Pruning error may keep forsythia from blooming

Q. I have a forsythia bush on the north side of my house. Last year it refused to bloom. Why?

A. Forsythia are among the earliest of spring bloomers. Flowers buds form on summer growth from the prior year. So prune back the stems of forsythia shortly after the spring bloom is finished; pruning off the summer growth removes the next year's flower buds. (This may be your problem).

To prune, selectively remove the up to one third of the larger older stems to keep new growth coming on. Other then occasional pruning, established plants require little to no care. Forsythia survive in full sun to partial shade. They will grow well in most well drained soils. Excess nitrogen fertilizer may promote too much leafy growth at the expense of flowering buds, another cause of few flowers the following spring.  Fertilize plants once a year in May if a soil test shows the soil is lacking.

Ÿ Provided by Mary Boldan, Mary Moisand and Donna Siemro, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. Send questions to Ask a Master Gardener, c/o Friendship Park Conservatory, 395 W. Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016, (847) 298-3502 or via e-mail to cookcountymg.com@gmail.com.