Pruning Back Hydrangeas

Question

I forgot to cover my hydrangeas before a soft freeze. The plants look awful. Have I killed them or can I cut them back (similar to the lantana) so they can possibly re-grow after the winter?

Answer 1

As long as the stems are still green, it should recover. I would not trim it back yet, the leaves may regrow where the old ones died back. Give it a week or two and see if you see leaf buds forming before pruning it back. That being said, you may not get blossoms this year as the frost may have killed the buds.