Should You Stake Your Hydrangeas?

Some hydrangeas can grow big, bushy blooms without ever flopping over, and others require stakes to stand tall. Staking your hydrangeas keeps your flowers clean, perfectly round, and ready for cutting or drying. Staking is easy to do with soft fabric or jute ties. Decide if your hydrangea needs staking—and then study up on the proper tools and techniques. Our experts offer tips and techniques on how to stake hydrangeas the right way.

Should You Stake Your Hydrangea?

According to our experts, certain types of hydrangeas are more likely to require staking. "Hydrangeas that produce large flowerheads, like the Annabelle hydrangea, appreciate some added support to keep their flower stems upright," says Amy Enfield, a horticulturist at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. "Staking helps keep the plants tidy, the branches from bending under the weight of the flowers, and keeps the flowers in full display in your garden."

Additionally, Dimitrov says stakes will help support larger flower varieties such as mop-head or lace-cap hydrangeas, says Venelin Dimitrov, a senior product manager at Burpee.

If you're unsure whether your plant would benefit from the extra support, pay attention to its posture after a heavy rain, says Enfield. "Large flowers and heavy rain can make for floppy hydrangeas," she says. "So, if the flowers cause the stems to bend to the ground under the weight of the rain, it's a good idea to stake your plants."

Tools for Staking Hydrangeas

To properly stake your hydrangeas, you'll need the right materials, including simple stakes and soft ties. "You can utilize bamboo stakes and a soft tie, such as fabric tape or strips of old pantyhose—black is less conspicuous in the garden than nude," says Dimitrov.

If the hydrangea grows near a fence, skip the stakes and use jute twine to gently tie it to the structure for support, says Enfield.

How to Arrange the Stakes

Use as many stakes as necessary to support your plant, but make sure they are properly secured in the soil, says Enfield. "Stakes should go 6 to 12 inches into the ground so that the stems don't pull them out under their weight," she says. "Closer to the plant is better, but be careful not to damage the root system."

If you want to hide the stake, place the support in the center of the plant; the stake should be about a foot shorter than the tallest stem. Use the ties to pull each stem up individually towards the center, says Enfield, placing plant ties under leaves to prevent them from sliding up. "Use a figure-eight loop that is twisted around the stake," she says. But don't make your knots too tight. "The stem should be able to move so it can continue to grow," says Enfield.

Support Blooms for Future Bouquets

If you like to use your homegrown hydrangeas for bouquets, Dimitrov recommends staking your most dramatic and eye-catching blooms to stop them from bending onto the ground and getting crushed. "If you plan on cutting large flowers for at-home arrangements or bouquets, you will want to stake them to preserve their shape," he explains. "The bigger the blooming flowers, the more likely they are to droop."