Pruning Forsythia In Fall. But to get that color and a well shaped shrub it s important to trim forsythia bushes correctly. Hedging shears should never be necessary on forsythia.
Keep in mind that forsythia are large shrubs so even with rejuvenation pruning you re likely to quickly end up back where you started. Pruning forsythia is essential to control this growth. You can take down a summer bloomer like butterfly bush buddleja in early winter but in the coldest regions you might risk losing the plant entirely to winterkill if winter is exceptionally hard.
Forsythia are vigorous shrubs that quickly bounce back from this type of rejuvenation pruning provided that the shrub is healthy to start with.
Forsythia flowers give us one of the first splashes of color in early spring gardens. Pruning forsythia requires some basic knowledge of how the plant is meant to grow. Hedging shears should never be necessary on forsythia. Pruning forsythia right can make them a real asset to the garden says matthew wilson.