It may seem like mindless work, but the overall outcome in the long run is not only worth it visually, but also for your end result!
Let's talk about pruning or what we like to call rejuvenating a plant.
Just like going to a spa and getting serviced to rid yourself of dead skin, blackheads and those unwanted ear hairs, removing dead and diseased branches and leaves can do a lot for your plants.
Pruning your plants will not only encourage air flow, but also control size, shape and create a drier environment that is less hospitable to fungal infections. Rejuvenating a plant will encourage bigger and stronger blooms.
Lastly, plant pruning also deters pests and animal infestations and helps promote the plants natural shape and healthy appearance.
Plant Pruning Gear
There are a variety of tools you can use to help make pruning your plants a little easier. Even though you might not think it matters now, work in a commercial facility for eight to twelve hours and your hands will be telling you different.
At Cultivate we carry a large selection of tools to help.
Precision pruners curved and straight, bonsai shears, clippers, anti-fatigue pruners, bypass pruners and loppers to help get the job done effortlessly.
Once you have the tools you need to get started, you're ready to start pruning.
How to Prune Your Plants
Quality flowers grow where the plant receives a lot of sunlight and airflow, particularly on the top of the plant. In order to optimize that light and airflow you'll want to cut out a few different spots.
First you'll want to cut some of the lower branches that receive little sunlight. They will typically be thinner stems and no flower sites, which means they are mostly just taking up space.
Next you want to look for leaves are starting to die off on their own due to lack of light. The leaves lower down on your plants can be blocked from the light from the lush canopy of your plants. A few quick snips and you can get rid of them to encourage your plant to focus more on the top flower sites.
Lastly, even though they might look like viable flower sites, and could even have small flowers developing, the flower sites toward the bottom of your plants won't receive enough light as the plant matures. So you're better off getting rid of the small flower sites early so more energy is focused again toward the top of your plants.
In the early stages of growth, your plants should be narrow enough that most of the foliage will receive plenty of sunlight. But once your plants start to bush up, the it's time to start pruning.
As a plant grows and bushes out, it’ll start to take a shape and define the canopy. This will give you a sense of where the quality flowers will grow so that you can start pruning away the unnecessary portions of the plant.
Got Questions?
Not sure which part of the plant to prune first, or which week of growth you should start thinking about pruning? Click here to shoot us an email with your questions and we'll get back to you with expert advice from our team of knowledgable growers.