The only way Hydrangea macrophylla will bloom in your zone 6a location is if YOU or the good grace of the weather gods prevents them from freezing to the ground after they have broken dormancy in the spring.

If you are not willing to protect them from freezing in the spring, rip them out.

It is not just spring freezes that you need to protect against - macs are not reliably bud hardy below zone 7. They need protection from dormancy in late fall when they lose their leaves until temps moderate in spring in your area.

In a zone 6, H. macrophylla don't lose their leaves in the fall, they get frozen off. Right around the time the stems get mature enough to start producing flower buds. You might even get some flower expansion and the first blush of color - then ZAP.

I'm in 6b, and a warm 6b at that, and I have very rarely had any reliable blooming on any macrophylla.

I ripped them all out and am using H. serrata with limited success, or H.arborescens which bloom really, really well for me.

I am now a big fan of Hydrangea paniculata. I also have an oakleaf hydrangea that is a very reliable bloomer. I'm not getting reliable bloom on any macrophylla, even those that are supposed to bloom on new wood. Some years I've had no bloom at all.. I'm at the point of wanting to rip out all those that I have now. And I am in zone 6b.

Macs are hit or miss for me in zone 7a. They do better if planted near the house. I guess a few extra degrees can make a difference. I haven't bought a mac in about 20 years. Oakleafs are the best IMO, but they get 6-8' in diameter. Even the so called dwarf ones. The dwarf ones get as big. They just take longer to fully mature. Any of the white flowering native ones do great for me.

"Even the so called dwarf ones. The dwarf ones get as big. They just take longer to fully mature. Any of the white flowering native ones do great for me."

Living in what could be termed "hydrangea heaven", I have not found this to be true. Standard sized oakleafs can get very large....10'x10' is not uncommon here. But both 'Pee Wee' and 'Sike's Dwarf' are no more than half that size, even after many years. 'Ruby Slippers' is also a compact variety that will stay much smaller than the typical species.

btw, ALL oakleafs bloom white.....some are just inclined to age to a pinker color.

So…in layman’s terms—rip ‘em out ?
🤷🏻‍♀️

If too much trouble to winter protect, yes. There are hydrangeas that will thrive for you.....just not these kind.

"So…in layman’s terms—rip ‘em out ?"

I don't know about you but even in my large garden every plant has to earn its spot.

It all depends on what the purpose of the plant is, but in the case of bloomers that produce no blooms, well...

Yes.

Also in a 6a zone. I had 3 for a couple of years but eventually ripped them out. If you are below 7a, you need to winterize them for reliable blooms. It's kind of a pain in the ass to winterize them especially when they get larger. I live about 30-40 mins away from a 7a zone (by the ocean). Folks who have them in the 7a zone, are covered in blooms. I go back home to my 6a zone, usually they are bare. That small difference in hardiness zones makes a huge difference in bloom performance.

"btw, ALL oakleafs bloom white.....some are just inclined to age to a pinker color."

I was referring to all hydrangeas. Not just Oakleaf. The native white flowering hydrangeas do better for me than macs.

Living in what could be termed "hydrangea heaven"

So, because you live in an area that has hydrangeas, you're experience is more pertinent than mine. There are a lot of hydrangeas where I live too.

You know, your comments are so consistently contrary and unpleasant in tone as to not warrant any further response.

@Gardengal48, who are you posting about?

I think they have nice foliage and wouldn't mind keeping them around just for that. Of course, you might want to put them on the back 40 or something...

My hydrangeas don't look as nice because they have a bunch of dead flower heads on them. :) (too soon?)

If they have a bunch of dead flower heads on them, I and the Fancy Ladies Deadheading Guild for sure, would say you are running late.

Instead of ripping them out, you can either move the macrophylla hydrangeas to a less sunny area or put them in containers and overwinter them in an unheated garage or basement. I am in zone 6. I have learned that for macrophylla hydrangea to bloom they are to receive less than six hours and dappled sun in the afternoon. So I had to move them from the front where there is more than six hours of sun and put panicles there. I also have six macrophylla hydrangeas in containers in the less sunny area and many blooms appearing already.

