Want Bigger, Better Blooms? Pinch Your Plants!

Pinching out simply means using the thumb and index finger to remove vegetative growth. Pinching should ideally be done as close to a growth node as possible.

When certain plants are pinched prior to blooming, the plant will develop a more dense form and produce more flowers. Plants that are already blooming can send out new buds in response to pinching.

Plants like tomatoes, benefit from pinch pruning by sending energy to producing stems rather than just forming vegetative growth. This will result in more fruit. Pinching removes terminal buds and the fleshy stem.

'Pinching back larger plants by one-third will delay blooming but produce successive flowers and fruits throughout the season. Pinching is also useful to make a plant more attractive even if it has had a growth spurt on one side.’

Heather in the Villa Plants That Need Pinching:

·       Sedum

·       Snapdragon

·       Salvia

·       Lavender

·       Dahlias

·       Celosia

·       Zinnias

·       Coleus

·       Sweet Peas

·       Calendula

·       Rudbeckia (coneflowers)

·       Amaranth

·       Tomatoes