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Marjorie Peronto: Hello. My name is Marjorie
Peronto with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Forsythias are easy to grow, but
they do require some maintenance. Pruning is the most important chore.
Forsythias have a naturally graceful arching growth habit, but they can be their own worst
enemy. Left unpruned or pruned incorrectly, they will become too large, wild, and unruly.
A neglected Forsythia can overwhelm neighboring plants and surroundings and become unhealthy.
By doing some maintenance pruning each year, you help keep the plant in bounds, assure
good light penetration and air circulation, and reduce the likelihood of disease.
Shrubs that bloom in the early spring such as Forsythia are usually pruned just after
they finish blooming. Forsythias start developing next year's flower buds in early summer. They
carry them through the fall and winter to burst open in early spring.
Flower buds are produced in clusters along the stems. If we prune a Forsythia in the
late winter while it is still dormant, flower buds are removed, reducing the upcoming spring
flower display. Sometimes when the shrub is overgrown, has
gangly branches, or has been neglected for years, its flower display is not what it could
be. In this case it's worth it to prune it when dormant and sacrifice a year of blossoms.
When pruning a mature Forsythia, each year start by selectively removing one fourth of
the oldest stems at ground level. These stems will have the largest basal diameter. As stems
get thicker with age, they rub against one another in the interior of the shrub, causing
wounds that weaken them and allow disease pathogens to enter.
The oldest stems are also the tallest, so by removing them, you reduce the height of
the shrub without changing its natural form. If you cannot get to the base of a large stem
because the area is too congested, prune it back it back to within three or four inches
of the ground. In some cases you may purposefully choose
to leave a foot or more of a large stem behind. This will encourage new shoots to develop
from unseen buds embedded within the stem. Use a pair of loppers or a small, fine‑toothed
handsaw for removing large stems. Next, thin out congested branches in the canopy.
Thinning is done by cutting a branch back to its point of origin on a main stem. This
method is the least conspicuous of all types of pruning and maintains the plant's natural
growth habit. Thinning the canopy should be done with hand pruners or loppers, depending
on branch diameter. Identify and remove any dead, damaged, or
diseased wood that you find. Branches that are growing inward toward the center of the
plant. Branches that are crossing or rubbing other branches, and some of the tallest, vigorously
upright growing shoots. Make each cut at the point where a branch originates from another
stem. Do not leave a stub. Resist the urge to sheer off the top of your
Forsythia with hedge clippers. Sheering may be faster, but branches will respond by putting
out excessive dense, brushy growth at the stem tips.
When you're finished, you will have a shrub with stems of various ages growing upward
and outward, revealing the natural fountain‑like form of the plant. You should be able to toss
a football easily through the shrub. The open habit will light and air into the center of
the shrub, stimulating sturdy, new flowering shoots to emerge from the crown and remaining
stems for future years. For more information about pruning, visit
the University of Maine Cooperative Extension's website.
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Transcription by CastingWords