Pruning Forsythia

The bright yellow flowers of the Forsythia have faded heralding the time to prune. It is when the leaves start to appear that the buds for next years flowers start to form under the bark so the time to get the secateurs out is now. Forsythia is very hardy and can be cut back to the ground if necessary but usually all that is needed is a bit of thinning out and the shortening of some of the more untidy branches. Aim to cut out completely about a quarter or a third of the oldest stems and then remove some of the whippier growth to allow light to get in. If you need to, you can also reduce the height if its starting to look a bit untidy but keep in mind that the natural form of this shrub is tall, elegantly arching branches.