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Excessive growth / Lack of flowers
David McFarlane asks:
Question
I have a well established garden in Seaford, East Sussex. I have a Hydrangea which is growing very fast and producing lots of foliage but no flower buds to speak of. A Weigelia alongside the Hydrangea is doing exactly the same. Normal growth and flowering took place in previos years. What is the solution please? Is a hard unseasonal pruning the answer?
Answer
The two most common reasons hydrangea don't bloom is because of a late spring freeze or pruning in the spring after the new growth has developed. Hydrangea bloom on new wood each season so when a late spring freeze comes through and kills a plant from the tip down it loses the seasons flowers, same goes for late spring pruning. Pruning Hydrangea should take place in late spring removing last years flower heads, make the pruning cut just above the first pair of buds (They look like match heads). In the fall remove 1/3 of the old shoots to encourage replacement growth.
Weigelia on the other had bloom on previous years growth, pruning should be done annually after flowering cutting back the flowering shoots to strong lateral buds or basal growth. Once the Weigelia is established about 1/3 of the old shoots should be removed each year to promote new shoot development just like the Hydrangea.
Thanks for the gardening question!
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