CELEBRATING 26 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs ASKI Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Hi Linda, When these beautiful hydrangeas got too big 3 years ago, I cut them down to half their height. Now, all I have gotten for the last two years is sticks and leaves, no blossoms. If it's shock, shouldn't they have gotten over it by now? What can I do?... Ann Hi Ann, yes, they should have recovered by now. The reason you do not have any flowers is because of the weather. The Big Leaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is susceptible to the late frosts that we get in Southeastern Connecticut in March and April. The flower buds for the upcoming season are doomed once the air temperature drops below freezing. That's why you have no flowers this summer. The last few years have been particularly hard on the big Leaf Hydrangea. Wrapping your hydrangea with a good quality burlap for the winter will help protect them from the late winter frosts. Around mid-November, pound in wooden stakes along the edge of the bed and attach the burlap on the outside of the stakes. Fill in all around the hydrangea with dry leaves for insulation (from the base of the plant to the top of the plant). Leave the protection in place until the middle of April. You will know when it's time to remove the burlap when see the new hydrangea leaves emerging from the stems. Fertilize your hydrangeas at this time with a slow release, organic fertilizer Like Flowertone and keep them well-watered and you should have some beautiful hydrangeas in the summer. Also, remember to remove the dead stems within the shrub, they should break right off at the base. This is important for air circulation and overall health of the hydrangea. Good Luck. Sprigs &Twigs SPRIGS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO: info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 2212222 AVAILABLE NOW! Over 200 of your gardening questions answered. THE BEST OF THE LANDSCAPE ASK . $49.95 .tax. $53.12 shipping and handling. ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY! CALL OUR OFFICE AT: 860-235-0752 CELEBRATING 26 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs ASKI Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Hi Linda , When these beautiful hydrangeas got too big 3 years ago , I cut them down to half their height . Now , all I have gotten for the last two years is sticks and leaves , no blossoms . If it's shock , shouldn't they have gotten over it by now ? What can I do ? ... Ann Hi Ann , yes , they should have recovered by now . The reason you do not have any flowers is because of the weather . The Big Leaf Hydrangea ( Hydrangea macrophylla ) is susceptible to the late frosts that we get in Southeastern Connecticut in March and April . The flower buds for the upcoming season are doomed once the air temperature drops below freezing . That's why you have no flowers this summer . The last few years have been particularly hard on the big Leaf Hydrangea . Wrapping your hydrangea with a good quality burlap for the winter will help protect them from the late winter frosts . Around mid - November , pound in wooden stakes along the edge of the bed and attach the burlap on the outside of the stakes . Fill in all around the hydrangea with dry leaves for insulation ( from the base of the plant to the top of the plant ) . Leave the protection in place until the middle of April . You will know when it's time to remove the burlap when see the new hydrangea leaves emerging from the stems . Fertilize your hydrangeas at this time with a slow release , organic fertilizer Like Flowertone and keep them well - watered and you should have some beautiful hydrangeas in the summer . Also , remember to remove the dead stems within the shrub , they should break right off at the base . This is important for air circulation and overall health of the hydrangea . Good Luck . Sprigs & Twigs SPRIGS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR ! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO : info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 2212222 AVAILABLE NOW ! Over 200 of your gardening questions answered . THE BEST OF THE LANDSCAPE ASK . $ 49.95 .tax . $ 53.12 shipping and handling . ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY ! CALL OUR OFFICE AT : 860-235-0752