Any tips to revive hydrangea??

[Renovirgin2018]

I have inherited a couple of hydrangeas with the house. They are looking pretty unloved, very woody with last years blooms dead and hanging from the ends. Any top tips to get them back to their former glory?

I can never seem to get the picture to load first time!

I'd cut them down to the ground, or at least to above a low joint on the main woody stems. They should come back with no problem if you prune now, but I wouldn't leave it much longer.

Hydrangeas were mentioned on Gardners World last week under the "things to do in the garden this weekend" section.
Monty said to cut the woody bits off to the nearest sprouting bud.
If Monty said it it must be true!

I've just come indoors from doing mine which have been neglected all winter. Lots of glossy green leaves (bit warmer here than in the UK) but also a surprising number of buds and shoots. Last year I just cut them all right back to almost ground level - it clearly did them good. Good luck!

Thank you. I have cut them back to just above the shoots/buds where there are some and above an eye???? on the rest. I will see what happens and if it doesn't turn out great I will catch them before they start budding next year!

They will be fine.

You've motivated me to prune mine- cut back last years woody shoots down to the new leaves. Mine is in a pot and it's probably time I put it in the ground, but I don't want it to change colour...

Ideally leave dead heads until after the last frost . I've just been at my mum's and she was busy deadheading in her south east sheltered garden. Otherwise yes to cutting back woody shoots.

You have waited until the right time a lot hydrangeas bloom on old wood if you cut back to the ground expect no flowers that year. Just cut above some buds on the woody stems and they should be beautiful in know time. I only realised last year the reason mine never flowered was because I was cutting the dead looking woody stems down to the ground each winter

If you want a blue hydrangea, bury some rusty nails near it. Or rusty anything really.

@ LaLaLamp really??

Yes, top tip from one of the groundsmen at my place of work. They have a beautiful blue H bush and that is the trick.

But keep them well watered..hydra = water