010 – At long last, the famously super-hardy and easy-to-grow ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea is now entering the 21 st century with a pair of new and improved hydrangeas hitting garden centers this spring. These hydrangeas need a hard pruning back to 18-30” in winter to early spring in order to help prevent flopping. It's important to set up ring-style supports before the plants have grown very tall. 2 Prune old-wood hydrangeas back to the first pair of buds below the old flower in the spring. Thank you. My 8 year old Annabelle snowball hydrangea bushes were the largest ever this year with tons of large white flowers. How to keep ‘Annabelle’ from flopping over. How to Stake Flopping Hydrangeas. "Large flowers and heavy rain can make for floppy hydrangeas. Remember, the bigger the flower heads on the Annabelle hydrangea, the more they need support as the stems cannot handle the additional weight. Hydrangeas are the quintessential romantic summer bloom!!! Hydrangeas droop for many reasons, but its rarely due to illness. HYDRANGEA PRUNING ‘ANNABELLE’: HOW FAR DOWN TO MAKE THE CUT You can prune your plant whenever it’s dormant, i.e., after it drops its leaves. Their big, moppy heads and little clusters of flowerets are iconic!!! How to Get More Blooms From Your Hydrangeas and learn if you should prune them back. Hydrangea Annabelle pruning is similar to pruning any other variety in terms of purpose. This hydrangea is not like the others and rarely needs pruning. White flowering hydrangeas such as Annabelle or any of the Hydrangea paniculata, or panicle hydrangeas, flower on new growth so these will still flower well if they are cut back hard. The Annabelle hydrangea has been the mainstay of the summer shrub garden as long as I can remember, though I no longer plant it. If you must have blue hydrangeas in all of their splendor, then pack your bags for Nantucket, and read no further. If you’re sure you have ‘Annabelle’, nothing could be easier, really. A big bouquet of them cut and arranged on a table is pure bliss! Yes, hydrangeas are one of the best loved flowers around! How to Prune Annabelle Hydrangeas? The huge flower heads of Hydrangea a. ‘Annabelle’ have a tendency to flop over. Hello, ScarletTrycicle. Master Gardener Mary Costello shows how to spring prune Annabelle Hydrangea for maximum bloom Prune in late fall or early spring. Take it down to about 2 feet. Here's how to support them so that they don't look tied to a stake. 1 Insert a strong, sturdy stake just behind the flower stem that is to be supported. But pruning these summer bloomers is actually quite simple once you know what type of hydrangea is growing in your garden. Climbing Hydrangea (H. anomala petiolaris), zone 4. You want to start with garden clippers that are sharp. Displays larger flowers than if left unpruned. Even an extra dose of fertilizer may contribute to droopy hydrangea plants. For all the appeal hydrangeas bring to the landscape, they seem to generate an equal amount of confusion among gardeners. Remove only winter-damaged branches and any that wander where you don’t want. What can you do about it. There are several styles, including some with interior rings or grids.Plants that benefit: Tall cosmos; dinnerplate-style dahlias; delphiniums; phlox; Alcea (hollyhocks); Platycodon grandiflorus (balloon flower); Helenium autumnale; Filipendula rubra; Gaillardia grandiflora (blanket flower); Malva alcea 'Fastigiata'; Rudbeckia nitida 'Herbstsonne'; Veronicastru… But like many things, these dramatic beauties can be a little bit of more » My previous post about hydrangeas was narrow in scope. If left unpruned, they become messy and … The harder it … "When they get weighed down to the ground, flopping flowers can discolor and in some instances, rot because of soil moisture," she says. Hi ! I found it was best to add this during the winter as there were no leaves to block the view and I could see the internal stem "structure" of the plant and place the wire closer and in better locations. When hydrangeas are drooping, theyre often expressing their dislike of local conditions. From managing pH and blossom color to pruning, hydrangeas like to keep people guessing! But keep in mind this truism: pruning always stimulates growth. Unlike other Hydrangeas, Limelight is very hardy and flowers reliably every year. 3 Weak stems and overly large flower heads make the shrub a challenge to keep off the ground. Their giant spherical flower heads are identifiable from a block away. 54. If the flower heads of ‘Annabelle’ look tatty at the end of the season, you can also prune the plant in late autumn.