Non-flowering Forsythia shoots.

I've got 3 Forsythia intermedia "Lynwood" bushes, and all of them put up some vigorous shoots which had slightly larger leaves. Now the bushes are flowering these stems aren't flowering. If this was a rose I'd say they were suckers. Should I just prune them out? They are obvious when they appear, maybe get rid of them then? Or are they destined to be flowering stems next year? Note - the bushes were only planted last May.

Stems at the front of this bush.
Profile Pictures by John Dalrymple on Gardeners Corner - The Friendly Gardening Forum

Profile Pictures by John Dalrymple on Gardeners Corner - The Friendly Gardening Forum

 

Leave them for now John....those non flowering shoots will likely flower next year.
After flowering, prune the flowered shoots back to green shoots

I donated a forsythia to my local walkway and gardens but I notice it has been incorrectly pruned.....somebody has pruned it during the summer; pruned off some of the flowering wood I mentioned it and, hopefully, it will be pruned only after flowering this spring.

 

Thanks, that makes sense.

 

Hi @John Dalrymple , leave them on for now but reduce the whole bush after flowering.

I always then prune again around end of July into August. I know this goes against @Verdun 's advice ( we had this argument last year ), but this is the result......



A nice rounded bush full of flowers on every branch and no long whispy non-flowering shoots/branches.

 

Cheers. That one looks great

 

Any joy with these John? Did they flower for you?
My forsythia grew 3 shoots last year, still not flowered just getting bigger!

 

I have the same experience. Very few flowers this year. I shall be pruning back, quite hard I think, very soon.

 

RHS pruning advice for forsythia.
Prune in mid-spring, immediately after flowering – avoid pruning later in the year, as the following spring’s flowers will be reduced. Annual pruning keeps plants healthy, shapely and within bounds:

• Cut back flowered growth to vigorous upward- and outward-facing shoots lower down
  
  
• Also remove up to one-fifth of the oldest stems from the base of the plant. This will encourage strong new shoots to sprout from the base
  
  
• Thin out any crowded shoots in the centre of the bush and remove any weak growth