July 30, 2024 Endless Summer

Grower Tips: Pruning Endless Summer® Hydrangeas

Endless Summer Pop Star Hydrangeas

A common question we receive from growers is “How should I prune my Endless Summer® crop?”

Over the years, Bailey has experimented with different practices to learn the best methods for pruning reblooming Hydrangea macrophylla.

Less is More

Midwest Container Production Manager John Fisk shares his observations. “We plant many of our Hyd. macrophyllas in #2 containers during May, June, and July using JumpStarts®, then we let them grow all summer and into fall with no pruning.” This gives you thicker stems and buds for next year, which results in more flowering and stronger stems.

Until a few years ago, our method was to cut the stems back multiple times during the first season. “Those extra cuts made the plants very lush and full,” John says. “However, it also produced many thin stems that we’d prune off the following spring, so it created a lot of extra work for us.” Because the stems were thin, flower buds wouldn’t develop in the stem buds in fall, leading them to produce less blooms the following spring, so the focus has shifted to less pruning in that first season. Check out this video for more tips on growing



Please note that Bailey is a wholesale supplier for the horticulture industry. If you’re a home gardener, please head to the Find a Retailer page to locate plants near you.