Don’t prune these now
CORNUS MAS It’s flowering now, unlike its bright-stemmed cousins (see p6).
FORSYTHIA Pruning now will prevent flowers.
CHAENOMELES Soon or already blooming. Prune early flowering shrubs after flowering.
TENDER PLANTS It’s still a little cold and wet to prune tender plants. It will likely cause them to rot and die. Once they get going, they can be tough, but right now they’re vulnerable.
NEW GROWTH ON PERENNIALS Pruning new growth now can mean ingress of bacteria and fungus into sappy, damaged shoots. So, when cutting back perennials, proceed with caution.