To avoid sacrificing this spring's flower buds, wait to prune early bloomers like lilac and forsythia until after they flower.

Otherwise, take advantage of the bare branch view and follow the plant's natural shape when making cuts. Pruning can keep a plant the right size for your yard. It can also improve its appearance and, in some cases, boost its chances of staying healthy.

Remove dead wood and branches that rub against another.

For shrubs, thin out dense central growth to open the plant to light and circulating air, which will help keep foliage dry and less susceptible to disease.

Annabelle hydrangeas, as well as panicles such as PeeGees and tarvidas, may be pruned back now to just above a healthy bud. They'll produce new stems with buds that will grow into this summer's flowers.

Don't prune other hydrangeas now or you'll remove this year's potential for flowers, since those buds formed last season and are already in place.

Oaks should not be pruned from April 1 until late fall, after they go dormant again. That's because of a potentially deadly disease called oak wilt. One way oak wilt can be spread is by insects, so postpone elective pruning until there's no chance of insect activity.