Christopher CNC: be aware that here in the south (Dallas), some 2022 blooms may already be spent. For example, some cultivars of Macrophyllas lacecaps are almost without blooms here. ;o((

Finished hydrangea flowers by the first of June. That is a novel concept luis. The Fancy Ladies Deadheading Guild would still be clucking.

@Billy (Zone6 Mass) wow! i can’t believe it made that much difference! I’m in zone 6a/6b. I read somewhere bloomstruck hydrandrea is pretty hardy so i bought some last year to test them out. They all have buds now with no winter protection. But the plants are short.

Yes, cold weather sounds likely! If you hate to rip them out give them one more chance by doing the following:

• Apply several inches of mulch to insulate the roots
• Use burlap or another covering for frost protection

If you do take them out, plant more cold-hardy types such as panicle and smooth hydrangeas.

https://www.gardendesign.com/hydrangea/will-not-bloom.html

I am also in 6a and my hydrangea (endless summer, second year, macrophylla) is blooming like crazy. There is no need to winterize and I’ve seen blooms since early June. I suspect you may have a type that only blooms on old wood, which should not be pruned. I need to move mine, as i planted an area that receives part afternoon sun and I’ve had to cover with a shade cloth to prevent wilting and scorching. I know hydrangeas will not bloom if they receive too little sun, but i am guessing cutting it back is your issue and it won’t bloom ever again. I hope I am wrong!

HU and many numbers, your experience is not consistent with most growers. In fact, Endless Summer hydrangea is commonly referred to on discussion boards as "endless bummer" hydrangea for its consistently poor performance in the colder zones it was bred for. Dieback to the ground over winter without protection is common and new season's growth is rarely advanced enough by late summer to flower well, if at all.

btw, cutting back any macrophylla will only eliminate blooms for a single season, not permanently.

Also, according to my app this is the variety. Not sure if it makes a difference:

Not sure, garden gal. I am in NE Indiana, so maybe other 6a’s have more difficulty. I see a ton of people in surrounding neighborhoods with hydrangeas and they’re all doing great. The master gardener at my local greenhouse just told me that i can deadhead, but don’t prune. Mine does lose it’s leaves in winter, but branches remain and I was told not to cut them back, as my type of hydrangea blooms on both new and old wood.

Painted Peggies, the species does make a difference but it was established in the first response and people have been discussing H macrophylla from the get go, with a few side tracks to other species.

@floral:
Thanks! I know next to nothing about gardening so I appreciate all the advice from those who do!

Painted Peggies, I used to live in Zone 6a in Ohio and I had good luck with my Endless Summer hydrangeas there. However, they were planted in a protected location right by the foundation, and I think that had a lot to do with it.

I cannot see clearly from the photos, but are your macrophylla hydrangeas in an open area, or does it have some shelter? If they are in an open area, could you relocate them to a sheltered area to see how they would do there? Obviously, I don't mind now, when you have buds!!! :-) But perhaps in future, just to give them a higher chance of blooming?

They are along the walkway (see photo from April).

Should I move to under my front windows?
Are they hard to dig up and relocate?

Painted Peggies, what a nice house and property you have! So what direction does this face? Or does it pretty much full sun there? Much snow cover at all during winter?

My suspicion is that they may do better by the foundation with some morning sun and protection from winds etc. I don't think you should move them now as there are flower buds.

Do you really want those bare sticks at your front entry for half the year? A proven zone risky plant for a novice gardener is not the wisest plant choice. Rip 'em out.

Thanks Ostrich! The house faces East.
Yes, we spend a good 3-4 months under snow!

Here’s a current photo including one of my Hosta😉

(I know the front needs more landscaping/plants)

Painted Peggies, if I am not incorrect, where you have the macrophyllas now is essentially an open area with full sun. If you move them to the area by your house's foundation, it would then be more of a sheltered, east-facing location, right? That may just be better for them, and I think that they would look pretty against your house too!

