As freezing winter nights turn to cool spring evenings, trees and shrubs begin to bud and finally blossom in all their colorful splendor. Nothing says you can't prune once blossoms appear, but if you want to maximize controlled growth, pruning should be done before blossoms appear. Pruning during the dormant season reduces the likelihood of shocking the plant or tree. On the other hand, pruning too early can result in serious frost damage. The bottom line, prune after the last frost and before the first blossom. And that's the On The House tip for today.