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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...
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My Favorite Plant This Week - Duetzia 'Magician'



It seems a bit ridiculous to proclaim a favorite plant of the week when truthfully I have many favorites and would be hard pressed to choose just one. But it sounds good on a blog post, doesn't it?

Deutzia 'Magician' (sometimes spelled as 'Magicien') is new to me and was planted two years ago. It didn't bloom very much last year but my word, it was stunning this year. Standing about 4 feet tall with long, arching canes, it was smothered with deep pink blooms that are edged in white. The floral extravaganza is a bit brief (about 2 weeks) but it is memorable.

Most descriptions list it as about 8 feet tall when mature but the one I've seen at Joy Creek Nursery is the size of a small tree and easily 10 feet if not more. Pruning should be done after blooming.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. Lisa at GreenbowJune 7, 2020 at 2:10 PM

    This shrub has a lot going for it. Color is the best. Light green leaves and those blooms!

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  2. chavlinessJune 7, 2020 at 6:55 PM

    Stunning blooms. I wish I had the room for this shrub. I have a neighbor that cuts it down to the ground every year...

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  3. UnknownJune 9, 2020 at 8:55 AM

    I thought that looks like my deutzia "Pink-A-Boo" only to find out it's the same plant - your name is more dignified.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hoover BooJune 9, 2020 at 2:51 PM

    Beautiful photo and flowers--not a genus grown around here. Enjoyed seeing it.

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