Today’s Garden Ideas

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Easy to care for, Forsythia is a woody shrub that produces glittering gold blooms along the entire length of their willow-like stems. When Forsythia is in full bloom it looks like a spectacular water fountain of gold. When the flowering season is over bright green leaves provide an appropriate background to smaller flowers. And even in winter, the arching bare stems add a graceful touch to any garden.

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Forsythias come in many varieties. ‘Spring Glory’ is famed for its lemony yellow color and will produce twice as many blooms as

other shrubs. ‘Beatrix Farrand’ has lovely canary yellow flowers with orange speckles. The giant ‘Lynwood’ has darker yellow brassier blooms and can reach up to 10 feet tall. In the fall the foliage of some of the various Forsythias will change color. ‘Karl Sax’ leaves change to a purple red and the ‘Mini’ Forsythia leaves become russet brown before they drop off in early winter.

Planting Locations

Forsythia is great as a hedge. Its abundance of flowers and dense foliage form a nice barrier between your property and your neighbors’. They also look lovely alone as accents at a garden entryway. If you have a brick house Forsythia’s golden color will look stunning against the orange of the brick. Just be sure to plant Forsythia about 5 feet away from the brick to allow it to spread out.

Plant Buddies

Forsythia blends well with just about any other spring blooming flower. Smaller Azaleas, Quince, and other shrubs that bloom a bright red look spectacular when planted in front of the neon yellow Forsythia, ‘Spectabilis’. Or if you prefer a monochromatic garden try planting ‘Northern Gold’ with the bright yellow Cloth-of-Gold or set yellow Daffodil or Tulip bulbs in front of these shrubs. You will have a sea of sunshine.

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Purchasing & Planting

When purchasing Forsythias buy a plant with approximately 9 healthy green shoots about ¼ inch in diameter. Be sure the plant has several buds. Do not by Forsythias with cracked stems or if they appear too large for their containers.

To plant your Forsythias dig a hole about 11 inches wider and 6 inches deeper than the rootball. Mix equal parts of peat moss, compost, and soil and add ½ cup of fertilizer. When you remove the Forsythia from its pot loosen the root ball. Add a 5-inch layer of the mixed soil to the hole and set the plant on that layer. Make sure the base of the plant is about 2 inches about the soil. Fill in around the soil with the soil mix. Pack the dirt down. Water well. Mulch with about 3 inches of pine bark.

Growing Tips

Forsythias love full sun and need at least six hours of direct sunlight. The soil should be well drained and average. Forsythia does not like too much water. Do not prune Forsythia to a formal shape as this may prevent blooms. Keep the mulch about 2 inches away from the shrub’s trunk to prevent rot. Instead of purchasing more Forsythia use a technique called layering in the fall to produce more plants. Simply scrape some bark off a stem on a current Forsythia and bend it so the exposed area touches the ground. Cover with a few inches of soil and place a rock on the stem to firmly anchor it. In the spring cut the stem and transplant the new shrub.

If you notice strange growth on the stems of your Forsythias this can be mycoplasmas. Mycoplasmas are bacteria-like organisms that can prevent blooming and decrease the growth of the plant. Prune off the affected area and spray with Bordeaux mix.

Seasonal Care

For seasonal care begin in spring. Prune the shrub after it flowers. Also apply ½ cup of balanced fertilizer to its base. In summer water only during dry spells. In fall buy and plant new shrubs. Mulch for the winter in zones 3-6. During winter after the foliage has fallen off the Forsythias check the branches for damage and remove them.

Quick Facts

Forsythias can spread up to 8 feet wide and 10 feet tall. They flourish in zones 5-9 and love full sun. The soil must be well drained and fertile. Do not over water this plant. Forsythias are fairly disease resistant and easy to care for. They bloom in early spring and some varieties have foliage that change color in the fall. So let some sunshine in to your garden or entrance way and plant a Forsythia or two!!

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