Forsythia

Its ideal location is outdoors in full sun, but in a well-ventilated area. It is a very hardy species that can withstand even very harsh winter temperatures; the only drawback is late frosts which, as already mentioned, could cause the premature loss of its beautiful flowers. A good solution is to place the plant under a canopy or on a bench during the night.

The common rule of watering whenever the soil feels dry to the touch is also ideal for Forsythia, bearing in mind, however, that in hotter periods and in strong winds, it is necessary to water more frequently. In fact, in these cases, the soil often risks becoming completely dry. It is also important to bear in mind that both a lack of water and an excess of water can cause serious imbalances in the plant.

The root growth of this species is remarkable, especially in younger trees, so much so that if it is not repotted for two consecutive years, the vigorous development of the root system takes energy away from the rest of the plant. This shows how essential it is to repot annually in the early years of the tree's life, reducing the frequency to every two years in adult specimens. The ideal time is immediately after flowering. The most suitable compost for this species consists of 60% akadama and 40% ready-made soil.

Flower buds form at the ends of the branches, so it is advisable to prune the tips of the shoots around the end of May. Once flowering is complete, it is necessary to remove the wilted flowers and prune the branches. When doing this, it is important to always leave some leaf buds, otherwise you risk losing the branch. A peculiarity of this plant is that leaf buds form in areas where flowering has occurred; if the flowers are left too long, these buds cannot develop properly, so if you want to achieve a good silhouette, you must not neglect this delicate aspect of pruning. Forsythia produces numerous suckers at the base: to maintain a neat structure, it is best to remove them immediately as soon as they appear. During the branching phase, it is best to ignore flowering and continue pruning until the end of August. Once the basic structure has been achieved, you can freely focus on flowering.

In June and July, it is advisable to carefully observe the tree, removing flower buds from branches that have not formed leaf buds with tweezers. This ensures that the plant produces leaf buds on branches that previously only had flower buds before vegetative growth resumes. Pinching should also be carried out on branches that appear excessively vigorous, removing them.

Wrapping can be carried out throughout the year, provided that it is done with due care. It is best to use copper-coated aluminum wire wrapped with adhesive tape and slightly thicker than necessary, avoiding excessive pressure on the branches and drastic bending. However, it is preferable to prune branches that grow in an unsuitable position rather than drastically changing their direction with wrapping. It is important to remember that wrapping can only be done when the branches are still tender, i.e., when their thickness has not exceeded 0.5 cm.

Fertilize from the end of flowering until the leaves fall, every three or four weeks with slow-release organic fertilizer such as Hanagokoro (Bonsan line), avoiding the hottest months. It is also good to fertilize during the fall, although much more lightly.

With proper care and ideal placement, Forsythia is a species that is particularly resistant to disease and pest attacks. However, it is sometimes susceptible to aphids.