Cutting forsythia: when and how to do it?

Forsythia shine in a bright yellow with the first warmer days. But the wrong cut can destroy the entire flower.

The forsythia (Forsythia × intermediate) is one of the most popular shrubs in German gardens and is best known for its striking, yellow flowers. The plant, which belongs to the olive family (Oleaceae) belongs, shines anew every year with the right technology. If, on the other hand, the forsythia is cut at the wrong time, you will have to accept the lack of flowering in spring. We show you how to avoid mistakes when cutting.

Cutting forsythia: when is the right time?

The right time is always decisive for lush flowering in forsythia. The yellow-flowered plant is called mesoton in botany, which means that new shoots grow almost exclusively from the main shoot. The bright yellow flowers only appear on the fresh shoots every year. Find out below when you should cut the flower and when not.

Cut forsythia in autumn?

A common mistake when caring for forsythia is pruning in the fall. Most of the new shoots that grow in the summer and will bear the flowers next spring are removed. The ambitious gardener will get the receipt next spring if there are no flowers. The following always applies: Never cut off new shoots in autumn, but you can remove old and dead branches without hesitation.

Prune forsythia after flowering

Even if the forsythia should not be cut in autumn, it is still advisable to cut the new shoots once a year. The best time to do this is from spring to early summer after the forsythia has bloomed. In the course of the summer, the plant still has enough opportunity to develop fresh shoots for flowering again next year.

For the right time when cutting forsythia, pay attention to the following tips:

• Never cut new shoots in autumn
• Only remove old, dead branches in autumn
• Pruning the shoots after flowering

These products are ideal for trimming your shrubs, hedges and trees:

• Felco secateurs: Manual lace pruning shears recommended for all types of pruning. In addition to plastic-coated handles, it has a precision adjustment system for the blade and anvil.
• Felco fruit tree and secateurs: Heavy duty fruit tree and secateurs with wire cutter, sap groove and micrometer adjustment.
• Gardena telescopic arm scissors: Practical pruning shears for effortless cutting of tall trees and dense shrubs from the ground.

Cutting forsythia: Instructions for the right cut

Pruning the forsythia generally makes sense to keep the plant healthy in the long term and to guarantee the desired flowering in spring. In the following we present different types of cuts.

Prune forsythia regularly

With the one already mentioned thinning cut Bloated and old shoots are carefully cut off so that enough light can reach the heavily branched interior of the bush. In addition, the willingness to bloom is maintained for the next year. It is best to carry out this cut every year after flowering, as this will increase the number of flowers enormously. In addition, it makes sense if overhanging, diseased and old branches are removed throughout the year.

Cutting forsythia radically: Bringing neglected forsythia into shape

To trim a sprawling forsythia, the so-called maintenance cut. At least every three years, cut back the shrub relatively strongly and remove strong branches. An even more radical, but quite useful method is the taper cut. You should do this if the forsythia is affected by a fungus or is only growing sparsely. To do this, cut down the majority of the shoots quite heavily and leave only a few branches.

If you heed these tips, nothing stands in the way of the health of the forsythia and lush flowering.

More information about forsythia, for example for planting or propagation, can be found in this overview article.