CELEBRATING 28 YEARS! Welcome to my weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs 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. Q: Hi Linda, my driveway is bordered by large oak leaf hydrangeas. They have begun growing out into the driveway and I would like to cut them back. What time of year and how much can I prune them? Your help would be appreciated. Thank you. Richard A: Hi Richard, You can cut the Oak Leaf Hydrangeas back now, but they will be back next year at the same height and width. Just pruning is not going to solve your long-term problem. I would suggest to remove part of the root system that is closest to the driveway. Cut the root ball in half-remove the front half and transplant it someplace else on your property. This procedure will need to be done every five years or so or when the hydrangea is interfering with the driveway again. Alternatively, you can remove the entire plant and plant a dwarf oakleaf hydrangea instead. There are some wonderful dwarf cultivars available and you would not have to worry about pruning in the future ever again. If you need our assistance, give us a call. WE'RE GOING DIGITAL! DON'T MISS OUT! USE THE QR CODE, OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO: Email: info@sprigsandtwigs.net, or Mail: Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 28 YEARS ! Welcome to my weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASK PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs 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 . Q : Hi Linda , my driveway is bordered by large oak leaf hydrangeas . They have begun growing out into the driveway and I would like to cut them back . What time of year and how much can I prune them ? Your help would be appreciated . Thank you . Richard A : Hi Richard , You can cut the Oak Leaf Hydrangeas back now , but they will be back next year at the same height and width . Just pruning is not going to solve your long - term problem . I would suggest to remove part of the root system that is closest to the driveway . Cut the root ball in half - remove the front half and transplant it someplace else on your property . This procedure will need to be done every five years or so or when the hydrangea is interfering with the driveway again . Alternatively , you can remove the entire plant and plant a dwarf oakleaf hydrangea instead . There are some wonderful dwarf cultivars available and you would not have to worry about pruning in the future ever again . If you need our assistance , give us a call . WE'RE GOING DIGITAL ! DON'T MISS OUT ! USE THE QR CODE , OR SUBMIT QUESTIONS TO : Email : info@sprigsandtwigs.net , or Mail : Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 Sprigs & Twigs 860-235-0752 WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET