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Thursday, October 24, 2013

How to Pinch Plants


How to Pinch Plants 

 

Pinching Back: What does it really mean?

One term that’s often thrown around among gardeners is “pinching.” This may confuse newer gardeners, as it’s not often explained properly. What is pinching? Why is it important? What’s the proper way to pinch? Keep reading to find out!

 

What is pinching plants?

 

Pinching is a type of pruning, which encourages branching of a plant. This means that when you ‘pinch’ a plant, you are removing a main stem in order to encourage the plant to grow two new stems below it.

 

Why should I pinch?

 

One of the biggest reasons to pinch a plant is to force it to take on a fuller form. By pinching, the plant is forced to produce twice as many stems. This causes it to look fuller and more appealing! Another big reason we pinch plants is to keep them compact. When a plant  is pinched, it is forced to focus it’s energy on replacing lost stems, rather then growing in height.

 

How do I pinch?

 

Pinching is easy. The term comes from the fact that most people literally pinch with their fingers. You can also use a pair of scissors or clippers. It’s usually best to pinch right above a node (the place where a side stem or leaf meets a main stem.)

 

A link on the subject can be found at:  http://www.sunlitfarms.com/site/How_to_Pinch_Plants.html

 

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