I would plant the forsythias at least 8ft apart Are you going to be shearing them?

No I will not be shearing them. I will let it grow naturally. But I want a perfect hedge with no gaps in between. You sure 8 ft isn't too far? Because I know they grow to around 7 ft wide at maturity

7ft sounds ok. I would shear them to control size. As a general rule, no plant stops growing (until it dies, or course).

If you want a dense hedge with no gaps and it grows to 7' wide, I'd plant at more like 5'. I have no personal experience with Lynwood Gold, however.

planting for a purpose... such as a hedge.. you plant them as close as you want.. to accomplish the goal ... in the time period you want ... there is no definitive answer ...

how many can you afford ... and divide by the space .. but dont get carried away .. lol...

ken

No "Gold" in the name. See size description here.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/214902/Forsythia-x-intermedia-Lynwood-Variety/Details?returnurl=%2fplants%2fsearch-results%3fform-mode%3dtrue%26context%3dl%253den%2526q%253d%252523all%2526sl%253dplantForm%26query%3dlynwood%26aliaspath%3d%252fplants%252fsearch-results

I would plant a lot closer than 8'. Maybe 3-4'.

Close spacing and resulting density implies a formal sheared hedge, which eliminates the arching habit that is one of the main attractive features of non-dwarf forsythia cultivars.

I'm not sure what is so appealing about the arching branches. I say shear.

Logan, that's because you have no idea what makes forsythia a pretty shrub and how it flowers. You DO NOT shear forsythia like a boxwood or privet hedge. You grow it for the spring flowers and the way the branches look the rest of the year. Please don't post on what you know nothing about.

Heruga, about 3 - 4 foot apart for good coverage in a reasonable amount of time. To control the size and coverage of forsythia, after 3 to 4 years, you want to cut the oldest canes down flush to the ground. This allows the new to come up. If you like the size do not cut. NEVER shear like a hedge. That cuts the flowers off. Forsythia blooms on canes produced the previous year.

Yes, I have forsythia and the variety "Lynwood Gold" I have been growing it for at least 30 years.

You can produce a very nice, formal look with shearing. I think the way the branches look when not sheared looks somewhat weedy. When I say shearing, I mean the removal of all new growth (as it appears) not annual shearing. More similar to topiary pruning.

I've actually ordered 4 forsythias online from DAS farms last night. I will be spacing them 4-5 feet apart. The rest of my forsythias do indeed look very messy with branches sticking out everywhere but I barely shear it because I like to just let it grow naturally. I don't really mind it looking messy.

By the way, do forsythias spread? Like do they grow suckers or new shoots? I'm wondering because if my 100 feet forsythia hedge all dies at once, thats a problem.

When you remove the new growth, you cut off next years flowers. You do not shear forsythia. You cut the old growth to the ground. Yes, it will root wherever it touches the ground. If you want a formal hedge, you do not grow this plant. You also do NOT make a topiary.

4 - 5 feet is a good spacing. What you cut is about 1/3 of the old growth every three to five years. You don't have to cut at all, but if you want to keep to a certain size that is how you prune. You do not prune at all until after it has bloomed in the spring. Then, if it is bigger, taller, or wider than you want, you would trim the oldest branches back to the ground. This takes out the older growth, leaving room for new shoots. If this is done right after flowering, the new shoots will bloom the next spring.

The new ones you have just purchased, would not be pruned for at least 5 years, unless you need to cut out dead or damaged branches.

They sucker from roots. It won't cause it to die, just make it even messier.

Does it matter if you remove the flowers? If you don't want the branches why worry about them blooming. My sheared forsythias always bloom beautifully!

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/shrubs/hgic1064.html

So what? I like the way that they look sheared, and it does not remove flowers. If I do remove the flowers, it will be on branches that I don't want anyway.

Isn't this much more attractive?

==>>>http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/foin12.htm

'Lynwood Gold' is a synonym, the correct name is 'Lynwood Variety'.

Logan, don't you have some homework to do, or clean your room or something?

Do you have some forsythia to shear rhizo? If not I am sure sherry's is in bad need of it.

Ok well I have a little gap in my forsythia hedge where the pyracantha was growing right inside it in which I recently cut down. Will the forsythia eventually spread and fill out the gap by itself? Or would I have to plant a new one?

I would plant another one just to speed up the process, but it will if you wait.

Ok. Actually I think I might just cut off some existing branches and bury them in the soil. And see if it grows from there

It requires a little more than that ;). Although, they are one of the easiest plants to produce from cuttings. Wait until spring, after bloom for that.

Herruga, If you don't already have rooted plants from your existing forysthia, you want to select a long branch and allow it to touch the soil. you can use a brick or stone to keep it firmly in place. Next spring remove the brick and check by gently pulling. It should be rooted. You can then transplant it. Actually, I would look under your older plants. If a branch is touching the ground, pull gently. If it resists, it is rooting and making a new plant. That is how I have got all of mine from only one plant.