I am not an expert in this by any means, so I wonder if the others here agree with me? I think that "ripping them out" is the right approach, but NOT tossing them away! It's a matter of relocation, if you don't mind a trial like this! I personally think it's worth it. What do you think?

For all of you hydrangea macrophylla experts (so many of you here!) when is the best time to relocate a macrophylla please?

The ‘bare sticks ‘ would be less of a problem if there were more plants growing in the bed. It is very exposed and, dare I say, sterile looking. If it were full of shrubs and perennials, including some evergreens, it would be a lot more interesting, the ’sticks’ would be less egregious and there would be more shelter for the Hydrangeas.

These things are a cinch to grow from cuttings, so, rather than move them, I’d grow some insurance plants and try them in different locations.

I’ve been struggling with this area for awhile. Here’s what it looked like when we purchased the house, almost three years ago.

This is what we saved.
I think the poor things are just getting their bearings since being in the jungle for so long !!

I am definitely open to ideas although I have posted about this before and been given some options.
I really need some good perennial plants that I don’t necessarily have to worry about.

Well, it was good to clear out that lot including the Burning Bushes. But you can see how big the Hydrangeas grew with some protection around them. I can’t help with plant suggestions as I don’t have any experience of your kind of climate.

Wow, Painted Peggies, well done for clearing out all of those overgrown bushes etc!

I think that floral_uk had some very good points about the "sticks" of these macrophylla hydrangeas. They don't look the most attractive during winter months. That said, if your area is mostly snow-covered and hides these "sticks" then it may not be as big a deal.

The bigger question to me is, what is your vision for the front yard by your entry area? I think this is critical to consider before you determine where to relocate the hydrangeas to. These are the things to consider:

1. What is your personal style? Cottage? Casual? Formal? Modern? Traditional? Look at lots of pictures to see what you like! How does that fit the style of your house?

2. What plants do you love and that you must have? (if there is any! :-)) Can you use them there? Don't forget that in colder areas, pick foliage plants that would look good for a long time, rather than just picking flowersr that may look good for a couple of weeks with the flowers!

3. Consider the 4 seasons and what would look good there during each season? Do you want to combine small evergreens with deciduous shrubs and perennials? Or small trees that look amazing with or without leaves (e.g. a small Japanese maple tree!)

It sounds like you are looking for something lower maintenance (don't we all!? LOL) - you know, it is possible to have something that looks good with lower maintenance! My first landscaper taught me something that was really true: "there is nothing that is no maintenance"! That said, you can still choose the right plants and make the area look good without having too much maintenance!

Once yuou have some ideas in your mind, perhaps then you can decide if hydrangeas fit in that vision in the front yard. If so, then combine that with other things that make the area look good, even when there are just "sticks" during winter!!! If they don't belong there, you can move the hydrangeas to a north facing area that may work very well for Zone 6a.

I used to live in Zone 6a and thought that was cold with few plant/tree choices, but then I moved to Zone 3b/4a and realized that Zone 6a was literally tropical and it was gardening heaven!!! LOL! So everything is relative and enjoy what you can do in Zone 6a!

Update from this morning…I officially have one full hydrangea!

Not sure what I have to say will help. One year we planted a hydrangea on the north side of the house and one on the south side of the house. We live in Nebraska, The first year we discovered the one planted north of the house bloomed on old wood and if it freezes, Then you have no flowers. The one on the south of our house blooms on new wood, so every year we cut it back to about 8 inches and it is blooming with beautiful white flowers. A Park gardener was driving by and stopped to tell me how beautiful my white hydrangea bush was. With Nebraska weather we gave up on the ones that bloom on old wood.

My grandmother's hydrangeas were located on the north side of her house and were always magnificent. Mine has not bloomed for three years until this year when it finally did so. I think I should have been cutting the old wood back because it appears to be the kind that blooms on new wood. I will prune it this fall, mulch and fertilize it and see if it does well again in 2023.