Forsythia Care

LeafLoverLucy

So, let’s talk about forsythia—the show-off of the early spring garden. Anyone else have one of these golden explosions in their yard? Mine basically wakes up in March, yells “LOOK AT ME, I’M ALIVE,” and then drops all its flowers like it’s done for the year.

Does anyone actually prune these weird yellow fireworks, or do we all just let them run wild and try not to get stabbed walking past? And what’s the secret to making those flowers last longer—gentle pep talks, bribes, or sacrificial offerings of last year’s gardening gloves?

Seriously though, am I doing something wrong, or is the fleeting glory of forsythia just part of its charm?

gardenglow

Honestly, you’ve nailed it-forsythia’s basically the garden’s big drama queen: glorious for a minute, then all done until next year. I do hack mine back right after it blooms, though, since if you leave it, you end up with a monstrous tangle that only flowers at the tips. If you want more blooms (and for longer), keep the old wood in check and thin out some older branches every year-newer wood flowers best. But in my experience, there’s no trick that really extends the show; mother nature likes to tease. It’s fleeting glory or nothing!