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I have some hydrangeas which I keep in the greenhouse because of the very cold winters we get. They have started to bloom but I don't know if thats bad because what I want is more blooms during summer. In order to achieve that should I cut off their blooms now or should I just leave them

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Niall C.
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Claire
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    what variety of hydrangea are they, H. macrophylla (mophead/lacecap types) pr H. paniculata (cone shaped flowers)? Have they kept their leaves all winter? What part of the world are you in? – Bamboo Feb 28 '19 at 19:40
  • They are Hydrangea macrophylla and they didn't keep their leaves. We get down to -20 deegres Celcius during winter and up to 30 deegres during summer – Claire Feb 28 '19 at 19:58

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Unfortunately, Hydrangea macrophylla flowers on the previous year's wood, and they are not repeat flowering. If you cut off the flowerbuds now, you are unlikely to get any further flowerbuds this year. It's not impossible that they might bud up again later (life being very resilient), but it's unlikely.

If it's possible to lower the temperature in your greenhouse, either by reducing any heating you have in there to a lower level, or by opening vents during the day if it is sunny, you may be able to slow down or arrest further development of the flowerbuds. The aim is to keep them cool enough to slow down the flowering process, but not so cold they start shedding their leaves again. Otherwise, there's little you can do I'm afraid, except remember to keep them a little less warm this coming winter so you don't have this problem next year too.

Bamboo
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  • Thank you! I'll find a suitable place for them. For next year, can I keep them outside during winter because I can't lower the temperature in the greenhouse (in order to keep other plants happy) – Claire Feb 28 '19 at 21:21
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    Depends which USDA zone you're in - information on winter care for various types of Hydrangea (including yours) here http://www.hydrangea.com/Winter_Care.php – Bamboo Feb 28 '19 at 21:41