Question: I have several overgrown deciduous shrubs. Can I cut the plants right back to the ground and let them regrow, or would that kill them?

Answer: The general rule of thumb is to prune no more than one-third of a plant at any time to reduce shock. If you're not sure what types of shrubs you have, follow this guideline. However, some shrubs are so vigorous that you can cut them right back to the ground and they'll readily resprout. These vigorous growers include spirea, blue-mist shrub, butterfly bush, and forsythia.