Sage-Tips

What plants benefit from pinching?

Basil, tarragon, thyme, sage, scented geraniums and marigolds respond well to pinching. Oregano and thyme do best when pinched or cut back to about half their length. Frequent pinching can keep rosemary and lavender to a manageable size during their spring growth spurt and supply you with lots of herbs for cooking.

Why does pinching the top off a plant create fuller growth?

The rooting hormones sold at garden centers often contain auxins which will stimulate rooting in leaf or stem cuttings. It is the high natural auxin concentration in the tip which causes a plant to grow tall. This is called apical dominance. Pinching temporarily reduces auxin which takes away the apical dominance.

Does cutting plants help them grow?

For the most part, pruning always stimulates growth, but how severely you prune a plant will depend on exactly what you want to happen. Severe pruning (or cutting way back) will typically result in vigorous growth but light pruning will allow slower growth.

What does pinch back leaves mean?

By pinching back, you force the plant to grow twice as many stems, which results in a fuller plant. For plants like herbs, pinching back can help the plant to produce more of their desirable leaves. By pinching the plant, you are forcing the plant to focus on re-growing lost stems rather than growing height.

What does pinch out the tips mean?

‘Pinching’ describes a type of pruning that encourages plants to branch out along the stem to become fuller and more bushy. When you pinch out a plant, you remove the top of the main stem, forcing the plant to grow two new stems from the leaf nodes below the pinch.

How can I make my plant thicker?

Make each cut within 1/4 inch of a leaf or bud to encourage fuller branching. Prune back severely in spring or when the plant first begins to put on rapid new growth. Trim back individual stems that outgrow the rest of the plant a month or two later to keep the houseplant compact and full.

Which flowers need pinching out?

‘Pinching’ describes a type of pruning that encourages plants to branch out along the stem to become fuller and more bushy….Some of the most popular bedding plants which benefit from being pinched out are:

• Petunias.
• Fuchsias.
• Dahlias.
• Pelargoniums (geraniums)
• Antirrhinums.
• Marigolds.
• Sweet peas.

Why does cutting a plant make it bushier?

If the terminal bud is removed by pruning, pinching, or breaking off, the supply of that chemical is slowed and the other buds (which will form what are called lateral shoots) quickly grow and branch out, resulting in a bushier look to the plant instead of a long spirally growth.