An important aspect of pruning is knowing when to prune plants.
Proper timing helps insure attractive, healthy, productive plants.
The proper times to prune various woody plants in the yard and garden are indicated below. Spring-flowering shrubs bloom in the spring on the growth of the previous season. Two widely planted examples are lilac and forsythia. The proper time to prune spring-flowering shrubs is determined by their condition. Old, neglected spring-flowering shrubs often require extensive pruning to rejuvenate or renew the plants.