Pruning Forsythia Hedge. Hedge shaped forsythias require pruning several times a year rather than just 1 time in the spring. The best way to avoid bad pruning and the problems that result is of course to choose a spot where your shrub has enough room to spread and grow to mature size.
Pruning forsythia into a formal hedge will remove most of the shrub s flowering potential. If you want a well clipped hedge of forsythia the pruning is carried out with either a pair of shears or a hedge trimmer. In a mature forsythia shrub cut at least one fourth to one third of the oldest thickest branches close to the ground.
Forsythia make good dense and colourful hedges that can be kept well under control for a small 3ft 1m high hedge or as a larger hedge.
If you want your forsythia to look its best let it grow outward rather than shaping it into a hedge. Tools used to prune forsythia. The size of a forsythia. Prune a forsythia hedge by cutting old unruly canes canes back to the base of the plant right after the flowering period.