One thing spring gardeners should be a little cautious about, though, is picking up their pruning shears.
While some trees andshrubscan handle a little trim, many cannot this time of year.
Plants come to life in the spring, readying to bloom, grow, and fill gardens with color.
Credit: Getty Images/Johner Images
That is particularly true if it is a plant that blooms early in spring.
For those plants, just trim off the dead or damaged wood and leave the flower buds alone.
Plus, pruning trees in spring can leave them more vulnerable to insect infestation and diseases.
Credit: Getty Images
Waiting until late summer,fall, or evenwinterto prune can store your plants and save yourself a headache.
Here are a few plants you should not prune in spring.
Instead, prune your lilacs and other early blooms as soon as they finish flowering in early summer.
Credit: Getty Images
Forsythia
Like with other early-flowering shrubs, pruning too early can cost you blooms.
Just look for dead or damaged branches to lop off, but leave those tender branches alone.
Otherwise, you’ll risk lopping off flower buds and decrease the amount of spring blooms.
Credit: Getty Images
Clematis
These beauties should be pruned in mid-spring as soon as the flowers are past their prime.
Any earlier means missing out on their gorgeous floral display.
Same goes for mock orange, flowering quince, and deutzia.
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Photo by: Ralph Anderson
Credit: Getty Images
