Just a Pinch! 

Have you ever wondered why some flowers produce more prolific flowers than others? Or, more specifically, how come yours don’t make such prolific flowers?? Likely because you aren’t pruning your plants.

Its really hard to believe, but sometimes, often times in fact, pinching buds off plants before they bloom can increase the plants flower production, and create a bushier, more showy plant.  If you’re looking for a tall plant, this might not be what you’re wanting to do. Same is true for cutting back spent flowers for longer bloom times.

Flowering annuals that can benefit from a “soft pinching” (removing the just above the node where the leaves attach to the stem) are coleus, petunias, impatiens, snapdragons and salvia. Do this once they become “leggy”.

Once early summer flowering perennials have bloomed, cut back the spent flowers to conserve the energy the plant would use to grow seeds (unless you want the plant to self-sow). When a plant’s older leaves start to look worn, you should prune the foliage back either to where there is still fresh growth or all the way back to new growth.