by Lydia Holley February 1, 2021
Forget the groundhog. Forsythias are the true prognosticators of spring. One of the earliest shrubs to bloom, they display a cluster of bright yellow flowers, signaling that winter will soon end. Perhaps because they stand out in the landscape, a lot of gardeners look for forsythia blooms to start the timing of certain chores.
Rosarians state pruning of modern roses should be done around the time the forsythia blooms. Farmers believe forsythia blooms indicate the right time to plant corn. It has also been said their blooms forecast the time to put down pre-emergents to prevent crabgrass in lawns. The reasoning behind these sayings is that forsythias bloom around the time when the soil reaches 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the soil temperature corn can be planted, while crabgrass emerges when the soil temperature is five or ten degrees warmer. Since it seems science backs up the claims, many rely on forsythia’s foretelling powers, even though studies have shown that using forsythia blooms as a guide is no better than using a set calendar date for these chores.
Even if you do not use the forsythia to time certain garden chores, its bright, cheerful blossoms will beg you to come outdoors, have a look around, and maybe even play in the garden for a while. Easy to grow, it has been given an index rating of nine as an Earth-Kind® plant by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Anything over eight is considered to be a plant tolerant of heat, drought, and pests, needing no special fertilizers. Forsythia prefers acidic soils, will need some irrigation in drought conditions, must have well-draining soil, and blooms best in full sun.
Because most forsythias grow to around 10 ft tall, this plant is generally not recommended for foundation plantings but to be used at the back of the border, as a screen, or as a hedge. However, you may be lucky enough to find dwarf cultivars which can stay less than three feet tall.
Even if you can find small forsythias, remember that their blooms are so striking because they are on bare stems. This deciduous winter look should be taken into consideration when you place them in your landscape. And, although they are stars of the early spring garden, they look quite plain in summer.
Pruning should be done in the spring after blooming. Many shear hedges, but to keep the arching shape of the bush, prune each shrub individually, cutting up to one-third of its oldest branches close to the ground. If you wait too late, you may not get many blooms the following year as forsythia bloom on old growth.
You can also enjoy forsythia blooms inside by cutting a few branches and placing them in water. The branches should bloom in a week or two. So, if you have a forsythia plant, you can enjoy the coming of spring inside and out. So much better than a groundhog.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email hendersonCMGA@gmail.com.
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