Question
How far should I cut back a hydranga for the winter? All the way to the ground or just cut it back a little?
Thank you

Answer
Hi Frank,
  I usually don't cut my hydrangas back until late winter. The reason for this is I find there is less chance of the plant being severely damaged by an extremely hard freeze if the stems are left long (unpruned). Over the years, I have seen people cut back hydrangas and other deciduous shrubs after the first frost. Then a hard freeze kills the plant even farther down than it was pruned. So they end up with a plant that has been pruned my Mother Nature more than they would have liked. Leave your hydrangea alone until mid February, then cut it back to about one half its current height and side prune it as you like. As you know, hydrangas recover pretty quickly in the Spring.