Last year my Limelight Hydrangea tree had very few blooms. What can I do at this time of year to help,it. Should I prune it? Do I fertilize it? If so, what kind?
Hello and thank you for your question.
As Limelight hydrangeas only bloom on new wood, it is best to prune them in late winter or early spring. This way you will avoid cutting off any flower buds for the new season. If pruning is done before the new growth appears, you can prune them all the way down to above one bud union on each stem and you can also prune down any main branch that you want to keep small. Strong new growth will appear where these cuts are made. It will produce much larger blooms if pruned hard like this each year. Some gardeners prefer to leave a framework of old growth to reduce flopping. This may result in smaller blooms but on sturdier stems.
Cutting Limelight hydrangeas back too far in the fall can mean that there will be fewer flowers the following summer. I would recommend only doing deadheading in the fall and leaving as much of the stem length as possible intact.
Feed Limelight hydrangeas twice yearly in April and June with 10-10-10, general-purpose fertilizer. After applying the fertilizer at the manufacturer’s specified rate, then water the plant so the fertilizer penetrates the soil. A yearly application of organic material such as compost around the roots, produces excellent results and also improves the condition of the soil.
I’ve attached a link with more information on the subject.
Best of luck with your lovely Limelight hydrangea !
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/cut-back-limelight-hydrangeas-32145.html