In the early spring, a yellow-flowering forsythia hedge is a total showstopper. Even if you just have a few of these shrubs tucked into a mixed green hedge, they really hold their own. But if you want that spectacular, lush bloom again next year, your hedge needs the right kind of haircut.
When is the best time to prune my forsythia hedge?
If you have a hedge made entirely of forsythia, you can prune it at the same time you would a standalone shrub—right after the blooming period ends. Usually, that’s late April or sometime in May. Just a heads-up: if you prune this early, it might take a little while for the hedge to fill back in and provide privacy again.
Alternatively, you can push your pruning back about four weeks into the summer. By then, new growth has already started, so the hedge won’t look quite so “bare” after its trim. This is also a great strategy for mixed hedges, as it allows you to trim all your different shrubs at once, making the job a whole lot easier.
What should I keep in mind while trimming?
As with any forsythia pruning, you need to be picky about which branches you cut. The later in the year you wait, the more careful you have to be. Why? Because forsythia blooms on the wood it grows *this* year. If you shear off all that new growth, your forsythia won’t bloom next spring.
So, while you definitely want to keep the shape of the hedge looking sharp, make sure you aren’t removing all the future flowering branches. This is exactly why you shouldn’t wait until autumn to prune—by then, it’s much harder to tell which branches are the ones carrying next year’s flower buds.
To get a hedge that is both dense and full of flowers, head-back the young shoots just enough to encourage branching, but leave enough length for plenty of buds to develop.
The Quick Essentials:
- Regular pruning is highly recommended.
- Best time: Right after the flowers fade.
- Alternative: About 4 weeks later.
- Don’t just focus on the shape; watch those buds!
- Avoid cutting back too many young shoots.
Pro Tip: If you want a forsythia hedge that truly wows, don’t just “box” it into a shape. You have to prune with next year’s flowers in mind!
