Those bright yellow forsythia blooms are such a classic sign of spring that gardeners actually use them as a “calendar plant” to know when the season has officially arrived. But if your shrub is looking a little lackluster and green instead of gold, it’s usually down to a few common maintenance hiccups.
Why isn’t my forsythia blooming?
The forsythia blooming season often kicks off as early as March, making it one of the first pops of color in the garden. However, those buds are pretty sensitive to the thermometer. After a long, brutal winter, your forsythia might just be running late. If you get a sudden cold snap with deep freezes right when the buds are forming, it can actually kill off the blossoms for the entire year.
More often than not, though, the culprit is a pruning mistake. Forsythias bloom on “old wood”—meaning the branches that grew last year. If you trim off those young stems, you’re cutting off this year’s flowers. This is exactly why pruning in the fall is a big no-no. On the flip side, if you don’t prune a forsythia for many years, it becomes “over-aged” and woody, which also shuts down flower production.
Does the location matter for the flowers?
When it comes to the best spot to plant, forsythias aren’t too picky. They’ll grow in full sun or partial shade. They do prefer soil that is moist and not too alkaline, but the main thing to watch out for is “wet feet”—they really don’t like sitting in stagnant water.
Common reasons for a lack of blooms:
- Pruning at the wrong time of year
- Cutting the shrub back too aggressively
- A sudden frost right before or during the blooming phase
- The plant has become too old and overgrown
Can I get my forsythia to bloom again?
Unfortunately, if the flowers didn’t show up this spring, they aren’t coming later this year. But you can definitely set yourself up for success next season! If you pruned too heavily last year, take it easy this May once the typical blooming window has passed. Just remove any dead or diseased wood and do a light shaping.
Quick Tip: Always prune your forsythia immediately after the (expected) blooming period. That way, you can clearly see which branches are old and which ones are ready to grow the buds for next spring.
