Wait until after the weigela's bloom to prune them and then get snippy only if necessary. Remove the three 'D's any thing dead, diseased, or damaged and any branches that block a path or smother a nearby plant. Like most shrubs, this plant does best when allowed to grow naturally. Do not prune in late summer or early fall as this could stimulate growth that a winter storm could damage. Early spring pruning will cut off flower buds. Pruning after blooming is the general rule. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti