These are the flower buds that you have been waiting for all winter. Once the flowers have opened and faded, then you should go back to the plant and remove the seed heads before they develop. This will assure a better crop of flowers for next year. Thin Junipers Both the larger shrub and creeping ground cover forms can be pruned now and the new growth will quickly cover any cuts. I strongly suggest, however, that you prune these plants rather than shear.
Shearing produces a dense outer layer of foliage that shades the inner wood and results in dieback.
You can safely cut out branches as large as an inch or more in diameter from the center of these plants with little harm. On the ground cover types, I pick up the longest stems that trail on the ground, follow them back into the center of the plant and cut at another branch that is growing in the direction I want to plant to follow. Weeds Are Already Out The warm weather has also forced most of the winter annuals like chickweed into full growth. Mustard is also just about to flower and quackgrass is up and growing. Remember that most of these weeds should be pulled now to prevent seed set and further spread this summer.