A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 forsynthia

I have an old bush, growing great, too great, that I would like to gain some control over. I know not to cut it back until after it blooms, but would anytime after that be OK? I wonder about late spring so it can grow new growth for next years flowers, or the fall when it is resting. ALSO, I read that a third of the height is max, so , can I just chop the beast down by a third all over and let it sprout after that. I tried to thin it and that worked a bit, but the longer bits, just took over and made up for the missing few and I am still forced to bend while I mow under it.

Yup, do it right after the flowers fade and you can cut it back pretty heavily. They can take quite a bit of abuse.

I have tried to kill those things before, and you can't do it! At least not without hurting yourself!

We had a huge forsythia right in front of where we parked our cars, one year we chopped the whole thing down to the roots and the next year it came back even bigger!

Good luck!

It has been my experience with them that the 1/3 rule works but it never really looks that great - kinda like a bad hair cut. Every few years when they become out of control I take them down by at least half. You can cut them down to 2feet and it will really come back nice but you might sacrifice next years blooms. Sometimes its worth it. I do the same thing with my lilacs too. Both plants actually perform much much better when they are severly leveled once in awhile. Good luck.

Thats info is good to know I was thinking of posting a similar questions, the fothesis around here are absolutly stunning this year

I really need to check my spellin more often
*forsythia

Ok a somewhat related question I was wondering if I cut one back this year can I move it too or should I not cut it back if I'm going to move it? It's in a really bad location for some building we are intending to do so it really needs to move. Was wondering if we do cut it back how far would you suggest if we can cut and move both?

They grow really good from cuttings.. I would move it now after it flowers .. Really I think it will be fine!! I wouldn't be surprised if it still grew back in the other location!