When or do you have to remove the seed pods from the Spanish broom?

I cut mine back by about a half in the spring. That takes the seed pods off!

You don't have to remove the pods, but as Spritzhenry says, the plant should be clipped over after flowering in the spring to keep it tidy and in shape.

I have grown this plant from seed (inadvertently!) though the packet was supposed to be Genista aetinensis...still a bit miffed about this!

Anyway, I go with the light tidy option.

The funny thing is, the one I kept and grew from seed is naturally compact and dense in habit, though still now approaching 7ft after 5 years.

Might be a good clone worth naming....

I need to cut mine back harder, to keep it within the space where it is.

There's one in the village which has never been pruned - it's a warning to me to make sure I DO look after mine, as it looks dreadful - sprawling, woody, flowers only at the top, split trunk, you name it!