1) Pruning Forsythia 2) Direct Sowing Seed

The Man · #1 (**permalink**) 15-06-2011, 02:07 PM

Hello Forum

Please could you help me?

I have a rather woody Forsythia and I would like to prune it back but not I'm not sure how to go about it. I know next year's flowers will on this year's new growth and if I cut that off I will lose flowers next year and that's OK. I want to know if I should not cut back no further than the last bud/leaf node or does this not matter? Also, can I direct sow wildflowers at any time of the year or should I be more careful than that?

artdemole · #2 (**permalink**) 15-06-2011, 02:39 PM

Forsythia that I have trimmed have been done with shears just to required shape.Have always come on again to flower.Even early winter.Where are you sowing wild flowers.May be best time to sow would be Autumn as that would be natural time of seed falling to ground.

Dorts · #3 (**permalink**) 15-06-2011, 02:41 PM

Hi. Welcome to WAB.
Forsythia fowers mainly on old wood and 'spurs', (short growth off old stems. You will get few flowers from this years growth for a couple of years if left. So the general principles of pruning are two-fold.
1. Do nothing other than removing unwanted growth.Great if the shrub is growing free in a large border or lawn.
2. Remove all new growth to encourage 'spurs' to develop new flowering buds. Ideal if shrub has little room, as near a path, doorway etc.

If the shrub has just got far to large, remove a third of the shrub each year for three years. Cut just above the ground or as near as possible.

Wildflowers. Sow direct onto the ground in either feb/march or sept/oct. Even better, sow into pots in Feb/ March and plant out when large enough.
Dorts.