I have lots of beautiful blooms on my Invincible Spirit, but the stems look bare. Should I be trimming it back harder in the spring to promote new leaf growth and thicken up the plant? I usually just prune off the dead blooms from the past year.
Thanks for any advice!
Invincible Spirit looks leggy
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Re: Invincible Spirit looks leggy
Thanks for bringing this up Lucygoose.
These types of Hydrangeas (Annabelle, Incrediball, and Invincibelle Spirit) develop the thickest stems and the largest flowers on new wood that develops from underground. That means you should be cutting them back flush to the soil line. I like to wait and do that in the spring since the dried flowers on these tend to last through the winter. But then in the spring, as soon as you see new growth or remember it, cut them down flush to the ground so there are no stems showing. If they have leafed out a bit you still cut them all the way to the ground.
It may seem extreme but you will find it really makes a difference and then you don't have to deal with these being leggy
Have a good winter!
Chris
These types of Hydrangeas (Annabelle, Incrediball, and Invincibelle Spirit) develop the thickest stems and the largest flowers on new wood that develops from underground. That means you should be cutting them back flush to the soil line. I like to wait and do that in the spring since the dried flowers on these tend to last through the winter. But then in the spring, as soon as you see new growth or remember it, cut them down flush to the ground so there are no stems showing. If they have leafed out a bit you still cut them all the way to the ground.
It may seem extreme but you will find it really makes a difference and then you don't have to deal with these being leggy
Have a good winter!
Chris
