When and how do I prune my rose of sharon? Buds have not appeared as yet.
A Rose of Sharon can be pruned in early spring before the buds form or in late fall after the leaves drop or in winter.
If you’re looking to cut out dead wood, consider that the Rose of Sharon is a late starter and some branches will leaf out before others. Those branches may appear to be dead when they are still quite alive.
When pruning a Rose of Sharon, it is best to cut branches back to collar of the branch, just before the crotch where the branch is growing from the trunk or branch to which it is attached. For smaller branches you can use a clean, sharp pair of pruning shears and for larger branches you can use a set of clean, sharp lopping shears. Make sure the cut is clean and angled so that water will drain off and the wound will heal on it’s own. Try to avoid creating any jagged edges which could allow disease to enter the bark and infect the shrub.
Here is a link to some information about how and when to prune a Rose of Sharon.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/rose-of-sharon/pruning-rose-of-sharon.htm