Other than to remove damaged, diseased or dead wood, pruning is never a requirement!! Is there a reason you feel you need to prune? Generally, the recommendation would be to leave the plants alone until they become established before doing anything other than the maintenance pruning described above. And even then, it may not be necessary.

No real reason. Just seems like everyone talks about pruning them on YouTube. I'm just going to let them grow on their own the first couple years and remove dead growth as you have mentioned. Thanks!

Yep which is why I joined this site!

I like gardengal's comment that pruning is never a requirement..I HATE most of the pruning jobs that I see (flat tops..straight sides..look like squares) but sometimes pruning is necessary..dead, broken and errant stems should be pruned..for me when it comes to pruning less is more..

I have several different cultivars of H. paniculata, some of which are something like 10 years old, and don’t think I have ever needed to prune them. They bloom prolifically, have good form, and are healthy, so there is no need since I chose the mature size to suit the placement. I have enough other things to do in the garden without creating extra chores. I do sometimes deadhead them in late winter or early spring while the soil is still frozen, but if I don’t have a chance, it isn’t particularly obvious on most of them, though Pinky Winky’s large old blooms sometimes peak through the foliage.

if you don’t like the form or want to change the growth pattern, such as Hyed has created some tree forms, you can do that, but it isn’t needed as long as the plant is healthy and growing well.

Well, I enjoy pruning and directing shape.

I try and get to newly installed shrubs during their second or third year to sort of make sure they are growing evenly and in good proportion- no wacko branches growing wild or ruining the form I have in mind. I like to do this while they are still small enough to get into and around easily.

After their basic shape is established then going forward I have to do very little. I look at them each spring before they leaf out because it's easier to see their structure then and I clear anything that does not fit into my idea of how I want them to look from my primary viewing angle.

Most of my paniuclatas have ground cover or smaller shrubs in front of or even underneath them- these I clear out some of the lower/smaller branches. I have a big yard but even then I always seem to need more space with dappled sun for hostas etc. and this gives me tons more space than if I let the hydrangeas take up all the space underneath.

Here's a huge Quickfire (fence is six feet) that shows how I lift up the bottom to allow space for plants underneath and around it. There are some young hostas and other things under there.