But then you can't tell what's dead?

Is there a specific tree you're inquiring about? I try to prune them before new buds become visible, which for me was back in January. This has been a difficult winter precisely because the dormant season was so very short. When you're hitting the 80s and even the 90s in January and February, the trees just go nuts and forget they ought to be dormant.

Thank you all. I got right to it!

Don't trim flowering trees and shrubs now! If you do, you will cut the flowering limbs. Flowering trees and shrubs should be trimmed after they flower! That way, you have nice flowers next year, on the new growth!

Thanks Moni glad you said that.

Oh geeze, so I don't want to trim my rose of sharons now? Ugh. I was always told to trim before any new growth to promote bushing out.

Melissa, if they are small or their health is questionable. I have some well established - I mean, like established since the beginning of time - Rose of Sharon and, well, they can handle a chainsaw in the middle of summer.

Good rule of thumb is not to take off more than 1/3rd of the plant if you are cutting when they are not dormant.

Can you kill a rose of sharon? LOL. Actually I did manage to kill several of mine, but I think a wet spring did those in.

How are you planning on trimming them? When mine were alive, I let them grow as tall as they wanted. If I did any trimming, it was just a little trim on the sides or cutting out any dead branches.

I need to trim my oldest vitex. Moni and I were looking at my tree today and quickly sighted a few branches that have to go.

Actually, I'd really like to move the bushes. They are in a bed that flanks the front of the house. It's not very wide which makes the bushes hang out over the sidewalk making it difficult to walk on. I'd love to transplant them side by side on the N corner of the house creating a backdrop for a larger bed. But.......not sure I can undergo that big of a transplant, lol. I'd have to coarse my son into helping me. Then I'd have to decide what I want to replace them with. I still have those pitiful looking rhododendron bushes, or should I say twigs, that I need to move but it's too early to move them yet, I think. They were here when we moved her so I wouldn't be sad if they died, but I'd love to save them and bring life back into them. I don't think they ever had a fighting chance where they are. Two rhodies and two rose of sharon bushes are just too much for about a 3 x 8 space.

Chickencoupe- thanks for the offer! I don't think I'm going to plant anymore if these two die which I don't think they will. But who knows. I think I will go back with some sort of evergreen in the same space.

Lisa- I was actually going to trim the tops of them off. I want it to be more of a hedge type bush. They are just too much for the area they are in. Before we had moved to our house in Moore, the owners had the rose of sharon bushes (there were about 12) trimmed straight across leaving about 2/3 of them. That was in late April too and they came back just fine. So maybe I should trim before the new buds start?

I am sure they would be fine. I would consider moving them at some point, though Give them a spot they will be happy in and let them grow :)