How to Trim Forsythia in the Winter

Forsythia is a large, sturdy shrub that produces vibrant yellow flowers in the early spring. It grows to be between 7 and 10 feet tall, and if you wish to keep it smaller, you need to cut it back every year. Pruning in the late winter months allows you to see the canes you are cutting and to affect the way the forsythia blooms the following year, as the shrub blooms on prior-year growth. Don’t worry about taking off too much, as forsythia is a strong grower that can recover from being cut to the ground within a year or even less.

Saw
Gardening shears

Instructions

- 1
  Cut two or three of the oldest, largest canes down to the ground using a saw. The oldest canes tend to look shaggy and unattractive, and removing them allows the other canes space, air and sunlight. The oldest canes are the most woody and they also tend to be darker in color than the younger canes.
- 2
  Remove any dead canes with a pair of gardening shears or your saw. Dead canes are lighter and may have bark flaking off of them.
- 3
  Cut back any canes that are drooping down to the ground. Forsythia propagates by putting down runners that grow into new plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture considers forsythia an invasive plant, and without care, it can quickly spread.
- 4
  Cut back any branches that cross or that put pressure on other branches. While this can make the forsythia look slightly skimpy first thing in the spring, it keeps the bush looking healthy. Because forsythia is a rapid grower, the holes fill in quickly.

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