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No blooms on your bigleaf hydrangea this year? Improper pruning may be the cause. But never fear: Pruning a hydrangea the right way is easy if you follow these guidelines.
Keep some of this year's growth. Gardeners often inadvertently cut off next year's flowers because Hydrangea macrophylla flower buds tend to form at the tips of branches and on old wood, meaning that the buds for next year's blooms form on this season's growth.
Remove one-third of the shrub's stems. Each year, keep the shrub less dense and rejuvenate it by removing up to one-third of the stems as close to the ground as you can, beginning with the oldest growth. Do this after the shrub has finished blooming; the remaining stems will bloom with bigger flowers than you had before when the shrub was crowded with branches.
Prune after bloom. Remove old flowers by cutting to just above the swollen buds for next year. And remember to cut off only the dried flower head, no further down.
