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Pruning 'Summer Crush' Hydrangea in Late Summer or Early Fall

Hydrangea 'Summer Crush' in June... in September Pruning can be a complicated project, especially when it comes to hydrangeas (I can think of one more plant that causes pruning headaches - clematis). That said, if you grow many hydrangeas, especially different types, once you get the hang of it, it begins to come naturally. I used to rarely prune my hydrangeas because I had more space. Now, with a smaller garden, I'm finding that some are getting too large for comfort. Case in point, 'Summer Crush'. It is actually not a huge hydrangea, but it does get larger than advertised - about 5 feet in my garden (the tag said 3-4'). 'Summer Crush' is in the 'Endless Summer' line of hydrangeas and they are among the easier to prune. This is because they bloom on both old and new wood. Therefore, no matter when you prune, you should get blooms. It is the older hydrangeas, the ones that only bloom on old wood, that you have to be careful with. I would recomm...

Weeping China Doll rose and Rose Campion






Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. Phillip tell me about the rose campion. I just ordered seeds of a white rose campion and would love to know how it does for you. Sun or shade? Self seeding? Any info would be helpful. I am really focused on filling in the white garden here.

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  2. David, it is a wonderful old fashioned annual that reseeds freely. It does fine in my garden with just a little sun - maybe 3 or 4 hours a day. It may pop up in surprising places but you can easily pull it out.

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  3. What a beauty. Any nibbles on your house?

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  4. Very nice Phillip! Any bites on the house yet?

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  5. Lisa and Carol, a few lookers but nothing serious yet. I am afraid the garden is going to be a liability. :(

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  6. I love that China Doll rose! I like it combined with the bright Rose Campion.

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  7. Are you serious?? It's CRAZY that your beautiful garden is seen as a liability.

    Is it because people are intimidated by the idea of maintaining it? Or do that many people really prefer a sterile lawn?

    As for rose campion, I feel like a failure because I've tried direct sowing it a few times in the garden and have never gotten any results. (Either that or I've mistaken the seedlings for weeds and accidentally killed them, which of course is a possibility.)

    I probably need to find annual seedlings someday, plant them and then let them self-sow...

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  8. the right person will come along. one that will take good care of it!

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  9. Aaron, I am sure it would be the maintenance! There are not a lot of people that enjoy that! haha

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  10. Beautiful roses :)

    Have you decided if any of your roses will be coming with you when you move?

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  11. Phillip, You shared a rose with me several years ago and I believe it is the weeping china doll. It is very ruffled and I used it to make some beautiful arrangements for a church luncheon. You weren't sure at the time what rose you were sharing. Just wanted to say thanks. Sherry

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