Prune before the buds break, not after.

Yes, but timing is everything: cut before the buds swell, not after. Early spring is a great window — as long as the plant is still dormant. Once you see green tips or leaves unfurling, stop. That new growth is this year’s flowers, leaves, and energy. Cut into it and you’ll either lose the bloom or stress the plant.

For overgrown shrubs like lilac, forsythia, or spirea, the move is renewal pruning: remove the oldest, thickest stems at ground level (up to a third of the plant). Leave the younger, healthy canes. This works best in late winter or very early spring before anything stirs. For trees, same principle — prune dead, diseased, or crossing branches while the tree is still bare. But skip oaks until late fall to avoid oak wilt.

If you missed the window and the plant is already leafing out, just wait. You can always prune right after flowering (for spring bloomers) or leave it for next dormant season. One hack: