keeping lime lights and pinky winkys small

12 years ago

I Love these hydrangeas and just planted 3 LL and 6 PW. I planted them as specimens and only want to keep them around 3-4 feet tall and wide...please tell me this is possible and how to prune them to keep them this size.

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Comments (6)

anele_gw
12 years ago
Not sure but in case you did not already know, you can get Little Limes so that you'd get a Limelight that would be more the size you want.
Layddi
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks, I found that out after I planted the large ones ;-)
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Luis..Thank you for taking the time to respond. I am new to this forum and find it very informative. I am not sure who Ostrich or Unprofessional is but hopefully he/she will read this and let me know. How do you send them a Gardenweb email? I just had a very large landscape job done and purchased limelights and pinky winkys. I just assumed that you could keep them at whatever height/shape you like, like you can do with rhodo's, azealeas etc. I have planted 1 pw and two limelights in a semicircle (with the PW in the middle of them)on the front left side of my house by the driveway. In the middle of them I planted a red bud tree. I want the tree to be the focal point and not have 6-10 ft PW and limelights around it. That is why I would like to keep them around 4 feet at most. I have them in a semi circle at the end of my garden bed, then to the right I have sedums and knock out roses which stay fairly small, so not sure if the PW and LL will be to overpowering with the rest of the bed. From what I have read, it seems easier to control the PW than the LL so I thought I could swap the two LL for two PW I have also planted on the side of my house...your opinion would be much appreciated.....thanks so much!
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Sharon, mine gets sun all day, more than 10 hours. It's at the top of a SW facing slope with no nearby shade. I have more sun than shade, so haven't tried growing one in part shade. However, nicholsworth55 has posted photos of her H. paniculata in zone 6 midwest that grow in dappled shade with very little sun. They aren't Pinky Winky, but IME all of the various cultivars of H. paniculata seem to have similar requirements, so I think that PW would most likely be fine in 5 hours, but perhaps a bit less dense than a full sun plant. As far as pruning a tree form, you will need to remove any sprouts along the "trunk". It's easiest to just rub them off when the buds are just starting to swell along the "trunk", but if they get bigger, just prune them off with sharp clippers. If needed to shape the plant, you can shorten the branches in early spring, but once the leaves start growing, don't prune any more or you may be removing flower buds. As I said above, I don't prune any of my panicle hydrangeas since they have enough space, and they still bloom profusely, so it isn't necessary to prune them if you are happy with the shape and size.
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Layddi
Original Author
12 years ago
Before I go find a different spot for my pinky winkys does anybody know if I can keep them around 4 feet tall max. How long does it take for the limelights and pinky winkys to reach 6-8 feet?
anele_gw
12 years ago
I asked a garden center how long it takes for Quick Fires to reach maturity, which I think would be about the same. I was told that a 2 gallon would take 2-3 years.
whaas_5a
12 years ago
There are so many variables that impact time to mature, soil type being one of the major factors.

In a sandy soil with consistent irrigation H. paniculata could easily get 6' in 2-3 years from a 2 gallon pot. In a clay based soil that isn't irrigated regularly you might have a 3' tall plant after 3 years.

With annual pruning you can likely keep them to 4'. Why not put them where you don't have to stress them and limit their potential and get something that fits the space?
Layddi
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Whaas.....
I prune back my blue hydrangea (not sure what kind it is)
every year because I don't like the sticks showing during the winter. It seems to grow back just fine the coming year. Are the paniculata different?

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keeping lime lights and pinky winkys small

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keeping lime lights and pinky winkys small

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