Help with climber

Hi

We have these two climbers in our front garden, they are growing on brick columns.



Am I right in thinking they are Climbing Hydrangeas?

We've lived in our house for two years and apart from watering in dry periods and placing some compost around the base I have pretty much left them alone.

My question is should i be pruning them at all to keep them healthy and keep their shape?

Also does anyone have any general advice for looking after them, we really like them and are one of our most favourite specimens in the garden so we want to keep them healthy.

Pete

 

Yes they are Hydrangeas. They look healthy to me, so whatever you're doing now you're doing right. They are quite resilient, so I'd leave them alone unless they are showing signs of disease.

It's entirely up to you whether you prune or not, if you think they are untidy. But I'd leave it until they finish flowering.

 

I agree with Sheal it looks very healthy. They don't need alot of pruning only enough when necessary to keeps its shape and best done when it is dormant. It's a nice feature.

 

Thanks guys, am I best waiting till all the leaves drop off? Ideally Id just like to take a little off just to keep the shape

 

As Anne says, it's best to wait until it's dormant, when the leaves have dropped, yes.

 

Still haven't pruned the climber, when the leaves dropped late last year I noticed there was new buds all over and I was concerned about damaging the climber.

I took these pics this week







As you can see there is a really large spread, ideally I would like to keep the climber tighter to the post.

I'm concerned that if I don't prune the climber it will keep growing outwards and end up looking leggy.

If you hard prune can new shoots/ buds grow from the wood?

If I was to prune it (cutting off the longer stems) once the weather warms up ( thinking early march) could I risk damaging the specimen?

 

I'm not the world's knowledgable pruner but we both know itwill only get untidier and more unweildy. I say go for it ! reasonably severe, fork in some blood,fish and bone and keep it well watered in dry weather. I'm certain it will bounce back with new growth in time for some Summer blooms. Maybe not as many as if left unpruned but next year it will be magnificent,
Jenny

 

If there are buds on the older growth then I'd prune. But looking at your pictures I can't see any, in which case I'd either try to tuck the new growth back in or leave them for this season and prune later.

 

RHS advice on pruning is here-
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=122

We've one that grows along a fence and I cut it back alternate sides every year.
You've left it late to prune if you want flowers this year.

 

Thanks guys decided to leave as is for the time being and will prune later in the year,