Cut them off as low as you can go.

For more tips from our Gardening co-author, including how to reduce the number of flowers on your forsythia, read on!

Feb 27, Forsythia produces flower buds on current season’s growth, so if you want to maximize the flower show, prune shrubs shortly after they finish flowering.

All pruning should be completed before mid-July in order to give plants enough time to put on new growth and develop flower buds. Jun 22, When to Prune Forsythia. The best time for trimming forsythia is in the spring after the blooms fade. Pruning forsythia in late summer or fall will reduce the number of flowers in the spring since these shrubs bloom fall flowering shrubs old wood and set their flower buds soon after new growth appears.

However, while cutting branches mid-stem can help to maintain a desired shape, with forsythia, it may result in fewer flowers.

Feb 11, 5 Tips for Pruning Forsythia 1. Timing Is Critical. Forsythia is one of the earliest bloomers, with flowers that open in late winter to early spring. 2. Make Cuts Where the Stems Originate. Generally, when we trim a shrub, we cut the stems back to an outward facing leaf