Do I Need To Prune My Peonies, And If So Can I Do It Now (March)? Do I Need To Prune My Hydrangeas? If So, Can I Also Do That Now?

Question

I did not prune my hydrangeas or peony plants last fall, and now I’m reading that you’re supposed to do that in fall. Is it too late to do that now? Will they bloom this year if I don’t? Thank you.

Answer 1

You don't say what kind of hydrangea you have but that is important to know because some bloom on the previous year's wood, so you wouldn't want to prune them now, because it would cut off the buds. Those that form buds the previous summer are bigleaf hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangeas. Some like Endless Summer, bloom on old and new wood. Here is more information below about pruning the different kinds of hydrangea. If you aren't sure what you have, don't prune at all.

On the peonies, if they haven't lost all their stems during winter, go ahead and remove them, because new growth will come up from the bulbs below ground.

https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/agent-articles/trees-shrubs/pruning-hydranea.html

https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/pdf-doc-ppt/fs4_hydrangeaprunebloom14.pdf

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/peony/peony-pruning.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/peony/peony-care.htm