I really try not to prune oakleaf hydrangeas. As you discovered, they flower on old wood. Rather than prune them, I pick a spot where they have room to grow. However, it can happen that plants get larger than planned and need to be cut back some. If this happens, prune oakleaf hydrangeas right after they flower in the summer. For additional tips, check out my video on pruning hydrangeas!
Unfortunately, there really aren’t any deer resistant hydrangeas or hostas. Our deer resistant list has other options for your garden.
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