Now that many of us have got the majority of our planting done for the season it’s time to think about ways to keep your plants looking great all summer. An easy trick that a lot of people are sometimes afraid to do is pinch your plants. Usually people are afraid that they may harm the plant or simply don’t want to remove any of its flowers or stems. Don’t be afraid, pinching can be very beneficial for the plants and helps them to look even better as the summer goes on.
Giving your annuals a “light” pinch by removing the very tips of the stems will encourage new growth and branching which then gives the plant a fuller look and typically results in more flowers. In general you want to pinch just above the last “node” of the stem, which is where the plant has last branched. A great example of a plant that does great when pinched is coleus. If you continue to lightly pinch it once every week or two throughout the summer the plant will continue to get fuller and fuller. If you don’t pinch it every so often the plant will still look good, however it won’t get as full as one that’s been pinched. There are some plants that require no pinching at all and naturally branch well on their own like calibrachoa. Pinching wouldn’t hurt them but since the plant does well on its own there is really no need. If you’re ever unsure just ask because often times once you’ve started pinching it becomes addictive when you see how much better your plants look throughout the summer.
I’d also like to invite all female gardeners to join us for our Ladies Night happening Wednesday, June 17th from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Along with the special shopping hours we will be having discounts, light appetizers, and music. I hope you can join us. It’s always a fun night to talk with other gardeners and enjoy an evening at the greenhouses.
Happy Gardening,
Kelly Brainard
