Last updated on December 2nd, 2011
I’ve been in the mood for a little plant-pinching lately, and that’s a good thing, because the early June garden needs it. “Pinching” refers to the removal, with thumb and forefinger, of the end growth of a plant. This encourages lush, dense branching, and better flowering. Would you like to see a few of my pinching victims?
Day-Neutral Strawberries – To insure a bountiful harvest, one that lasts from June through frost, I pinch the flower buds from ‘Seascape’ strawberries during their first five weeks of production. Technically, I’m really “disbudding,” not “pinching” the plants, but the goal is the same: bushy, compact growth, and an abundance of flowers that will later become baskets of delicious, juicy fruit.
Eastern White Pines – I’ve been snipping the new shoots or “candles” from these for several weeks now, but each time I pass my trio of pines I find candles that I’ve missed. I don’t pinch the entire shoot, only half of it. My trees are particularly bushy (up to my 5’8″ height, anyway) as a result.
Chrysanthemums – These need pinching in order to avoid leggy growth and flowers that collapse soon after they bloom in autumn. Proceed this way: When shoots are 8 inches high, pinch them back by half. When a new chorus of shoots grows, pinch again by half, and so on, until July 15.
Geraniums – To have flowering specimens for winter windows, I keep a few of my young, spring-purchased plants (or those I’ve grown from cuttings) in pots, and I pinch off every single flower bud until September. As you can imagine, the plants explode with bloom when they are brought indoors before frost.
Annuals – Salvia, marigolds, petunias and etc., all benefit from early pinching in order to avoid leggy growth. Zinnias, in particular, seem to demand it.
A final thought. Besides pinching your way to beauty, remember to deadhead, too. Removing faded blooms keeps the garden tidy, and usually encourages further flowering. Use fingers to deadhead soft-stemmed plants; anvil pruners can take care of the woodier subjects.
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Justin says
Kevin, Thanks for the tips. I'm off now to the garden now, to pinch, disbud and deadhead.
By the way, I bought the seascape strawberries you suggested, and I'll continue to nip the buds until the last week of June. I can't wait!
Holly says
I've made it a habit to carry my hand pruners with me whenever I go to the garden. A snip her and clip there does make all the difference! Now, if I could just remember to candy-coat myself with insect repellent…
Donna says
My mother used to pinch off all of the first flower buds from her zinnias. I thought she was crazy, and actually she was. But not about zinnias. Her plants were always stunning in summer.
Andrew Thompson says
Thanks for mentioning the importance of deadheading. I hate the look of a beautful flowering plant, a peony, or whatever, covered with dead flowers!
Judy says
Hi Kevin! This may sound crazy but can live plants feel pinching and snipping and all that kind of stuff? Ouch!
Sara Swift says
Hi Kevin!! I love pinching off dead blooms from my container garden – I use this as a resource in between clients to shift “gears”.
Sara Swift
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Welcome, Sara. Thank you for reminding us that there is therapeutic value in plant-pinching!
What are you growing in your containers?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Judy – according to research conducted by Clive Backster in 1966, plants do have feelings! Backster, a specialist in polygraph machines, connected electrodes to a number of houseplants. The polygraph machine registered feelings and emotions, i.e., plants apreciate being watered. They get nervous when a dog comes near. They faint when violence threatens their own well-being. There are those who say his experiments are “hooey” but I wonder…