Forsythia benefit from rejuvenation pruning. The younger thinner stems produce the most flowers and resist disease and pests, so cut the thickest oldest stems down to the base. If your shrub is overgrown, you can completely cut the entire plant down to the ground and the root system will regrow. It probably won’t bloom for several years, but it will be healthy and beautiful. Forsythia is not native to North America, so it would be even better if you replaced this plant with native vernal, witch

It’s time to prune early-flowering shrubs like Viburnum and Forsythia now that their blooms have faded. Pruning straight after flowering encourages healthy new growth and sets the stage for next year’s display. For smaller shrubs, use a sharp pair of secateurs to deadhead back to an outward-facing bud. Larger specimens may need shears, but always aim for an even overall shape. Avoid taking more than a third off at once to prevent plant stress and support strong regrowth. 🌿✂️ #pruning #earlyflow

Let’s create a forsythia bloom wreath in about 5 minutes. 😄💛 | How I See It Blog, LLC