Embothirum, that may be the name on the tags now, but in the early 1980's, the one my FIL gave me had "Lynwood Gold" on the tag.

Lynwood Gold’ flowers aren’t as large or as vibrant in color as ‘Beatrix Farrand,’ but it flowers reliably year after year without a lot of attention. It is more upright than ‘Beatrix Farrand’ and measures about 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Varieties Of Forsythia: What Are Some Common Forsythia Bush Varieties http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/forsythia/forsythia-bush-varieties.htm

Sherry, nice one!

I would think most hedges should be evergreen. Isn't privacy usually the purpose of a hedge?

As an aside, I have a variety called 'nervosa'.

Forsythia is a very dense shrub, sheared or not sheared. Sherry is correct about propagation, but the pruning (shearing vs. informal) is a personal preference based on aesthetics and/or experience. Forsythia is one thing that always sells good, and I tend to keep it in stock. I have 3 forsythia (small now) that will end up being sheared. Four years ago, I performed rejuvenation pruning on my grandmother's forsythia and I now keep it sheared. The only thing I ever hear about it is compliments, before I sheared it the front yard was like a forsythia forest.

Forsythia is seldom planted where it has enough room to be itself, therefore you see all sorts of sheared shapes that it's been to subjected to to keep it in bounds. Usually it's location, rather than preference, that determines whether it's sheared or not.

The reason why I love forsythia is because its strong, reliable, and its a care-free plant. Its deer resistant, spreads by itself, grows fast, disease resistant... whats not to like about this plant! Seriously why cant all plants be like forsythia... the very weak azalea for example

True hedges should be evergreen. But when we moved in to this house 15 years ago the forsythia was already there and I still love it. In the winter I can see my neighbors property through the forsythia hedge but I don't really go out in the yard in the winter so it doesn't really matter

Can I ask why you removed the firethorn? Was it because of the thorns or something else?

Because its not in my list of my favorite plants. I didn't even know it was there until I found it hiding behind the forsythias this spring. Also, it was in a bad location and it wouldn't live there for too long. The bittersweets were strangling it also and several of the branches have been snapped off by it so it already has lost its appeal so whats the point of keeping it right.

I also still have a bunch of crap to cut down. Theres a 30 feet tall ash tree growing inside my forsythias which I will be cutting down soon and a 40ft black walnut tree which I also will be cutting down. These damn opportunistics!

Is it too late to plant forsythias now? Its almost november and the weathers getting cooler and cooler. The forsythias I ordered online still hasn't arrived yet either

No.

Plant anytime. Dormancy is best to reduce shock.

Only reason I'm asking is because I'm worried that newly planted plants will die from the cold especially because they are unestablished and are more vulnerable to it

They are fully hardy in your zone, so you should have no problem with cold.

I know but what if the ground freezes? Won't the roots freeze as well and isn't that bad for plants that were just planted and the roots haven't even begun moving yet. Or at least if the ground freezes, the roots won't be able to penetrate the soil?

In NJ I tend to doubt that the ground freezes much if at all. Regardless, after planting, mulch with a couple inches of mulch out about 2'. This will help reduce any possible frost heaving where the alternating of freeze-thaw can push plants out of the ground. It will also help next season to keep moisture even and weeds down as your new plants grow.

Here in NH I've planted through the end of October. Our ground doesn't really freeze until some time in mid to late November, and if we have early snow, it may not freeze at all since deep snow makes a good insulation from cold air.

With a good mulch the ground won't freeze very deep in Zone 7.

Here in Zone 8a I plant anytime I can dig a hole, even if I have to break through frozen soil.

Good soil preparation helps a lot. Most people don't loosen the soil beyond the planting hole. I spade or till the whole area before planting. The extra effort is worth it to me, but I've never been lazy with a shovel....or a tiller.

the one my FIL gave me had "Lynwood Gold" on the tag

This actually means nothing. Many cultivars travel widely under the wrong cultivar names for long periods of time - it wouldn't surprise me if no stock being offered in North America is using the correct name 'Lynwood Variety' for this British introduction even now.

Names of plants cultivated as wild species are also sometimes found by experts reviewing the groups they belong to be different species entirely - or even garden hybrids or other variants being grown wrongly as wild species. Several rather frequently sold and planted cotoneasters for instance aren't the species they are supposed to be.

Well my four forsythias arrived in the mail today and they looked wonderful! They were from DAS farms and I am very impressed. I just planted all four of them today. So excited to see how much they'll grow next year

They are very rapidly growing. I just dug some today, I plaited every one of them. The clippings left from pruning them will be used to propagate more. Will take some pictures (if I ca remember).