How can I prune my Bigleaf hydrangea?

There are a couple of options for pruning Bigleaf hydrangea, depending on the size of shrub and the type of flower you prefer to grow. For a more compact plant with larger but fewer blooms, the whole plant can be cut back prior to the growing season. If you prefer to allow the plant to get larger, with smaller but more numerous flowers, you can choose to prune some stems while keeping others intact. For Bigleaf hydrangea, the best type of tool to use is a set of bypass pruners. Invest in a quality pair of shears that will be sharp enough to cut cleanly through the stems. Disinfect your cutting tool before pruning and when moving between plants to keep it from transferring diseases between plants. Either a bleach solution diluted to 10% or 70% isopropyl alcohol are readily- available options to use for disinfecting tools. Hard pruning involves cutting all stems of the Bigleaf hydrangea back prior to the growing season. Up to two thirds of the original length can be cut off. Especially weak or unhealthy looking stems can be cut at the soil line. This method produces the largest blooms. A less extreme pruning lets the plant continue to grow bigger, but improves vigor by removing just the oldest stems from your Bigleaf hydrangea. Removing the tallest stems also keeps the plant at a reasonable size. You can also remove any stems that are growing sideways or otherwise detracting from the overall shape of the plant. This pruning method lets the plant produce the maximum number of flowers over the growing season. Finally, you may prefer to just trim off dead or damaged portions of the plant, including deadheading spent flowers, to keep it looking its best. This can be done at any time of year. Diseased or damaged stems should be cut right at the soil line and removed completely. Blooms should be cut off just below the flower head.