hydrangea with browning leaves.........

A few of our Hydrangea has gotten brown leaves on some stalks (not all). Is it safe to cut back this late in the summer? Should I just let it go till fall? There is NO insect problem and it gets enough sun & water....
Any ideas welcome (zone 8 )

Zone 8 is fairly mild, probably safe to do some light pruning of browned leaves and old flowers. I would not do a heavy pruning though.

I purchased a hydrangea last week for next to nothing. I'm certain it's because it been sitting out in the sun in 90 to 100° weather on all summer. Although it's a "Miracle Fire"' and says it can take full sun, I don't think they planned on a Kansas broiling hot sun. Many of the leaves are brown, in fact most are. It's in the ground now and I have wondered about pruning a little bit but have decided to wait until it's dormant and give it a heavy pruning then. I hope I'm doing the right thing.

I planted it will wear it will get about six hours of sun a day, but will not get the blistering hot afternoon sun. This is my first experience with hydrangea. They are so beautiful.

Patti

I think you are doing right, Tuckersmom.
The damaged leaves will still protect the stems, and provide some energy to the plant.
Let it go dormant normally and it will lose those damaged leaves. Protect it through the winter. If it snows, this is insulation. If it does not snow, then the cold wind can be damaging. Mulch or cover it to protect it from freezing or drying winds.

Diana, thank you for your response. I have plenty of mulch and, when I get the bricks back where they belong this month, will be adding a 3 inch layer of Cedar mulch around the roots, but not right up to the stem. It is protected on the south by a short wall, but is open to the north and the East. The river is directly across the street, so the wind can get bitter. Kansas does get wind, ice and snow. What do you mean by cover it? Is that where you were referring to mulching? I have commitments from lots of people to save leaves for me this fall, but that will be 4 to 6 weeks now. Thank you again.
Patti

When it goes dormant it may need more protection from the icy wind.
If it snows first, and the snow sticks around, then the wind cannot harm the plant.
But if it does not snow, or if the snow blows away, then the plant will be exposed to the cold wind. The best thing to do to prevent this is to cover the plant with mulch, all over. This won't hurt the plant while it is dormant. When the weather gets milder in the spring, remove the mulch.
Larger plants could be covered in straw and wrapped in fabric.

Fabric, like a cloth tarp? You have really made me think about the location. I probably could not have picked a worse spot. Darn, because aesthetically, it is the perfect place for it. After I printed it will probably only be about 2 feet tall, maybe three. It's in pretty bad shape right now. That's why I said drastic pruning. Thank you again, Diana. I have so much to learn. LOL

Yes, a cloth tarp, shade cloth, even a bed sheet. Pretty much anything. If it needs to be wrapped. A bit tricky to pile up 2-3' of mulch. though you might be able to do it with dry, fallen leaves. The cloth will hold the leaves, straw or whatever you use from blowing away.

It could well be that if you can get it through this first winter, you may not need to do this again. Hydrangeas are OK down to zone 4. It is just its first year in the ground, especially after such a bad start (burned in the can) that I would put some effort into protecting it. Once it gets a good root system going, it will be better able to handle whatever the winter throws at it.

This message was edited Sep 5, 2015 7:35 PM

If the weather forecast is to be believed, we should get more snow this year then we have had in recentl years. That would be a good thing. I will do what it takes to protect this plant. It has really had a hard start and I feel confident that, with your recommendations, we will make it through this next winter. Thank you again, Diana.