A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Gardening in the Shade hydrangea question

what do i do with my hydrangeas? i have several, small to large, that were leafing out REALLY good and had their buds set, then we had a full week of cold weather in the 20's. now all but 1 is black as coal. i know most set the buds the previous year, so do i whack them to the ground and have a summer with no blooms, or will the leaves and stuff push their way back out?????????????? this question also applies to my silver lace vine that was already over the top of the swing. HELP, HELP, HELP!

Acccch! I dunno . . . we're in Toronto (zone 6a). I've lost a few plants myself. I had some euyonomous in last year and I don't see it now.

I know it doesn't disappear in winter, 'cause other front yards still have theirs.

Grrrrr!

I saved a couple of hydrangea balls (flowers) from my neighbour's yard last year - I've got them dried out - I'm hoping to put them in the ground and get a hydrangea bush, but the way things look around here, it probably won't work.

Yeah . . . I should be positive. I know.

Carly, I've lost every euyonomous that I've ever planted in the following spring. They just will not over winter here.

Not sure on the hydrangea question but it seems a shame to whack them to the ground, I'm a wait and see kinda girl.

That's a tough question. I love hydrangeas and have them in my front garden. I would let it alone for the time being and see what happens. During the winters here, my hydrangeas turn to sticks. I just leave them alone and let them do their thing every year. My hydrangeas are about 10 or so years old. About three weeks ago, I pinched back the dried flowers from the previous season. I began to see green ity bity leaves surfacing. :wink: They are doing fine and I think I even see bracts. I would leave them be for now.

ok i will wait and see.

Yeh, it's hard to say----I think I'd leave them too.

I have 5 hydrangeas....3 of them I have to cut back in fall/spring---they bloom on new wood. 2 of them bloom on the old wood--so I always have to remember which is which.

I'm going to move this post to the shade gardening section in Landscape trials and triumphs where you'll probably get more replies.

yay, i see some green on some of them. will they still bloom this year????

they may well bloom. hydrangeas tolerate most anything but dry soil!