How To Help Severely Pruned Hydrangea Recover

Question From: G. Clark - Livonia, Michigan, United States
Q: Dear Nancy, Earlier this summer, I had asked someone to prune back our climbing hydrangea vine to get it off the bricks. He sent someone over who pruned (hacked) all the branches back to the main stem. This was done this past week. I am afraid that I have lost my vine which we planted years ago and it took awhile for it to first get any flowers. I am just sick about it. Any chance that there may be new growth. I saw no trace of where the branches that were to be pruned had been on the main vines.

A: My guess is the vine will resprout in spring. I would mulch the vine with with Organimax compost and soil drench around the base with Assure Microbial Magic following the watering can directions using 2 gallons of the solution. Apply it again in spring when the soil temperature reach 40 degree. Both products are available online and at English Gardens, Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy.

P.S. Fertilize it with Espoma Holly Tone in late winter or very early spring