Cutting Back Forsythia In Fall. Cut them low to the ground with a handsaw. In a mature forsythia shrub cut at least one fourth to one third of the oldest thickest branches close to the ground.
Show Off Starlet Forsythia Forsythia Bush Plants Flowering Shrubs from www.pinterest.com
For the very oldest and most overgrown forsythia pruning should be brutal cropping the entire shrub to about 4 inches 10 cm from the ground. Forsythia are vigorous shrubs that quickly bounce back from this type of rejuvenation pruning provided that the shrub is healthy to start with. One option is to remove a third of the oldest branches shortly after flowering in the first year followed by half in the second year and the remainder in the third year.
They can grow 8 feet stems in a single season.
Rejuvenate the forsythia in late winter or early spring before the buds begin to swell. Keep in mind that forsythia are large shrubs so even with rejuvenation pruning you re likely to quickly end up back where you started. If your forsythia plant is under 5 years old it ll need little to no pruning. For the very oldest and most overgrown forsythia pruning should be brutal cropping the entire shrub to about 4 inches 10 cm from the ground.
